ASB has been in charge of supporting our school’s traditions and students since the beginning of our school’s development. With their posters, effort in dress-up days, and their overall care for our school, they are the embodiment of our school spirit.
By: Madalynn Martinez
Each ASB President has had their fair share of stories and experiences through ASB that have stuck with them, whether it was for the laughs, the pride, or the mistakes, each one worth remembering.
Adrian Rodriguez ’06 vividly remembers back during his time a school-wide scavenger hunt; he said, “Having students come together to think of the activities, celebrate the honor, highlight the players, and the traditions themselves, [it shows] what a government could feel like.”
Yvette Wright ‘16 remembers mostly how ASB wanted to do something fun every quarter and especially the tradition of doing a lap around the bowl. Wright said, “I’ll never forget that feeling of just being in the center of our community. I think it’s so much bigger than us, always remembering that it’s about community and people coming together.”
Adrian Lopez-Guzman ‘27 has been in ASB all 4 years and has managed to do so much with his time so far, from being a freshman who almost caused a small fire to the senior he is now, providing a person to look up to for the newer ASB members. One of his favorite Cowhide memories would have to be his sophomore year; he said, “It was the first time one of my friends who doesn’t get out of their shell actually did for Cowhide. They had a great time, and now they go to the Cowhides every year.”
Attending Cowhide is much more than just attending a regular football game; it’s about being a part of a community. A community that isn’t afraid to wear poofy blue tutus or cow onesies if that means supporting our school pride. ASB is what I like to think of as the student government; without them, there would be no school spirit.
Rodriquez still loves the idea of Cowhide and how long the tradition has been kept up over the years since his graduation. He said, “In a time where the world can seem so divided, anything that can bring us together is, I think, a win.”
Wright views Cowhide as a very important event for the students of Redwood, but it’s more than that, she said, “It’s about finding ways to connect students to school, and it’s sometimes easier to connect the kids who are already outgoing. But [it is about] what we are doing for the kids who have a hard time connecting…and who are struggling to find somewhere.”
Lopez-Guzman has gone through a few struggles over the past year while being a part of ASB, but those have not clouded his idea and his hope for what Cowhide and more events can bring to our students. He has said, “I want every student to feel connected to Redwoods community, like they belong here. The goal of that [is to show] we’re here to invite students. Not everyone wants to be reached, but it’s good that [they] have the opportunity.”
As times have changed and with a newer generation of future leaders, one thing has seemed to always stay the same with the ASB President. Their dedication to Redwood students. The skills and lessons learned through ASB are the type that can push a person far into a line of work, so full of that same support that can be seen given to our students now.
Rodriquez’s experience through ASB has had a large impact on what he has chosen to do with his life now; he said, “I’d be putting on events in the office, off-sites, and in many ways I’m still doing those functions of ASB. It’s so exciting when you can just step into that and start creating something for your peers.”
Wright is still involved in Visalia schools and is the current cheer advisor. She has taken a lot from her time as the ASB president; she said, “You [have to] push forward and grow, and if it calls for adapting, then adapt. Everything happens for a reason, and being able to embrace when things are hard, [has] really helped me in my adult life.”
Lopez-Guzman wants to go into a career that can help benefit people and communities in dire situations, whether that means becoming a firefighter or doctor. The skills he had learned through ASB were: “[Making] quick decisions, [some people] can easily shut down. [With] a dispute…I would listen to both sides, and then meet in the middle”
Madalynn Martinez
Madalynn Martinez '30 is starting journalism for her first year and is a writer for the Arts & Entertainment section. She hopes to write many stories this year involving theater, music, and the student opinion on art.
Tags: alumni, ASB, asb president, class of '06, class of '16, class of '27, clubs & lifestyles, rangers, Redwood, redwood gigantea, redwood high school, redwood journalism, redwood rangers, rhs
