Senior Spotlight is a Cascadia Daily News annual series, highlighting the lives and experiences of graduating seniors from Whatcom County high schools.
MIRNA MENDOZA
Mirna Mendoza enjoyed many classes at Ferndale High School, from choir and ballroom dancing to culinary and agricultural sciences. She moved here from Guatemala and had to learn English — her native languages are Spanish and Mam. When not in school, she’s working at Jack in the Box, shopping, hanging out with friends and learning to play the piano. Mendoza hopes to go to college in the future.
How do you feel about graduating?
I’m kind of excited, but at the same time, there’s something inside of me … it’s coming already and it’s super weird to think about it. Then, I know what I want to do but at the same time, I don’t know.
What hurdles have you overcome in school?
I had to learn English because I’m from another country, from Guatemala. When I came here, I was in fifth grade. It was really difficult because there was no one that could speak Spanish in that school. It was really difficult for me to understand them and them to understand me. It was [isolating]. I had no friends. I had nobody.
What was your experience learning English in elementary and middle school?
I ended up getting help from people that didn’t speak Spanish. It was super difficult. If you only speak English, it’s kind of weird. They were teaching me, but at the same time I didn’t really understand the words.
What advice would you give your younger self?
Don’t be afraid. I was super afraid to express myself to others. Then, I didn’t know what to do. Now, if I [could] go back, I would know what to do. I would try to get more and more into school, even though I wouldn’t understand that much, but I would try.
Is there a teacher or staff member who has impacted your high school experience?
I think that every teacher in high school is really nice, and you can always get help from them, all of them. No one treats me different. But, Ms. [Joan] Hudson, she’s always been with me. She helps me with everything … like everything. If I have a problem with a class or if I’m getting low grades, she helps me to increase them. She is really involved in my daily life.
In what ways were you involved?
I have choir and sometimes we have concerts after school. Usually, I come to school, do whatever I have to do. I’m really obsessed with the grades. I want them to be up. I really like to learn different stuff in school. Culinary was a really good class to take, and agriculture science.
What do you like about choir?
I just love music. I love to learn about music, and my choir teacher is so nice. I decided to keep doing it.
Do you have a favorite memory from high school?
I’m not so sure, but I really have fun in different classes. I had ballroom dance. I think it’s one of my favorites. I think I had the best memories in that class, and I had [it with] my best friend. I took it two times. I really like it because you can dance with so many different people. Also, the teacher was really good.
AMY MCKAY
Future Farmers of America (FFA) has dominated most of Amy McKay’s time in high school. She competes for the agricultural sales team, placing individually and as a team at state last year. Her sophomore year, she placed top 10 in the veterinary science competition at the National FFA Convention & Expo in Indianapolis. She also shows pygmy goats and swine, and works at Rover Stay Over, a pet grooming and boarding company. In her free time, she enjoys reading and gardening. Next year, she plans to attend Montana State University to study biology sciences with a focus on wildlife fisheries management and ecology.
How’d you get involved with FFA?
I didn’t want to do it at first. My parents were like, ‘No, you have to at least have one club.’ That was a rule. Freshman year didn’t really count in my opinion. Sophomore year we started our in-person meetings. I was like, ‘OK, this is cool. I can get behind doing the competitions.’ Then, we actually had one person short for our officer team, and my mom was talking to my advisers and she threw me under the bus [and said], ‘Oh, my daughter can do it!’ So I got elected, and ever since then I really loved the program.
What made you love it?
The multiple opportunities I have to discover — it’s really helped boost my confidence throughout the years. I’ve met a lot of new people through it, and I have gained a lot of friends. Mainly just getting to hang out around people is fun, even if we’re doing a meeting, doing the official business. It’s just a nice place to socialize. I love ag sales and stuff, but if I didn’t get along with my teammates … it’d be kind of against the point.
Is there a teacher or staff member who has impacted your high school experience?
Probably any of my agricultural advisers, honestly. They all push me a lot to be the best version of myself. That’d be Tony Torretta, Mitch Davis, Nicole Perry and Kristine Anderson. I can’t choose just one because I’ve been with them all throughout the past four years.
What advice would you give your younger self?
Listen to your counselor when he tells you not to take three Advanced Placement [classes] in a year. You’re going to regret it. Your senior year, you’re going to hate yourself. Honestly.
How do you feel about graduating?
I’m excited. I’m ready to go. I think it’s mainly because it’s been changing for the past four years. Honestly, it’s probably that. I got a half a year, freshman year [in the old building]. Sophomore year, I was there two days a week [due to COVID-19]. Then, junior year they started destroying the old building and building the new one. By the end of junior year, I was moved in here, but I still had the old career-and-technical-education (CTE) wing. Then in the middle of senior year, they destroyed the CTE wing. I’m glad for it, but it’s just so much change.
How do you feel about leaving?
I’m sad for the fact that I’m leaving some of my friends who are underclassmen. But like I said, I’m excited about it. It’s going to be rough leaving my family. I’m going to miss my dogs, my parents, my brother. I’m really going to miss being able to come home every day and rant to my family. I won’t be able to do that. It’s going to be a difficult change, but it’s a needed one. That step between starting your adult life, but you’re still kind of a child in other people’s eyes.
Visit CDN’s Senior Spotlight page to learn about Whatcom County graduates from other schools. New profiles will be posted every Monday, Wednesday and Friday until June 19.
Hailey Hoffman is a CDN visual journalist; reach her at haileyhoffman@cascadiadaily.com; 360-922-3090 ext. 103.
