Hinojosa to attend NYU after a year in Florence, Italy

This is where I attempt to cram all of my experiences and feelings about my time in high school within a couple of paragraphs. It all comes down to this, my final words. Where to begin?

I guess I’ll start off by thanking everyone who was a part of my life these past four years. Gratitude cannot be shown enough to my friends and teachers who helped me get through so much.

Now comes the hard part, actually explaining what my time at FC has meant to me. My elementary years and junior high years were great but that’s not what is important to me. My high school years are what truly matters because those were the years where my life actually meant somethings, and the decisions I made actually affected me and my future.

The best decision I made in high school was joining journalism. I was known as one of the journalism nerds and I was okay with that because I loved what I was doing. I wouldn?t switch my experience in that class for anything. Journalism is where I found my identity. I found a place where I fit in, and I actually enjoyed doing the work. I made lifelong friends in that class and relationships I will never forget.

Being a part of the editing team brought me great joy because we made each day exciting and fun. The time spent with my team was among my most enjoyable memories. Not only did I deepen my relationships with friends but I was also able to form new ones. One relationship that always gave me continual support and acceptance was the one with my journalism adviser.

Greg Stobbe. What can be said about this man except that he is one of the greatest people I?ve ever known. His eccentric personality and slave-driver mentality pushed me towards my best possible future. He is the only teacher that I felt always gave me undying support and love, and never gave up on me. There were times where I felt like I had greatly disappointed him but he always assured me that the only way I could let him down is if I gave up.

The teachers at FC cannot be matched anywhere else and are never shown enough recognition. I formed relationships with teachers that continually gave me guidance. They have my utmost respect for the repeated love and encouragement they gave to every student. They also have my respect for always putting up with my sarcastic personality. — Viviana Hinojosa

Stobbe is the reason I got accepted to New York University (NYU); he’s the reason I have an actual future ahead of me. I always give credit to journalism but Stobbe was journalism. He is the one who taught me everything I know and propelled me to always learn more. I have the greatest appreciation for him and I can’t imagine what it is going to be like without him around. My past year with him was the most influential by far.

My senior year has been the most significant because it showed me what is truly important. This last year I developed new relationships, reconnected with old ones and fortified some I already had. My friends at FC mean more to me that I can say. They are the people who got me through high school and showed me what it means to have a solid faith in God.

FC is where I built my faith each day. Sure, I stumbled and fell many times but I always had people to bring me back to God. Robert Foshee was a great example for me of what a truly devoted Christian looks like. He made it so much easier to stay on God’s path by watching him continually pursue God. It was teachers like Foshee that made FC an enjoyable experience. He was not just a teacher to me but a mentor and a friend. Even though we conversed in witty banter everyday, I still felt the love he had not only for me but for the entire student body.

The teachers at FC cannot be matched anywhere else and are never shown enough recognition. I formed relationships with teachers that continually gave me guidance. They have my utmost respect for the repeated love and encouragement they gave to every student. They also have my respect for always putting up with my sarcastic personality.

For those of you who know me, I tend to not hold anything back. I say what?s on my mind and I?m not afraid of being honest. Sometimes, my honesty doesn’t come off the right way, but I made a decision a long time ago that I was not going to be fake with anyone; I was not going to be anything other than who I am. With only a couple regrets I believe I carried out my decision successfully.

It’s hard to say how I’ve grown throughout high school because I’m sure other people see it more than I do myself but I know that my confidence has grown more than anything. I went into high school a timid little freshmen but with the help of friends, teachers and journalism I feel certain in the decisions I’ve made for my future.

FC became a sanctuary for me to go and feel loved when I needed it. I felt so much care from my teachers and friends that FC was a second home to me; it’s where I went to feel safe. I will deeply miss the community Fresno Christian has provided for me but I am excited to see what lies beyond these walls.

Upon graduation, Viviana Hinojosa pursues journalism, first as an exchange student in Florence, Italy, in the fall and the following year as a journalism major at NYU.

This writer can be reached via Twitter: @viv_hinojosa. Follow The Feather via Twitter: @thefeather.

For more senior reflections, read the May 21 article, Senior transitions to high school, blossoms

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