WHSAD’s Sophomore of the Month for February is Adrian Garcia Perez. Adrian’s tenacity in his thinking and work allow for continuous intellectual growth and competency. His mild-mannered nature permits him to investigate complex concepts and to revise thinking to ensure a more thorough and precise result. Adrian’s Algebra II teacher Ms. McCollum had this to say about him: “I find that Adrian embodies the essence of an autonomous learner. He is goal-oriented and is determined to understand the aim of each lesson, every day. If he does not fully comprehend, he asks meaningful questions to his ‘mathamigos.’ Adrian possesses a strong curiosity about learning and also supplements his learning by completing outside assignments. My initial impression of Adrian was that he was shy. Instead, I discovered that he is just laser-focused and has a great sense of humor.”
Below, Adrian shares his thoughts with student correspondent Antonio Perez about his experiences at WHSAD, what he has gained from his time here, and why he believes he was nominated.
My goal at WHSAD is to achieve a 95% or higher average. Success in all aspects of my life has always been something that I aspired to, and I believe it always will be. Through WHSAD I am given several opportunities to accomplish and get closer to my goals than I would be able to do in another high school or CTE program. That is what helps to make WHSAD unique: the architecture. The architecture classes and clubs/internships help make the school experience more fun and enjoyable and at the same time advance in our knowledge in the fields of business and construction. After WHSAD I aspire to continue on with my career and follow my lifelong goal of becoming an engineer. WHSAD every day can help me come closer every day to this goal. The extracurriculars and clubs that WHSAD offers are especially unique because they can help in expanding my knowledge not only in the career field but obtaining a specific goal set such as what I do in Entrepreneurship Club. The community that WHSAD offers is truly special. The teachers and students alike help create an atmosphere in which I feel both comfortable and ready to learn. I believe I was chosen because of my hard work and the ambition which I display. I don’t give up easily and when tasked with a goal, even if I’m confused, I will try all I can to overcome my problems. Algebra II would have to be my favorite class because I enjoy math and while I do find the class to be challenging, it is the challenge which I find intriguing and exciting. My ambition is what drives me every day to set new goals and demonstrate my hard work to people. Persistence is another attribute which I display. Persistence is key in my life because it allows me to consistently get better each day and learn from my mistakes and grow. WHSAD is taking steps to prepare students for the future and to advance in all fields of their lives, and this is why I’m so grateful for WHSAD.