Eagles of Canyon High

“In eighth grade, we were down by three, and I caught the ball,” junior Xavier Ortiz said. “I dribbled and I shot a three pointer and we tied the game. Everyone was cheering; my teammates were cheering and it made me love the game of basketball. I quit my sophomore year, and it made me sad I wasn’t playing with my teammates. It has always been my passion, so I got back into it. I don’t k...

"I get along with everybody," sophomore Noah Callaway said. "I think that makes me unique. I am in cheer and it is an escape from the day. Things can get stressful, and I can get overloaded, but I make sure to be kind at all times. More people should have the quality of being kind to others. I want people to know I'm chill and to come talk to me. Don't be weird around me and don't feel threatened by...

"I have a lot of energy all the time," freshman Reecie Meyer said. "It's just who I am. I made the decision that I'm going to have energy because I feel like it's important. A lot of things I do day-to-day require me to have positive energy and be energetic. I'm the spirit leader of the JV choir. It's really fun to be able to connect with so many people on a certain level and spread my energy."

“I usually wear leggings and a jacket to keep me warm, so I can do things flexibly for practice,” freshman Olivia Skalsky said. "I love spins and jumps. You have a group, or you can do a solo and there's music and you skate with it. It was difficult, but the more I did it, the easier it got. I just like having fun with it. I enjoy being able to I feel like I'm floating. If you think you're gonna ...

“It was pretty overwhelming at first,” sophomore Liza Nisen said. “We moved because of my dad’s job. We had been living in Peru for 12-15 years, so we needed a new beginning. My dad looked at a map, because he's a pilot, and picked the middle. We like small towns, and he decided he wanted to live in Texas, so we picked Canyon. We didn’t have a plan. We came here with no car and no house. ...

"The girls in my devotional group are my best friends," junior Lacey Lightfoot said. "In our group, we take turns leading devotionals. A devotional is something where girls who are leading pick a bible verse or a topic that we focus on, and then we ask a lot of questions. It's more of a conversation, and it really helps having everyone there together. When you have people there, it's easier to hold your...

"I want to be the first person in my family to go to college," sophomore Jason Ramos said. "I make sure my grades are good and all my classwork is caught up, and if there's any extra things I need to do to catch up or keep my grades as high as they can be, then I just do it. It's a huge achievement for me to be able to go through all 13 years of school and go further with my own success. I want to...

“My family has always been runners but never competitive,” freshmen Avery Brown said. “My mom ran half marathons a lot when I was a little kid. I fell in love with it in junior high. It’s completely a mindset of being mentally tough. I was really surprised with how I ran [at the Oklahoma State Jamboree]. I had never been first on the team, but with all the scouts there, it made me feel really a...

With a PSAT score of 1250, senior Noah Romero was awarded two national titles: College Board National Hispanic Recognition Program scholar and College Board National Rural and Small Town Recognition Program scholar. “My family said they were proud of me,” Romero said. “I was surprised when I received it, because I figured I wouldn’t qualify with my score. Although they don’t qualify me f...

“I joined [choir] in eighth grade,” senior Marlee Ramirez said. “I immediately fell in love with it. It really showed me how to practice properly and not waste time, to have fun but also get down to business when we need to. It helped me be an adult. It really helps you know how to handle life and all it has to throw at you. I want to go to college to be a choir director. It has such a good fa...

“I would describe my style as soft grunge,” freshman Ashlyn Baum said. “I also like to implement trends from the 90s. It started as me seeing something I like and taking that and making an outfit out of it. I get most of my clothes from PacSun and Thrift Stores. My clothes give off very kind and soft energy. I think my style portrays my personality to people who don’t know me."

“I’m the oldest of eight kids,” sophomore Grace Knox said. “I’m 16, and the youngest is eight months. I love it. There is always someone to hang out with, especially this year during quarantine. You can't always do things like Disney World, because it's just a lot to take that many people and it’s expensive, but it’s worth it. In the past year, whenever I was in the hospital, my sibli...

“I’ve always liked Disney,” freshman Bre Burton said. “When I was around 8-years-old, my family went to Disney world, and that set it off. We all got to choose where we wanted to go: Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom and other places like Hogwarts. The opening of old Disney films with the star going over the castle really sticks out to me. It gives me a part of my imagination and a sense of hop...

"In junior high, I played football and baseball," senior Benjamin Malcolm said. "I don't think I ever really enjoyed sports all that much, but I always enjoyed the people and being around them. That definitely led me on to athletic training. We take care of all the athletes and their injuries. We tape them before games--their ankles, wrists and all that--and turf burns and all. We make sure they're...

“My dad and I have been doing this [archery] together since I was about five years old," senior Caroline Tomlinson said. “We’ve never done any competitive archery. My dad used to bow hunt, and that’s why he taught me to do it too. It was pretty hard at first, but over time, it got more and more fun. I use a recurve instead of a compound bow, so there's more pounds to pull back. It's harder to pu...

“Soccer is mainly a period sport, so it’s first period,” sophomore Deigo Reyes said. “This year I’m playing forward. Last year, I played goalkeeper and midfield. It’s a lot of hard work, a lot of working out, being in shape and having fun with the team. It’s something I’ve been playing a lot of my life, with my family, friends and clubs. It’s something I like to do.”...

"I want to know how things work," senior Rilee Barnes said. "A lot of engineers start out by taking things apart and wanting to know how they work. Engineering is making something that's already good even better. I started taking things apart and got fascinated. If I can see how things work, I can understand more about building new things. Everybody knows you put gas in a car, and then the engine makes...

“The main thing I want to accomplish before I graduate is to make as many lifelong friends as I can," junior Nathan Hayhurst said. "I feel like that’s a key point to any high school experience whether it be just a hang out and have fun or study for a test. Friends will be there for you when you fail and when you have accomplishments. It takes some of the pressure off of school. That’s why I ...

“Student Crime Stoppers is an organization that protects the campus," junior Skyla Ramsay said. "If there's someone that comes in, we can help. It's pretty much a way to protect the school from drugs and everything else. I've learned it's okay to be different. It's okay for people to not like you because there's a lot of people here that do things they're not supposed to, and they're afraid of you. ...

“Both band and cross country are challenging,” freshman Hannah Stuart said. “They both use a lot of mental strength. You have to fight to keep running; in band, you have to focus and concentrate. It feels good to really push yourself and work hard. You just have to work and put in effort with both. It’s worth it because I get to do two things I really love. It makes high school more enjoyabl...

“It’s fun to be able to write a song you can see yourself in,” junior Kennedy Pernell said. “ I always liked writing; I loved poetry and music, and it mixed my love of words and music. If you do a good job with a song, it’s kind of like a story, and it’s like poetry. You can analyze it and figure out who’s behind it. It’s almost a perfect translation to what a person is and how a person feel...

“In tryouts, I did cheers and a dance,” junior Jayden Price said. “I am [a] cheerleader.” “She's the first student with special needs on the Canyon High cheer team,” special education teacher Anne Skalsky said. “She had to go through the process just like everybody else. Her mom asked about it freshman year, and this year she was determined to let her try. She had to go home every ...

“I run a lot, I do cross-country and I also ride horses,” junior Ellie Brown said. “I’m training a horse right now. She is a Grulla Quarter horse. We got her from a breeding place down in Gainesville, Texas. This is my first horse I’m training, but I’ve ridden horses since I was 11. My parents were both involved in riding horses--my mom did rodeo, and my dad worked in a feed yard. It w...

“As far back as I can remember, I’ve been making little things for my parents or my sisters,” sophomore Zara Salazar said. “I’ve just recently started over the summer professionally making it. At the moment, I only offer earrings, but I’m trying to demo some different chains for necklaces, anklets, bracelets and maybe some ear cuffs at some point. I try to make each earring diverse, and ...

“I was born in Regensburg, Germany,” junior Felix Cardenas said. “My dad immigrated from Mexico to America, and from there he joined the military and was deployed in Germany. That’s how he met my mother. We were deployed in the U.S. again and brought back to America. I visit Germany almost every other year, and it’s a really great place. I’d love to live in Germany, but there’s a huge...

"I have been doing art since I was little," junior Charlee Alexander said. "My parents always let me make messes, explore and just be creative. I enjoy that I can do anything I want with art. I love to sit for hours at a time and work on one piece, just getting lost in it. I don't think it will ever be my whole career, but I always want to be able to do art for fun. In our fast-moving world, visual...

“I have been playing [hockey] since I was two years old,” freshman Hudson Fisher said. “My brother played, and he started playing because of my dad, so it’s always been in the family. We have a team in Amarillo made of schools from Amarillo and Canyon, such as Randall, Caprock and Ascension. The Big Texan sponsors us, so we are called the Big Texan Bulls, and our colors are orange and blue. I am ...

"In junior high, I took a pottery class, and I didn't like it," senior Ethan Ryder said. "But now, I'm really into it. I started making ceramics for another elective this year. I'm just starting out, and I haven’t made many pieces, but I’m getting along. When I’m making pottery, I feel like I am doing something important. You press down the middle of the clay, then you pull up your hands and...

"I remember the day vividly when I started drawing," sophomore Keymey Aponte said. "I was in the sixth grade in my health class back in Florida. I get inspired by other artists. Like all other artists, the kind of art I do is out of my imagination. Currently, I am using Ibis Paint X, a digital art program on your phone. My main theme right now is for aesthetics, like pastel colors and channel shifting....

"I moved here from Colorado," senior Elijah De La Torre said. "Most of my time I was in Colorado Springs, and I was in Glenwood Springs for the last two years. I went to a new school last year, too, for my junior year. Then I moved again. When I lived in Colorado Springs I made all my friends in middle school, which is easier to do than in high school. I was pretty much set with people for high school...

"Ceta Camp Nova has had a huge impact on my life," junior Karlie Venhaus (left) said. "I've been attending every summer since fourth grade. It has led me to the Lord over and over again, and taught me so many things I will continue to live out for the rest of my life. I've made some really great relationships at camp, and some of my best friends have come from camp. My favorite memories are playing...

“My favorite part about showing animals is probably the friends you meet,” junior Lilly Thurman said. “Traveling from place to place, we get a lot of time to communicate. We basically are family when we are done showing. I’ve shown pigs, goats and rabbits since I was in third grade. I get my animals in July, and we have them until the majors in spring. Every day I have to walk them, and I ...

“Hockey is definitely a social thing,” sophomore AJ Smith said. “In school, I am kind of an introvert but when I’m there I am an assistant captain and I am usually talking quite a bit. The assistant captains lead inside of the team, where you don’t really recognize them as much as in the public eye, but they lead by example. Since I’ve played so long, I have kind of grown as a family with ...

“I have been swimming on the swim team since fifth grade,” senior Joey Vanlandingham said. “This is my final year and I am looking forward to finishing out by being a better leader and beating my records. We have kids from second grade all the way up to seniors on the team, and I want to set an example for them. Through the years I got to meet new people, travel and better my swimming, but the...

“I love to travel,” sophomore Isha Ghosh said. “I love seeing different cultures and different people interact with each other. I love experiencing it firsthand. I love seeing the different kinds of scenery in countries because it's really cool. Every country has different kinds of food, so I love tasting the different flavors and the spices they have. In America, they have hamburgers, but in...

“Something not a lot of people know about me is I really like to draw and sketch,” sophomore Grayson Prather said. “It is an outlet in a lot of ways. I am a very visual person, and seeing what I think helps me understand it. My grandma does a lot of art. I would spend a lot of time with her when I was little, and I started doodling. My mom is also artistic, and I have always had a knack for d...

"Family will always be there for you, and they'll never give up on you," freshman Blake Usleton said. "I was struggling in school at one point, and my dad took the time to take off work to help me with homework. I think we stayed up until midnight once just working on homework. He cares a whole lot."

"I've been watching Fortnite videos," senior Gaige Brackett said. "I've played a year, probably. A lot of people play it. It's basically a battle royale game. There's 100 people, and basically the objective is to get first place. My friends started playing it a long time ago, and I was like, 'This game's awful. I hate it.' Then my friends got back into it, and I gave it another shot. I've been playing...

“My freshman year in high school, I took a photography class,” sophomore Hannah McClure said. “I really liked it, so I tried out yearbook. I moved to Canyon, and it’s different because there are a lot more students on staff. Our staff was smaller with only about seven people, and the yearbook was only about 150 pages. We didn’t do interviews, so it took us longer to get things done. We a...

"I grew up dressing and acting like a free-spirited hippie," sophomore Coryn Pekrul said. "I used to make tie dye shirts. My mom is very unique and never went with the flow, and I adopted that quality. I love being myself even when it doesn't fit what everyone expects. I have always dressed wearing outlandish colors or strange clothes. I have never worn what was popular, but what I felt comfortable...

"I'm passionate about becoming a veterinarian because I grew up in a house with 11 dogs," senior Taylor Thornley said. "We had 22 animals total, including reptiles. We had a little bit of everything. I took care of them most of the time. My parents never wanted to take animals to the vet, so when they got sick, I always took them to my room and took care of them. I grew up wanting to take care of animals....

"I like New Year's," freshman Ryanne Higgins said. "I like celebrating we made it through another year. We'll go to my Nana's house, and she has a theater in her basement. We have sparkling apple cider and a ton of snacks, and we sit down there and watch the ball drop. If we're not with one of our family members, we'll FaceTime them. At the last second of the current year, we'll jump into 20-whatever...

"I'm thankful for my family and all the people who have impacted me in some way," junior Deanne Rice said. "We go to my grandma's house for Thanksgiving. All the family meets there. She recently moved, so it's kind of hard, but we eat together, play games and have fun and fellowship with each other. We usually play Monopoly or Dog-Opoly, Monopoly with dogs, and we play a card game called Hand and Foot....

"During the holidays I like to spend time with my family," junior Cally Lytal said. "Neither one of my brothers lives with me now, but they come home for the holidays, so I try to spend as much time with them as I can. Family is super important to me. As for traditions, we don't have many. My mom always makes the same thing for breakfast, sausage balls and bacon pinwheels. You know it's a holiday...

"My favorite part about Thanksgiving would be seeing people I usually don't get to see except during special holidays," junior Katy Gill said. "Every other year, we either stay here or go with family in South Texas. We usually get together around the table. We eat food and usually spend about one day together just hanging out, playing board games and watching movies. It's just a nice time to get together...

“I love Thanksgiving,” senior Benjamin Monroe said. “I love it because I get to see my aunts, uncles and cousins who I only get to see once a year. It is a nice time to interact with my family and see what’s going on in their lives. Our biggest family tradition is playing cards and football and arguing over who won. Also, we always had this one tradition where we say what we’re thankful fo...

"I've played soccer since I was really young," senior Carly Beherns said. "I've always enjoyed the sport. I played all the way up through the beginning of my sophomore year when I fell, hit my head and got a concussion. Since then, I've been part of the team, but I haven't been able to play with them due to the injury. Especially after the concussion, the team has been super sweet and have really helped...

“I am graduating early, in June," junior Isa Bargas said. "Then I’m moving to Washington all by myself at the age of 16. I’m going to go to college for a long time, and I’m going to be an Asian language translator. That means I’m going to learn Korean, Mandarin, Japanese, a whole plethora of things. On top of all of that, I’m going to be an ASL (American Sign Language) interpreter. I’m...

“I like to tell stories and write stories,” senior Brandon Lewis said. “A personality trait of me is whenever I am acting or writing, I get really into a character. When I write a story, I get to create my own character I can personalize. I like being the master of my personal world. Also, it’s fun to see how other people interpret your story, like what kind of world they see compared to w...

“I have danced for about 13 years outside of school,” sophomore Alyssa Seaton said. “It was something my aunt did, and I thought it looked really pretty. When I was 3, I asked my mom to sign me up for it.  Most people think it would make you feel really bad, but it makes me feel more comfortable in my skin. A lot of people I talk to, they say, ‘Oh, I did dance when I was 6, and then I stoppe...

“Faith can move mountains,” sophomore Dezaray Hernandez said. “At church, we watched a play with different events each leading to death and where you would want God in that difficult time. The lesson of the play was accepting and making the time to worship God. A few months back, my grandpa was in a coma, and he almost didn’t make it. We stayed strong as a family and kept praying every day.  O...

"I started playing violin when I was 3, and then I played piano starting in second grade," sophomore Bella Haynes said. "A few years after playing piano, in sixth grade, I started to play flute, and I have been singing in my church choir since eighth grade. This year, I found the courage to join choir in school. Music has been something I've known all my life, because both of my parents teach it. My...

“Crocheting is basically an intricate series of knots, whereas knitting is weaving," sophomore Caitlan Kelch said. "That’s the big difference. Crocheting is fun and relatively easy. Sometimes a pattern can be tricky; usually, it’s the person making the pattern. I crochet cacti because you get the joy of having a succulent, and it won’t stab you. You can also use them as needle holders, so ...

"I love baseball because it’s not just a one person game," senior Kaden Gist said. "Each person has to do their job, so it’s a bunch of individual skills that come together and help achieve the team’s goals. I’ve always been a really competitive guy, and I love the challenges and mental aspect of baseball. It means so much to achieve something that I’ve dreamed about since I was 4 years old a...

"This summer I am going to be working at Hidden Falls Ranch, a Christian summer camp," junior Tori Ross said. "This is my second year to do it. Being a camp counselor has helped me a lot--learning how to co-lead. It’s a lot about responsibility and how to work with others. You are working with one or two other girls in your cabin that are about your age, and you have to learn how to lead the kids...

"Baseball has always been something I can go to," junior Cash Hamby said. "It is a really big stress reliever for me. I can remember watching varsity baseball all throughout my younger years, and now, it’s like a dream come true for me. My dad used to roll me ground balls in the living room before I could walk, and ever since then, I’ve wanted to be the best I can be at the game. I wake up looki...

"The first time I wanted to try photography is when I went down to the art museum at the activity center and saw the pieces that were up on the walls," senior Brantley Spinks said. "I saw how in every photo, there was a different message behind it. I loved that aspect about it. It really struck me that a picture can tell a 100-page story in a single frame. When I started taking my own photos, I began...

“This year, there are so many prom dresses," sophomore Rylee Jackson said. "There will be a dress where you like the bottom half of it, and then you’ll see the top half of it, and you won’t like the print. It’s really hard to find one where you like the entire thing. If you don’t start shopping early, they’re not going to have any good ones left.  Whatever dress you pick reflects your...

"I have a brother, and he's 24," senior Maddie Moberley said. "I've basically been an only child because he moved out a long time ago. He lives in Lubbock, so I don't see him that much. It was fun when I was little because I looked up to him, and we went and played together. Then he got to high school, and he was a lifeguard at one of the pools, so we would swim. It was really fun. Now that he's graduated,...

“I want to go to The Art Institute of Dallas and get my degree in fashion," junior Cheyenne Lynch said. "Afterwards, I would like to work in the fashion industry. I would prefer to work for Ralph Lauren or Kate Spade designing clothes, working with big name designers. It’s going to take a lot of hard work. I have been sewing my whole life, that’s kind of the back part of it. Then college, doing ...

“My grandma played tennis in her youth, my mom started playing in college to end up coaching in a town near Houston called Dickinson, and my sister played in high school, so you could say tennis runs in my family," sophomore Churchman Howell said. "I really enjoy playing tennis because it has always been with me. Competing in tennis is a lot of fun, especially if you are winning. Getting to travel ...

"I plan on either going to school to be a mechanic or a welder," junior Kaden Burkhalter said. "I've always had a love for messing with cars and making stuff out of metal. I got it from watching what my grandpa and dad did when they worked on race cars we used to drive. It's not only something that I'm passionate about, but it also has a calming effect on me. It has been my kind of meditation to get...

"I signed a contract the day I turned 17 to join the active duty component of the United States Army," senior Travis Roberts said. "After I graduate high school, I get a grace period. From there, they'll send me to basic training, to advanced individual training and then to my duty station. I have a deep sense of pride for my country. I have a deep sense of protection for my family, and it advances...

"My first show for One-Act Play was 'Much Ado About Nothing,'" senior Emily Tull said. "I was a sophomore. I was shy, because I was one of the younger kids in the show, but we really became a family. We were so close. Mr. Yirak brought us all over to his house for dinner one night, and we played basketball at his neighbor's house. I've never had a cast like that. That was one of the most special times...

“I want to pursue trauma surgery,” sophomore Alexandria Englehart said. “At first I wanted to be an environmental engineer or a forensic scientist. No matter what career I wanted to go into, it had always been something that helped other people. Even if it’s just one life, if I can help one person then that’s good enough for me. I’ve always had this ‘I want to save the world’ motto...

"I wasn't so stoked on being in journalism class because I got put in it, but I actually really like it," junior and 500th @eaglestaleeds Instagram follower Zoee Tyler said. "It's really fun. I thought it would be boring. In English, it's made me excel, because I know how to write a story, any kind of story. It gives me more insight on how to plan out my stories and stuff like that. Everybody should...

“Music has affected my life in so many aspects--a lot of healing and getting me through the hard times, and, also, exploring who I am as a person," sophomore Lottie Urschel said. "In so many aspects, I’ve discovered who I am, what I believe in and what I like through music. Freshman year, I started out and was honestly scared if it was going to be hard. I wasn’t scared of pushing myself; it wa...

“Darren is my best friend because he is really funny," senior Josh Jones said. "In class, we play Skip Bo, Uno, and Monopoly. Also, he likes football like me. He likes to play basketball, too.”

"I do cross-examination (CX) debate," freshman Ryan Cox said. "You have a partner, and you debate people about politics. People should join CX because it's a lot less stress than most other debates. You have a partner, and it's more collaboration. If you're wrong, your partner will probably catch it and be like, 'We should make this argument instead of this.'  I liked the aspect of being able to throw...

"I'm starting to learn cooking," sophomore Declan Griffin said. "I've made shrimp paella and stuffed bell peppers. I know how to make spaghetti really well; that's probably one of the dishes I'm best at, because I've made it the most. Some of it I learned when I was really young, and now, since I'm interested in that being my job topic, I'm starting to learn more."

"The high school is a lot different, and classes go by at lot faster," freshman Neely Wood said. "The hallways are way more crowded, and you get to talk to more people and make more friends. I like the sports differences at the high school. You get to play twice a week and go straight into district. The classes are harder, though. You have more homework, and you have to stay on top of your grades....

"Cheer has taught me a lot about talking to little girls who look up to us and showing how to be a role model," senior Braelly Jones said. "We do what's called mini-cheer camp. We teach them a cheer chant and dance, and they come with us for a football game. They dress like little cheerleaders, and it's so cute. I met this little girl, and she carries around a little Tatum Schulte doll. Every time...

"I have a lot of animals at home," sophomore Katalina Bruton said. "We’ve always lived on a farm, ranch or something like that. My whole family has been in agriculture forever. The first time I wanted to be involved in something agriculture was when we first moved somewhere in Arkansas. There was this big pasture behind us, and it was amazing. There were cows and other animals, and they would come...

"Martin Luther King, Jr. was a good role model," sophomore Rylee Higgins said. "I like this quote I've seen in books because it helps me grasp the good verses evil concept." "Darkness cannot drive out darkness. Only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate. Only love can do that." Martin Luther King, Jr.

“My dad always played the piano, so I grew up with it," sophomore Jordan Callaway said. "It has always fascinated me. You learn music and what it means to other people when you play other people’s pieces instead of your own. By looking into other people's music, you can see what they’re like and how they think. I really enjoy it, and it calms me down.”

“The first six weeks here were really overwhelming," junior Bella Neil said. "Everything was new, but it was also comforting because I knew a lot of people here. I started online school in fifth grade. With online, I was more organized, because I have my own schedule. I like high school more, because I get to see everyone every day. In a way, I have become a lot more independent because of hig...

"I keep bees," sophomore Aleah Appel said. "I got them this spring. I just started beekeeping. I’ve had them since April. They’ve collected pollen and made honey. So far, I’ve had two boxes of honey, which is about 120 pounds of honey. I’ll be collecting that in the springtime. I haven’t collected any honey yet, but I do use honey a lot in my baking, because I like to experience a lot an...

"I’ve been dancing for nine years," junior Peyton Smith said. "I’ve been classically trained in ballet since I was 8, and I’ve competed in team competitions and private competitions. Dancing is my favorite thing in the world. I want to pursue dance when I get older and make it a bigger part of my life than what it is now."

"Music is the one thing I’m good at," junior drum major Meghan Brooks said. "I’m surrounded by it. My mom is the choir director and my dad is the theory professor. It doesn’t seem difficult to me. Last year, I tried out for choir All-Region. Then I made drum major, so I didn’t do it this year which I kind of regret. But you have to pick and choose what you focus on so you can stay good at w...

"My favorite hobby is probably playing guitar," junior Isaac Talley said. "I taught myself when I was 12 years old. My uncle is really good, so he was one of the people who inspired me to play. When I get older, I would like to record music and play live and professionally with famous people."

“I can be pretty spontaneous," junior Bailee Gerlich said. "I love to keep myself entertained. Growing up, I switched from gymnastics to dance, back to gymnastics and then played volleyball. Now, I cheer. I wanted to experience more. My sister was my inspiration in everything I did. When she did gymnastics, I did. When she played volleyball, I played too. I wanted to be just like her.”...

“Xcel Energy’s a great place to intern,” senior Cade Rebstock said. “I fit in; I like it. I never thought I would, but I really do. They’re exposing me to all sorts of great opportunities with their company, and I’ve really enjoyed being there. It’s opened up a whole lot of experiences for me, and I’m excited to see what it has to offer next.”...

“I want to be in the Army because I want to serve my country in a very meaningful way,” junior Sam Gilbreath said. “I want to learn life skills and earn benefits. I want to be able to say I am a US veteran and gain the respect of people when they learn I served in the military. Being in the Army to me means I have served my purpose in this country, and I have joined an eternal brotherhood only tho...

“I joined STEM club because it sounded like fun,” sophomore Bret Ramirez said. “But what I like about STEM club is that it is a bunch of kids interested in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. We actually learn some stuff just from going in there and testing different things, whether it’s with programming, engineering or other stuff like that."

"I'm in entrepreneurship and BIM," sophomore Grizzly Royval said. "My whole family's in business, so I grew up on it. I want to run my own dealership. That's the type of business my whole family's been in. We've always run dealerships. I've been thinking about a restaurant, maybe, or a company that owns a lot of different types of companies."  

“It’s really opened my eyes that there are so many different people in the world, and they are all living a different life that is completely different than yours," junior and ASL (American Sign Language) vice president Emma Sheets said. "I make ideas, then ASL 3 expands on them and as a whole, we go and do it. Deaf contact time is where you go out. We get to socialize with some of the deaf p...

"I have been a part of robotics for four years now," sophomore Adrian Roach said. "I began in seventh grade, and it has quickly become a major part of my life. All of the stress of the world goes away in robotics, and it's great sharing that feeling with a small group of students all competing and striving towards the same goal. The robotics program is an extremely exciting program to watch compete,...

"I really want to try out for a drum corps," sophomore Aaron Neeley said. "In a perfect world, I would audition for Carolina Crown. I fell in love with Drum Corps International a few years ago because of Carolina Crown’s show, ‘Inferno.’ Ever since, I’ve been watching as many corps as I can. It has really motivated me in my marching and playing, and it has gotten me even more excited for high s...

“I love science,” sophomore Cade Rhodes said. “I like to know a lot of things, because I don’t know a lot. You get to explore the unknown. I like theoretical physics more than regular physics. I think it’s interesting how we can figure out a little more about how the universe works and what’s out there. Aliens? Or nothing?”

“With my youth group, we go and volunteer at the Hudson House,” sophomore Liberty Roberts said. “We bake them things, and we hang out and get to know them. It’s getting to meet all the people who made our country what it is today. Every time we go in there, all of their faces light up. They love to talk to you, even if you feel uncomfortable.”

“Theater impacted me more than anything else in high school, because it helped me to figure out what I want to do with my life,” senior E'lyse Niles said. “I want to have a future in film. I love acting, directing and filming, so I figure I should pursue my passion. I fell in love with Mr. Yirak’s teaching methods, and he helped me in many different ways. In film, you have your own world to dra...

"People think cheerleaders are snobby and like the girls in the movies," senior Brianna Ramsay said. "But people are shocked when I tell them I also restore tractors, do speaking events and judge milk. Being on multiple teams, such as FFA or cheer, you really get to know those people and enjoy them. It is really nice to have friends that you can share your different interests with.”

“I feel like being captain, I need to keep more of a positive attitude," colorguard captain Erica Perez said. "I need to make sure the rest of the guard is taken care of and still have passion and motivation for colorguard. I try to avoid complaining about something that’s not working, and I try to give them compliments if I notice something is going really well or if I notice something they�...

“I’m president of Student Council,” senior student of the month Madison LaFont said. “I try to present myself as a leader in the school, and I try to do what I see best for the groups in the school. I try to be a positive influence and lead by example while also enforcing fun as well as rules and discipline. I honestly just want people to know that they can come talk to me about whatever it is...

"I love performing," sophomore Kaden Ellison said. "Music lets me express myself where words can't. I can make it my own and personalize it however I want. Since I am socially awkward, I often have trouble explaining how I feel, but music has always done that for me. I have performed in several popular bars and cafes including Golden Light, Moe Dogs and Smokey Joe's. Every time I perform is special...

“Volunteering at the Amarillo Zoo was a different and unique experience," freshman Alyssa Harris said. "I originally got into this work to be closer with animals, and I thought it would be a good thing to have on a resume for college, especially since this is what I want to pursue. They started me off working around a bunch of people and learning about smaller animals. Doing that job, you are still...

"I'm involved in student council and I'm an officer, so I do Snack Pak and stuff like that," said junior student of the month Parker Duggan. "After I got involved in student council, I got to see what being involved looks like, and it's really fun. You really get to help out and help the janitors and make sure they can get everything done. We have to do projects around the school like the canned fo...

"I am running for engineering club president, because I feel I could be a great leader for it," freshman student of the month Isaac Kendrick said. "I have many ideas we could do for next year’s engineering club like more projects, more competitions we could compete in and a lot more things we could do. I’ve always thought engineering was interesting. I love doing math and trying to find problem...

"A fun day we had this year was going to ZIA," said sophomore of the month Maggie Bell. "I’d never been, because we only go every other year. To be part of a band that’s been record-breaking is something you don’t get to experience every day. The beginning of our season started really rough, so nobody had really high hopes. I think that also caused for me more determination, and to just try to...

"After I graduate, I plan on attending welding school at Tulsa down in Houston," senior Clayton Larance said. "Welding has been a growing passion for me ever since sophomore year, and I have found it seems to suit me well. I’ve been practicing welding for a while now in our ag class here at Canyon High. Throughout my high school career, I’ve fallen in love with welding, and I am excited to continue th...

"Success is the absolute culmination of one’s achievements," senior student of the month Logan Giles said. "There is nothing quite like working hard toward a goal, giving it your all and then getting to where you want to be and seeing all the payoff that comes from hard work. I think the best way to go about getting to that point of success is to set specific goals and work hard to achieve those ...

“Music to me is one of the best gifts God has given us,” junior of the month Josiah Dye said. “I’m in choir because I want to be a choir director after college. There are many magical moments where we really get into the music, and there’s nothing else in the world we would rather be doing. Mr. Farren is really funny, and I love honoring God with music. I want to be the best person I can....

"I run cross country and that’s about the only activity I’m involved with other than the classes I take," freshman student of the month Tracer Roberts said. "In seventh grade, my two best friends were running cross country and I accidentally spent the night at one of their houses on a night before they had to go run. I ran with them the next morning and it was all right, but I still didn’t run...

"Whenever my father served in the army, he met a guy named Sky," sophomore Sky Flores said. "They became close friends, so he decided to give me the name Sky as my middle name. My real name is Elijah Sky Flores, however when I was a little boy I always felt like there were too many Elijahs in my class, so I started going by the name of Sky to be different. Growing up, I was taught that being yoursel...

“Softball has taught me hard work, during and after practice,” senior student of the month Brooke Parker said.  “I teach lessons to some of the younger players on the JV team.  You never know what kind of role models they have. I like to be someone they can talk to.  I have my coaches and my parents to thank for expecting the best of me.  They have taught me to go above and beyond in every...

"For kindergarten and preschool, I went to Amarillo schools to learn how to sign and not how to speak, and I hated it," said freshman student of the month Ally McBroom, who is active in basketball and Key Club. "Being hard of hearing isn't any different from wearing glasses."

"I am very thankful for the life that I am living because I understand that it is the only one I will have. I am thankful for my parents because they raised me to become who I am now. Another thing I am thankful for is all the love that I have been given over my lifetime and the fact that people have been kind to me and have taken care of me in the ups and downs of my life. I’m thankful for these ...

"I’m thankful for my family because even if something is going wrong in school or with friends, they are always there for me."

“I am thankful for my family. They are the best thing to ever happen to me. When we are cooking for Thanksgiving I always make the pecan pies, because when my mom tries to bake them they do not ever rise. For Thanksgiving, my family is coming down, and a couple of family members who do not usually come are visiting.”

"I would say my Mom and Dad, because they are always there for me. They provide for me, and I know I can always talk to them. They support me in all the stuff I do."

“I really appreciate my family more than anything. I'm glad I grew up in a house with people who cared about me, and I am glad to have the support of both of my parents.  We usually go to Oklahoma for Thanksgiving, and we usually do Thanksgiving three times. This Thanksgiving we are going to Louisiana and having Thanksgiving there, just my mom, dad, brother and I.  We are excited for the seafoo...

"I am incredibly thankful for my family and friends. I am also thankful for this great country and all the freedoms and opportunities that it allows us to exercise. I am thankful for this school and the opportunities it has provided me with during my time here. Things like band and swimming have been great, and I am very thankful for the opportunity to participate in them. I am also thankful for my...

"Band has helped a lot," freshman Erin Riley said. "It’s made me be responsible. You have to learn how to schedule and manage time between homework and sleep and food and band, and you have to decide when you can practice, even though I’m throwing a pole in the air for fun. It introduces you to all these people, so when you’re stressed, you know people you can ask. Performing is stressful, b...

"I'm thankful for what my family is willing to sacrifice for me," sophomore Nathan Hoggatt said. "During summer, I play basketball, and it costs a lot for hotel, food and gear. They're willing to do that without a second guess. My grandma brings me Subway for every game during school season and cooks me breakfast every Monday. They're willing to do a lot for me."

"All my clothes are from thrift stores. I don't shop at Goodwill because they're too expensive, but I shop at America’s Best Thrift and Discount. I get a lot of inspiration from places like Pinterest and Tumblr. I wish school didn’t have all those dress codes because it’s one way that I express myself. I dress depending on what I’m feeling. If I’m feeling down I wear black. It’s a really f...

"I just love cheering," freshman Jordan Smith said. "I've loved it ever since my sister started cheering a couple years ago. I usually do gymnastics also, so that takes up most of my time.  It just kind of seemed fun. I've been doing it since I was eight, and then that's what got me started cheering. I want to cheer all four years of high school, and I also want to go to Baylor University to become...

"Someone who has had a big impact on me is my grandmother," junior Brendon Eminger said. "She’s gone through a lot. She lived in the rough part of Roswell, and both her and my grandfather had cancer and fought through it. At the same time, she lost her mom and got in a car wreck, nearly lost her life in that too. It was crazy. They were expecting to live there for the rest of their lives, and ou...

“Moving often has given me different perspectives on people," senior Jodie Jameson said. "I’m very good at watching people, seeing how they interact with others because I never really got that interaction. I found it very foreign, very interesting to me, because I never really had friends. I am a social butterfly and people are my flowers. When I’m not surrounded by people, I’m just flying ar...

"When I was little I wrote a story about these three bears, and I just fell in love with writing," sophomore Sydney Gadberry said. "Writing calms me down. I've been doing it probably eight years now, and I write reviews and have book ideas. My dream career would to be an author and my dream college is Emery University in Georgia."

"I like collecting candles," sophomore Rebecca Granda said. "It started because I really like the smell of seasonal candles and how they come out with new ones. Bath and Body Works has a pretty good selection every year. It just kinda depends on how the season is, so if it is spring I'll get a floral scent, and during summer I'll get one that is more fruity. I have about five or seven burning candles,...

"I was about 3 or 4 years old when I first discovered how much I loved reptiles and amphibians," sophomore Jillian Howell said. "Growing up, my two older brothers constantly played baseball at Southeast Park. Behind all of the fields, there was a kind of junk yard that had a giant pile of sand and a little pond. Toads and frogs lived there, and every day I would catch a toad or frog and take it home with me in a styrofoam cup. When I got home I would set it free ...

“Winter guard is an indoor color guard show that is, in our case, performed to the tunes of a Broadway musical called 'Newsies,'" sophomore Erica Perez said. "We have a rifle line in our show this year which five of us are in, and then there is also a flag line. The show is very upbeat and fast paced with a short ballad in the middle.  The winter guard is instructed by Michelle Sheffield, who is...

“We started dating in the sixth grade," senior Landon Pasley said. "We feel like marriage is the direction God is leading us. We’re getting married and going to live our dream. I want to be a pastor and major in theology, hopefully at Colorado Christian University.” “I want to major in elementary education," senior Abigayle Jones said. "We are looking at Colorado Christian. Hopefully we’ll...

“Happiness comes in many different forms," junior Luke Dyer said. "Recently, I have been going really big into music. I have learned at least five different stringed instruments, and it’s a really fun thing to do and teach people about. Through playing, I have gotten better at talking to people and making them feel more comfortable around me. As a person, I am trying to get better at talking to...

"During electives day I felt very informed about the various clubs and organizations that CHS has to offer," Cheney Hopkins said. "It turns out there all these activities out there that I didn't know where there. I didn't know that we offered a culinary arts class, but that sounds really cool today.  I also really appreciated the way these clubs presented themselves. All the students and teachers...

“A lot of the time I feel like I’m volunteering for the wrong reasons," senior Austin Brau said. "I do it because it looks good on my resume, but the more I volunteer the more I want to volunteer. I strongly believe that the more you say ‘no,’ the less you experience.  I’ve been in BLT for three years, and I definitely think it has helped me volunteer more and say ‘no’ less.”

“To me, a good friend is someone who is always loyal and someone who you can trust with anything,” senior Sidney McMillian said. “You can always go to a good friend when you are upset or scared about something and know that they are going to be there for you. During my time in high school, I feel like I’ve made some friendships that will probably last for a really long time. Whenever I’m aroun...

“It’s kind of scary that this is my senior year because I’m about to go into real life,” senior Trey Harris said. “People say after high school is when life really gets started. I feel like I've had a very positive high school experience because I have been able to do a lot of different things that I probably wouldn’t have done otherwise. It’s exposed me to a lot of different things in...

“I eat a lot,” senior Reese Patterson said. "One time I ate a 12 inch pizza with a pound of Hamburger Helper. I like to eat but it’s usually just to gain weight. You have to work out too though. I really want to play college baseball so that’s why I am trying to get bigger and stronger and so I need to weigh more. The hard part is maintaining a weight. I try and eat 3000 calories a day and...

“I love to sing,” freshman Charity Levens said. “I’ve been in music class ever since Pre-K, and it’s just built on since the sixth grade. I sing anything. Music on the radio, classic, anything that I can get my hands on. Every year that choir has been available, I’ve been in it, and I did the musical this year. I like choir, band, really anything to do with music. I’m hoping that I can...

“’If you ever find yourself in the wrong story, then leave,’” sophomore Kaitlyn Dougherty said. “I found it on a picture on the internet, and I thought it was good. I just really like it. I think I like my story. My story is going pretty good so far. Fix what you wouldn’t want in a book about you.”

"I think acting is an excellent way to express yourself, and even better way to entertain others and make their life better through what you love," junior Maverick Evans said. "I am going to attempt to have a career in acting. I am not positive in how far I'll get in my career, but I am going to go to college to get a Drama Performance major. I have played several roles in high school. I haven't done...

“I am doing a VASE project,” sophomore Sarah Trammell said. “It’s due February 23, so I’ve been coming in activity period for weeks just to get it done. I took a picture of myself and I drew it on a piece of paper with a grid on it. After I did that, I went to the light table and put that picture on cardboard. I just drew a dress, painted it, and I decided I wanted to it kind of like a mosaic. ...

“Being a banana is fun,” senior Jarrett Thompson said. “I get to run around like a banana and hold up a crazy sign two best friends made. In Entrepreneurship, we run the school store, and I am part of the Marketing and Advertising committee, so this is me marketing and advertising. Come to the Eagles’ Nest. It is a blast, and you will get to see a guy in a banana suit."...

“When I was in sixth grade, I went to compete in England as part of a British-English Olympics competition, because back in Mexico the top schools with a better English program would be sent there, and to boost that Mexico is a smart country. We are, we just don’t have that many resources. So, while I was there, a volcano blew up. Our whole flight got delayed around two weeks. Schools were startin...

“I am 14 years old, and I am doing so much in my life that I don’t know what career I want to go into,” freshman Trevor Stockstill said. “I like to play soccer, I like to sing, and dance (that’s why I’m in theater). I’ve just got a crazy life, and I don’t know what I want to do with it. A few years ago, I wanted to become a baker. It sounds kind of crazy for a guy to become a baker....

“I like dancing,” junior Eleven Patterson said. “I like all kinds. Hip-hop mainly, though. When I was little, my grandma said, ‘I am going to take her to dance class.’ And she did. Then I liked it, so I kept dancing. When I got older, I found this guy on YouTube. His name is Matt Steffanina. I love him. When I graduate, I’m going to fly to LA and take lessons from him. He is a major, big-time d...

“I like this quote: ‘The measure of a man is not how much he suffers in the test, but how he comes out at the end,'" junior Morgan Tucek said. "It’s from the book ‘Unholy.’ I’ve suffered a little. I was really young. I was 10 or 11 when I went through something really big. I was around my brother a lot, so he helped me get through it. We both went through it together.”

“I am a football player,” freshman Joshua Dutton said. “On offensive I play running back, and on defensive I play defensive line. All my life I’ve always loved football. My dad was a big inspiration for me. Ever since I was a little kid, I’ve always loved it. I’m a hard worker. I love it. Anyone who would want to be in football just needs to work hard and get ready. They’re looking for...

“I am very funny," junior Adolfo Valverde said. "My friends think of me as the jester. A walrus walks into a bar. Polar bear asks the walrus, 'What’s with the long face?' The walrus is just like, 'I have teeth.' Why is the giant dragon a tractor? Because he’s a potato. Why is he a potato? Because he’s got no legs. Horse walks into a bar. Bartender asks, 'Why the long face?' The horse replies,...

“Be confident in yourself," freshman Kylee Khan said. "Every time I have an audition for anything, I get nervous and shaky. When I’m older, I really want to be a performer, so I go to get ready to audition how I would when I’m older. I auditioned for musical and UIL choir. I don’t look at people; I look behind everyone and then act like I’m alone. Think of something that calms you down and...

“I am from Colombia and I smile a lot!" junior Catalina Perdomo said. "I am from Colombia and I have a twin brother. When I moved here, I didn't really know anybody, so me and my  brother were really close. I argue with him a lot, though. I might be going to Colombia over the summer to do an exchange program at their school, which would be fun. My mom went over there over spring break and talked...

“I was home schooled from the time when I was born until freshman year," junior Glen Schneider said. "I decided to come to high school because I felt it would be better for my education and future. It was difficult because I didn’t know anybody, but eventually I met people, made friends and started making good grades. I feel like high school helped me become more of a person, because before, I...

“Tremendous!" senior Jonathan Romero said. "Tremendous, yes. It’s part of an acronym, B.E.S.T. Begin everyday standing tremendous. Several months ago I was at a Lion’s Club luncheon. The guest speaker was an inspirational speaker. The message that he gave was anytime somebody asks you how you are, because that’s common around here, you know, 'Hi, how are you?' say 'Tremendous!' Even if you’re...

“I think I’m just trying to have fun and see as many countries as I can," junior Raphael Nische said. "I just think I’d like to see a lot of the world. I don’t want to be in the same country all the time so that’s basically why I travel a lot. I am independent, so I do a lot of stuff on my own. I'm from Hamburg, Germany. I don’t like the food here. It’s too much fast food for me and...

"The most important thing to me is making friends second to good grades, and not disappointing my parents right now while I’m in school," sophomore Julia Miller said. "I study a lot, and I just sort of deal with it. My parents always talk about how smart I am and about how talented I am, which I don’t really feel that either of those are true, but they do. There are so many people that are better...

“Something that I find incredibly ironic is that I’m actually terrified of people," sophomore Jade Flores said. "I’m very scared to talk to people, but everyone seems to think that I’m this big social being, but I’m actually scared of it. I’m just scared that whatever I say is always being analyzed. You think that all everyone has is constant judgment on you. I mean, I’m in high school,...

“I have diabetes,” sophomore Jeremy Lawson said. “It has helped me keep more control over my life, because I have to watch what I eat and do. I found out I had diabetes when I just turned 11 in fifth grade. We don’t have a history of diabetes in my family. When I was first diagnosed, my blood sugar was 1136, and the normal is 130. It was a little high. It was a shocker. I didn’t understand...