The second six weeks are coming to a close Friday, and GSHS students are back from their DECA Invitational. They are just in time for the financial aide meeting this evening in the high school auditorium for college-bound juniors and seniors.

This week’s Students of the Week are Yuri Salvidrez and Angel Garcia.

Mrs. Swanson, the Math Department head at GSHS, nominated Yuri Salvidrez for Student of the Week. Mrs. Swanson praised Yuri, saying, “Yuri has become one of my most motivated and hardest working students,” in pre-calculus.

Yuri has lived in Glenwood a little more than two years, and moved here from Rush, Colo. Yuri is very proud of her parents, and says they are “hard workers who have raised my brothers, sisters, and me to work hard and have good values.” Yuri is a part of a large family, with four brothers and two sisters.

A basketball fan and player, Yuri is looking forward to this year’s season. Her favorite memories from high school have been of the crowded gyms and cheering fans. In the spring, Yuri also is a member of the track team. She dedicates a lot of time to her sports and always tries her hardest.

Yuri is a Med-prep student and is looking forward to starting clinicals at the hospital next semester. She is interested in going to college to become a physical therapist. Yuri chose a thought-provoking quote: “‘Someone else’s problem’ is a phrase that never really applies. Our planet is too small to pretend we don’t all depend on one another.”

The other Student of the Week is Angel Garcia, a GSHS student originally from El Salvador. Angel has lived in Glenwood for only two years, and his English was impressive. Ms. Loman, a GSHS science teacher, nominated him for being a tremendous help in the ELL homework club. Angel is very close to his parents, his brother Luis, and sister, Carolina. They are important parts of his life.

Some of Angel’s most amusing memories of high school are of his first months here, when communication was a challenge, as he spoke no English. Now, Angel’s language skills have improved, and he understands much of what is said, as he proved to me in our interview.

Angel really enjoys playing and watching soccer and basketball, and spending time with the people he loves, including family and friends. Occasionally, Angel will take time to simply think about what he wants, and his goals for the future. When his mind is not full of plans and lists, he enjoys listening to music.

Finishing high school and either attending college or joining the Marines are goals Angel has set for himself and to which he looks forward. He is very driven and believes strongly in the Golden Rule, whether in Spanish or hesitant English. “Never do to others that which you don’t want done to you.”

Congratulations to Angel and Yuri: our Students of the Week!

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Random Disclosure: Wash your hands, and beware! Cold and flu season has arrived.