For the last four years, whether on campus or through Distance Learning, Mario Valdez Colin has been an Armijo student with clear boundaries. “I haven’t really been involved with anything on campus,” he said. “I like to stay inside my boundary.” Those boundaries were challenged by COVID’s impact because of the quarantine. “For senior year, my perceptions changed because we were forced to wear masks and distance ourselves from one another.”

Playing video games and listening to music helped him get through some of the challenges over the years, and hanging out with his friends keeps him focused.

Although he hasn’t been involved in any clubs or sports at Armijo, he has made a lot of friends. His favorite memory about Armijo is being there with his friends throughout the years sharing laughs and having a good time. “What I’m going to miss the most is seeing all my friends grow up and have their own lives,” he said.

But he, also, will have his own life. “I plan to go to Solano Community College, although I haven’t really thought about what I want to major in just yet. When I’m finished with schooling, I hope to have a stable job with a stable income.”

Valdez has learned from his experiences and he would pass on some advice to students new to Armijo. “Make right decisions,” he said. “No matter how other people will be towards you, find the right path and don’t feel peer-pressured into doing anything you don’t want to do. I can’t stress that enough!”