Tiffany Gonzalez Ortiz started Armijo as a freshman with her eyes on the International Baccalaureate (IB) program. Despite the interruption caused by COVID-19 during her sophomore year, Gonzalez has made several memories that she will cherish.

COVID did more than interrupt Gonzalez’s high school career. “Besides giving me a horrible  sleep schedule, my social skills have gone downhill,” she said. “I lost a lot of motivation for school.” She missed out on opportunities to be involved in sports and clubs, but she didn’t miss out on planning her future.

“I plan to attend Solano  College and major in  psychology,” she said. That will be the start of her future with the goal of becoming a successful therapist, but she is not waiting to dispense advice until she has completed her degree. Instead, she offers this suggestion to the new students at Armijo: “Pay attention to your mental health and find a person  you trust to talk to.”

One of the ways that Gonzalez keeps her mental health balanced is by drawing and doing puzzles. She looks up to her mother, who she considers a role model because of how hardworking she is, and helps pave the way for her younger brother Brian.

This year may seem relatively normal in comparison to her other years at Armijo, but there is one thing that Gonzalez wishes were different. “I would change the Wednesday schedule to have it back like previous years,” she said.

While graduation may seem a long way away, Gonzalez already knows the future holds some joy as well as some sorrows. She knows that she will miss the “opportunity to see my friends very often,” she said, and she will also miss one of her favorite teachers, Ms. Megan Hill.