In her freshman year, Aamari Benford started at Armijo as an Indian. In her sophomore year, she saw her time on campus cut short with the COVID shut-down. She spent her junior year in Distance Learning, but now as a senior – and as an Armijo Royal — she’s ready to get back in the action.

“COVID-19 is definitely chaotic,” she said. “It really has had an impact on my motivational skills and social life. COVID-19 changed my perception of what senior activities may be like, like prom and graduation. “

She’s still looking forward to those events, and even though she hasn’t been able to spend much time on campus during her time at Armijo, she’s still making memories. “One of my favorite memories was one of the rallies last year, February 13, 2020. It was so fun… I’ve been involved with cheer before and Black Student Union,” said Benford. She doesn’t plan on playing any sports, however.

She recognizes the importance of school but she sees beyond that. “Balance is important, have fun do things, but don’t forget to do your work and focus on your studies too,” she said. Some of the fun things she enjoys doing include sketching and painting.

The plan is to continue to maintain the balance between school and fun, even when she goes on to college. Her goal is to go to one of the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) “like Spelman College, Clark University, or Howard University,” she said. “I would love to major in communication. I’m not absolutely sure what I’ll do after schooling but I plan on helping communities, and be an advocate for justice where it’s needed.”

“I’m so excited to graduate,” said Benford. “Time flies!”