Senior Isabel Gonzales has ruled as class president, prom queen, planner, actress, and role model
Senior Isabel Gonzalez screams at the top of her lungs “WHO ARE YOU!?” waiting for the well known response “CRIMSON CREW!” from her fellow students at every pep rally and sports game. She meticulously goes over every detail to ensure her peers’ prom is perfect in 2016. She is behind the scenes of the drama productions of The Orphan Train, James and the Giant Peach and The Little Mermaid ensuring everything runs smoothly. She puts her heart and soul into planning activities for the perfect senior year. While all these activities are a rap sheet of Gonzalez’s feats, her real legacy lies in the way she treated the students of PRHS, giving others the chance to have their voices heard.
“I try to be really kind to everybody. That was one of the major goals I set this year. Also more open with people and more talkative and outgoing,” Gonzalez said.
As an advocate for the entire student body, Gonzalez made it a goal her senior year to ensure that every student enjoy their memories of high school. Her journey to this mindset started her freshman year.
“The beginning of my freshman year I said no way, I’m not getting involved. I just want to focus on school and get through high school and college and become a lawyer or something… I wasn’t involved in much,” said Gonzalez, who notes that having the responsibility of being the FFA Greenhand VP grew her confidence.
Gonzalez also credits participating in drama under the mentorship of Drama teacher Marcy Goodnow to her confidence now.
“I got pushed into Drama. I was in the class and wasn’t supposed to be. I thought I would hate it but I loved it. She [Goodnow] pushed me in ways that I didn’t even know I could be pushed. She really motivated me and was the base and support I needed. She is the most influential person in my life and I look up to her. She comes with good intentions, always,” said Gonzalez, who joined beginning drama as a freshman.
Gonzalez is currently Senior Class President under the guidance of English teacher Janice Hoy and history teacher Angela Logan, and was previously Junior Class President.
One role she played last year included planning the 2016 Prom under the guidance of English teachers Cynthia Schroeder and Carrie Baldovin.
Gonzalez is also in Link Crew, Drama Club and GSA. Her peers also awarded her as the 2017 Homecoming queen. Heading to Cuesta in the fall, Gonzalez plans to take classes and attempt to be part of Pacific Conservatory of Performing Arts (PCPA).
“I really hope she pursues Theater in some way, because she is incredibly talented too,” said Goodnow, who has worked with Gonzalez on three main stage shows, four One-Act plays, the Talent Show, Broadway Bound Workshop, Advanced Drama Showcase and the Phony Tony Awards.
To further strengthen the pride on campus, Gonzalez tries to attend at least one sporting event a week.
“I do try to support Bearcats. I think it’s so amazing. Especially when it’s my peers who are doing these amazing things because I know when I do things it means so much to me when people come to see me. It’s so incredible to see people to support you, so I just try to give that back to this community,” Gonzalez said.
On Wednesdays, she’s running senior class meetings and the rest of the week she’s running all over campus planning the next activity.
“I love our spirit! We are so spirited, it’s so awesome! We all love each other so much. The love and the spirit is so big, it’s so supportive and uplifting. I think that is something special that we have that most schools don’t have. We are so loving and caring for one another,” Gonzalez said.
