Once May rolls around during the 2018-2019 school year, Coronado will start to feel the sadness of losing their great seniors, who have all influenced Coronado to be as amazing as it is. Elena Dunz will sadly be leaving us, but her achievements do not go unnoticed! She has been in numerous plays and musicals, drawn multiple art pieces, and has cultivated her talents in the arts since her freshman year. She has grown so much into the kind and sweet person she is today!

Elena, though nervous, is ready to end her senior year and begin the next part of her life.

“I feel pretty confident, though im pretty nervous about what lies ahead rather than how i’m going to finish the year, considering i really only need a couple of credits to graduate, and the rest of my classes are relatively easy. But I’m excited about other things like the play.”

She has set her guidelines for the oncoming parts of her life, and is currently building the foundation of what she will do to get there.

“I haven’t done as much as I should, I’ve been telling myself that I’ll do things, but then I don’t, which is a bad idea. But I’ve applied to Pikes Peak Community College, and I think I’ve been confirmed? I’d be really concerned if I didn’t. I’ve been talking to my parents and relieving my concerns about where I’m going to live and what I’m going to be doing, and trying to figure out how and where I’ll get a job.”

Though she has set a path for her future, she is still, like many of us, still in the dark about some things.

“It’s all up in the air right now. I really really want to start working and making money. Because colleges need that, I guess. I’m debating whether or not to pursue college for my career. I’m going to PPCC to try out college, because I want to test how I’ll do. I know I have a bad work ethic in general, so if community college doesn’t work out for me, I’ll be able to change my plans. I’d start looking for trade schools and auditions, things like that. To start, I’m going to apply to be a turndown at the Broadmoor. Just a start to make way to being a voice actor or artist.”

Coronado has lead Elena down her path toward becoming a well-rounded adult, and we couldn’t be happier to house Elena’s aspirations!

“Coronado has introduced me to some of the best people I know, teachers and students. It’s shaped me from a dorky little freshman who didn’t know what she was doing, who thought she was on top of the world. Coronado has really grounded me, and showed me a reality that I could achieve. Since I’ve been here all four years, I’ve been able to see who the real people are, and I’ve been seeing more personal growth, and what I’m capable of.”

As a senior, Elena has been able to watch her own growth, and can reflect on her freshman year.

“If I were to say anything to my freshman self, I would probably yell at her, because she never stopped procrastinating, and that she should get on that, so she doesn’t stress herself out in the future. Don’t doubt yourself as harshly as you do. It’s okay to make mistakes, and it’s okay to let things evolve. Even if change is scary and it’s not what you’re expecting, it’s what you need, and it’s probably for the better. The biggest one, though, is do your homework.”

As Elena and the rest of the class of 2019 reach the end of second semester, we hope that all seniors have a sturdy plan for themselves. If not, we hope that Coronado can help push you in a healthy, functional direction! Take Elena’s plans as a beacon of hope, because regardless of popular belief, you don’t have to plan out every step of the way. You can change your plans, and fluctuate your path. We hope you, like Elena, can find peace with what amazing changes you’ve made to Coronado!