Walker, Castillo among December Students of Month

Pictured are December’s Students of the Month. Front row - Ana Castillo, Heritage High School; Faith Walker, Paloma Valley High School; Levi Roe, Perris Lake High School; and Jordan Telleria, Perris High School. Back row - Sally Myers, Founder; Kirk Skorpanich, Menifee Valley Chamber of Commerce, Assistant Superintendent, Perris Union High School District; Grant Bennett, Superintendent, Perris Union High School District, Perris Valley Chamber of Commerce; and Councilmember Bob Karwin, City of Menifee.

The Perris Valley Chamber of Commerce and the Menifee Valley Chamber of Commerce recently honored area high school Students of the Month for December.

Students are nominated by their teachers and staff at their respective school sites and are chosen for their character, integrity, love of learning, ability to persevere and overcome challenging circumstances, community service, and how they make a difference on their high school campus.

December’s students and their families attended a breakfast sponsored by the Perris and Menifee Chambers of Commerce along with local businesses and organizations. Principals and teachers from each high school shared stories about the students and they each received certificates of recognition, numerous gifts, congratulations and encouragement from local, county, state and federal dignitaries.

Paloma Valley’s Faith Walker is December’s Student of the Month. Faith is a trumpet player in the band. She has taken numerous AP, Honors, and dual enrollment courses. She has a 4.0 GPA. Her character is beyond reproach. However, what stands out most, according to her principal, Dr. Jennifer Thomasian, is the way she influences others.

“She takes on that leadership role and she empowers others to come together and build a community,” Thomasian said.

This has been a journey of perseverance and determination on Faith’s part as she’s had to overcome her social anxiety. Starting out small, such as ordering by herself at restaurants or running small errands on her own, Faith has been able to gain the confidence to where now she is mentoring other students and coordinating band rehearsals. Faith plans on attending Cal State Fullerton to obtain her degree in music and become a high school band director.

Heritage High School’s Student of the Month is Ana Castillo. Ana immigrated to the United States in 2010. As a child, she was placed in the school system without knowing any English. However, after many obstacles, and much bullying, she has mastered the English language. Not only did she learn English, but she has flourished.

Ana has taken several college courses, is a Link Crew leader, a member of the Spanish Club, and is president of the Menifee Youth Leaders. She understands the power of helping the community and is very passionate about it. Ana shared that although it was difficult for her to learn the language and endure the bullying, it pushed her to excel in her education and community.

“I think that there’s always something to be grateful for, even the bad things,” she said.

Ana plans on attending a UC to major in microbiology to enter the medical field.

Perris High School’s Student of the Month is Jordan Telleria. Perris High School has an acronym for the model student, and that is PRIDE. PRIDE stands for Perseverance, Relationship, Integrity, Determination, and Empathy. Jordan displays all of these qualities.

Like many others, he struggled with distance learning. When in-person instruction began again, Jordan was determined to succeed and not let the pandemic write his course for his senior year. He is involved in ASB and is an amazing athlete, according to his principal, Juan Santos. He is on the track team and is captain of the basketball team. Jordan looks up to this older brother as a role model and wishes to emulate him.

“Without him, I really wouldn’t be the person I am today,” he said.

Jordan has received a track and field scholarship from Indiana Tech. He plans to major in sports management and return to Perris High to coach basketball and track.

Levi Roe is Perris Lake High School’s Student of the Month. When Levi found out that he did not graduate, he took it upon himself to enroll at Perris Lake. Once he started attending, he took advantage of the opportunities to not only complete his education, but to be able to flourish and grow, and graduate early, which he did this last October. He did this while working as well.

With his enthusiasm and creativity, Levi became a leading influencer on campus and other students began to look up to him. He has made such an impact that there have been many other students who followed in his footsteps and have graduated early as well. Levi has not decided what he has planned for the future. However, he is using this time to see what interests him. He did share though that he is drawn to mechanical engineering, along with physics and fluid dynamics.

If you wish to learn more about the Student of the Month Program, please contact founder, Sally Myers at 951-506-8024.