Mariana Lopez

Mariana Lopez

Looking back at her first day of high school in 2018, Mariana Lopez remembered “being overwhelmed. There were so many kids and it was a very loud and hot day. I also did not like freshman orientation.”

Lopez felt she had grown a good deal since that fateful day.

“As a freshman, I feel like I was very uptight, I never gave myself the liberty to have the fun I deserved, and had a fixed mindset. Now, I feel like I am more open-minded and flexible. I have grown to let myself enjoy things more and know when it’s okay to take a break or slow down,” said Lopez.

Throughout high school, Lopez has committed to keeping good grades, working, and being involved in many clubs and extracurriculars, including as ROAR, Pep Club, and tennis, to name a few.

“WeGo Global has been something I have been a part of for all my four years and been unconditionally proud of,” said

Lopez.

Good friend and former Wildcat Chronicle reporter Gloria Gonzalez said, “I’ve known Mariana since kindergarten, and she’s always been a very motivated person with goals. I always knew she would have accomplished everything she’s accomplished so far, and I know she will accomplish so much more in the future.”

“My biggest accomplishments I would say would be my consistency, I am consistent with my interests, either that being studies, extracurricular activities, or some other knick-knack I have found curiosity for. I think being consistent is a good but difficult thing to maintain and I am glad I developed and sustained it throughout high school,” said Lopez.

She intends to go to DePaul University and major in history and Spanish in the fall, as part of the class of 2026.

Lopez said, “Piece of advice for incoming freshmen: get involved as much as you can. There are so many different opportunities and extracurriculars for you to thrive in, and if you don’t find one, make one. At the end of your high school experience, you’re going to regret the things you didn’t do as opposed to the things you did do.”