For the nine years that I have known Corinthian, she has always been full of smiles and cheer. Whether it is laughing about Quaker Oats in D.C., roller skating at our class summer get-together, or simply studying in the theatre garden, Corinthian has always radiated kindness and compassion. Although our time at Keystone together is coming to an end, I will always cherish the memories we built together and the smiles we shared along the way.

After coming to Keystone in third grade, Corinthian noticed that the curriculum differed from that of her previous school. After the initial challenge of keeping up with the new and advanced course load, Corinthian soon found her home within Keystone. Nine years later, as a current senior in high school, Corinthian has involved herself in the Robotics Club, the National Honors Society, Volleyball, and Science Fair, where her projects have centered around microbiology, environmental science, math, and computers. Her favorite class at Keystone, however, is physics with Mr. Nydegger. I could see the excitement in her eyes as she talked about her passion for the subject: “I really enjoy physics because you get a chance to see what you’re missing at first. If you’re solving problems, you get a chance to see the different elements and see how they interact together in order to solve the problem.” 

Outside of school, Corinthian participated in jiu-jitsu for two years and currently takes part in a robotics club. However, her experience in the local astronomy club holds a special place in her heart as it sparked her passion for stargazing. “Every Friday we used to go to different parks around San Antonio and set up our telescopes at dusk to look at the locations of planets. It was really nice,” Corinthian reflected. Aside from stargazing and astronomy, Corinthian has spent the last eight years learning the art of piano. As an extremely talented pianist, Corinthian says Arabesque by Claude Debussy is her favorite piece to play at the moment. 

When not studying for school or participating in extracurricular activities, Corinthian enjoys spending time with her two cats, Titu and Twinkle, and her dog, Hubble — named after the Hubble Telescope. In addition, Corinthian enjoys spending time with her family, planting and taking care of their shared garden behind their house, and reading books. “I find reading as a way to escape and take my mind off of reality,” Corinthian added. 

When asked who in her life has had the greatest influence on who she is today, Corinthian responded with her parents: “They are the ones that wanted me to come to this school take care of me, but they are also very hardworking people, and I really admire their determination and the advice that they give me.” Corinthian’s strong connection with her family is seen in her admiration for her parents and her desire to learn more about her family’s past. When asked if there was one person, dead or alive, who she would like to have dinner with, she responded with her great-grandmother “because when she passed away, I was very little, and she was 114. She had a lot of life experience and I was not able to talk to her about what she saw in America and the perspective she saw it through.” 

As a soon-to-be graduating senior, Corinthian’s favorite aspect about Keystone is the teachers’ passion for teaching and their willingness to help their students. This has shaped Corinthian into a person who is unafraid to ask questions and unafraid to follow her goals. At her previous school, the teachers were not as eager to help their students and were not willing to answer questions. This, in turn, discouraged her from asking questions. At Keystone, however, the teachers not only like questions but encourage questions. This influenced Corinthian to grow more confident as a student because, through questions, Corinthian was able to discover and learn more about her surrounding world. Corinthian, however, cites her biggest accomplishment as staying motivated throughout all her years as a Keystone student. Although the world can get stressful at times, especially with this past year, Corinthian prides herself in staying motivated and sticking to the path she wants to follow. 

As her time at Keystone draws to a close, Corinthian says that her years at this school have been very nice: “I am sad that we have to go, but such is life” she added. Corinthian advises future and current high schoolers to not fear the asking of questions because, at the end of the day, the teachers are here to help. She also advises any entering high school students to “involve yourself in activities that you are truly interested in, not activities that will only look good on your resume.” 

In ten years, Corinthian sees herself running her own STEM business, possibly one that engineers and develops technological devices. However, now, as Corinthian embarks on her senior year, she is closing the door to one phase of her life and opening the door to the next phase of her life. Through this newly opened door, she will have endless opportunities, yet she will also have to persevere and show valor in the face of rising challenges. Through Corinthian’s creativity, passion and ingenuity, I have confidence that these opportunities and challenges will shape her into the person she is meant to become. Through hardwork and perseverance, Corinthian will positively shape her world in unimaginable ways. We wish Corinthian luck on her future endeavors, and we are looking forward to what the future brings her.