By CALLA HAVILAND
Moapa Valley Progress
This year, the Virgin Valley High School will recognize five valedictorians during its 2019 Commencement exercises on Friday evening, May 24 at 8 pm. We talked to all five to see what is next for them, and what they will remember most about their experience as Bulldogs.
The VVHS Valedictorians for 2019 are Ximena Guerroro, Kade Haviland, Denisse Jimenez Iniguez, Raymundo Mendez and Emma Wilson.
Ximena Guerrero
After four high school years at Virgin Valley High School, Ximena Guerrero has earned the title of valedictorian. Ximena is interested in working in the medical field. She will be going to Dixie State University and attending nursing school.
A huge part of her high school career has been focused on band. She loves playing in the percussion section and the chance to play along with the rest of the band. She said that she is happy that she got to play all the beautiful instruments and got to make amazing music with her class.
She also loved going on band trips to California. She got to play the alto saxophone for “How to Train your Dragon,” which was one of her favorite songs of the whole year.
“These band kids are the best people that I have ever met,” Ximena said. “You will never have a dull moment with these kids. I’m so happy I got to call them my band.”
Ximena also mentioned her favorite saying that she heard for four years from her favorite band teacher, “Give it up, Virgin Valley!”
Kade Haviland
Kade is the son of Brian and Joy Haviland of Bunkerville. After high school, Kade said that he plans to serve a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
When he returns from serving, Kade plans to attend Brigham Young University in Provo to get a degree in mechanical engineering.
Kade was involved in many things during his high school years. He ran cross country and track all four years. He also sang in the show choir one year and he performed in the plays “High School Musical” and “Hello Dolly.”
Kade’s fondest high school memory was performing in the play “Hello Dolly” his senior year. He played one of the lead roles in the play: Cornelius Hackle.
“I love to sing, dance and make people laugh, and the play allowed me to do all three,” Kade said. “The months we spent practicing for the play was a great experience: the cast was funny, the dances and acting were fun, and the music was fantastic.”
“Performing was one of the best parts of the experience,” he added. “That was when all of the hard work paid off because I knew through the audience’s laughter that they enjoyed the play.”
Denisse Jimenez Iniguez
Denisse is a hardworking student who received the title of valedictorian after her four years in high school.
Denisse’s plan after high school is to study at Dixie State University starting this fall of 2019 and major in Computer Science.
“Technology is an amazing thing in our lives,” she said.
Denisse has been involved in computer and technology classes during her high school years and has found a passion for the subject.
Her favorite memory from high school is taking AP Chemistry. Even though it was a hard class she was able to have a lot of fun. As a small class the students were all able to get close to each other. She enjoyed all of the labs and activities that they all did together.
“There were some days, some assignments, some lectures, that were just so confusing that there was nothing we could do but laugh,” she recalled.
Still, the group of students all continued together helping each other throughout the class. By the end of the course they would play games and laugh about how much they all struggled and still managed to have fun together.
“I am now lucky and thankful to call these people my family,” Denisse said. “Without them AP Chemistry could not be same.”
Raymundo Mendez
After high school, Raymundo plans to pursue a degree at UNR in Computer Science.
Throughout his four years at VVHS, Raymundo said that his favorite high school memory has been playing in the band. When he showed up to the first marching band practice he said that he was nervous because so many new faces were there. But all of them were really friendly and willing to help out at any time, he said. As soon as he finished his first practice he knew that he would love being in band, and he did. He said that he made so many new friends that he would never have made had he not been in marching band.
“It was so much fun doing competitions and playing at pep band games,” Raymundo said. “And doing concert band second semester after marching band season ended was also really fun.”
Raymundo expressed gratitude for all of his teachers and especially his band teacher, Kendra Graf.
“Mrs. Graf is honestly the best band teacher I could ask for,” he said. “And it will be really hard to say goodbye to her.”
Emma Wilson
Emma is the daughter of Trenton and Vicky Wilson of Bunkerville. She is a valedictorian at Virgin Valley High School and is an outstanding student who has worked hard all four years of high school to earn this title.
Emma’s plans for after high school are to attend Dixie State University in St. George, Utah and to earn her associates of science. Then, she said she will figure out where life takes her after that.
Emma has also been very involved with activities at the high school. She participated with the school’s tennis and swim teams. Along with sports she was played in the school band.
Her favorite high school memory was during her junior year in AP chemistry while everyone was doing a lab. Everything within the lab itself seemed to be going wrong for her. But she was with her dearest friends and they could not stop laughing. They were all enjoying each other and the moment and she will never forget that feeling of pure joy they experienced together in a seemingly insignificant moment.
“High school gave me this moment and many more that I will cherish forever,” Emma said.
