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Class of 2021: Showing the Power of Resiliency (May 12, 2021)

In this series, the Progress will spotlight a few of the outstanding seniors from area high schools. While this school year was nothing like they had envisioned it would be, these outstanding young people have each worked to make the best of their situations. The positivity, resiliency and uplifting outlook of the Class of 2021 is contagious. The Progress wishes them the best of luck as they venture into the world.

By CHARLENE PAUL

The Progress

Chantal Castillo

Chantal Castillo lives in Scenic, Arizona. She had the choice to begin the 2020/2021 school year online or in person.

“We got to decide if we wanted to come to school on Monday and Tuesday only, the whole week, or to just keep working online,” she said. “I chose to come the whole week. We still had to wear masks and do the distance thing, but it was good to be back with friends.”

Because Beaver Dam High School is in Arizona, and school district health rules there are les restrictive, the graduation ceremony at Beaver Dam will be a traditional one.

“Our graduating class is small, just eighteen students,” Chantal said. “We get to graduate in the (school) gym. A lot of other schools aren’t going to be able to do that.”

Chantal stays active as a member of the BDHS Interact Club.
“I joined the Interact Club and went into Mesquite helped with parades, events, and other things,” she explained.

English and Reading are two of Chantal’s favorite subjects.
“I just recently got into books and stuff because of my teacher, Ms. Snyder,” Chantal explained. “I don’t really have any favorites so far. I just like to read.”

When asked what the most significant difference was between the first two years of high school and the last two, Chantal didn’t even have to stop and think.

“It was the mindset,” she said. “I didn’t care about school the first two years, and my grades weren’t good. These last two years, I’ve been surrounded by people who push me to do better. My grades are good, and I’m doing well academically and mentally.”

Her advice for younger students is simple. “You’ve got to do it for yourself, and then you will find good friends,” Chantal said. “You just gotta do it yourself, and then people that actually care will come in and help you.”

After graduation, Chantal plans to attend cosmetology school at the Paul Mitchell School in St. George.
Chantal is number three in a family of five children.
“I have an older brother and then a sister,” she said. “Then there’s me, another brother, and a baby sister.”

Chantal is the daughter of Maria Castillo and Jesus Castro.

Max Shambaugh

Max Shambaugh is a realist when it comes to things like the COVID pandemic.
“I guess I wasn’t too stressed out with the whole ordeal,” he said. “It was definitely a little nerve-wracking with the end of my junior year taken away and no track season and everyone having to stay home. But for the most part, I feel it benefited me because I was able to spend a lot of time with my family. I mean, how many high school juniors going into their senior year can say they spent the entire summer with their families?”

Max doesn’t hesitate when asked about his favorite part of school.
“I would have to say my favorite part was learning, and learning with others,” he said. “Being on the hybrid model definitely affected me because I wasn’t able to see everyone. But I feel like it did benefit me more than it negatively affected me because I was able to step back and appreciate how much going to school gives me.”

When the announcement came that students would be allowed to go back to school full time, Max was pleased.
“I was very happy to see all my friends and all my teachers,” he said.

While some students struggled to keep up with their work on the hybrid model, Max excelled.
“I actually ended up getting a 4.0 for both of those quarters,” he said.
If you ask Max’s little brother, he will tell you Max’s favorite subject is running. Max has been an active competitor on both the MVHS Track and Field team and the Cross Country team.

But Max is quick to set the record straight. “I love do running, but my favorites are science, specifically Physics and English,” he explained. “I know, it’s usually math and science. But I am the odd one who likes science and English.”

Max is working on being accepted into the Air Force Academy.
“I’m currently planning to attend UNLV and CSN (College of Southern Nevada) for at least the first and second year,” he said. “And while I do that, I’ll be doing the Air Force ROTC program stationed at UNLV.

I feel being a part of the military is my duty and a chapter in my life that I need to fulfill. My dad served in the Navy, so military service and helping others has always been a big part of my life.”
Max has some advice for younger students.

“Stick with it!” he said. “Make sure you enjoy it. Like my mom always says, ‘Let your freak flag fly.’”
Max is the son of Matthew and Jeannette Shambaugh.

Cayson McClure

Cayson McClure has been reading about the outstanding seniors featured in The Progress over the past several weeks and was surprised to learn that he would be featured in this week’s edition.
“He’s been so excited reading about the students,” Cayson’s mother, Tameran McClure, said. “He told me he wanted to be in the paper as well.”

Honestly, no article about outstanding seniors at Moapa Valley High School would be complete this year without a tip of the hat to Cayson. With his positive outlook and lovable charm, the students at MVHS make sure Cayson is included in all of the activities. Not being able to be with the students as he had grown accustomed to doing has been a challenge for him.

“This stuff has been hard for me because I couldn’t go back full-time,” Cayson said. “I love the students and appreciate them. They have been helping me out with this stuff. I try to focus on the good, but it was hard to stay focused.”

Cayson was thrilled when he was finally allowed to go back to school.
“We were good at school,” he said. “We are doing a lot of good stuff, and I appreciate the students and all they do for me and how hard they work. I love school. It’s an honor to be there with everyone.”
Never one to want to sit on the sidelines, Cayson has been active with the Student Council, MVHS choir, and broadcasting.

“I like Student Council, and I like choir,” he said. “I’m a pretty good singer, and I’m pretty good at broadcasting too.”

Once Cayson graduates, he will return to MVHS in the fall as a super senior.
“I plan to return to Moapa Valley High School until I am twenty-two,” he explained. “I will be a super senior. Maybe I will get a job at McDonald’s or Lins’. We’re trying to figure that out.”

Cayson’s mom Tameran has been an integral part of helping him through school.
“I love my mom,” he said. “She dances with me, and she helps me with getting ready for school and Prom. She is just always with me.”

Cayson hopes his advice for the younger students will help them on their journey.
“It’s gonna be okay,” he said. “Just try to get there. I know you will be able to love the people at Moapa Valley High School. That’s my good advice for people and for the kids.”

Cayson is the son of Nathan and Tameran McClure.

Carson Johnson

Carson Johnson has to stop and think for a minute when asked about his favorite school subjects.
“I don’t know,” he said. “I don’t really hate any subjects. But I guess my favorites would probably be History and English.”
Carson has been part of Student Council since leaving elementary school.

“I’ve been in Student Council since the sixth grade,” he said. “I was Class President in my sophomore and junior years. I ran for Student Body President this year but didn’t win. So I am the Senior Class Secretary.”

Three semesters of the pandemic have been a bit of a challenge at times.
“School has been okay,” he said. “I haven’t struggled too much. But I noticed that I procrastinate much more, and it’s hard to stay focused with online school. But the teachers have done a really good job. I decided to finish out the year with online classes. I didn’t want to go back for just one month and then be done.”

The topic of mental health has been a big one since the beginning of the pandemic.
“There were definitely times when I missed people, and my mental health took a little bit of a dip,” Carson said. “I tried to take care of myself with time to relax and trying not to make too many plans. I was important to stay positive through the last year.”

Carson stays busy on the VVHS Swim Team.
“I did a lot of swimming as a kid,” he said. “I took a break my freshman year to try golf. I hated it, so I switched back to swimming, and I’ve been swimming since my sophomore year. I also work as a lifeguard at our local pool.”

Carson has plans to attend Southern Utah University (SUU) in the fall.
“I don’t know what I’m going to study just yet,” he said. “But I think I will probably do something like business or finance or marketing.”

The advice he would give to his fifth-grade self is simple.
“Don’t take school and seeing your friends every day for granted because you don’t have much time left,” Carson said. “And you never know when it could all be taken away. But I probably wouldn’t have listened to that advice.”

Carson is a member of the VVHS Student Council and said that it has been hard at times to get students engaged over the past year.
“It was definitely a challenge to get students involved and motivated with the online stuff,” he said. “But our community has been so supportive of our activities this year.”

Carson is the son of Jarrod and Emily Carson.

Tyler Jensen

Tyler Jensen didn’t let a little thing like a worldwide pandemic stop him from accomplishing his goals this year.
“It didn’t really affect me too much,” he said. “I didn’t like online learning because it was boring, but I got good grades like I always do.”

When asked about his favorite school subjects, Tyler is quick to answer.
“I like language arts because I like writing and reading,” he explained. “Right now, I’m reading a book called Open by Andre Agassi.”

Tyler plays right field and pitches for the VVHS Bulldogs baseball team.
“I played baseball all four years,” he said. “Our season is just coming to an end. The best part of this season was when we beat Moapa Valley 11-8. I also played soccer.”

The advice Tyler would give to his fifth-grade self is advice that most of us could use.
“I would tell myself to be nicer to people,” he said. “I would also tell myself that once you do something, you can’t change it. So stop worrying about it.”

Tyler plans to serve a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints when he turns eighteen in August.
“I really feel too young to graduate since I’m only seventeen,” he said. “But as soon as I turn eighteen, I will be ready to go on my mission.”

After his mission, Tyler plans to go to college.
“I have applied to a few colleges in Utah and Nevada,” he said. “But I haven’t really decided on where I’m going to go. I’m not sure what I’ll study yet. I’ll figure that out later.”

Tyler has a message for his brother.
“My brother is a sophomore this year,” he said. “He is a year younger than I am. I want to tell him to keep working hard in school.”

Tyler is the son of Daniel and Liliana Jensen.

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