FUHSD honors Dalton, Chisholm-Reyes, Riley and Fierro

FALLBROOK – To begin the new year, the Student of the Month Committee has selected and honored four district seniors, nominated by Fallbrook Union High School District staff members. January Students of the Month from Fallbrook High School included Analiese Sandoval Dalton, Elliot Chisholm-Reyes and Elizabeth Riley, and Ivy High School selected Jonathan Fierro.

In place of the community recognition breakfast, the students were celebrated with a caravan of staff, administrators and community participants who recognized the students at their places of residence with presentations by the teachers who nominated them, speeches by the principals of their respective schools and their family members, balloons and yard signs.

Nominated by history teacher Kelly Walker at Ivy High School, Jonathan Fierro is respected by his teachers as a hard worker and helpful classmate. Walker said that before remote learning, Fierro was quick to help the students in his classes by showing them how to solve questions and problems rather than just giving them the answers.

He said he likes coaching his peers as well as his younger brother because he is grateful for all the mentoring he has received at Ivy High as well as from his mentors with the Boys to Men Mentorship Program. Both Corey Boice and Walker are impressed with his "great attitude and work ethic."

Inquisitive and responsible, Fierro keeps up with all his work and strives to learn as much as possible, including vocabulary. He said that he stayed organized and learned well with remote learning during the past year, primarily because his teachers have kept him and his classmates motivated.

Fierro also cited Ms. Skendzik, his sophomore English teacher at Fallbrook High, for keeping English interesting and connected to the real world for him. He is also appreciative of his siblings for their guidance and his Ivy High counselor, Jaime Miramontes, for assisting him in preparing to attend Palomar College, where he hopes to pursue a career as a first responder.

Elliot Chisholm-Reyes, nominated by Fallbrook High counselors Alydia Aguila and Chaila Archuleta-Moya, has done very well with remote learning this past year. He said he found it fun thanks to his teachers and his positive attitude. He appreciates his years in high school because of all the events and opportunities of involvement in clubs that ASB has offered the student population in order to make school "fun."

As mythology with Remy Kirkham is his favorite class at Fallbrook, Chisholm-Reyes said he hopes to major in English at California State University San Marcos and teach. He loves to write and hopes to combine his future profession with publishing his own writing in fantasy and mystery.

He has maintained an active schedule of extracurricular and community service activities. President and co-founder of SAGA – Sexuality and Gender Acceptance – during his sophomore year and a current member of the "No Place for Hate" Committee, a countywide organization, Chisholm-Reyes has been honored with the school's Outstanding Leadership Award.

His community service has included participating with "Socks and More," collecting scarves, hats and socks online, and in-person before the COVID-19 pandemic began, to give to Fallbrook's Foundation for Senior Care for distribution to older adults.

Additionally, he has spent his high school years helping Fallbrook A Leer with face-painting and balloon shaping at Local Events, helping Hope Clinic for Women gather data through surveys, and volunteering at Moonlight Theatre. Chisholm-Reyes donates blood regularly and has enjoyed performing in many plays at Mission Theatre, with his favorite being "Fiddler on the Roof" because of the people he has met.

Aguila said that Chisholm-Reyes "has demonstrated a high level of self-motivation and is one of the most dedicated and disciplined students I have met."

Elizabeth Riley was nominated by science teacher Marin Pinnell. She plans to pursue her passion of performance dance by achieving a bachelor's degree and master's degree in dance. As she hopes to continue to perform in college and professionally, she also hopes to teach dance one day.

Pinnell describes Riley as "a quiet beautiful young lady who dances with such grace and beauty." In addition to being a member of her high school's Dance Team, Riley has also participated on the school's Academic Team, Gymnastics Team, ASB and Senior Class Committee.

She balances her activities with community service that includes shelving books and serving as a technology assistant for older adults at the Fallbrook Library, volunteering at REINS Therapeutic Horsemanship Program and working the volleyball team's concessions stand.

Pinnell also nominated Analiese Sandoval Dalton, describing her as being "confident, courageous and having a zest for life." Having taken challenging courses, particularly in science, and earning a 4.2 GPA, Dalton said she looks forward to pursuing a bachelor's degree in nursing so that she can serve others.

Dalton has balanced her rigorous academic schedule with activities that have included working at the meets of The Temecula Valley Gymnastics Association, helping with timing routines, handing out awards and assisting the judges. She has also been a strong player on the Fallbrook Girls Rugby Club, helping to achieve the team's championship status at both Girls Cup-Fullerton in 2019 and U18 Girls Southern California in 2019. The team could not defend their titles in 2020, due to the coronavirus pandemic. Before joining the rugby team her sophomore year, Dalton was a gymnast for a few years at TVGA.

She said she was grateful to have William Lenaway as her math teacher over the past two years. What she appreciated most as a student at Fallbrook High are the "great teachers, who care about our learning and want to help us whenever we need support." Daltson was chosen because of her ability to take on responsibilities with accountability, serve as a team-player and reflect strong leadership and organizational skills in the classroom and with her teams and clubs.

Members of the Fallbrook and Bonsall communities are welcome to nominate students for this honor based on their character and work ethic and student achievement in academics, extra-curricular activities and service to the community. Contact the Student of the Month Committee to nominate a student at [email protected].

Submitted by Constance Fellios.