Fallbrook High School recognizes April Students of the Month

FALLBROOK – Fallbrook Union High School District's Student of the Month Committee recognized its April Students of the Month with their monthly caravan to the students' homes by administrators and teachers of the district, community representatives, and Student of the Month Committee members, April 9.

The students were, once again, greeted with balloon bouquets and yard signs. Teachers, school principals, and family members honored them by speaking to the group about each student's character and accomplishments. Students of the Month for April are Kaelyn Allerite, Hayden Orchard, Annika Petersen, Maria Tomas, and Mattie Ahrend.

Allerite, a strong student-leader, has been very active in high school with ROTC, Choir and Madrigals, lacrosse, and Academic Decathlon. In addition to using her leadership skills with ROTC, Allerite has also served as co-captain of her soccer team. As a member of the Academic Decathlon team this year, she placed in three categories – essay, speech, and math. She has enjoyed her volunteer hours with Mary Fay Pendleton Elementary School.

In nominating her for the honor, her calculus teacher, Debbie Berg, said that Allerite has been the first person to turn on her camera during remote classes this year, one of the few she can count on to participate, and thankful to Mrs. Berg every day.

Allerite said that what she likes most about attending Fallbrook High School are its diversity, inclusive clubs, friendliness, and the fact that teachers like to help their students. A good listener and caring individual, Allerite will be attending CSU-San Marcos as a psychology major.

Larry Koch, the Culinary Arts teacher who nominated Orchard for this honor, tells his students that the "Wow" factor is so important for interviews and in life; Koch said that Orchard is a "stand-out" because he has the "Wow" factor in everything he does and, significantly, in his engaging personality, motivation, and respect towards all.

Well balanced, Orchard has been enthralled with his culinary arts and film-making classes – his passion. A natural athlete, he was on the school's diving, swimming, and water polo teams for three years and when he was younger, he enjoyed being on a gymnastics team.

For several years, he has volunteered with the Susan B. Komen "Race for the Cure" annual event and has also enjoyed helping weekly with the German Shorthair Pointer Rescue organization. Additionally, he has been employed as a lifeguard at Camp Pendleton and most recently, at the Welk Resort.

Having released a 15-minute movie class project this year on You Tube, he is thrilled that his movie has been selected to be submitted to the well-respected Montclair Film Festival in New Jersey. Orchard is looking forward to completing his associates degree at Palomar Community College in film production and then, transferring to a four-year college.

He said he is appreciative of Koch for making his culinary classes so much fun and informative and for Koch's kindness and efforts to ensure students' success in the job market. Orchard said, "I'm not even that interested in cooking, but I came back for a second year because I knew I would have a great time with [Mr. Koch] as my teacher."

Petersen, nominated by church youth director and FCA advisor Chace Steeves, reflects in all her involvements and relationships her love of helping others and her value of a meaningful and purposeful life. As a student of AP Psychology and a 3.6 grade point average, Petersen finds film to be her favorite subject because "the class feels like family. When we collaborate ideas and effort, we make some pretty amazing things. Mr. Herring, one of the best teachers I've ever had, is a very good teacher with patience, honesty, and kindness. I have learned so much about myself and teamwork in this class."

In addition to film production, Petersen keeps active with surfing, waterpolo, dancing, snowboarding, and wake-surfing. She loves exploring the world and seeing all of the natural beauty around her.

Equally important to her is her volunteer work with her church that includes teaching a kindergarten Sunday School class and serving as a small group leader for grade 8 girls, which is her favorite activity. She loves connecting with the middle school girls; she says she likes seeing their growth as well as her own from being with them.

What Petersen especially loves about Fallbrook High School is its reality. "There are real struggles, real people, and real community. There are so many people to meet and hang out with." Additionally, she appreciates the kindness that the teachers and administrators all reflect.

Steeves comments that "Annika can talk with anyone and make everyone feel valued and important." To continue using those important traits, she will be working at Forest Home Camp as a junior high counselor this summer, and then, next school year, doing discipleship training at a YWAM base in Kona, Hawaii to help her continue doing missionary work, before she attends Biola University in Utah and studies film. How fitting is Steeves's statement about Peteren: "She is a perfect example of what an exemplary student looks like!"

Tomas, nominated by two counselors, Cindy Jimenez and Damaris Ahumada, reflects in all her involvements how her counselors have described her: always resilient and a hard worker. Having taken AP Spanish Language and Cultural class and received a 5 out of 5 score on the AP exam last year, Tomas also enjoys her other classes, particularly math with Mrs. Conibear and mythology with Mr. Kirkham.

Her involvement in Color Guard since her sophomore year has been her passion in high school. Having received the Color Guard Most Improved honor in 2020, she loved performing in pre-COVID pep-rallies, at football games, and Saturday competitions at various schools.

Tomas said that she has been able to overcome her shyness by being involved with Color Guard, and also with her community service at the Angel Shop thrift store, where she enjoys communicating with the staff and customers, who help her move out of her "comfort zone." She has also enjoyed volunteering with Fallbrook a Votar and helping the band set up for performances and put away equipment.

Although she enjoys reading, sketching, and dancing, her most favorite fulfillment with her free time is spending time with her family of seven. Tomas will be attending CSU-San Marcos next year; she's not sure what her chosen career will be but whatever it is, she said that she knows she wants "to help people, make them happy and feel confident with themselves."

Oasis teacher Matthew Parker has nominated Ahrend, "a legacy student" with several siblings who have attended and graduated from Oasis High School. Ahrend set a goal her freshman year of earning straight A's throughout her high school years, and she has accomplished that goal.

Additionally, she has taken community college courses, participated in sports, and church activities. Having played third base in girls softball for three years in high school, she has played softball since she was 5 years old. In addition to being an active member of her church Seminary Program, Ahrend serves as an assistant coach for Fallbrook Girls Softball. Amazingly, she makes time to work part-time, too, as a nanny for two families and as a private swimming tutor.

Although she has been plagued with a chronic illness during high school, she has not let it get her down. She looks forward to attending Palomar Community College and earning an associates degree in business, project management in construction. Having already had experience remodeling a trailer, she will likely quickly impress her college professors with her knowledge base and experience.

Submitted by the FUHSD Student of the Month Committee.