Meet Manual
Friends of Manual would like to introduce you to members of the Manual Community. Please read about their Manual experience in the following Interviews.
Friends of Manual would like you to Sophomore Desteni, one of two student board members, and we are so lucky to have her as a member of our board. FOM interviewed Desteni to learn a bit more about her and to hear her perspective of Manual.
Tell us about yourself and why you chose to attend Manual.
My name is Desteni, and I like writing poems and songs. I also like to sing. I chose to go to Manual because I wanted to continue my family’s legacy and graduate from Manual like them.
What do you do at Manual? What’s your favorite class, and what sports/clubs/electives do you participate in?
My favorite classes are choir and history, and I am in student leadership.
What do you see at Manual everyday that members of Friends of Manual and the community do not get the privilege to see?
What I see at Manual everyday are kids, who are literally happy to see their friends because we hold each other accountable and hold each other up.
What do you wish for Manual in the future?
I wish everyone could come in and not just look at the academics but really pay attention to the students.
Tell us about yourself and why you chose to attend Manual.
My name is Desteni, and I like writing poems and songs. I also like to sing. I chose to go to Manual because I wanted to continue my family’s legacy and graduate from Manual like them.
What do you do at Manual? What’s your favorite class, and what sports/clubs/electives do you participate in?
My favorite classes are choir and history, and I am in student leadership.
What do you see at Manual everyday that members of Friends of Manual and the community do not get the privilege to see?
What I see at Manual everyday are kids, who are literally happy to see their friends because we hold each other accountable and hold each other up.
What do you wish for Manual in the future?
I wish everyone could come in and not just look at the academics but really pay attention to the students.
Friends of Manual would like you to meet Ms. Serina Montoya. We interviewed her about her experience at Manual.
What is your background and what brought you to Manual?
I have loved Manual since I started here 6 years ago as the School Social Worker. In a perfect world if social work didn’t exist, I would be a teacher. The teachers at Manual inspire me every day. The students at Manual inspire me every day. It is that special and unique relationship between teachers and students here that keeps me coming back to work every year at Manual High School. My life is better every day because of Manual.
What do you do at Manual? What programs do you lead? How do you serve the students, etc.?
As the School Social Worker at Manual, I support students in any way I can. This year I’m supporting Student Leadership/Student Board of Education (SBOE), Gay Straight Alliance (GSA), Special Education, 504 Coordinator, L.I.G.H.T Team, and Cambodia Club. I support students that are dealing with stress, learning coping skills, experiencing homelessness, need mental health support, connecting to community resources, and even tutoring. This year Student Leadership is doing an astounding job planning events including Homecoming, Prom, and Coffee Cram sessions, which are all designed to bring students and teachers together to improve work product and grades. We are always looking for funding and volunteers to help with events or items for events. We were able to provide coffee and snacks because of generous donors at our Coffee Cram sessions last year.
What do you see at Manual every day?
One of my proudest moments this year was watching student leader candidates give their speeches in front of the entire school. I witnessed them preparing diligently, writing drafts and nervously timing their speeches with their friends. They had 30 seconds to say who they were, what position they were running for and why. It is never easy to get up in front of a group of people and talk about who you are and what you believe in, but they all stood proudly and represented with that great Thunderbolt pride. I am happy to announce this year’s Head Girl is Trayosha Decker and Head Boy is Jovanny Castorena. I am confident that both seniors will represent the school, the class of 2019, and join a great group Manual Alumni.
What do you wish for Manual in the future?
Well, first of all, I wish all Manual students and graduates to live full, happy, healthy lives. I believe in dreams coming true, and I wish for all of their dreams to come true. I know that each and every student that comes to Manual is positively impacted by the experiences they have here, as I am. I love Manual. I wish for more people to know about how amazing of a school this is, and how amazing the students and staff here are because they inspire me every day. Everyone that is a part of Manual knows how special of a place this is.
What is your background and what brought you to Manual?
I have loved Manual since I started here 6 years ago as the School Social Worker. In a perfect world if social work didn’t exist, I would be a teacher. The teachers at Manual inspire me every day. The students at Manual inspire me every day. It is that special and unique relationship between teachers and students here that keeps me coming back to work every year at Manual High School. My life is better every day because of Manual.
What do you do at Manual? What programs do you lead? How do you serve the students, etc.?
As the School Social Worker at Manual, I support students in any way I can. This year I’m supporting Student Leadership/Student Board of Education (SBOE), Gay Straight Alliance (GSA), Special Education, 504 Coordinator, L.I.G.H.T Team, and Cambodia Club. I support students that are dealing with stress, learning coping skills, experiencing homelessness, need mental health support, connecting to community resources, and even tutoring. This year Student Leadership is doing an astounding job planning events including Homecoming, Prom, and Coffee Cram sessions, which are all designed to bring students and teachers together to improve work product and grades. We are always looking for funding and volunteers to help with events or items for events. We were able to provide coffee and snacks because of generous donors at our Coffee Cram sessions last year.
What do you see at Manual every day?
One of my proudest moments this year was watching student leader candidates give their speeches in front of the entire school. I witnessed them preparing diligently, writing drafts and nervously timing their speeches with their friends. They had 30 seconds to say who they were, what position they were running for and why. It is never easy to get up in front of a group of people and talk about who you are and what you believe in, but they all stood proudly and represented with that great Thunderbolt pride. I am happy to announce this year’s Head Girl is Trayosha Decker and Head Boy is Jovanny Castorena. I am confident that both seniors will represent the school, the class of 2019, and join a great group Manual Alumni.
What do you wish for Manual in the future?
Well, first of all, I wish all Manual students and graduates to live full, happy, healthy lives. I believe in dreams coming true, and I wish for all of their dreams to come true. I know that each and every student that comes to Manual is positively impacted by the experiences they have here, as I am. I love Manual. I wish for more people to know about how amazing of a school this is, and how amazing the students and staff here are because they inspire me every day. Everyone that is a part of Manual knows how special of a place this is.