Filled to the brim with exciting, unique students, Cherokee High School has more than just classes and clubs to enrich the lives of its students. The walks of life that roam our halls offer the chance for meaningful friendships and amazing memories, yet so many of us never get the chance to meet these wonderful people.
To shine more light on the personalities, passions, and accomplishments of those here at CHS, I sat down with junior Yadhira Perez.
A kind and inquisitive individual, Yadhira reveals just how wide her array of ambitions and passions stretch with an open and eager attitude, making her a fantastic student to not only interview, but learn about, as well.
Yadhira enjoying a walk through the Paranioa Haunted House, stopping to capture a not so scary moment with one of the clowns. Photo Credit: Yadhira Perez
Sitting Down with Yadhira
Question: Do you have any hobbies outside of school?
“To be honest, outside of school, all I really do is work. I spend the majority of my time working, but whenever I can, I enjoy reading. Not too much, though,” she adds with a slight smile.
Question: That being said, do you have any hobbies you’d be interested in if you had the time?
“I used to be interested in band. I wish I could still do it, but, unfortunately, I just don’t have the time for it anymore.” When asked if it was something she was passionate about, she jumps at chance to answer, a smile forming on her face, “Absolutely, I love band!”
Question: If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?
“I feel like if I could go anywhere…Brazil!”
Along with her ambitions to go to Brazil, Yadhira is also excited to participate in the many trips offered here at Cherokee.
“My first time going out of the country is going to be this upcoming fall. I’m going to Spain. It’s going to be my first time on a plane as well. 2025 I’m going to Japan and South Korea!”
Yadhira spending time at the Georgia Aquarium Photo Credit: Yadhira Perez
Question: Do you have any plans for after high school?
“I kind of want to be a nurse,” she tells me. “I never really knew exactly what I wanted to be, and it’s not something that I’m super passionate about, but I’d definitely be interested. I wanted to be a teacher for a quick minute, but as the years pass by, I don’t think teaching is something I would want to do.”
She cites her aunt, who works in the medical field, as a huge influence on her life, crediting her as one of her biggest sources of support.
“She’s always pushed me to be better in school, pushed me to do better in life in general.”
-Yadhira Perez
Question: You mentioned influence from your family in my previous question. What’s the fondest memory you have with them?
“I think my quinceñera. I had my quinceñera, and it’s like a coming of age for whenever you turn fifteen. It’s seen as you becoming an adult, you know? And my fondest moment was the father daughter dance. It’s kinda’ like when your dad lets you go, and I remember my dad, he isn’t an emotional person, he’s rather reserved, he’s a quiet man. He doesn’t like really talk about how he feels, and I remember there was this song-it’s kind of about, like, letting your daughter go-and we were dancing and he started singing, and he started crying, and seeing my dad cry, that’s what got to me, and I remember I started crying. It wasn’t a sad moment, it was a really sweet and touching moment.”
Yadhira dancing with her father at her quince. Photo Credit: Yadhira Perez
Question: Do you have any major accomplishments of which you are proud?
“Compared to others at school like my peers, I’m not the best when it comes to academics, but out of my family, I am one of them-I can only think of two or three members of my family who have actually done well academically. It’s also because of the fact that, originally, a lot of people in my family didn’t have the chance at an education.”
Coming from a line of Mexican immigrants, Yadhira shows so much pride in getting the opportunity at an education. She embraces the opportunity by striving to succeed in her academics, glad she has the chance to make her family proud.
“I was blessed to be given the privilege to have an education, to be given all this support and this motivation from my family, and I’m just proud of myself that I’ve come so far.”
Question: What’s the scariest thing you’ve experienced?
“I had two accidents, and one of them was a car accident. That one didn’t really leave me affected, but it kind of made me more aware as a driver in a way. But the accident that sticks with me, I had injured my leg. I fractured my fibula and because of that, I was unable to put any weight on my leg for the majority of my summer, and I was on crutches for the majority of my summer. It just made me kind of a mess. I felt kind of useless in a way.”
She notes the strong impact of having to rely on others during the time she was injured and struggling with going from “being able to do anything you want, whenever you want, to needing help.” She also expresses the toll she still carries months after her leg was run over, but maintains a positive and reflective attitude about such a jarring subject.
“I don’t want to say [it was] traumatic. I feel like that’s me overreacting, because I’m fine, I’m still here. When it first happened, I didn’t feel any pain at first, but I would be lying in bed at night thinking, what am I doing? I’m so useless, and I can’t do anything, so I feel like [the accident] affected me mentally, as well as physically.”
“I try not to let it affect me on a daily. I try to go on, because that’s the only thing you can do. You can only move forward.”
-Yadhira Perez
Question: What type of music do you listen to?
“I listen to a lot of rap,” she says with a smile. “I do feel like there’s a little pop mixed in there, but I would say rap.”
Excited by the topic of her favorite music, Yadhira shows no hesitation in telling me some of her favorites!
“My favorite artist is Tyler the Creator. He’s someone I’ve just always listened to.” She holds up the design on her hoodie, her voice packed with excitement. “I’m wearing his hoodie right now!”
Question: With your last answer in mind, say you were stranded on an island and could only have three artists to listen to, who would they be?
“I can only listen to three artists? I would listen to Tyler the Creator, that’s the top first one, Kendrik Lamar-he’s another rapper. The last one would probably be Marca MP. Their songs are in Spanish; they write a lot of love songs and everything, and I’ve got to have a little bit of Spanish music in there.”
Question: Is there anything more you’d like to add for readers?
“Um, there’s really nothing I feel like I could really add,” she smiles. “I feel like you touched a lot of important questions, and there’s nothing more I’d really like to say.”
Though she has no final thoughts to leave me with, I walk away from the interview with much more than parting words. I leave, and I hope my audience will as well, with newfound knowledge on a kind individual I would have never thought I would get to know so well. With so many wonderful ambitions and accomplishments to be proud of, junior Yadhira Perez has proven to me just how bright of a future she has, both here at CHS and beyond.
