Sandra Garcia Torres | 2018

What does Hispanic Heritage Month mean to you? | Hispanic Heritage Month is very special. I get to share and also learn about my culture and various Hispanic cultures. It is really nice to see how these cultures have impacted the world and are now being recognized for that impact.

Favorite Saxon Memories | One of my best memories at South was going to soccer games. I love soccer and being able to see friends and family members play was so much fun!

What were you involved in at South? | I was involved in Key Club, played JV soccer for a year, was on AVID, and IB classes.

Favorite Teachers | Listing all of my favorite teachers is impossible, but a couple who were very impactful to me are Mrs. Keck, Mr. Doyle, Mr. Knoll, Mr. Zenk, Mrs. Rasca, Mrs. Gosney, and Mrs. Tiffin.

Favorite Classes | I loved my IB classes. They were a little hard, but I always had a lot of fun in them.

What are you up to right now? | I’m currently attending Western Oregon University and double majoring in Spanish and Psychology. My hope is to be a Clinical Psychologist working with the Spanish speaking community. Therefore, I’m getting ready to apply for graduate school soon.

My family has always been supportive. My younger sisters are amazing. They are also part of the Saxon family. Andrea graduated from South 2020 and Kimberly is currently a Junior. Something that really stood out for from my family was their support when I came out as part of the LGBTQ+ community. They are so loving to me and my partner:

At WOU I’m Coordinator for the Campus Ambassadors (we organize tours and panels for prospective students)and for the Alternative Break Program (we provide experiential learning trips around the world). I’m also a senior PLUS team orientation leader. Lastly, I am also a research assistant and teaching assistant for the behavioral science department. So basically, you can find me anywhere.

List any life highlights | A lot has happened since I graduated from South, but something I’m really proud of now is my involved at Western Oregon University. I hold various leadership positions. A couple positions related to academics are being a behavioral sciences research assistant and a teaching assistant.

Any hidden talents? | Some fun facts about me is that I enjoy the outdoors. During the summer you can find me hiking, camping, kayaking, paddleboarding, waterskiing, and fishing.

What advice would you give your high school self? | Something that I would’ve loved to know as a high school student is to enjoy my time there. I remember always pushing myself too much and I never really got to enjoy the high school highlights, like going to football games, going to the nightmare factory, or even going to homecoming.