Melissa Torres–Duran, she/her

Family: Parents, Javier Torres Ramirez and Lourdes Duran Mejia; sister, Sandy Torres–Duran

What’s next: University of Oregon

What are your plans after high school?

I either want to do something with business and sports marketing, or I want to go into the field of law, which is, like, two different things, so I’ll be able to explore them and take courses there … I’ll be far away enough from home that I can be independent and grow, and I’ll be close enough that I’ll be able to drive back and visit my parents.

Can you tell me about your high school experience?

My junior year, at the end of first semester I transferred to Benson Polytechnic High School, and I went there because …  they offer different things, so I just wanted to try something new, and I did for one semester. It didn’t work out. I needed my support system that I had here that was made up of teachers, my counselor … This was my home.

What have you learned in your four years of high school?

Since I was a freshman, I think I’ve changed, like I’ve gotten to be more outgoing. I was really shy, and I still am, like when I’m with someone new, or a new group of people, it takes me a while to break out of that shell, but I’ve kind of learned to … be out there and take advantage of opportunities because you never know where they could take you.

What led you to that mindset?

I think definitely my teachers. I’ve built really good relationships with all of them. Some of them have been my teachers for two or three years now, so I have those strong connections. Especially, I’m in AVID, this is my third year, and it’s kind of like a huge support system that has helped me with the college part, but also outside of that, like Ms. Wolfer. She’s just really there for all of us, and outside of school too.

Can you talk about intersection and how it has affected you?

Being a woman of color, and then along with my sister, we’re both first generation college students … my mom didn’t have that opportunity back where she was from, she was from Mexico, so when she came to the United States, she doesn’t speak much English. So she’s a woman, she’s of color, and … she’s foreign, so she had her own battles and it’s hard for her everyday. That made it hard for us because she couldn’t really help us as we grew up and got into the school system, but we tried to use our opportunities and the people we had around us to help us. My sister was the first one to graduate and then I came, so it’s just like she paved that path for me, so that’s why it’s so, that’s why women empowerment is so important to me because it starts with your mom and your grandma, and being around other women of color, like my friends. You just want to be recognized and acknowledged.

Why is women’s empowerment so important to you?

I think women’s empowerment is important because when you see, like, in the business area, or just in any area in general, there’s not enough women, or there is, but they’re not at the top. Men always get the highest position, or their wage is higher. So one, to be a woman, and one, to be a woman of color, you kind of have to jump those two barriers in order to get where you want to be, and you might have the same education as a male, but they might get the job or they might, like, get more opportunities than you, so it’s about always educating yourself, and you know, that’s why I’m going to college … because I want more in life.

– Interview by Elliot Johnson, photo by Mako Barmon

Jasper Grigsby-Schulte, he/him

Family: Parents, Sarah Grigsby and Dan Schulte; sisters, Ruby and Astrid Grigsby-Schulte

What’s next: Sarah Lawrence College, music

What do you like about music?

It’s a platform where you can kind of do whatever you want and in some way or somehow it’ll make sense. Music is so nonbinary and it’s so open to interpretation that you can make it how you want it to sound and someone out there is gonna like it. So I think it’s a really free way of artistic expression.

How have you grown as a musician since your freshman year?

Freshman year I didn’t know how to play at all. I just picked up the instrument, and I sounded bad and I couldn’t read notes. I guess one of the big jumps in my playing was (when) I was asked to play (in) the musical freshman year. Me and my dad worked on my reading and stuff … and then I started playing outside of school my sophomore year. Portland Youth Jazz Orchestra is something I did. And then I’ve just continued to do that and started playing gigs with people and professionals.

Has music helped at all with your personal growth?

Yeah, for sure. I think, at least on more of a social level, I’ve become more outspoken because I’ve become more comfortable in how I do things. I’ve met a lot of people that I can see myself staying in contact with for the next many years. I think that, as I’ve gotten more confident with music, I think I’ve gotten a little more swagger, or a little more personality.

– Interview by Ruby Haack, photo by Mako Barmon

Wyatt, he/him

Family: Parents, Angela Wyatt and Mark Wyatt; sister, Yasmine Wyatt

What’s next: University of Oregon, computer science

What has your high school experience been like?

I think overall it’s been really good. I’ve tried a lot of stuff, like from cross country to journalism, made some great friends along the way that I’ll stick with for a long time. I’ve gotten to develop in my graphic design skills through different classes and work on art, so I really can’t complain.

How have your interest and skills in graphic design developed throughout the years?

I’ve really gotten more into the digital art through high school. My interest in visual art, whether digital or physical, has definitely developed a lot. I’ve gotten to perfect my craft through Adobe Illustrator, and it’s made me fall in love with art all over again.

Can you talk about expressing yourself through art?

I’ve always been a really shy person, introverted, and drawing has always been … an outlet. I mostly draw people. I’m really attracted to drawing eyes because I’ve just always been infatuated with eyes. I think it might be connected to that I … used to be really shy, I couldn’t even look into people’s eyes, so I would just draw them.

– Interview by Elliot Johnson, photo by Mako Barmon

Katie Wagstaff, she/her

Family: Parents, Laura Sisulak and Andy Wagstaff; brother, Alex Wagstaff; sister, Cecily Wagstaff

What’s next: University of San Francisco, Division 1 volleyball

What made you decide to play volleyball in college?

My dad was a basketball player in college and that always set lllllthe llltone llfor me and made me want to pursue sports in college, I just didn’t really know what that was. When I tried volleyball, I almost immediately knew: This is my passion, this is what I want to do in college. I love it so much. It’s so much fun.

What was the recruiting process like?

I mean, really, I think a big problem, a big misconception about sports is that to play college, colleges are gonna reach out to you and they’re gonna do the leg work to find their athletes. (When) I started out, my club helped me a lot with like finding schools that first, I was interested in going to … if volleyball (was) off the table, out of the picture, would I be happy at this school? That is, like, the number one thing because obviously anything can happen in your four years if you go. If I tear my ACL, and I can’t play anymore and I hate the school, that sucks. So I had like a list of literally so many schools like, 50 schools probably.

How have you grown as a player since your freshman year?

I definitely have a better feel for the game. I’m still learning; I don’t have it all figured out … I would say my ability to play at the pace has changed just my overall knowledge of the game. Being able to talk about where my hitters are at and like what spots are open on the court and just be able to generally see everything better on the court has changed a lot. I think going into the faster-paced game at first I had a hard time. My brain was just all over the place and it’s hard to process everything and I think I have a lot more confidence and I play more in control and calm now than I did before.

– Interview by Ru

by Haack, photo by Mako Barmon

Duy Hoang, he/him

Family: Parents, Phung Cao and Quang Hoang; sister, Tran Hoang

What’s next: Carnegie Mellon University

What was it like applying to and being accepted into well-known schools like Carnegie Mellon University?

It was pretty great to see that my hard work has come to fruition and that these schools have seen that I have the potential to go to these big–name schools. But I was kind of disappointed at the same time because Stanford was my dream school, and I worked really hard for it because I had heard of it in the eighth grade and since then I was like, “I want to go to Stanford.” I didn’t know much about it back then but that was sort of the goal that I set myself. I was so close but still so far as well.

Do you have any advice for future high schoolers?

I’d say challenge yourself to take rigorous courses and of course talk with everybody. I would say that one of the things I could have done better was to talk with more people my freshman year because back then I was actually friends with a lot of upperclassmen because I had taken AP Chem and AP Physics when I was a sophomore and junior. So I had friends who were also seniors and juniors, and I didn’t know that many people who were in my own class. This is the first year where I have actually gotten to know a majority of who is actually in my class so I would say to get to know the people who are in your same grade level.

Do you think being in those upper level classes helped you connect to and to understand people that are older than you?

Yes, it was a very valuable experience, for them to help me, and when they had advice I would sort of just take it into account. And now that I have my friends who are juniors I am in that same position for them, and so I try to give them what I know and give them advice.

– Interview by Nora Janowski, photo by Mako Barmon

Kelly Gunderson, she/her

Family: Mom, Lynne Brady; stepdad, Mike Brady; brothers, Patrick Brady, Ryan Brady, Owen Brady; sisters, Katie Gunderson and Courtney Gunderson

What’s next: Oregon State University, business

What has your experience at Grant been like?

Personally I really like school in general. I like having a schedule every day, and I like being able to see my friends and having classes. But I also like that our class is so big and really connected, so every year I am meeting new people but also staying friends with the people that I have always been friends with. I have also been a part of dance team for four years so that has been a really great way to meet people in other classes … Even though Grant isn’t always super spirited, I really enjoy going to sporting events and stuff, and I feel like when we want to do something really great, we totally can.

When did you first get into dancing?

My mom forced me to try out eighth grade. We had posters in the hallways at school and I told her that I saw them and she was like, “Oh my gosh you have to do it!” And I was like, “There is no way I am doing this on my own.” So I forced my friend Lauren Ellis to do it with me and basically we just hated it. We told ourselves that we weren’t coming back and we were like, “If we make it we are just going to quit” … but then I ended up staying with it and being a captain senior year.

How did your character traits feed into dance and being a captain of the dance team?

I definitely think that being able to listen and give advice … was really helpful. I remember this one freshman on the team texted me and was like, “Hey what are you doing right now?” And it was lunch and she was like, “Can you please meet me by the gym? I am having a really bad day.” And so I went down and talked to her. It made me feel really special because out of all the captains, or even her friends, she texted me and was like, “Can you come talk to me?” which felt really good.

What advice would you have for your freshman self?

Definitely to get more involved at Grant. I feel like the people who have thrived the most are the people who took opportunities that were given to them. I was really shy when I was offered to be like in a club. Someone would tell me about it, I wouldn’t go because maybe I wouldn’t know people in the club. Or, I didn’t sign up for (Constitution) Team last year because I was too scared that I wouldn’t be good enough or something. It took my mom in eighth grade to tell me that I had to try out to really do something out of my comfort zone. If, freshman year, I could have gotten involved with more things I definitely would’ve, and it’s a little bit different now because I would go do those things, but it’s a little bit too late.

– Interview by Nora Janowski, photo by Mako Barmon