Karen Quintana has come a long way throughout her years at Agua Fria. 

There are lots to say about Karen Quintana, but, for a start, who’s better to ask than the person who knows her best, her boyfriend Dominic Heller. Karen, Heller said, is a “really funny and motivated person” who wants to “succeed at anything she does.” 

 Freshman year, Karen was focused on connecting with people who are now her closest friends. She met Dominic this year and have been together throughout her whole high school experience. She remembered, “Before first period I’d always punch him in the arm to remind him I existed,” which was what started the love story. 

Karen has undergone many changes throughout this year. Karen decided to join soccer and played more competitive to make varsity her sophomore year. 

Sophomore year, all her hard work was paid off when making varsity. This year was the first time Karen “witnessed a senior night.” This experience made her realize how badly she wanted her own senior night. 

Junior year was the hardest considering all the AP and honors classes being taken. This year was the year Karen’s whole diet changed and she started working out. She also started club soccer and made very strong connections during this. 

With all the work being put into classes and her personal achievements, everything was going great. This was when she was really focusing on herself and putting in that extra work she needed to thrive. 

Senior year was the year the mentality “the last time I do this” hit. Her personal goal was to make stronger connections with friends and finish with a strong GPA for colleges. This year was the most “spirited” which is where Karen “bought every shirt they had” and every football game she had attended. 

She ran a 5K in 125-degree weather, which was testing her body’s limits to the extreme. With this run, she found a new love for running. The “practices, cold showers, and bloody blisters will be cherished forever,” she said. 

Her boyfriend’s senior night came around. Karen spent all night printing out pictures and putting together her poster for him. For all the hard work he had put in she wanted to make sure he got the attention he deserved. Throughout that night, everything set in, and “it’ll become a memory” this night was very “bittersweet.” 

Then came her own senior night, which was very special to Karen. She put time into her outfit, makeup, and hair. This night was what she has been waiting for. When her own family and boyfriend’s family arrived, she “couldn’t keep a straight face.” 

Her mom made her a poster which meant a lot to her. Her senior night was the “best night ever.” She even got a yellow card which was very exciting for her. 

Throughout these fun and great memories, the coronavirus had come around. Karen “didn’t think March 6 would be my last day.” This Friday, Karen wasn’t even gonna come considering she was gonna be late but she had committed to lunch and also wanted to wear the Senior shirt she had bought. 

Prom cancellation was heartbreaking to Karen but graduation was her top worry. She wants her grandparents to see her walk since they are “getting older” and also wants her parents to see their firstborn walk. All the “congratulation” comments under her mom’s Facebook post were being looked forward too. 

Hannah Valencia, a senior, had a special message for Karen. “Hey Karen!I just wanted to let you know how appreciative I am of our friendship and how proud I am of how far you’ve come since 8th grade. I love you always!” 

Karen explained this situation as “It may not be the ideal senior year, it’s a different one than any other class.”