Rene Almanza — you may not know him but you should. He’s a bright student, a son and a brother. 

I sat next to him and was immediately welcomed with a smile. “So, I wrote some quick facts,” he said.

Sitting and speaking to him, I was immediately calmed, like when you’re in a crowd, anxious and clammy, then just one stranger who approaches you opens up to you.

Almanza has a very introverted but calm demeanor and that just radiates onto you as well.

Almanza is a 17-year-old junior at Agua Fria who is currently taking journalism. He said that he decided to take journalism because, “I’ll be able to be more upfront about issues specifically concerning me and learn more about them.” Almanza will be a sports reporter for OwlFeed.

 Though writing isn’t one of Almanza’s passions, piano and environmental issues are!

He has been playing piano for five years now and when asked why he plays, he said it’s “comforting to play as it is therapeutic” and something that kept him going was improving at his craft. 

Alongside piano, Alamanza has a strong interest in environmental issues. “I want to be more interested in the environment since climate change is still a huge issue,” said Almanza when asked about his interest after high school. “I would want the chance to be able to help in some way for a better planet.” 

Both his parents are of Mexican descent and he is the middle child. He will be the first to go to college in his family.

Almanza continues to push the limits with the help of his family’s “positive mindset.” 

When asked about his upbringing he told me it was “enjoyable” and he was born in Des Moines, Iowa, but raised in Houston, Texas, until he moved to Arizona in 2016. I immediately followed up with a question about how he felt about living in Arizona.

“Since I grew up in Texas it gets just as hot or equally hot to some extent but I’ve come far and it’s enjoyable to live in as I mostly stay inside,” he said. This made sense because he followed this up with his summer home in Seattle and winter being his favorite season.

  As the conversation came to a close, Almanza talked about his love for anime, naming “Attack on Titan” and “JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure” as a few of his favorites.

With his studious and positive outlook on life, Almanza is sure to make it far in life.

This is just the beginning for Almanza as he wants to travel the world and make a difference. With the support of his family he will continue to strive for greatness and follow his dreams.