As school begins and the 2023 and 2024 school year start, there are many seniors that are all around campus. One senior in particular who is amazing to be around is Aaliyah Villela. Aaliyah is a force to be reckoned with. She is the student council secretary and she is now also the lifestyle section editor. Even though Aaliyah has some big responsibilities, she never lets the fun side of her down. Always finding the humor in things and making sure that everyone is having fun is what Aaliyah loves to do
Being the last year of high school for Aaliyah, she is excited about what comes next. However, with the feeling of excitement comes a hard reality check that your years of being a teenager are over. “Honestly, I’m relieved but I’m also sad. I’m finally done with high school, but it also feels like freshman year COVID was a week ago.” Aaliyah’s freshman year of high school was during the pandemic and during the online learning mandates. “ It’s crazy to think about how I stared in my bedroom and now I’m almost done with high school in like one hundred and something days.”
During Aaliyah’s years in high school, she has accomplished many things. However, one thing that she was proud of accomplishing was going out there talking to people, and making new friends. “Honestly one thing that I am proud of doing, is actually getting out there and talking to people. For example, in freshman year, I didn’t talk to anyone. I maybe had 4 friends and they were from middle school. Now I’m a student body secretary, I talk to everyone, and people come and talk to me,” Aaliyah says, “ It’s really nice to just be out there.”
As the student body secretary, Aaliyah has a lot of responsibilities in that position. “ It’s interesting, Joining student council at first I definitely had impostor syndrome. I did not think I belonged whatsoever, especially because all my friends who were in student council at the time were there way longer than me. And then just being in there on the executive board is a little stressful, but also I’m just very proud of myself for how far I have come.”
Throughout the many years of Aaliyah’s high school career, she has come to like and dislike a lot of her high school experiences. However, one of Aaliyah’s favorite memories in High School would have to be the Student Council state meeting. For those who don’t know, Sudnets councils around the whole state of Arizona get together for a weekend and represent their school spirit. “One favorite memory from high school would have to be last year, Student Council. We went to state and it was a three-day trip, where the Agua Fria student council rented an Airbnb.” Aaliyah said, “ It felt like a family, it honestly felt like a cliche family college experience, where you just bond with your friends. It was a lot of us cooking dinner together, hosting movie nights, and playing football in the backyard. It was just a lot of getting along together and being closer than ever.”
The outside school life of Aaliyah Villela is hanging out with her close friends and just enjoying life. Though a lot of her time gets used up for student council events, she still finds ways to take care of herself and enjoy her life. “ My life used to revolve around my job, but then I quit. So now it’s a lot of just hanging out with my friends, partially STUCO. I like to thrift a lot, I love doing it with my friends. I don’t really do sports, well not anymore at least.”
Miss Villela has a goal of becoming a sports presenter as her further career. “ I want to be a presenter for sports.” Aaliyah said with an adoring tone as she spoke, “ A big goal of mine when I was younger was to be known, as cliche as it sounds. That goal was just to be known, I want as many people as possible to know who I am and what I did in my life, and just be remembered by many people not just my family and friends. So it was always a big dream of mine to just be famous or be associated with someone. That is a really big thing, but also sports are a really big part and I would love to incorporate that with my goals in life.”
A few facts about Aaliyah are that she loves the color dark blue because it reminds her of the night sky and space, she loves space. Her favorite season is fall, “It has a nice atmosphere and the colors are amazing.” Aaliyah states with a calm state of mind look on her face. “ Not to mention it has a favorite holiday… Halloween! It’s just the vibe and the energy, it’s the best time of the year in my eyes.”
Aaliyah Villela is a girl with passion and grit. She knows what she wants to do and goes for it without hesitation. Known for being the Student Council secretary and an amazing person. In order for you to understand how much of an incredible person she is, you’re just going to have to meet her.
