Rachael Rodriguez ‘24 has been chosen as the June Rotary Senior of the Month. Since only 20 seniors are selected each year, she was taken aback but proud to be considered for this opportunity.

Since her freshman year, Rodriguez has played for the EHS Girls Lacrosse team. Continuing this passion, she will be attending Felician University in East Rutherford, NJ to play lacrosse in the fall. She also plans to take courses and eventually work in the psychology or mental health industry.

Most of Rodriguez’s high school memories come from her tight-knit lacrosse team. Her favorite memory was securing the division title for the first time in school history.

Her lacrosse coach, Ms. Sara Yocum, has given great advice throughout Rodriguez’s high school years, helping her become the best version of herself. Another mentor of hers is Ms. Veronica Rivera, a security guard at EHS, who has given her a reason to continue being who she truly is.

“They both show me great qualities in a person and prove to me that no matter what obstacle I face, the only choice I have is to keep moving,” said Rodriguez.

When facing tough challenges, Rodriguez tells herself that these are just minor problems in the journey of life.

“I also celebrate even the smallest accomplishments, like getting a good grade on an assignment. It’s important to stay positive,” added Rodriguez.

If Rodriguez could choose one word to describe her high school experience, it would be “adjusting.” She felt overwhelmed while shifting to high school and adapting to the fresh setting.

“Transitioning to high school meant entering a new environment filled with unfamiliar faces. It’s common to feel swamped and out of place, especially when our first year was online,” said Rodriguez. “It required time and effort to get used to the new social expectations and the large group of peers who would eventually become our classmates.”