“Knowing that I’m only going to be in high school once. So if I don’t work to the best of my ability, I might regret it later down the road, so yeah, that’s the fuel to make sure I get all my work done,” said Adam Torchi, a senior at Athens.

His commitment to his education has always been a highlight of his high school experience, reflected in the hard work and discipline he brings to all his classes throughout the years. Despite the many distractions that may surround him, he continues to be the best he can be, especially in his senior year, as it’s his last year.

“He works well with any group and is a very studious individual. He always had his assignments completed and turned in on time, and in AP Lit & Comp, that’s quite an accomplishment,” said Rachel Surles, English teacher at Athens

Apart from his strong work ethic, Adam is also highly praised for his integrity and positive energy, both inside and outside of school. His personality towards teachers and his peers around him shows a deep sense of kindness and integrity, knowing when to always do the right thing.

“Adam is a truly kind person with a deep sense of integrity. You can always trust him to do the right thing,” said Surles.

Friends and classmates often appreciate his willingness to always want to contribute to discussions, as well as just being a good friend to those he considers his best friends. The positive energy he brings to every setting makes people want to gravitate towards him in class as well as outside of class.

“Adam has ‘soft skills.’ He has the capacity to work very well with lots of different students with different personalities and backgrounds, and is always a positive and welcome team participant,” said Christopher Labuda, computer science teacher at Athens.

Being able to balance the workload and mental stress of academic responsibilities and still go on with a positive and approachable attitude, he has created a high school experience that he has defined for himself. Not only by achievements, but also by the impact he has on those around him.

“I did not often get to enjoy these classes and spent the majority of my time focused and continued to burn myself out. However, because of Adam, I was able to have a laugh and take a break from my own seriousness, which helped keep me from feeling alone in my work. Even outside of class, he continues to be himself and to make everyone around him feel included and happy,” said Adam Basile, one of Adam’s close friends.

As he prepares for graduation, he plans to continue his education in college, building on the dedication and skills he has developed throughout high school and further majoring in Marketing.

“Don’t fall for the senioritis propaganda, because honestly, it’s literally, you only get senioritis if you let yourself get it, so don’t let it get into your head,” said Torchi.

Although there have been many times when he has felt let down by a certain grade or just not wanted to do anything on certain days, he has continued to reflect on the value of hard work and on maintaining a deep sense of character with qualities that will continue to support him in many years to come.

“I would like to tell Adam to keep doing what he is doing!  Some students slack off in their Senior year.  Not Adam!  He finished very strongly this year!  He has a great mindset for STEM and college-level study and should do really well in whatever courses he chooses to enroll in or opportunities he chooses to pursue.  Be patient, be persistent, try new things, and be confident.  Go, Adam!” said Labuda.

For several teachers in the department, surviving their rookie years was only possible thanks to Peters’ stabilizing yet sarcastic mentorship. Katelyn Wizowaty met him during her very first year of teaching at Athens. While he taught her how to collaborate, communicate and solve problems, his most important lesson was teaching her how to untangle school drama. 

“He was my mentor for my first three years,” said Wizowaty. “He has taught me how to prioritize and decide what really matters and what I might not have control over. Without his guidance, I would be much more stressed and serious about things I don’t need to be. His advice on all of these things is going to stay with me long after he leaves.”

Andie Faircloth met Peters on her very first day at Athens almost a decade ago, immediately gaining a “department mentor” who was always checking in. She also admires his rare ability to withstand changing educational trends, through transitions from paper to computer and even to a fully virtual school.

“Mr. Peters is the type of veteran educator that all younger teachers should strive to be like,” said Faircloth. “He is resilient, passionate and honest. He is willing to pivot to meet new classroom and teaching ‘norms,’ while still holding his standards high. He helps every single student to grow and can teach all levels of learners.”

When you ask the English department for their favorite memories of Mr. Peters, the standout answer is from the Farmer’s Market, specifically, the North Carolina Seafood Restaurant during teacher workdays. For English teacher Ashley Turner, who joined the staff in 2016, watching Mr. Peters discover a lunchtime trip there remains her favorite memory. 

“When he found out where we were going, his face lit up like a little child at Christmas, and his excitement was just infectious,” said Turner. “I’m going to miss his steady presence and his encyclopedia of knowledge on English literature.”

When he isn’t crushing plates of fried shrimp, Mr. Peters can apparently be found on the golf course, napping in his chair outside or wandering the halls. Math teacher Christopher Remaley, who has been friends with Mr. Peters since their start at Athens, says he’s going to miss Mr. Peters’ daily timing. 

“He has made my morning every day for the last several years, greeting me with a smile and hello and always asking me funny questions,” said Remaley. “I love his positivity and upbeat attitude, and how he always asks me about Senior Events after they have already happened! For example, he asked the other day, ‘Is today the Senior Breakfast?'”

It’s this exact daily chaos that his department will miss the most. Despite his status as the department’s chief comedian with all-caps emails and intense stories, Turner notes that crossing the hall won’t be the same without being available for quick consultations. 

“He’s a real-life Mr. Keating, inspiring students and coworkers alike,” said Turner. “His love for our subject (and his vast expertise) has been truly inspirational, and I’m going to miss being able to cross the hall and chat with him about books.”

As the final bell rings on his career, the department just wants him to know he did a spectacular job. Athens Drive will definitely be a little quieter, a little less sarcastic and significantly less efficient at yelling at laptops, but Peters’ legacy is firmly secure.

“I hope that he understands how many people he has impacted throughout his career and really takes this time to rest,” said Wizowaty. “I hope that he pursues things he may not have had time for when he was teaching and that he accomplishes any goals or dreams that he has.” 

“She’s helped me a lot with being more involved in things, like yearbook, for example. It was she who got me to do it with her, so I was more involved around the school,” said Shakerin Islam, one of Umanzorś closest friends.

She has maintained a Smma Cum Laude GPA throughout all years of high school, including her senior year, demonstrating her consistent dedication to her studies and the effort she put in to achieve such a high GPA. Her work in the majority of her classes has shown nothing but her best efforts, helping peers be more involved and being able to work well with her teachers to be successful in the class.

“In a class that’s predominantly discussion and group work-based, the fact that she was always willing to engage helped make her tables/groups successful,” said Ashley Turner, an English teacher at Athens.

Throughout the multiple courses she’s taken, including many AP courses, Moreno Umanzor has demonstrated a steady commitment to each of her courses, maintaining a high performance while managing a full schedule of working after school.

“She’s definitely very dedicated and passionate about realizing how important it is to keep one’s GPA high, and she also values the education she receives in Athens,” said Serena Gaddam, also one of Moreno Umanzor’s closest friends.

Many teachers have also not failed to notice her quiet but calm demeanor while in class and in the hallways. She’s consistently completed assignments with strong attention to detail and a strong performance across the different subjects, contributing to her academic standing. She’s carried this personality into all her classes, and it’s become one of the main things that makes her stand out in the sea of students. 

“She’s steady and poised! Raquel (her nickname) has a calm demeanor that, coupled with her kindness and quiet confidence, helps her exude grace. I never saw her behave in any way other than respectfully, and she was a pleasure to have in class,” said Turner.

Alongside her academic success, she is widely recognized for her artistic abilities and creativity in all the art classes that she has taken. Going as far as taking the AP Art class, her artwork often stands out in the classes, with the teacher frequently recognizing her work and the effort put into each piece.

“Seeing other artists and what they draw definitely motivates me, and being confident in what I’m doing while wanting to share it with the world is important to me and keeps me going with my art,” said Umanzor.

Art continues to remain a core part of her identity as a person and student throughout high school, serving as her personal creative outlet and a way for her to express herself outside of academics. Her art style is very unique and versatile, which is one of the major things that makes her art style so different from the many other art pieces being displayed.

“Definitely, her art reflects a traditional/sophisticated manner that she carries with herself as a student, and that is heavily reflected in all her work,” said Erin Day, the AP Art teacher.

Looking into the future, Moreno Umanzor plans to pursue education in finance, going to Wake Tech for 2 years before transferring to NC State, continuing to steadily build on the academic building blocks she has managed to maintain throughout high school. She also wants to continue on with her art, creating more original ideas and letting her art stay unique in her own way.

“For the future, definitely like I said, to be able to share it with the world, selling art, and doing commissions, or even just sharing my art on social media. I do hope my art keeps changing because art is all about developing it; it’s always going to be changing. I also hope to get into a good college and be able to maintain both that and my art,” said Umanzor.

As graduation approaches, she continues to consistently improve her academic performance in her classes and continues to put in her best efforts in all of them. As she’s working on a mural with others in her AP art class now, she hopes it becomes something that other students can look at while walking in the hallway and admire the many hands that put in the work to make the piece special for the school. 

“My advice to Raquel [Xochi] is to live boldly. Don’t be afraid to take calculated risks and to push yourself outside of your comfort zone. The world is much larger than you think, the possibilities are endless, and don’t be afraid to get out there and experience the highs and lows for yourself,” said Turner.

A new gymnasium is going to be constructed; it will be replacing the lower gym in order to make space for some health classrooms and a new weight training room. Both an entrance for students and a lobby will be assembled nearby it.

“I have noticed many issues such as hallways being too tight– too narrow for the multitude and quantity of students at Athens Drive,” said Derek Esparra-Lugo, a sophomore at Athens Drive Magnet High School.

Fortunately, Principal Amanda Boshoff has a solution.

“Many of the lockers will be removed from hallways which will expand halls by 1 foot on either side. Additionally, new building wings will have wider hallways,” said Boshoff.

Many students have felt that the trailers are inadequate for the school too. 

“[The trailers are] messy, for a word… They’re very small and they feel very lightweight, too,” said Zayra Portello, sophomore at Athens Drive Magnet High School.

Extending out from the east side of the main building, a new wing will be constructed to fix this. The wing will contain 25 classrooms, and it will be two stories tall, replacing the trailers. Along with this, an entry courtyard will be placed between the central school and the wing.

Meanwhile, the front of the building will get a complete refresh – the main entrance will be redesigned and given a new, large staircase up to it. The rooms for administration will be relocated to be next to the updated main entrance.

On the exterior of the building, the carpool loop is going to be extended, to increase driver capacity. Connecting to it will be a new parking lot; in fact, there will be a lot of new parking in other locations too. A 50-space student parking lot will be placed nearby the gym addition, 54 spaces will be added to the parking northwest of the school, and more.

The bus loop will also be renovated, with parking for the buses to go along with the car parking. It will be separated from the car parking, giving extra space for students and overall making exiting from the school feel less convoluted.

There are many updates for the electives classes too. There will be a new MakerSpace lab, new kitchens for the food classes, a new film lab and a new band room. A new softball field and bathroom facilities will also be added.

The renovations will be completed by 2031, giving Athens Drive a new coat of paint, metaphorically and literally! With the updated exterior and refreshed interior, these changes will be welcome to the school.

Esparra-Lugo hopes that “…[The school is] gonna have way less problems…having a good facility for the many programs we have here at Athens Drive.”

“He (Gomez) is such a responsible young man. He takes care of other people, he works a job after school, he is in a professional soccer league and travels all over the state and gets paid to play soccer even though he’s only in High School,” said MacDonald.

Throughout his years in high school, Gomez has had to learn English as a second language, and has worked diligently to improve not just himself, but his peers around him.

“He is a very hard worker. He’s very kind and considerate, always kind of looking behind him and making sure he’s helping someone,” said MacDonald.

Having to learn a completely new language in an already new environment can be overwhelming and very discouraging. Gomez worked hard to make sure that doesn’t stop him from achieving his goals and meeting the high standards he set for himself.

“I was able to make a lot of friends during these four years, and it was just an overall good experience. I was able to get close to a lot of people and meet a lot of teachers, which I would definitely recommend,” said Gomez.

Gomez has always tried his best to help his peers in need and is always willing to put out a helping hand. Throughout his years in high school, he has not been without his own challenges.

“I had to learn a lot of new people and you know, had to learn English, like a whole new language, which is not easy,” said Gomez.

Despite these hardships, Gomez was still able to maintain his grades and stay thriving both in and outside of school. He believes that anyone is able to do well in school when they are willing to put in the effort. He is aware that nothing good can come too easily and gave some words of advice to upcoming high school students.

“Solve your problems as they come up; you don’t want to get behind. Just be a good student, talk to your teacher, and just be confident in yourself because I believe that everyone is able to be a good student and a good person,” said Gomez.

For many seniors, arriving at high school was a drastic change. Starting fresh at a huge school and not knowing any other students can be very frightening, especially when you don’t know how to get to your classes. For Senior Guzman Evangelista, one of her favorite high school memories was getting lost on her first day, after walking endlessly through the hallways. Through this, she met one of her closest friends, who is still a friend to this day. 

“I got lost, one of my friends was also lost, and we were in the same class, so we got to another class, and it was still wrong, then the teacher kicked us out, and that’s how we became friends,” said Guzman Evangelista.

Sometimes, unexpected events make for some of the best memories for students. Gaining a new friend and meeting new people. Freshman year can be one of the best years of high school; being able to meet new people and create long-lasting friendships is a beauty. 

“We were so embarrassed, but it made me want to take AP Psychology, so that’s an advantage, and I got a new friend,” said Guzman Evangelista. 

Being in high school for four years has helped her grow by learning how to better manage her time wisely and discover her career after high school. 

“I learned how to manage my classes and stuff because, for me, I had no idea what I was doing with my classes, and then I learned how to meet new people,” said Guzman Evangelista.

Athens Drive offers over 20 types of classes students can take to discover their passion or even try different things. This was an adventure Guzman Evangelista went through. At first, she came in thinking she wanted to be an engineer, but after taking some classes, she learned it wasn’t something she wanted to do. With the help of these classes, students like Guzman Evangelista are able to try new things and, if so, discover new pathways. 

“I wanted to do engineering, and I took AP physics, and I was like, oh my gosh, engineering is not for me,” said Guzman Evangelista.

Now, she will attend Wake Tech, earn her associate’s degree in science, and transfer to Chapel Hill to major in neurosurgery. While she was taking engineering classes, she also took health science classes, which is how she realized that she wanted to pursue medicine after she graduated and headed to college. 

“After I took Health Science 1, I knew I wanted to do something in the medical field because I like being able to help people. When I took AP Psychology, I knew I wanted to do something related to the brain,” said Guzman Evangelista. 

One of the biggest supporters throughout her high school career was her parents, who motivated her to try different things, inspiring her to find what she really wanted to do after high school. Her parents were there by her side all four years of high school, helping her decide what her next big step was going to be. 

“They just told me to try different classes in high school to know what they are about and see which field I am interested in,” said Guzman Evangelista. 

For many graduating seniors, there are challenges along the way, from getting lost in the hallways to figuring out their careers. These experiences have helped create memories people can look back on. Guzman Evangelista and the class of 2026 can look back on memories that could have been embarrassing in the moment, but feel a bittersweet sense that they gained a new friendship or a clearer idea of what they want to be when they are older. This has helped form a new passion for their new chapter of life. 

“They’ve inspired me to do whatever I want, so I can choose what my future career will be, even if it takes a while getting there,” said Guzman Evangelista. 

“My main motivation for this club was my personal experiences of being a First Generation student who didn’t know how to navigate the path to higher education,” said Dayana Gomez-Santana, a junior and founder of the Breaking Barriers club at Athens. 

Breaking Barriers is a club that helps first-generation students, with a focus on Latin/Hispanic students, to prepare for college and other higher education programs. The club hosts workshops each meeting to aid students in finding useful resources. 

This club has become very helpful for students who do not know where to start. Gomez-Santana’s goal is to make this club so that any first-generation Hispanic student can achieve a higher education by reaching out to other students to build a community where they can be around others and feel safe asking for help. 

“Athens is one of the most diverse schools in Wake County, but the lack of cultural representation made me strive to create this club,” said Gomez-Santana. “I wanted to create an environment where first-generation students like myself could come and learn more about the college application, summer programs, and scholarship process.”

At times, first-generation students lack information about what to do next as they prepare to finish high school. But through Breaking Barriers, Gomez-Santana has created a welcoming atmosphere so others know they are not alone. 

“I think Dayana has made it very welcoming and warm. She always invites people to the club meetings and presentations. I loved that she was ready to share her knowledge with other students, too!” said Jasmine Pearson, sponsor of the club and an Athens Drive counselor. 

“There are many outside resources that help with this path; however, being able to communicate with someone our age makes it easier and more accessible,” said Santana-Gomez.

At times, other students around our age tend to feel more comfortable with them than with an adult. But Santana-Gomez was only able to form the club with the help of Jasmine Pearson, who helped her bring new information and confidence to others. 

“I said yes because I could tell how passionate she was about the cause, and I trusted her vision,” said Pearson. 

Although Santana-Gomez will be a senior next year, people like her are needed to encourage more Hispanic students to pursue higher education without fear. Any student can continue their studies even if they don’t yet know where to start. It’s only a matter of their asking for help and having the motivation to jump into discovering their future. 

“I hope that even after Dayana leaves us, she can pass the torch to other student leaders passionate about closing gaps for students. I hope that the club grows and expands to create more opportunities for first-generation college goers,” said Pearson. 

Santana-Gomez hopes to bring more people to the club, so it can be recognized by more students interested in college applications, summer programs and scholarship processes. As a first-generation student herself, she has had many opportunities for herself and now wants to share this information and experience with others. 

“The most valuable takeaway from this experience is that there are people like me! Creating a community was the number 1 goal for this club; this started by creating a sense of belonging,” said Santana-Gomez.

Backpack Buddies is a popular organization that prevents students from going hungry by providing them with food and other consumer goods. It’s a massive organization that receives all sorts of donations for young students whose families are unable to afford simple needs for reasons such as tight finances or a guardian unable to work due to disability or sickness.

Backpack Buddies has helped a lot of families facing challenging situations as they help stabilize students and take on the day, providing two lunches, dinners, and snacks every Friday. This ensures that students have enough energy to properly function throughout the day.

According to Ron Pringle, the President/CEO of Inter-Faith´s Food Shuttle, ¨On any given day, one in six children in North Carolina is at risk of going without food. Hungry children face greater difficulty in school. They have trouble concentrating, resulting in lower test scores and other academic issues.¨ 

Academics are significant to students of all ages. When bombarded with excess stress by worrying about the possibility of not having the things you need, it can affect your studies and impact your ability to focus on one thing at a time.

According to WalterMagazine, ¨They found that some students struggled to pay attention during tutoring, so they started bringing a snack to each session. When they saw an improvement in focus and performance, it sparked a discussion about food insecurity. ´So many of us take for granted that we have access to food when we are hungry,´ said Kathy Foglia, a teacher at Wiley Elementary School.¨

Despite all of the positive feedback that has been received by Backpack Buddies, there are also some improvements that the public thinks can be made.

¨I enjoy that my students and peers can get the things, and it helps a lot as this organization helps my friends around me. But an improvement could be that they could supply more items in each bag,” said Aidan Sheryl, a student at Athens Drive.

Growing up in a different background does not mean people don’t care about you or your situation. Many people will go out of their way to help you when you need it, whether that be friends, teachers, counselors, or those who spend their time making organizations to prevent this. 

¨I know a few of my friends who receive Backpack Buddies, and I’ve noticed that it supplies those who really need it, and it makes me proud knowing that someone created an organization to help provide for my friends. But I think it could be better as it doesn’t really have many healthy food items for those allergic or who want a low-calorie diet,” said Shanaydee Velazquez Diaz, junior at Athens Drive and supporter of Backpack Buddies.

People often tend to hide their problems due to the fear of being seen in a different light; however, it’s important to realize that no matter what, there will always be someone who’s willing to help out people in need.

¨I never experienced food issues in my life, however I have compassion and empathy for those who do have them, I’ve been very blessed but unfortunately with the way we are in the country right now, with the cost of heating and electricity, gas and food prices, they require finding the need to use resources like Backpack Buddies,” said Anita Cruther, a counselor at Athens Drive.