R.I.P. Rudy Soto

The past couple weeks have been a struggle for myself and the Soto family. Evan's beloved Grandpa, Rudy, had suffered from a severe stroke and recently passed away to be with the Lord. We spent many days and nights at the hospital by his bedside and I was glad that I had the chance to say goodbye to him. He was like a grandpa to me and Evan loved him like a second father. He was the rock of their family and he was such an inspiration to us all. He came to every single one of his grandchildren's games and I never will forget all the mornings that Evan and I attended church with him and his dear wife, Gracie. They had been married for 56 years and Rudy was 80 years old. I admire their relationship and I admire his faith in God. We attended the Celebration of Life yesterday and I feel blessed that we could honor such a special man.

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ASB President

I'm so excited!!! I was elected the ASB President for next year!! I'm beyond thrilled and I feel so honored that my peers would elect me for such a position. I never actually planned on running and to win was such a shock! I feel so ready to get to work and start; too bad my term starts next year! I'm so much looking forward to this experience and I can't wait. The elections were a nerve wracking process but it was also an excellent chance for me to get in touch with the student body. I got to hear their voice and I'm ready to make changes on their behalf. I also have to commend my fellow candidates, Gianna Sagan and Paul Jackson. I hope that I can make next year a wonderful one full of memories and joy! Also, the pictures shown here are all of my flyers and posters!

Youth and Government

I just got back from Sacramento last Monday because I was at a Youth and Government conference. Let me just start by saying- the program is amazing! It's hard to know where to begin. We left on Wednesday (my birthday) and got settled into our hotel room. We had a crystal clear view of the capital building. We later went to Johnny Rocket's to celebrate my birthday. On Thursday, since I'm in the media program, I got to interview the Superintendent of State, Jack O'Connell. It was so cool seeing my face on television as a news reporter. That night, in a huge convention hall, there were 15 jolly jumps (we call it the Bounce House). As cheesy as it may sound for seventeen year olds to be playing on jolly jumps- it was a ton of fun! There are 2,300 students who participate in the program so you can imagine how crowded it can get. I also was invited to a VIP ice cream party in Youth Governor, David Murdter's, suite. Since my friend, Alex Castillo, was President Pro-Tempore, he was a good friend of Mr. Murdter's. I was busy interviewing people for my story (you can see it if you go to YouTube and type in Y-Line). I got to interview Assemblyman Nava and Portantino, the Youth District Attorney, President Pro-Tempore Alex Castillo, and many more. On Friday night, we all celebrated at the Hard Rock Cafe and sang the YMCA together. (Youth and Government is a program sponsored by the YMCA so it had a special meaning). We later went to the dance which was huge- it was so crowded!! On Saturday night we saw a hypnotist show which was interesting. On the last night we I attended the Governor's Banquet which was quite impressive. The unique aspect of Y&G is that students get to use all of the Capitol's Senate and Assembly chambers. The youth governor gets to do all his work in Arnold's office. Speaking of Arnold; we're all pretty mad at him. He was scheduled to make a speech and instead ditched us to see a basketball game! Despite that, I had so much fun making new friends and spending quality time with familiar friends. It was a wonderful experience.

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17th Birthday!

My 17th birthday was February 13 and it was quite a busy day. I was leaving for Sacramento that day for Youth and Government and my flight got delayed five hours! To make the day worse, my boyfriend's grandpa died that day. Though it was not the best day, the days surrounding it were wonderful which I'll write about in a little while. We also had a really nice family dinner celebrating my uncle's, my two cousin's, and my birthday. I got to spend time with my second cousin's new baby girl, Lexi. She is sooo cute!!

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Convalescent Hospital Visit

Last Wednesday I went to the Camarillo Convalescent hospital with my fellow Ticktockers. With Valentine's Day (and my birthday) soon approaching, we made valentines with them. It was a wonderful opportunity to spend time with the elderly and show them that we care about them. In National Charity League, this is a yearly event that we participate in. Every year we visit the seniors and we have made crafts, put on a talent show, and had some wonderful discussions with them.

Bonnie's Birthday Brunch

I feel bad because I haven't taken any pictures of my recent activities! Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words and I'm sorry that I don't have any at this time. Back to my original intention for this post; last Sunday we celebrated my Aunt Bonnie's birthday at iCugini's in Santa Monica. She's not actually my aunt, but the Beltran family has been our friends since I was a baby. Her daughter, Lauren, is my best friend, so we really had fun. 94.7 the Wave hosts their radio show there on Sunday mornings so we got to hear a live jazz band while we dined on our gourmet food. It was so delicious- mini waffles, succulent ham, and my favorite- mini creme brulee- were just a few of the things that I tasted that morning. This has become an annual brunch for our families and I can't wait until next year!

Relay University

Unfortunately I don't have any pictures to go along with this event. Such a bummer! Anyway, I attended Relay University for my second time this past Saturday. The message this year is "Remember, Celebrate, Fight Back". I'm on the committee board again and I'm working as the Youth Advocate Director and Team Recruitment. I love attending these Relay training sessions because you get to meet some great people that can share their ideas with you. I'm really excited for the approaching Relay season and I will be keeping you updated on how our team is doing!

Money Management Meeting

Last week I attended a money training course with my fellow Ticktockers at Washington Mutual Bank. Wow- it was a little overwhelming! I definitely have a lot to learn about money, savings, and credit. I think I'll be able to get the hang of it little by little, but it was a lot to learn in one night!
Also, we elected our positions for the upcoming year- in which I will be a senior!!!
I'm really excited because I am going to be Senior Class President; I can't wait!

Getty Museum

Two weeks ago, Evan and I took a trip to the Getty Museum. I was so impressed by how large the actual setting is- there was no way to cover it all in just one day! Evan looked at Monet, Van Gough, and my favorite: Degas. Since I have been a ballet dancer, I have always enjoyed his pieces. We saw a lot of really impressive sculptures that focused on the Greek age. Not to mention, the scenery is utterly beautiful at the Getty. It was a great day!!

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