Giselle Vasquez is best described as an artist, having left her mark on the school as a responsible, productive, and dedicated individual with great potential and a wide future ahead of her.
Vasquez’s desire to express herself can be found in the large number of art classes and clubs she has been involved in at Mission Hills, having been a student of Ceramics, Photography, and Music, while also being a member of the VAPA+ Club alongside her friends.

“I like being in art because I like being creative. I know I’m a creative person and I like to express that through different ways. I remember in freshman year I wanted to try new things and be able to express myself, so it’s like more hand-building, digital media, and just designing, that has just helped me have an idea of what I want to do after high school,” Vasquez said.

This passion for the arts has been inspired and encouraged by the friends Vasquez has made during her time in high school, as well as by the teachers she has had, becoming more confident in her abilities over time.
“There was Ms. Sokolowski, who was my Photography teacher last year, she was always encouraging me to join in these competitions for Photography or put my photo in these festivals, […] it just helped me to move forward and be confident in my work,” Vasquez said.
After she graduates from Mission Hills, Vasquez plans on attending San Dego State University in order to better develop her artistic talents.

“I think that it’s really cool that she’s branching out and going to [such a] nice college […] [I hear] there’s a lot of creativity there, and I think she’s going to get really inspired by the other students there and it’s going to make her a better photographer, or whatever she wants to do,” senior Layla Azhar said.
Rather than worrying about the stresses of getting the perfect grades, Vasquez understands her passions and is willing to pursue them in careers that will allow her to express herself in new and exciting ways, hoping that others at Mission Hills will try to do the same.
“I feel while being in high school, you should be more focused on what interests you the most […] whether you still have time to figure that out isn’t something you should be worried about, and it’s good to make something for yourself here in the school, something that people can remember you by,” Vasquez said.