Did you notice that seniors didn’t have to pay for parking spots when construction began? Or that students didn’t have to take finals this year? But did you know the person who solved all these issues for the student body was among us in the halls?
Kendall Trujillo, the senior class president for the class of 2024, played a pivotal role in addressing these concerns. Through her proactive approach and strong connections within the school community, made through activities like speech and yearbook, she effectively represented the perspectives of the student body and united the senior class and school.
When Trujillo ran for senior class president back in the fall, she wanted to uphold a legacy of leadership. “I really wanted to do it because my dad was his class president,” Trujillo said. “Being able to represent people from all around Vista is really important to me. It’s really cool to be able to carry myself and remember that even though it might feel like a normal day, people are always counting on me.”
After her election, Trujillo was determined to make a meaningful impact on the school community. During the second semester of the 2023-2024 school year, Vista began construction in the parking lot, causing inconvenience for students. Underclassmen had to park in Gupton Stadium, while seniors without painted parking spots were required to pay an additional fifty dollars on top of their forty-dollar parking pass. Trujillo took action by starting a petition for the student body and engaging with the district to address this issue.
“It’s not fair to allow people who are more financially stable to park at school rather than those who can’t,” Trujillo said. “When I first heard about this, I thought it was crazy! I met with some of the APs and counselors, and from there, I wrote a letter to the school board and superintendent of the district, explaining why this needed to be changed. I was able to have a meeting with Dr. Morgan, and we discussed the situation as it stands now.”
Through Trujillo’s advocacy and persistence, seniors were not forced to purchase a parking spot just to park at school.
Despite dedicating much of her time to representing the student body, Trujillo has also successfully balanced her responsibilities as the speech captain, participating in practices and competitions for dramatic interpretation speech.
“I’ve been in speech and debate for three years,” Trujillo said. “This year was probably the best year because I qualified for [National Speech & Debate Association] nationals and I’m the second person from Vista ever to qualify. This was a really big moment for me because I’ve never gotten first in an event, it always has been second or third. Speech allows you to talk about things that are important to you and educate people. It has shaped me into who I am today.”
Trujillo has made a tremendous impact on the school community and will continue to influence her environment next year at Texas Woman’s University, where she plans to study kinesiology.
“If I were to see any issues around my college, I would feel comfortable standing up for what is right.” Trujillo said. “I’m looking forward to being able to help people in college and afterward.”
