Landen Schertz is involved with FFA and plans to attend West Texas A&M University, earn a Bachelor's and Master's Degree in Agricultural Education to one day teach Agricultural Science. Landen feels Allen prepared him to face challenges in the future. "My time at Allen High School has prepared me for many challenges that I might have to face out in the real world such as deadlines, efficient workloads, to ask for help when needed, and remembering to make new friends!"

Kathryn Cross is involved with choir and the Texas Association of Future Educator. She plans to go to college in Oregon and eventully be an elementary school art teacher. Kathryn learned many real-world skills while at Allen. "Learning at Allen High School prepared me for the real world and its many challenges I will have to face. I learned how to interact with many different types of people and how to communicate with them about varying situations."

We’re kicking off the 2023 spring semester with Allen HS senior Cheyenne Perez. Cheyenne is a member of Health Occupational Students of America (HOSA), and her plans after graduation include college and medical school. 

Cheyenne knows her time at Allen will set her up for success. “My favorite memory at Allen High School is being involved in such a loving and committed community. My teachers care deeply, guiding me and helping me on certain things in my life. They informed me all about my healthcare pathway and gave me multiple ideas on what I should do to help me accomplish my goals.” 

Our #FutureReadyFriday feature this week is Navya Agrawal! Navya moved to Allen High School when she was in ninth grade from a school in California with 32 students and was concerned about how she would fit in at Allen. She credits three teachers with helping her and giving her incredible opportunities. “Mr. Bryson, a retired choir teacher, put me in varsity choir, taking a chance on me even though I was one of the worst sight-readers in choir. His faith inspired confidence within me and gave me a feeling that all Allen teachers help their students succeed and find their truest potential,” Navya added. “My freshman year tennis coach, Coach Paine, and my robotics teacher, Mr. Burnham also gave me a chance, and a chance is all I needed to adjust in Allen and to soar.” She plans to study computer science at the University of Texas (Austin) in the fall. Advice to other students: “Allen High School is the largest public high school in Texas, but you can find your very own group of people with similar interests as you. I strongly recommend that new students go to different club meetings that interest them. Maybe they will find best friends or even discover unknown skills and talents.”

“Allen’s academics have prepared me academically for the future, especially in the International Baccalaureate (IB) program,” said Sydney. Along with her IB classes, Sydney also was involved in several activities during her time at Allen. She was a member of the cross-country team, Key Club, and the Spanish Honor Society. Next year, Sydney plans to attend Florida State University in the Honors Program to study accounting and Spanish. She hopes to either go into consulting or work as a corporate accountant. “Allen High School’s dedication and encouragement for community service have definitely prepared me to serve my community even after I leave Allen,” Sydney added. Advice to other students: “As cliché as it sounds, find your community. I joined cross country in my freshman year and from the first day of school, I already had a strong support system. Allen has so many clubs and organizations that there is a community for everyone.”

“Allen High School did an amazing job at preparing me for the future,” said Natasha, and she has many of her future plans laid out. Natasha plans to attend the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada, to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in speech sciences and then move on to a Master’s degree in speech pathology. “My dream in the future is to become a speech therapist, and hopefully one day run my own speech therapy center,” Natasha added. At Allen High School, Natasha is the president of the Texas Association of Future Educators (TAFE) and is a 1st-grade student teacher at Anderson Elementary. Advice to other students: “I would tell them to ask questions, manage their time, do their best, get involved, and have fun! Entering a new school, especially one as big as Allen, can be intimidating, so don’t be afraid to ask questions when you need to. Manage the time you're given in school to get your work done and balance it with your clubs and sports as well.”

There is a long list of activities and involvement following the name of Albert Yu. He is an officer for the Invision Dance Crew, a competitive dance club that has performed at numerous events. He is also a member of the Chamber 1 Orchestra and was selected to the All-Region 25 Orchestra four times. He also was a member of the cross-country team.  “Outside of school, I am actively engaged in other organizations, being an Eagle Scout and an athlete for Team Playtri Elite, a nationally ranked triathlon team,” said Albert. Albert plans to attend Texas A&M University within the University and Public Health Honors programs as a member of A&M's Broad Street Society of Scholars.  “Advice I would give to students new to Allen High School is to manage your time as efficiently as possible. You have so much time every single day, so use it to the fullest. Participate in extracurriculars that you are passionate about and try something new such as a sport or an instrument.”

Our #FutureReadyFriday feature this week is Fernanda Aguirre.

Fernanda has not yet left Allen High School, but she is already thinking about returning. After working this summer to earn money to pay for college, she plans to attend Collin College and eventually transfer to the University of North Texas, where she wants to study to become a high school math teacher.

“Coming back to Allen as a teacher would be a great opportunity if I ever get the chance,” Fernanda said. “Since I was little, I've known I want to be a teacher, but I always wanted to be an elementary teacher until I got to sophomore year. My Algebra II teacher, Mr. Park, is the reason I want to teach high school math. I love math and I enjoy doing it but I also struggled a bit and Mr. Park was there every single morning to help me out,” she added.

Fernanda has been involved in band and the Texas Association of Future Educators during her time at AHS and has great memories from her time in the Allen High School Escadrille. 

Advice to other students:

“I would say don't tire yourselves out. That doesn't mean don't push yourself to be a better you. Don’t take all AP or Pre-Ap classes - choose one or two advanced courses and if you feel like you're struggling, ask for help.  Your teachers are there for you. Lastly, enjoy your time here - trust me, it all comes to an end really quickly.”

Involvement in weightlifting has prepared Senior Safwan Islam for managing his heavy schedule. Safwan is involved in Student Council as Senior Class President and participates in UIL Academics in science and current events. “There are so many opportunities at AHS to grow from,” Safwan said. “I took many AP and IB classes, which helped prepare me academically for college and become a better problem solver. I immersed myself in extracurricular activities to grow my interests.” Safwan plans to attend Brown University next year as a pre-med student. “In the future, I will also keep giving back to my community through service,” he added. 

If Safwan could give advice to future Allen High School students, he says: “Challenge yourself in any way you can. Try new things. Set high standards and goals for yourself. You are much more capable than you think you are. Don’t care about what others think. Oh, and sleep. That’s pretty important!”