Senior Neela Lopez-Hernandez has made a mark on Terrace’s community with her positive energy. A female wrestler in the Lady Hawks wrestling program at Terrace, Lopez-Hernandez has achieved a lot over her four years at Terrace. With her exuberant personality and her beaming kindness, she has spread love and affection to others here at Terrace. Through wrestling, Hernandez has gained new relationships, through her coach and teammates, and has also gained memories and experiences.
The wrestling program has shaped Lopez-Hernandez and since coming to Terrace and being in the wrestling program, there have been many parts about wrestling that have shaped her according to Lopez-Hernandez stating that “there’s too many things that wrestling has shaped me in.” Without wrestling, Lopez-Hernandez would be a very different person.
Lopez-Hernandez has had many memories at Terrace, whether it be team bonding for wrestling or a LSU (Latino Student Union) meeting filled with laughter. Some of Lopez-Hernandez’s favorite memories at Terrace include being in the multicultural assembly, spirit week, and wrestling season. Speaking on the multicultural assembly, she said, “Having the opportunity my sophomore year to perform in front of the whole school was something I thought I would never do in a million years. And I love seeing people embracing their beautiful cultures.” Lopez-Hernadez also has enjoyed many spirit weeks here at Terrace.
“Spirit weeks are always fun, seeing people participate and having a smile on their face makes me happy. Thank you ASB for making Spirit Week memorable,” she said. “Overall, I would say wrestling season is one of my favorite memories from learning wrestling skills, to gymnastics, to dance moves.” Her favorite memory on the wrestling team is “when the boys team cheered super loud for me when I made the final round at a boys’ and girls’ tournament in Issaquah.”
Lopez-Hernandez has done wrestling since her freshman year here at Terrace and was a very crucial part of her high school experience.
“Wrestling taught me mental toughness and leadership skills,” said Lopez-Hernandez. Her coaches on the wrestling team have strongly influenced Lopez-Hernandez during her years on the wrestling team and she has learned many lessons and words of knowledge and wisdom from them.
“Like what one of my coaches always says, “Everyone can do that work, what separates you from everyone is putting that extra work in. Same as everyone congratulating you for your success, but they don’t see what happens in the shadows.”
She also spoke about her experience in a traditionally male-dominated sport.
“Being one of three girls in a masculine sport my freshmen year was hard at first. The captains were all boys and my goal was to be the first girl captain,” she said. “By junior [year], I became a captain for both the boys and girls team. Being a captain gave me the opportunity to grow as a wrestler but also my leadership skills which also transferred to LSU.”
Lopez-Hernandez is also a member of the Latino Student Union here at Terrace.
Lopez-Hernandez’s older siblings had joined LSU during their time at Terrace and she wanted to follow their footsteps. “To be honest, I joined LSU because my older siblings were members and they told me to join.”
She only wanted to be a member but when she saw what the club was teaching and how engaged many of the students and members were in the club, she realized that she wanted to help. She had felt a huge spark for the club and wanted to help other students in the club feel the same spark that she felt.
“I also wanted Latino students to have a safe place in the school to share their thoughts, ideas, and feelings knowing they weren’t alone,” she said.
Lopez-Hernadez also is also in the band program at Terrace. Band is a place where she made a lot of friends and memories.
“Being able to play and learn music with my friends to learning valuable life lessons from (instrumental music teacher Darin) Faul, I think band class is the one place where I’m almost laughing and smiling every day. The band trips, such as the retreat, Disneyland, Portland, etc. are always extremely fun not because it’s someplace fun, but because I get to know more of and talk to others in the class,” Lopez-Hernandez said.
Many of the things that Lopez-Hernandez will miss about Terrace will be her wrestling family, and LSU.
“These two communities have shaped me into the person I am today, and not to be cheesy but I don’t know what I would be without them,” she said.
