Westminster Christian School senior Katya Alejo is one of the five members of the Leadership Council Executive Board. In that capacity she heads up the Spirit Committee.
“I’m in charge of all the spirit related events,” she says. “Basically, everything that is fun.”
Those events include events such as Homecoming, prom, pep rallies and other fun activities.
“This year, instead of having homecoming the dance at a hotel, I decided to have it at school. Like dances used to be,” she says. “I heard people say it was the best school dance. I try to make things fun and different than previous years.”
That change in location attracted more students to the dance. They usually average 250 ticket sales but for this homecoming they sold more than 300.
“That was great, she says. “That was more money we were able to put into decorating and food and things like that.”
Changes for the upcoming prom include moving it to a rooftop in Brickell and a Miami Vice theme.
This year, Alejo started Good Vibes Tribe, a new club with the idea of helping her fellow students deal with the pressures of school.
“I was in my room on day, I was super stressed studying for a test,” she says. “I was thinking about how high school kids are stressed.”
She went to the activities director about starting the club and got the go-ahead. More than 100 students signed up to participate.
Club events will be casual. They have study groups and host study sessions. One of the initial study sessions drew 20 students – mostly seniors.
“We help each other with our work or help each with homework.”
At the end of the year, during finals, they plan to have a yoga event that will help students relax and cope with the stressful tests.
Before then, the club members will host bake sales to raise money to be donated to Mental Health America, an organization that treats those with mental illness.
Alejo is co-captain of the basketball team and she runs track.
“I’ve always loved sports,” she says. “I’m passionate about sports in general.”
This is her first year of being co-captain of the basketball team, a sport she’s been playing since fifth grade.
She says this year’s team is young but talented.
“We have a strong team bond,” she says.
After basketball season comes track. She runs the 100-meter dash and the 200-meter dash.
“I’ve been running track since seventh grade,” Alejo says. “This year I’m the captain of the track team. Last year we went to the state championship and we medaled in the 4 x 100 relay.”
She hopes to make it to states once more this season.
Alejo is the sports editor of the yearbook.
“I get to read over what everyone writes about the sports teams,” she says. “That’s been fun. I really enjoy it.”
She also works in television production at Westminster. She plans to major in communications or sports communication in college.
“I hope to be a broadcast journalist someday for ESPN or a sports team,” she says.
She’s already been accepted to the University of Alabama. She’s still waiting to hear from the University of Texas, Texas Christian, the University of Arizona and Florida State.
Alejo also takes time for community service. She volunteers each summer at the Fun Camp held at Westminster.
She makes sure the children are behaving, she plays with them and helps them with the activities that offered that day.
She likes working with the fourth and fifth graders best.
Linda Rodriguez Bernfeld
