Finding Joy in a New Sport During her Senior Year

Due to the school closure there will no longer be a graduation ceremony, but the seniors are excited for what is to come after high school ! A senior you must get to know is Mikayla Polanco who has participated in soccer all four years of high school and also track her senior year. Polanco was on the varsity team all four years of high school and has won awards such as “The Most Valuable Player” and the Jockey Club award. She was one of the top goal scorers with having scored 15 goals in a season.  

Polanco leaves everything out on the field and is very passionate about the sport. Polanco states, “I have played since I was five years old and have grown to love it. It is a way to relieve stress and a form of therapy for me.” This reveals how soccer is used as an escape from life and has fun while playing.  

After graduating high school it is a time to start a new chapter and get ready for the real world whether that is going straight to work or going to college. Polanco plans on attending Bakersfield College where she wants to major in Biology and plans on participating in soccer and track. After graduating college she hopes to use her degree to become a Physician Assistant, so that she is able to help others with health issues they might have. Helping others is something she loves doing and knowing that she is making a positive difference in people’s lives gives her joy. 

Polanco states. “Having the opportunity to help or give back is something I look forward to so I wanted to choose a career that would let me do so.” This just goes to show how she is willing to put others before herself. Making her parents proud is the only goal she strives for. Polanco states, “My parents are my biggest supporters in everything I do and I want to do whatever I can to give back for all they have sacrificed for me.” Polanco uses her parents as motivation to push her to keep going and achieve the many goals she desires to meet. 

High school is a big milestone in everyone’s life where memories that will last a lifetime are made.  A memory that Polanco will miss is when the girls’ varsity team made it to the semi-finals her freshman year. She states, “Although we didn’t make it all the way to valley, it showed me that with hard work and dedication anything is possible.” Polanco views this memory as a lesson to never give up. Polanco has made a lot of memories during high school and is happy to have made the friendships during these four years. High school was full of amazing events, but Polanco is excited to start college and figure out her life.