Written By: Lilliana Martinez, Class of 2024
I am honored to have been chosen to share my experience at Hinckley-Big Rock High School. We are more than a community here, we are a family. A family that I will never be able to forget. My earliest memory here consists of me sitting in Mrs. Kohler’s 2nd grade class hearing, “Lilliana, Lilliana, Lilliana” and wondering, “Who is Lilliana and why isn’t she saying ‘here’?” Little did I know she was talking about me. I didn’t look up because I was accustomed to being called “Lili” at my old school. Here I had to be Lilliana, but who is Lilliana?
In middle school I thought I found the answer to that question, but once COVID hit 8th grade year, I lost whatever image of ‘Lilliana’ I had previously created. The first time back to in-person learning I was a freshman in high school, scared, and not having any idea of who I was. I kept mostly to myself, only speaking when spoken to. Freshman year was rough. All I truly knew about myself was that I liked golf, basketball, and soccer. At least I had a start.
Sophomore year started and I was doing great in golf, my grades were great, and I finally found a group of friends. I began to open up a bit more and find interests. I found myself talking more and hanging out with friends almost every single night. I exited my shy shell for the first time. Sophomore year was very laid back though, the only thing I was able to accomplish was finding a whisper of my voice.
Junior year the first day of lunch I didn’t know where to sit. All my friends were in the other lunch period, but I spotted Janelle Mahaffey from across the cafeteria. I met her once over the summer, and I decided to sit next to her. Little did I know that was the best decision of my life. Janelle brought the ‘Lilliana’ out in me, I never felt more like myself with anyone else ever. She had such a bubbly personality and was so expressive. She taught me not to be afraid of who I was, and to truly embrace every weird quirk about me. Junior year is when I figured out who ‘Lilliana’ was. I became the girl who would never stop making jokes in class. I became the girl who would blast music with you driving around town singing our hearts out. I became the girl who was willing to do anything, and I made my enthusiastic energy felt anywhere. I owe it all to HBR for bringing me and Janelle together, without her I would still be searching for ‘Lilliana’.
Senior year wasn’t one for much growth, but it sure was one for the books. I had the time of my life passing time with all sorts of people from HBR and enjoying every second of all of my extracurriculars. Every day was filled with laughs and new memories that I wish I could relive. The best memories sparked from Chemistry II and AP Lit, there was never a dull moment in those classes. Although this year was filled with a lot of tears from every last high school event and will be filled with more once I have to say my final goodbye it’s all worth it in the end.
Thanks to Hinckley-Big Rock High School I was able to find myself and become the girl I am today. I am and will forever be grateful for every experience HBR has put me through, good or bad. I’m going to miss attending HBR, but I will always be Royal deep in my heart.
