By Hanna Singh
A dedicated student and passionate leader, Choudrant High School’s Senior Student of the Year Tanya Mina Cirilo, has invested her time in school to serving her community and growing toward her future career.
From sports and club leadership to community service and church volunteering, Cirilo has taken advantage of every opportunity that comes her way. Among her notable school involvements, she has served in the Beta Club, Interact Club, American Sign Language Club and as Treasurer of the FBLA Club. Cirilo has also participated in the Poetry Out Loud organization, where she showcased her talents by reciting poems at regional and state competitions.
In addition to her strong engagement in school organizations, Cirilo also excels as a student athlete. She has been a member of the Choudrant cross country team since 5th grade and the track and field team since 7th grade. Notably, her athletic endeavors were recognized early on when she qualified for the Louisiana State Track Meet as a freshman in 20021.
Beyond her school commitments, Cirilo is deeply involved in her community. She serves as a bible school instructor at Iglesia Bautista Belen (Bethlehem Baptist Church) and showcases her musical talents by playing and singing in the church band. Cirilo’s dedication to community service is evident through her volunteer work at Rolling Hills Ministry and at the Special Olympics.
Mrs. Amanda Lee, an English teacher of 18 years at Choudrant High School, has observed unwavering effort Cirilo consistently demonstrates in her academic pursuits. She also noted that Cirilo received several scholarships to further her education including a recent award from the Ruston Rotary Club.
“It’s such an honor to know and teach somebody like her,” Lee said. “She has such a good attitude always and is so willing to help. Tanya is one of the greatest representations of our school and I don’t know of any teacher who didn’t enjoy having her in their class.”
After a remarkable high school journey, Cirilo shows no signs of slowing down. She aspires to become an immigration lawyer, driven by her desire to help others like her parents who moved here from Mexico. She plans to attend Louisiana Tech University for Pre-Law to lay the groundwork for her career path.
Cirilo has taken the time to explore her passions and build a good foundation for herself academically and through her involvement over the years. She places great value on growing as a person and striving to become the best version of herself she can be.
“I’m passionate about personal growth,” Cirilo said. “Because it allows one to be a better version of themselves and have more control of themselves. Such as controlling their emotions and having the skills to go through any situation in life.”
