by: Siyona Singhal

Humor Editor

Though only in his freshman year, Samuel Olivella has already made a lasting impression on LGHS and is sure to continue to do so. 

The transition to LGHS has been an adjustment for Olivella, who previously attended C.T. English Middle School, a much smaller school. Coming from a tight-knit environment to a large, fast-paced campus initially felt overwhelming, but Olivella has embraced the challenge and found his place through both academics and athletics. Among the classes he is taking, Olivella’s favorite is Manufacturing Technology because “it’s very hands-on and better than sitting in a class listening to a teacher lecture.” His favorite project in the course has been the Japanese-style pagoda box. Olivella is also taking Introduction to Engineering Design, which he enjoys, sharing, “CAD [Computer Aided Design] is something that I am interested in, so that’s fun for me.” Olivella particularly enjoyed the tower project, where students had to CAD and design a small cardboard tower to hold as much weight as possible, challenging students to design, test, and improve their structures. About his own structure, Olivella admits, “Mine wasn’t great, but I enjoyed the process of fixing the problems through CAD.” Olivella expresses that he is interested in going into the engineering field in the future and has always loved making things. 

Outside of his classes, Olivella is on the LGHS Boys’ Varsity Soccer Team. Olivella began playing soccer when he was three years old. He explains his inspiration: “My older brother really got me into soccer. He played, so I grew up watching him play. Soccer has always been a big part of my household; we watch soccer games all the time, so I’ve always been in the world of soccer.” Before coming to LGHS, Olivella played soccer for C.T English, noting that even though the team wasn’t great, it was still a meaningful experience for him. This year, Olivella is stepping into a more competitive environment, playing left-winger for the school. So far, Olivella’s favorite parts of the season are the pasta-feeds “because the seniors are so funny. It was a little intimidating at first because they’re so much bigger, but I knew they were nice.” Olivella hopes that the team makes it to CCS, which would be a dream come true for him: “I saw my brother play in CCS and was like ‘Oh my gosh, I want to do that.’ That would be perfect in my opinion.” Olivella’s personal goal this season is to be a good teammate and help his team in any way he can. To him, this means focusing on scoring, assisting, helping defensively, and not bringing any of his teammates down. 

When asked what advice he would give to incoming freshmen, Olivella emphasizes the importance of putting yourself out there: “Don’t be afraid to talk to people. If it doesn’t go well, you don’t have to keep talking to them. Just see who you can meet, and you’ll click with somebody.” As Olivella continues to grow at LGHS, it is clear that this is only the beginning of his impact on the school community.