Who are you?

My name is Klarisza Gomez and I am a senior at Irrigon High School. I was born in Newport Beach, California, where I only spent a little of my life living there. I am 18 years old and I am the oldest of my siblings. I only have one sibling and he is younger than me.

Did you grow up here?

At the age of 5 my family and I moved from California to Mexico where I spent nine years after my parents divorced. Growing up in Mexico was a struggle financially but I still had the best childhood. When I was 11 years old we moved back to the United States and arrived here in Irrigon, where I continued my education and will be graduating this year.

What are a few of your hobbies?

When my life is a little calm since I’m always on the move as I am involved in a lot of school clubs and activities, some of my favorite hobbies are reading, spending time with family and friends or being outside with my animals.

How would you describe yourself?

I would describe myself as a very caring person. I like to consider myself a hard-working person and passionate, I like to get the job done. I am pleasant and friendly. I like to work as a team and not solo. I am dedicated to the work I have to do and I always finish what I start.

What is something you’re passionate about?

I am passionate about many things but proceeding with an education and doing what I love the most. I am passionate because my mom has always pushed me to be better than her and go further in life, so I’m passionate about my future goals.

What are some of your proudest accomplishments?

One of the proudest moments that I have achieved during my high school experience is working as a babysitter during COVID. During COVID, I was a 10th grader in high school. I took care of three little girls while attending online school. The youngest was 1 year old, then there was a 4 -and a 7-year-old. I took care of them for at least four months while their mom was at work and dad was sleeping for the night shift. These are my proudest moments because even though I was stressed I was still able to finish my homework and keep up my good grades during the school year.

What do you appreciate the most about Irrigon?

One thing that I appreciate most about Irrigon is the community. They are very caring and supportive of our school and our sports. They are always there to support and motivate us at every game even if it’s an away game.