Boasting many accolades from her student career at Granite Hills High School, 17-year-old senior Alina Soto has made a name for herself around campus.
Born and raised in Arcadia, a city located in Los Angeles County, Soto moved up north to Springville where she now resides.
Soto’s life in the Los Angeles area was a busy one, to say the least. She first started her academic journey in Los Angeles, attending multiple elementary and middle schools in the Whittier area. However, her life in Los Angeles County would fall short before her eighth-grade year. She moved to Springville to finish off middle school and was promoted to high school.
Coming to Granite Hills High School for her freshman year, Soto decided to join water polo before the year officially started.
At Granite Hills, Soto has learned to love math and history class, although she despises English.
She also enlisted herself in other sports and extracurricular activities. From water polo, to swimming, and soccer, Soto has been awarded MVP in all sports, as well as being team captain.
Soto was also named the best defensive player in the East Sequoia League in soccer during her sophomore year. Soto is also the second-fastest swimmer in the Granite Hills swim league in her event. Soto has also set a new record at Granite Hills for most saves in a soccer season only halfway through.
Soto was given the goalie position out of the blue one day during her soccer practice sophomore year. Given no time for preparation nor any gear to aid her as a goalie, she was forced to improvise.
“I’m over here stressing out,” Soto said. “And then the next day, I’m starting.”
Over the summer, Soto enjoys volunteering at the police academy. She is also a member of The Central Valley Project (CVP), a part of the UCLA Community. She enjoys going to this program because when they have meetings, she can get a free meal from Subway.
Soto’s favorite teacher at Granite Hills was Mrs. Vehrs, who has now retired. Mrs. Vehrs was her biology and chemistry teacher.
“She kept me in check, she didn’t let me slack,” Soto said. “Something about her just seemed happy. I really miss her.”
Soto has been inspired by a couple of figures: her parents and cousin Danika Moreno. Moreno encourages her to do better for herself and not let her fall behind. Soto keeps her circle close and small, only having two other people, Gomana Abdulkarem and Izabella Tripp.
Some goals for her senior year include graduating, posting more on social media, getting to know her teachers more, and accomplishing everything a senior can. In the athletic field, her significant dream has been to win a Player of the Year award since her freshman year.
A unique thing about Soto is that she has to get surgery every five years for her voice. Soto has a diagnosis called vocal papilloma. Soto has counted this topic as one of her most complex challenges yet. Public speaking was always a thing Soto could not get over. She remembers people making fun of her, but she has learned to let it not get the best of her, further conquering that fear.
On weekends, Soto keeps a routine of waking up and responding to anything she might have missed throughout her slumber. Then, she does homework and laundry and goes to the river near her home. She always enjoys stopping for a coffee at the local coffee shop on the way. She also enjoys going to a local school and playing sports to practice.
Soto may be unsure of what she aspires to be when she grows up in the real world. Her mind is between being a sports photographer, a criminal lawyer, or a firefighter. She has also dreamt of being a United States Marine so her family could get benefits and go to college for free. Of all those things, being a Marine is probably what she sees herself doing in the next five to ten years. However, she would love to leave California, own a home, and start a family.
Soto emphasizes a simple mantra that quotes herself, “Smile and nod,” motivating her to maintain her composure and happiness.
