Angel Sanchez ‘26  is the kind of student who loves to leave his own personal imprint on his community. He’s involved in many programs on Foothill Technology High School’s (Foothill Tech) campus, and looking at his future plans, it’s clear the school has made just as much of an impact on him.

Sanchez starts his day with Calculus AB with William Huffman, mathematics instructor, and Ethnic Studies and Social Justice, taught by Claire Adams, social science instructor. His third period is DTech Academy, where he is the lead intern in the textile guild. This position in the academy puts Sanchez in charge of embroidery and silk screening. During the fourth period, he learns physics from Emily Hunt, Earth Sciences instructor, arguably one of the most demanding classes Foothill Tech has to offer. 

Although Foothill Tech was not his first choice for high school, Sanchez has become exceedingly involved on campus as a Wellness Peer, AVID president and DTech Member. Due to his lack of enrollment in a fifth or sixth period, he can almost always be found either in the DTech pod or the Wellness Center during these times.

With a part-time job at the Local Chick-Fil-A, all of the electives, programs and advanced classes, Sanchez stays busy outside of school. Typically working for six hours after school, he relies on his tenacity to complete his assignments, which may include planning for a Wellness Week, budgeting AVID funds or completing other duties as AVID president.

Looking ahead, Sanchez has applied to many universities in California, including the University of California, Davis and the University of California, Los Angeles. Most of all, he wants to attend California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo, where his brother pursues his own education. Sanchez plans to acknowledge his passion for airplanes, with the goal of working on airplane engines within the industry.

Through his four years at Foothill Tech, academic counselor Juana Vega and wellness counselor Rebecca Wulff have both been prime influences. Sanchez said that Vega has made a big impact when it comes to future planning and making choices for college. He even feels that, knowing he could go to Vega in times of trouble, has made the future less overwhelming.

Wulff has played a very similar role. As the wellness counselor, Wulff has given Sanchez the space to figure out what he wants without any external pressure, helping him make choices that fit his goals and passions.

Reflecting on the positive choices he’s made throughout high school, Sanchez expresses his gratitude for Foothill Tech’s Design Technology (DTech) program. He said that the program has given him job opportunities, community and connections to other programs and companies through co-foundations (Angel Donors). Without DTech, he would not have gained vital communication skills and real-world experiences.

When it comes to passing the torch to upcoming seniors and incoming “freshdragons”, Sanchez implores them to embrace new opportunities. Sanchez explained that our goals and ideals always get shifted as we go about our lives, and we never know what we might enjoy, so no one should be afraid to try new things.

“There might be a club or program that might not sound cool, but once you join, it might be a totally different experience,” Sanchez said.