Written By: Amelia Chavez, Staff Writer
BASKETBALL: A senior makes basketball history.
Sydnee Salcedo (12), has done it all during her four years at Riverside Poly High School. She transferred here her freshman year from her home school, Martin Luther King High School, and ever since then the rest has been history. She has participated in numerous clubs and sports, such as golf, basketball, ASB, Bear Pals, Link crew, and multicultural club. Through these clubs she has met many friends who have supported her. It is with a heavy heart that she says goodbye to all these fond memories she has made throughout her high school career.
One of these memories made history. In her four years playing for the Poly girls Basketball team she was able to reach 1000 career points, something that hasn’t been achieved in Poly’s history of basketball for at least 30 years. Throughout the year she had been anticipating this moment, knowing it was near. “I immediately looked to my mom and my grandma and smiled at them,” she recalls. This was an achievement she’s been working towards since the age of six. “She’s a very determined person and player” her fellow basketball captain Aurora Elder (11) stated. After picking up the sport of basketball in her church league, her love and passion grew for the sport, sealing her pathway in Poly history.
Her love for sports isn’t just limited to basketball. She is also the girls varsity captain for the golf team. Salcedo not only loves taking part in her own sports, but loves all sports in general.
Her time here at Poly hasn’t been all about sports though. She was chosen as ASB’s nominee for homecoming queen and was voted by her peers to be the recipient of this year’s crown. “Being a nominee as for ASB was something very special for me,” she explains. It wasn’t just winning that was special, it was the experience. She loved being able to be a part of the process of creating homecoming, which helped her make some of her favorite memories.
When looking how far she’s come at Poly, Salcedo wishes she could go back and tell her freshman self, “you were able to find your place, you were able to make a difference.” When she first came to Poly she knew no one, and it was a scary new world for her. Salcedo isn’t one to give up, however, and her involvement here at Poly resulted in personal growth and her special place in Poly’s loving community. She is constantly supported by her friends and family.
Through her hard work and dedication she has contributed a great deal to Poly and its history. In her four years here she has organized events and sat on several boards to make Poly’s campus a welcoming place for all. Sydnee Salcedo has truly made an impact on everyone she has encountered here at Poly, touching everyone’s hearts in an unforgettable way, and she will be truly missed and remembered.