By Logan Bjerklie

There are so many words you can use to describe Hector. Bright, funny, and charismatic don’t even start to describe who Hector is as a person, let alone the goal that he wants to accomplish in high school. “I want to show other people they can [be a positive influence in somebody’s life], it doesn’t just have to be doing something funny, use my creativity and use what I do to show other people, we can do what we do another way.”

A senior at McCaskey High School, Hector is involved in the WMCC Tornado Alert Morning Show, the Spring Children’s Production Play, and a member of the social media team for @mccaskeyhighschool on most social media platforms. He also is involved heavily with his church and job. 

“I work at Walmart. Some people hear where I work and say “darn,” but it doesn’t bother me. What other people say about your job at Walmart doesn’t influence you to do better.” Hector views his employment at Walmart as a way to earn money, but to also make people’s lives better with an influx of positivity. He does this by greeting his fellow classmates, greeting staff and students in the halls, and showing his appreciation to the people that have helped him through high school.  

Since joining his church in 2015, Hector has been able to cover various events at his church and create his own media team. The media team is responsible for creating various graphics, promoting different events, and following whatever the pastor needs. 

The pride that Hector takes in his work allows him to become a genuinely happy person around McCaskey’s campus. You can most commonly find Hector in the halls of East filming a “Don’t be Hector video,” or traveling to his next class periods after the Morning Show. Being around Hector multiple periods everyday, it’s easy to appreciate how much of an amazing person he is and what he strives to do everyday. 

When discussing his biggest influences, he jokingly says DJ Khalid. However, he credits his success to his friends, family members, and his church family. The support that they have given him has allowed him to come out of his shell and be the proud and confident person that he is today. 

As Hector looks to strive to keep his community and school engaged, he has been limited in a way that has changed his life. 

“I was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes in June of 2022. This is something people might not know about me.” Type 2 diabetes is a condition that happens because of a problem in the way the body regulates and uses sugar as a fuel, according to Mayo Clinic. This disease limits what Hector eats and drinks. He has started a routine at McCaskey where he gets his lunch and then heads to the nurse to get his insulin. Adapting to this schedule does not disrupt his regular school day schedule, and Hector assures me, this diagnosis has no limitations on how he acts and interacts with other people. “My condition doesn’t stop me from having fun or working hard. I love what I do working in school or outside McCaskey doors.” 

His work to promote inclusion starts and continues with creating content for his church and McCaskey’s social media page. Never have I met an individual that cares this much about his school and community. The impact that Hector has on people that he is surrounded by, helps people feel validation and that everything that you say matters. He works incredibly hard on the content he creates and this will continue into his postsecondary education after high school. 

When I asked Hector if he has any advice for his fellow McCaskey students, here’s what he told me: “Don’t stop dreaming. There are so many positive people out here at McCaskey that can help you make a change. You always see the negativity of school, but there are really other people that are here to change your life and give you a brighter future.”