Probably laughing with her friends or filming a fit check, chances are you have seen Yarely Gaytan in the halls. According to her, you may have even asked yourself, “Is this girl okay?!” as her outgoing personality has been known to shock people at first glance.
“Bold, funny, and rooted” is how she describes herself, something most of her friends and family would completely agree with.
These things are exactly what make Yarely so amazing, and the perfect example of why the newspaper staff is so excited to call her one of our own this year. And, just like herself, her start in newspaper is unlike any other, really, as she just joined this year. Her senior year.
“I kind of just hopped in here for real,” she said.
Funny enough, her love for newspaper started in the bathroom as she always found herself so intrigued by the Potty Press.
“I thought it was fun, and I would always go to the bathroom just to read the stories,” she said.
Now, her love will be showcased through her own stories, possibly in the Potty Press, and her other contributions as our head of social media and opinion section editor.
“I feel like writing is one of my favorite ways to express myself without talking,” she said.
If you know anything about this girl already, if her writing is anything like how she talks day to day, it is bound to be both intelligent and entertaining all in one, something that is pretty hard to pull off.
In addition to learning all about journalism writing this year, she also aims to learn a bit more about this school before she graduates.
She even said, “I just walk around without knowing anything about this school, and I’ve been going here for 4 years.”
With her bubbly and very expressive personality, she is bound to succeed as she seems unafraid of talking to new people and has a great drive to branch out and try new things for the sake of her education.
This growth isn’t just about school, though, because even though Yarely isn’t often involved in the typical clubs or sports at the high school, she’s still extremely busy. Instead, her involvement stems from the community, where she teaches them about personal growth and helps pave her own path alongside them.
Over the summer, most of her time was devoted to spreading God’s word, saying, “In June, I got invited to preach at a youth camp, and then in July I had a mission trip to Chicago.”
Experiences such as these have shaped Yarely, securely earning the “rooted” title she gave herself. Her faith is something that she definitely doesn’t hide, as she’s often found posting about it on her social media, yet her humble nature makes this aspect of her life come as a surprise to most.
The security she has in her faith is admirable, as she easily declared, “No, I don’t like God. I love him.”
This caring, accepting, and devoted spirit helps her with being the youth group leader at her church and babysitter in the local YMCA playroom as well. But the side of her you’ll see most often at school is a little bit different. A little bit spicy, just like the little pelon candies she compares herself to.
“It’s spicy, but I like it because you never know what’s next, and well, I’m just a spicy gal,” she said.
This not-so-average comparison somehow works perfectly to describe Yarely. She may have a kick to her on the outside, but the depth she has once you truly get to know her makes you savor every moment you get, and has you coming back for more each time. It just might take a little bit of getting used to.