FORKS — Melissa Estrada continued a family tradition.
She was valedictorian of her class at Forks High School. A year ago her brother had the same achievement.
At her June 5 graduation, Estrada — like her brother, Carlos — thanked her teachers and fellow students, and then in Spanish she thanked her parents.
At home, her family of six speaks primarily Spanish, she said, so she wanted to make sure to honor her parents in a way they would clearly understand.
She said being the valedictorian wasn’t something she had been working for — or even what it was.
“Until my brother was named, I wasn’t really sure what a valedictorian was,” she said.
“Even after I found out, I had never really made that my goal.”
Hard work on grades didn’t even seem so hard, she said.
“It is something that just happened,” she said.
“It was something that was easy because I put effort into everything I do.
“I kept trying and did my absolute best at everything, and obviously it had a good outcome.”
Estrada has attended Forks schools since she was in kindergarten, when her family moved to the area from California.
She said her entire family is proud of the accomplishment.
“Oh, my parents are so proud,” she said.
“After my brother got it and then I got it — they were very proud.”
She and Carlos also have a brother, Omar, who is a sophomore at Forks, and a sister, Cecilia, who is in third grade.
Estrada said she will pursue a nursing career, beginning at Peninsula College, from which her brother will graduate in 2011.
“I’m leaning more toward nursing because it is a great career opportunity and I really like helping people,” she said.
“It is something that really interests me.”
Prior to beginning her college career, Estrada said she probably will join her parents picking strawberries in Lynden this summer.
The family has been doing so for years, she said.
The annual trek is the subject of “Strawberry Fields Forever,” a painting she did for “ArtPaths: Portfolio 2010,” the student art exhibition at the Port Angeles Fine Arts Center, 1203 E. Lauridsen Blvd., which opened in May.
Estrada said new things — like painting — are exciting and challenging for her.
She has also recently dabbled in acting.
“This year, I was in the Drama Club and it was something that was a challenge for me,” she said.
“It was really fun.
“I also ended up getting best actress this year.”
She said she is now looking forward to the next era and beginning a professional career after college.
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Reporter Paige Dickerson can be reached at 360-417-3535 or at paige.dickerson@peninsuladaily news.com.
