A Moment With: Alyssa (Hackelberg) Olechiw

“What I remember most about high school are the memories I created with my friends.” – J. J. Watt

There is much that this interview does not cover about the experiences Alyssa Olechiw had in high school, however it does provide a small look into the lessons and memories from that time. Even this brief interview will hopefully let future Randolph High School students understand the value of their time there.

The Interview: Class of 2009

Q: What was your favorite memory from Randolph High School or your time in Randolph in general?

"Winning the state sectional finals in soccer my senior year!"

Q: Were there any teachers that influenced you while you were in high school? Did they change how you thought or what you planned to do with your life after high school?

"Mr. Howe - chemistry. Made it so much fun to learn and didn’t leave anyone out."

Q: What activities were you a part of? How did doing those activities (clubs/sports/work/ect.) help you both in high school and out of high school?

"Soccer, and softball. Helped with learning to work with a team and to trust those around you to help you overcome obstacles"

Q: If you could tell your high school self one thing you know now what would it be? Why is it important to tell yourself that?

"Don’t ever give up and keep working your butt off."

Q: What lessons have you learned since graduating that you otherwise would not know?

"Be better at money management to stay out of debt."

Q: What advice would you give future generations going into high school?

"Have fun. High school is the best 4 years. Do that one thing that holds you back. It could change your life and be fun! Don’t be afraid!"

Interview notes:

High school feels like a whirlwind of everything happening and many of the students are just attempting to find who they are and a way to make it through. But just making it through, just working for each grade does not make for the greatness you can achieve. There is so much to learn so much to do and so many moments that you should take chances on. We may not think these moments to be important in that second but they can resonate with us for years to come.

I would like to thank Alyssa Olechiw for her time and the valuable lessons she explained in her answers. These interviews have provided me with lessons that I always thought I knew but I realized that I never let change my life for the better. I am grateful to be learning from the time you had spent in high school and I cannot wait to see how this will help the future.