PHS graduate Marixa Oceguera was involved with a lot of activities in high school. She ran track, was a cheerleader, marched in the Pride of Paoli band and earned a couple of crowns throughout her senior year. She can still remember all the fun times at PHS when life was a little bit easier.
Oceguera was a cheerleader most of her years at Paoli. She started her seventh grade year and continued to be involved until her sophomore year. She was the cheer captain along with her best friend, Michala Robertson, and enjoyed going to football games on Friday and cheering on her fellow classmates to victory.
“My favorite thing about cheer was learning new stunts. I miss cheering with my friends, and Friday night games were always fun,” said Oceguera.
She also ran track her freshman and sophomore years with Robertson. Oceguera would usually run the 100 meter dash, 1600 meter run and hurdles.
Oceguera’s senior year was the most royal of them all. She participated in a pageant, and although she didn’t win queen, Oceguera enjoyed the experience. She was also nominated for Homecoming Queen. She and one of her best friends, Keegan Anderson, were the Homecoming King and Queen that year. She was also the Prom Queen her senior year with Anderson as well.
The one activity Oceguera stuck with throughout her high school years was marching in the Pride of Paoli. She marched the saxophone, and it was her favorite activity during her high school experience. She looked up to the seniors each year and tried to set a good example for her section. Her very first year of marching band was 2012, and the show was “The Phoenix.” Her last show was “A View From The Top.”
“My favorite marching band show was ‘A View From The Top’ because it was my senior year and the most memorable,” said Oceguera
Oceguera was in band for a total of eight years and was in the marching band for six years. Along the way, Oceguera learned a lot of life lessons from former band director Bill Laughlin.
“Mr. Laughlin taught me lots of life lessons that I’m very thankful for,” said Oceguera.
Oceguera is now a student at Indiana University Southeast in New Albany. She is working for her degree in psychology. She is open to many different career paths within the field of psychology. She faces all the new challenges every college student faces. At one point, she had three jobs at once to try to keep up with all her financial needs. She now has her own apartment in New Albany and works at Texas Roadhouse as a waitress. She shares the apartment with her high school sweetheart Cyrus Dodson and their two dogs.
Although Oceguera graduated not long ago, her life has completely changed from high school to college.
Story by Angie Cejá