Senior Shelbi Bracken started at Oasis Academy when she was in sixth grade. Those formative middle school years were under the guidance of Mrs. Berenice de Leon, Mrs. Shayna Byrd, and Mr. Jake Lewis.
Through her English Language Arts (ELA) classes, Bracken found a love of literature including novels The Maze Runner and The Outsiders.
“My ELA teachers imparted on us their joy for literature. Their enthusiasm and satisfaction in sharing the knowledge of the material was not lost on us as students,” said Bracken.
She has one memory that sticks out from her time at Oasis.
“My favorite memory is the lemonade/hot cocoa stands from Jake Lewis's math classes in eighth grade,” she said. “I really enjoyed the challenge of making the best drink and making the most money.”
Bracken has had several favorite teachers while at Oasis Academy, but during high school she enjoyed Government with Mr. Eric Grimes the most.
“Mr. Grimes was always engaging and though we discussed events in class that may have taken place hundreds of years ago, he always made them relatable to current times. He helped us draw comparisons, see similarities, and think more critically,” she said.
During her seven years at Oasis Academy, Bracken has played volleyball for six of them. Including playing both two years of middle school volleyball, and on the junior varsity and varsity teams in high school.
She also has advice for future students.
“Don't be so worried about someone else's opinion that you forget who you are and no matter what....be kind,” she said.
Bracken will graduate early. She will complete both her high school diploma and her associate of arts degree from Western Nevada College in December. After graduation, she plans to attend the University of Nevada, Reno where she will study forensic criminology and social work.