Senior Story: Dulce Valero-Gallegos
Senior Story: Dulce Valero-Gallegos
![Dulce Valero-Gallegos]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1748886349/richfieldschoolsorg/tsioc66n7hylhl6vfyav/DulceValero-Gallegos.png","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1748886349/richfieldschoolsorg/tsioc66n7hylhl6vfyav/DulceValero-Gallegos.png","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1748886349/richfieldschoolsorg/tsioc66n7hylhl6vfyav/DulceValero-Gallegos.png","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1748886349/richfieldschoolsorg/tsioc66n7hylhl6vfyav/DulceValero-Gallegos.png","width":897}])
With a heart full of ambition and a mind set on justice, Dulce Valero-Gallegos is ready to take her next big step. This fall, Dulce will begin her college journey at the University of St. Thomas, where she plans to major in Political Science and minor in Public Administration and Psychology. Her ultimate goal? To work at an immigration law firm, advocating for those who need it most.
Dulce’s passion is deeply personal. Inspired by her own experiences and the resilience of those around her, she’s driven to make a difference. But what she’s most proud of isn’t just her academic success—it’s the personal growth she’s experienced throughout high school.
“I think I’ve changed a lot about myself,” she shares. “And I continue to change into a better version of myself.”
That progress hasn’t gone unnoticed. “Dulce has turned her life around by focusing on her grades, driven by growth, and committed to a better future,” says Vanessa Contreras, student engagement specialist at RHS. “With a heart wide open, she opens to everyone with kindness and proves that change is always possible.”
Having attended Jefferson Community School and Richfield Middle School before arriving at RHS, Dulce credits much of her journey to the supportive environment she found in Richfield Public Schools. “Every teacher I’ve had has treated me with nothing but respect and is always so understanding of situations,” she says. “That’s what I love most about school—the environment.”
Central to Dulce’s motivation are her two older sisters, who she describes as her best friends. “I owe it to them to be successful,” she says. “They always push me to do my best, and I wouldn’t be where I am without their support.”
As she prepares to walk the stage at graduation and step into a future full of promise, Dulce leaves behind a piece of wisdom for the next generation of Spartans: “Lock in—four years pass by so fast!”
Congratulations, Dulce! We can’t wait to see your impact on the world.
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![Amelia Rheinhart]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1748892782/richfieldschoolsorg/dzr00eax2hlt2kuxm6in/AmeliaRheinhart.png","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1748892782/richfieldschoolsorg/dzr00eax2hlt2kuxm6in/AmeliaRheinhart.png","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1748892782/richfieldschoolsorg/dzr00eax2hlt2kuxm6in/AmeliaRheinhart.png","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1748892782/richfieldschoolsorg/dzr00eax2hlt2kuxm6in/AmeliaRheinhart.png","width":962}])
From the soccer field to the science lab, Amelia Rheinhart is leaving her mark at Richfield High School. This fall, she’s headed to Gustavus Adolphus College to major in Biology—the first step on her path to becoming a genetic counselor.
![Jessica Tezoquipa]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1748892603/richfieldschoolsorg/cfvna0qmbimobgfsefly/JessicaTezoquipa.png","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1748892603/richfieldschoolsorg/cfvna0qmbimobgfsefly/JessicaTezoquipa.png","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1748892603/richfieldschoolsorg/cfvna0qmbimobgfsefly/JessicaTezoquipa.png","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1748892603/richfieldschoolsorg/cfvna0qmbimobgfsefly/JessicaTezoquipa.png","width":1146}])
Jessica will attend Augsburg University this fall to study Communications and Creative Writing. Her goal? To become a journalist who sheds light on injustice—whether it’s exposing political corruption or reporting on human rights violations around the globe.
![Warner Standing Bear]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1748892417/richfieldschoolsorg/umubsww5t7yllfraiq4b/WarnerStandingBear.png","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1748892417/richfieldschoolsorg/umubsww5t7yllfraiq4b/WarnerStandingBear.png","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1748892417/richfieldschoolsorg/umubsww5t7yllfraiq4b/WarnerStandingBear.png","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1748892417/richfieldschoolsorg/umubsww5t7yllfraiq4b/WarnerStandingBear.png","width":961}])
Warner offers this advice to underclassmen: “Take as many risks as you can, at least socially. Refusing to be as intense, honest and weird as you really are will only attract the wrong people. Don’t let others take your joy, no matter what.”
This fall, Dulce will begin her college journey at the University of St. Thomas, where she plans to major in Political Science and minor in Public Administration and Psychology. Her ultimate goal? To work at an immigration law firm, advocating for those who need it most.
![Melanie Sherlin Estrada Lozano]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1748642435/richfieldschoolsorg/ebi7sf9tckvhxzatbaut/MelanieSherlinEstradaLozano.png","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1748642435/richfieldschoolsorg/ebi7sf9tckvhxzatbaut/MelanieSherlinEstradaLozano.png","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1748642435/richfieldschoolsorg/ebi7sf9tckvhxzatbaut/MelanieSherlinEstradaLozano.png","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1748642435/richfieldschoolsorg/ebi7sf9tckvhxzatbaut/MelanieSherlinEstradaLozano.png","width":874}])
During her time at RHS, Melanie was a force of nature—a wrestler, cheerleader, track athlete and a leader who shattered expectations and opened doors. She joined the wrestling team to create space for girls in male-dominated sports and proudly inspired others to step outside their comfort zones.
![Janid Castro]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1748640427/richfieldschoolsorg/uglzqndkce3w96paoeja/JanidCastro.png","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1748640427/richfieldschoolsorg/uglzqndkce3w96paoeja/JanidCastro.png","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1748640427/richfieldschoolsorg/uglzqndkce3w96paoeja/JanidCastro.png","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_4/v1748640427/richfieldschoolsorg/uglzqndkce3w96paoeja/JanidCastro.png","width":1200},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1748640427/richfieldschoolsorg/uglzqndkce3w96paoeja/JanidCastro.png","width":1244}])
As she prepares to graduate, Janid reflects on how far she’s come. “I’m mostly proud of overcoming the fear of moving to a new country,” she says. “I never thought earning my high school diploma was possible because of the language barrier, but I did it.”
![Ronaldo Gomez Martinez]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1748543242/richfieldschoolsorg/atdi7vfmvkwkhrhtzxnh/RonaldoGomezMartinez.png","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1748543242/richfieldschoolsorg/atdi7vfmvkwkhrhtzxnh/RonaldoGomezMartinez.png","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1748543242/richfieldschoolsorg/atdi7vfmvkwkhrhtzxnh/RonaldoGomezMartinez.png","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1748543242/richfieldschoolsorg/atdi7vfmvkwkhrhtzxnh/RonaldoGomezMartinez.png","width":1070}])
Rony offers incoming students this simple but powerful advice: “Be ready to try new things. Going out and doing something you’ve never done before can lead to a passion or friendship you never would’ve found otherwise.”
![Kaylee Stracka]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1748477050/richfieldschoolsorg/farjmf2mpecs3atrmfe7/KayleeStracka.png","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1748477050/richfieldschoolsorg/farjmf2mpecs3atrmfe7/KayleeStracka.png","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1748477050/richfieldschoolsorg/farjmf2mpecs3atrmfe7/KayleeStracka.png","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1748477050/richfieldschoolsorg/farjmf2mpecs3atrmfe7/KayleeStracka.png","width":1188}])
Kaylee’s advice for freshmen: “Talk to as many people as possible. High school isn’t always easy, and who you are changes a lot. Give yourself space to build new connections—those people will help carry you through the hard times.”
