by: Salvador Coll-Gonzalez

Alexander Solorzano is experiencing his last weeks as a high schooler at Lee County High School. A student who once described himself as immature, Solorzano has evolved and changed as a person during his four years of high school.

“I started off at like a very immature state,” Solorzano said. “And over time during high school, I learned to be more responsible and understand the world on how it really is and how it’s all about the responsibilities and all the effort you have to put in.”

That change didn’t come after one night. Through difficulties in the classroom and on the field, Solorzano worked on being the man who he wanted to become. Whether it was in soccer practice or class exams and assignments, LCHS boys soccer coach Brad Wicker has coached and taught him during his whole experience and has seen his transformation day-to-day.

“I was extremely proud that he accepted the challenge to play defense this season,” said Wicker. “He does not need to prove anything. Graduate high school and go to college is a great achievement.”

That achievement is one that Solorzano has never taken as enough. He has proved being a nonconformist person and he has been filled with live lessons that don’t go among textbooks and exams. The classroom gave him knowledge, but his experiences gave him life experience.

“An important lesson that I learned in high school is the importance that you show up as a person,” Solorzano said. “So you can actually grow as a human and don’t worry about the outside perspectives of other people. The key of self-growth is showing up for yourself every day and being responsible for yourself.”

Solorzano’s maturity and energy leaves strong memories for those who know him well. His friends describe him as the kind of person who you enjoy being with and have fun. “He is a very well-put-together person,” LCHS junior Christopher Gomez said. “He is a really nice guy that likes to enjoy himself and his friends.”

Fellow LCHS senior Nicolas Rodriguez added “He’s a good friend to hang around, not taking anything too serious and overall improving anything.”

In an era where high school may often feel like a lot of stress and negatively for certain students, Solorzano has enjoyed and helped his classmates and teammates to show their best version—someone who is always ready to give you a hand, or someone that you can trust and talk to after a rough day.

“Alex’s been a good friend and teammate,” Rodriguez states. “He’s always been there for me whenever we win or lose. He’s helped me and other teammates after tough losses, and overall he’s a great friend.”

We could describe Alexander as an empathic person and as someone who is not limited to be there when things are going great and everything looks perfect. It’s also in the hard moments of fellowship that his character is truly shown.

“His friendship, how he has always had my back,” Gomez said. “He is also always willing to help me.”

That kind of loyalty is rare, and it has made him involved in many friend group circles. Anyone who knows him will tell you, and they’ll tell you that hanging out with Solorzano is something you look forward to and always is going to sound like a great plan.

“I appreciate how he is always down to hang out,” senior Nicolas Dark said. “You’re always gonna have fun with him.”

Now, as the chapter of high school begins to end, Solorzano is full of a mix of emotions. While he is excited for what comes ahead, there is also a sense of nostalgia for the moments that made high school special.

“What I’m going to miss the most about my high school is my friends and the socializing aspect,” he said. “That part of high school, being with your people, it’s really important,” Solorzano said.

Those friendships, build and created in the cafeteria, the classroom, and the locker room and the field have helped him become the great person that he is nowadays. And the 2025 graduation seems like a great end of one journey. But it also begins another—one full of possibilities and potential.

Solorzano’s next step is college, a path that many dream of but not all achieve. His plans are moving north to attend to West Virginia University. His support spirit, including teachers, teammates and friends, recognize how meaningful this moment is, like what coach Wicker explained.

It’s not just about grades or soccer for Solorzano, it’s about becoming someone who understands the value of effort, of consistency, and of showing up, to find results and achieve goals.

“I think what makes Alex stand out is not just what he does, but who he is,” coach Wicker said.

“He carries himself with humility, but you can tell there’s a strong sense of purpose behind everything he does,” Wicker added.

For someone who once didn’t really cared about responsibilities or the future, Solorzano now speaks with a sense of matureness that shows a type of man ready to do and achieve great things

“When you think about growth, it’s really about becoming aware of your actions and your goals,” he said. “High school taught me that.”

As the Class of 2025 prepares to throw their hats into the air, Alexander Solorzano shows himself as a reminder that success is not being perfect, it’s about being present, constant, learning from your mistakes, and finding your way, everytime that a problems appears

In a few weeks, the school will lose one of his seniors. But Solorzano’s spirit, his memories, his loyalty, his ability to always be there will remain in the memories of those who had the chance to know him. This also means that Alexander Solorzano had a great highschool experience and that is something that he will never forget.

And as he closes a great story almost in the best way possible, he opens a new chapter exposing himself to the new adult era, but one thing is certain: he’s ready.