Last modified: Tuesday, May 15, 2007 11:04 AM PDT By Jennifer Colton | Argus Observer Ontario High School senior Christina Garcia sits outside the school Friday. Garcia is the ASB public relations officer and plans to attend Treasure Valley Community College in the fall. Never too far from home By Jennifer Colton | Argus Observer Ontario — A dry erase board in the office at Ontario High School counts down the number of days remaining for the graduating class. Most students are making plans and rocketing full throttle toward that day — but not Christina Garcia. “Everyone’s counting down the days, which I don’t like to do,” she said Friday. “They think, ‘only 12 days of school left.’ I think, ‘that’s 12 days of sports and friends.’ I am looking forward to graduation, but I’m taking it one day at a time. Everyone rushes it too fast.” For the past four years, the 18-year-old senior has become involved in almost every aspect of OHS — she is the public relations officer for the Associated Student Body, involved with the Malheur Commission on Children and Families, a varsity athlete with track and field and a member of the leadership team. “I just love it. It keeps me involved, keeps me out of trouble. It’s fun,” she said. Garcia mentioned planning dances and pep assemblies as favorite activities. “When I was a freshman, I got into student senate because I ran for class office and lost,” she said. “Then I ran for class office my sophomore year and lost again. So I ran (for student body office) and I was afraid I was going to lose entering my junior year, but I won, and then I ran unopposed going into my senior year. I didn’t want to quit with it because it was one way to get involved besides sports.” When she is not walking through the halls and classrooms or leading a cheer at a pep assembly, Garcia said she is often at track meets or hanging out with her friends. “I’m not one to get myself into trouble,” she said. “I figure I have enough time to get into trouble when I’m 21. I’d rather just go to the park and play on the swings or just drive. My friends and I, we just take off, go anywhere — where does this road take us? I don’t know, let’s find out. I’ve always liked the adventure. If you have friends who you can be yourself with, you couldn’t ask for more.” This summer, Garcia said she plans on getting a summer job — anything that doesn’t involve flipping burgers — before she attends Treasure Valley Community College in the fall. “I had my heart set on ACI (Albertson College of Idaho), but plans kind of fell through,” she said. “So I will be attending TVCC to get my associate’s and then transferring later to ACI for my master’s and teaching certificate.” Garcia said she plans to become an elementary teacher — third grade if possible. “People think I’m crazy that I want to be a teacher,” she said. “I decided to go into teaching because my past and current educators have made the biggest impacts in my life, and I think, ‘hey, I want to do that.’ It would give me an opportunity to give back.” Positive feedback and help from teachers throughout the Ontario schools suggest that Garcia would return to this community to teach. “I definitely would not mind coming back here to teach,” she said. “I really like the area and I like the school district. I’ve lived here my whole life, and I’ve had good experiences with the school district here.” In 10 years, Garcia said she sees herself married, teaching and still learning. “I’m never going to stop learning,” she said. “I can’t, I’d get bored. And I probably will still be around this area. Ontario is a great place to be. I love it here. I love the people. I’ve had so many good experiences, that if I did move away, I’d want to come back to visit. It’s always been my home.”