Aaliyah Anders is an Alumni of the San Augustine High School Wolfpack from the class of 2015. She graduated in the top 20% of her class and went on to graduate from the University of North Texas on May 11, 2018. Currently working as a Speech Therapy Assistant, Aaliyah has future intentions of getting her masters degree in Speech Pathology. To learn more about her journey following high school, we asked Aliyah the following questions:
What did you learn from SAHS that you continue to use today?
Integrity will take you a long way.
What do you miss about high school?
I miss sports and most importantly my classmates. After you graduate you may never get together again.
What do you miss about San Augustine?
I miss my family and the close knittiness of San Augustine. Also, in San Augustine you don’t have to worry about much and now it’s different for me.
What are your plans once you finally finish all of the schooling you need?
Well, I want to be a Speech Language Pathologist and maybe even one day open my own clinic.
Were you involved in extracurricular activities in college?
Yes. I was a part of a bible study group and a group called National Speech Hearing and Language Association, an association for upcoming speech pathologist. I was also an Emerald Eagle which allowed me to do a lot of volunteer work.
What advice do you have for students who are planning to attend college?
- Networking is important!
- Take advantage of being in diverse area
- Have fun!
Is there something that you will always remember from your high school experience?
Yes! I made so many memories in high school and I honestly miss it. One of my favorite memories is running my fastest time ever at our Area meet in the 300 hurdles. While this is my favorite memory, ironically, I fell over the last hurdle. (LOL)
How do you compare San Augustine to your college town?
San Augustine is quiet, small and not so diverse while Denton is the complete opposite.
What characteristics do you think helped you succeed?
Integrity, Respect and Determination.
What pushed you to pursue this career?
I actually worked at the Elementary school in San Augustine my senior year and I fell in love with the kids there, especially the Autistic ones.
Aaliyah would like to someday give back to the community of San Augustine and wants everyone to know that you can do anything and you can be anything regardless of where you come from.
Article conducted by SAHS student Isabella Tuite.