This is the second entry in the Class of 2023 series.
Giselle Arreola's future is set as bright as her present.
She'll soon walk the halls of the University of Central Arkansas and major in business management. Her plan is to move to Texas and open a bakery after she graduates.
"At first I wanted to open a restaurant, but the more I enjoyed cooking stuff, I liked baking treats more," she reasoned. "I feel like -- I don't know -- my family enjoys those more."
More immediately, Arreola will lead the Watson Chapel High School class of 2023 into the Pine Bluff Convention Center as its valedictorian Tuesday night. The school's graduation begins at 7 p.m.
She feels nervous about it, realizing she'll deliver a pretty important speech to a big crowd, but she's led in front of friendly faces before.
"I don't want to make it too long, and I don't want to make it boring," the cheer captain said.
Among other activities, a long list of which she has on her cellphone, Arreola has been a National Honor Society president, Spanish Club president and served in Key Club and Future Business Leaders of America. Arreola also plays soccer at the White Hall Arsenal.
And to keep even busier, she works at Tropical Smoothie Cafe on Olive Street, handcrafting her favorite cranberry truffle smoothie if she's not baking up hot sandwiches or stuffing tasty wraps.
Maxima Santos, one of Arreola's co-workers, calls her a hard worker and a good friend.
"The time we've had with her here, she's done really great," Santos said before presenting the refreshing drink.
But there is life beyond school, soccer and smoothies. Arreola finds time to just "kick it" with family and friends.
It all seems easy to do when books come first. Arreola found out early in her junior year that she would be in position to finish valedictorian. That's when she jumped all the way from No. 7 in the class to No. 1.
"I didn't think I could do that, but I was just trying to focus more on what I was doing," Arreola said. "I wanted to show my parents that I can do different things."
She had all the motivation necessary. She's the youngest of four children born to a father who travels as a construction worker and a stay-at-home mother, both of whom are from Mexico. Arreola, born and raised in Pine Bluff, is the only girl.
"I always feel like they treat me like a little princess," she said of her older brothers. "They're always overprotective and they take care of me."
One of them, Christian Arreola, was salutatorian at Watson Chapel just a few years ago. These days he is studying law, seeking to earn his juris doctorate in Texas after graduated from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
"I wanted to beat him, too, especially," Giselle said.
Academic performance doesn't just run deep in the Arreola household. Just down the street from them is this year's salutatorian, April Hernandez -- Giselle's first cousin.
"That's like my best friend," Arreola said. "We've always been in AP classes and everything. We started to get close in, like, seventh grade-ish, and then we became best friends and would be with each other every day. We would always help each other if we needed anything."
In a life where so much comes together, family is first with Arreola. And she's first in her class.
CONVENTION CENTER ANNOUNCES SECURITY MEASURES
Convention Center executive director Joseph McCorvey encourages early arrival to Tuesday's graduation so visitors may go through checkpoints with metal detectors.
All persons and carried items entering the Convention Center complex are subject to search. Prohibited items identified by security personnel at their discretion must be returned to the vehicle with no exceptions or negotiation. There are bags available for purchase at the parking gate.
Only clear plastic bags, either a 6-inch by 12-inch by 12-inch stadium bag or a 1-gallon clear freezer bag, are permitted in the facility.
Prohibited items include weapons of any kind, umbrellas, wallets and clutches larger than 1 inch by 4.5 inches by 6.5 inches, diaper bags and baby strollers, backpacks, fanny packs, briefcases and computer bags, luggage of any kind, seat cushions with compartments, small bags inside clear bags, selfie sticks, cameras with 12-inch lenses or longer, video cameras and tripods, camera cases, remote-controlled devices and drones, tobacco products of any kind, cigarettes and e-cigarettes, drugs not doctor-prescribed for you, alcoholic beverages, fireworks or smoke-producing beverages, radios of any kind, noisemaker devices, helium-filled balloons, inflated balls or Frisbees, flags and banners on poles or any item deemed inappropriate by staff, and all animals except certified service animals on a leash.
Giselle Arreola, who plans to operate her own bakery one day, whips up cool drinks and hot foods at the Tropical Smoothie Cafe in Pine Bluff when she's not studying or playing soccer. (Pine Bluff Commercial/I.C. Murrell)