Some things were just meant to be, perhaps, including this bittersweet chain of events involving Inderkum High School senior Kristina Alonso …
When Kristina attended Natomas Middle School, years ago, she was president of the school’s Club Live – which advocates for healthy teen lifestyles – and she worked closely with and admired Jackie Herrera, the county Office of Education staff person overseeing such clubs. Jackie was like a mentor to her.
Time passed, Kristina entered high school, and she became too busy to participate in Inderkum High’s healthy-lifestyle program – Friday Night Live.
Then came tragedy: Two years ago, Jackie Herrera died in a traffic collision. “She’s someone I looked up to a lot … I was really close to her, so when she passed away, I wanted to be involved again.” Inspired and committed, Kristina joined Inderkum’s FNL program last year and became a leader this year.
Here the story takes a heartwarming twist … Kristina recently was selected for a prestigious award given to a Sacramento County senior who goes above and beyond to discourage teens from drinking, drugs, and distracted driving. She was deeply touched. “It was amazing, it was emotional for me to receive it,” Kristina said.
Why? The award is the “Jackie Herrera – Ready to Make a Difference Award.”
