Written By: Aubrey Packer, Staff Writer
ACTIVE: Cora has done it all in her time at Poly High.
Cora Holmes is the definition of well rounded. From varsity tennis captain to ASB Vice President, Cora Holmes truly embodies what it means to be a bear, dedicating the last four years to bettering both her school and the community.
As a high achieving student, Cora has participated in numerous clubs such as National Honor Society, Link Crew, and Bear Pals where she learned what it means to be a bear by connecting with as many people as possible. For Cora her favorite memories lie in her creative outlet as an ASB member. She will never forget “planning assemblies and football games” and just “getting to be creative, making elaborate decorations.” While balancing her many clubs and busy ASB schedule, Cora has maintained her position as an accomplished student, earning AP Scholar with Distinction, recognizing her for amazing AP tests scores across the numerous tests she took.
Although Cora devoted countless hours to school activities, she still found time to stay involved in the community. She worked as a youth tennis coach throughout Riverside, sharing her passion for the sport. Perhaps her greatest contribution was her volunteer work. Over the last six years Cora has been involved in the National Charity League where she dedicated many hours to volunteering throughout the county, devoting hundreds of service hours to the Hot Meals Program at Copeland Hall, a effort run by the Cavalry Presbyterian Church.
Alongside her volunteerism and extracurriculars Cora has been recognized with many incredible opportunities and accolades. She was awarded a position as Poly’s Girls State Delegate and served as an RUSD Board of Education student representative. Cora’s accomplishments speak for themselves as this past month she was awarded the honor of being one of Riverside’s 25 Most Remarkable Teens. Over the last four years Cora has grown a lot, much of which she owes to Poly High School, where she learned the “value of finding purpose.” She found her purpose in the extracurriculars and volunteer work she devoted many hours to. She will continue to grow this spirit of generosity and selflessness as she looks to her future.
Cora can think of “so many people [she] would like to thank for getting [her] to where [she] is today”, however she owes a big “thank you” to Mrs. Douty and Mr. Schiller. For Cora Mrs. Douty served as “one of [her] biggest role models and supporters” and Mr. Schiller’s passion inspires her to this day. She is endlessly grateful that Poly high school gave her a place “to figure out who [she] is and what [she] values”.
In the fall Cora will be attending Boston College and majoring in Political Science, as she hopes to pursue a career in law or politics. Although Cora is excited for the future she will never forget the memories she made as a bear. She will continue “to stay true to [herself]”, something Poly taught her to value. The bonds she has built and lessons she learned throughout her time here will last a lifetime. As she trades her Poly pride for Eagle’s wings, she is unbelievably grateful for the experiences Poly has given her. Even as she enters this new chapter in her life, in her heart she will forever be a bear.