Q. Please tell us a little about yourself/family and you/their history with Scottsbluff Public
Schools.
A. I was born and raised in Scottsbluff to my parents, Maria and Eloy Saenz, both originally from Chihuahua, Mexico. I carry my Mexican heritage with immense pride, and education has always been a cornerstone of our family values. My mother earned her bachelor’s degree in Mexico and later completed her master’s degree in clinical therapy at Chadron State College. Before finishing her graduate studies, she worked for nine years at Bluffs Middle School in the ESL department, while my father was a dedicated volunteer at Roosevelt Elementary School, helping teachers in any way he could. My sister and I both attended Roosevelt Elementary, Bluffs Middle School, and Scottsbluff High School. We are both proud alumni of Scottsbluff Public Schools, and our experiences there have had a lasting impact on who we are today.
Q. What can you say about your time at SHS? How did it help prepare you for success later
in life?
A. Looking back on my time at Scottsbluff High, I can honestly say that it pushed me to step
out of my comfort zone and embrace new challenges. As a freshman, I was extremely shy and hesitant to try new things for fear of failing. But as I became more involved in various
clubs—Speech Team, Show Choir, Track, National Honor Society and Math Club—I began to
see the value in pushing through my fears. I learned how to interact with people from all walks of life, adapt to new environments, and take risks. Even when I failed, I learned to pick myself up, learn from my mistakes, and try again. Those early lessons in resilience and adaptability laid the foundation for my career as a journalist.
Q. What did you do after high school? Did you go to college, enter the workforce, or join the military?
A. After graduating from high school in 2016, I attended Western Nebraska Community
College (WNCC) to study journalism. While at WNCC, I worked as a freelance journalist for the Star-Herald until earning my associate’s degree in 2018. I then transferred to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where I majored in Journalism and Broadcasting News, with minors in Sociology and Spanish. During my time at UNL’s College of Journalism and Mass
Communications, I took advantage of every internship opportunity, securing six internships at newspapers, radio stations, and broadcasting organizations. After graduating in May 2021, I was honored to be hired as a reporter and anchor for Telemundo Nebraska, the state’s largest Spanish-language news station. Now, I work as a multimedia journalist for Telemundo Colorado.
Q. What is your greatest professional or personal accomplishment?
A. My greatest professional achievement was becoming the youngest anchor at Telemundo
Nebraska. It was a profound honor to represent the immigrant community—especially as the
daughter of Mexican immigrants—and to serve as a voice for Nebraska’s Spanish-speaking
population. It’s a role that allowed me to advocate for our community’s needs and bring
important stories to the forefront.
Q. Were there any teachers or other staff members who had an impact on you during your
time in high school?
A. I had several teachers who left a lasting impact on me, but two stand out in particular.
Mr. Todd Menghini was my English teacher and he was very strict when it came to writing and editing my English essays, so I learned the most in his class. I believe his teaching and
guidance formed the writer that I am today. To this day, I can still hear Mr. Menghini’s voice in my head reminding me to use active verbs and to continue editing my work until it is “perfect or close to perfect”. Mr. Derek Deaver was another teacher who made a huge difference in my life. He was the kindest teacher I had, and he helped me feel like I truly belonged at school. As a daughter of Mexican immigrants, I often felt lost when it came to navigating the college application process, but Mr. Deaver went out of his way to help. He let me borrow his classroom during lunch periods so I could work on scholarship essays, knowing that my family didn’t have access to a computer or Wi-Fi. His classroom was a safe place for me.
Q. Do you have any interesting or fun stories or memories to share about your time in high
school?
A. There are so many great memories from my time at SHS, but my favorites were the
Show Choir competitions we attended under Mr. Ronne’s leadership. It was exciting traveling
across the state to Lincoln and Omaha, meeting students from different schools and showing off the musical talent we had in Scottsbluff.
Q. Is there anything else you’d like to share about your time in Scottsbluff schools?
A. I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to all the professors, staff, and peers who
shaped my educational journey in Scottsbluff. The guidance, support, and opportunities I
received at Roosevelt Elementary, Bluffs Middle School, and Scottsbluff High School have
played a significant role in my success, both professionally and personally. I will always be
proud to be a Bearcat!
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