About Alyssa:

Born April 25, 1990. Daughter of Robert and Cyndee, of Highland. Sister to Anthony, Matthew and Jared. Granddaughter of Paco and Irma Gutierrez of Plano, Texas.

Accomplishments: Alyssa Gutierrez will attend IUPUI in Indianapolis in the fall to major in exercise science/pre-occupational therapy. She received a Diversity Scholar Research Program award and an application-based scholarship from the college and an award from Dollars for Scholars. Gutierrez graduated from Highland High School with a 3.99 grade point average and an academic honors diploma. She was a member of National Honor Society, Spanish National Honor Society and Key Club. She was active in TREND, or Turning Resources and Energy in New Directions, and the anti alcohol and drug programs TATU, or Teens Against Tobacco Use, and Snowflurries. Gutierrez was a cheerleader for six years, including middle school. She was varsity team captain senior year and voted Most Valuable Player by her teammates for the football 2007 and basketball 2008 seasons. She received the Cheerleading All-Star award in 2005. Gutierrez was a cadet teacher for a second-grade class at Warren Elementary School

her senior year, visiting the class for two hours every day. Gutierrez is included in Who's Who Among American High School Students.

Personal heroes: "My parents and all my brothers. They support me no matter what I do and help me with everything."

What I read: "I like a lot of Nicholas Sparks books."

What I do for fun: "I love to go to my summer home in Monticello and Indiana Beach. I go to the beach with my friends and hang out with my boyfriend, Danny."

People might be surprised to know: "I drive a truck."

-SUE BERO, Times Correspondent

To nominate someone for this feature, e-mail slbero@hotmail.com.