by Nate Kissingford
Mariana Marinho Dos Santos grew up in Brazil before moving to New Jersey in 2016 and, subsequently, Ouray in 2020. “When I moved to New Jersey, I didn’t know a word in English,” she reflected. “It was a struggle. Basically, I had nobody to help me. I was by myself.” But she persevered, mastering the new language by freshman year and moving to Ouray as a sophomore.
She was immediately loved by many students and teachers, thanks to her natural sense of humor, consistent positivity, and easy going nature. She reciprocated this love, saying that the best moment of her life so far was, “getting to Ouray School,” adding, “I really enjoy it here. I’m going to be really sad when I leave.” She praised the school community for being “nice,” “friendly,” and “open-minded.”
This year I performed alongside her in our school play. As I got to know her, her joy and humor were hammered home for me, as well as her tenacity. She always worked incredibly hard on making sure the scene landed and the jokes were funny.
Coming from a big high school in New Jersey, Mariana doesn’t think that “people really appreciate the work that the teachers here put in. Here, you get close to your teachers and can ask them questions when you’re confused. That’s really special.” She’s going to miss “everything” about Ouray, but specifically she highlighted teachers and the beauty of the town.
She enjoys noticing her growth as a person and she’s excited to “live her life to the fullest.” Her future plans are still relatively uncertain, saying that her “philosophy is not to have one,” and her “plan is not to have a plan,” but she thinks that, after her undergraduate degree at CU Boulder, she is going to go to medical school.