MAS Class of 2026 Senior Spotlight: Safiyah Lily Romero

A small garden can teach big lessons. For Safiyah Romero, time in a gardening club offered a hands-on way to learn about the environment and the satisfaction of growing your own food. Safiyah enrolled in seventh grade at Mission Achievement and Success Charter School in fall 2020, and she says the years leading up to high school graduation helped shape the plans she’ll carry into the fall.

Safiyah points to one part of the MAS experience that helped her feel ready for what comes next. 

“The opportunity to take college courses, which helped me understand the process and feel more prepared and less overwhelmed for college after graduation.”

Those courses allowed students to earn college credit while still in high school, giving Safiyah, who earned 12 college credits, a clearer sense of what college expectations can look like.

When Safiyah shares advice with incoming freshmen, she keeps it simple. She encourages students to stay patient with themselves. She also encourages them to learn from mistakes, since the academic journey has only begun.

Safiyah also learned to think about balance in a realistic way. 

“One of the most important life lessons I learned in high school is that while school is important, it’s essential to maintain a healthy balance with other areas of life. I also learned the value of self-awareness and not letting others’ opinions become distractions.” 

That mindset helped her stay focused without losing sight of the parts of life that support well-being.

Outside of school, Safiyah enjoys drawing. She says drawing strengthened her attention to detail and supported learning across different classes. It also gave her a steady outlet she could return to when she wanted to focus.

After graduation, Safiyah plans to attend Eastern New Mexico University in Portales, NM, to study toward becoming an X-ray technician. Looking 10 years ahead, she plans to live in Washington, work in the field of radiology and diagnostic imaging, and enjoy life in her own home with a cat.

Safiyah’s career direction also connects to someone she admires. 

“I admire Marie Curie because she was the first female scientist I learned about, and her groundbreaking work inspired me to choose my career path.”

When it comes treating herself to a meal, Safiyah has a favorite local stop. She enjoys Naruto Ramen (2110 Central Ave SE), and she usually orders the fried rice.

Safiyah heads into this weekend’s high school graduation with steady habits and a practical outlook shaped by her time at MAS. Everyone here is excited to see her take the next step toward Eastern New Mexico University and the career she plans to build as an X-ray technician.