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When you ask Tionee Funk, a senior at Central Coast High School, what she loves about her school, she instantly refers to the friendships made and how everyone cares. “I love Central Coast for the flexible school schedule and I love how the teachers really care about you and help you,” she says. T, as she is called by her peers and staff, has not been a lifelong student of the Monterey Peninsula Unified School District. She moved to Central Coast two years ago from San Jose and in fact does not even live within the district attendance boundaries. She lives in Salinas, but heard about CCHS and specifically sought out the school. “I feel like students should come to Central Coast,” she says. “There is a place for everyone here, there really is.” One of the courses T thoroughly enjoys is culinary class. She not only benefits from the cooking classes, but feels strongly that the kitchen is a good place to make connections. She has also taken a patient care class in hopes of possibly pursuing pharmacology or veterinarian technical. She even considered volunteering at the SPCA and investing in animals or veterinarian work. Her ultimate goal is to graduate and pursue college. The personal connections at Central Coast are what inspires T the most and she considers peers and staff family. She says, “Honestly I feel like I would rather be here than at home. It’s comfortable.” Outside of learning, T finds time to play on the school basketball team. “I didn’t know how to play basketball, but the coach said we didn’t have to know how to play. I joined and we ended up winning,” she says. T is also a leader amongst her peers. She serves as one of four student board representatives on the MPUSD Board of Education. “I really like it a lot. I feel like they are trying to get a seat for student reps at the table and trying to hear the students' voices,” she says. In closing, T is adamant that, “If you come here (Central Coast) respect it because It’s a very safe space and people love being here.”