Senior Alex Oklejas has traveled many miles to get where she is today and has landed herself on MHS’s Homecoming court. Other than about two and a half years during elementary school, Oklejas has always called Germany home. But the summer before her junior year, she and her family moved back to the United States. Oklejas said her parents thought making the move would benefit her when it came to her future.

“Germany and the entire move changed my life. Leaving everything behind, everything you ever had, knowing it’ll all be gone for good was hard,” Oklejas said of the move. “I learned how to adjust, but I think I’m still my German self. I like that. Never want to lose it, because it makes me different.”

Oklejas plans to go to school to study business once she has graduated from Monroe High. Oklejas said her top university choices are Yale University, Harvard University, or University of Michigan. Even further down the road, Oklejas said she wants to move back to Europe one day.

“I want to live in Europe later. It’s my home!” Oklejas said.

In the meantime, she has plenty on her plate to keep her busy. Between school – particularly, Calculus 3 at Monroe County Community College – and her extracurricular activities: soccer, National Honor Society, and DECA, which she is president of, Oklejas has her hands full. When it comes time to have fun, Oklejas said she loves to dance, as well as snowboard every snowy weekend.