Mesquite ISD

Vrooland Vanguard High School | Graphic Design 

Class of 2025 

Alexis Enriquez has always been the kid with a pencil in hand. By second grade, she was already recognized for her drawing skills, particularly in depicting buildings, which sparked her early interest in architecture. “My stepmom said drawing buildings would limit me,” Alexis recalls. “But I saw them as something beautiful I could bring to life.”

Art runs in her family, and watching her grandmother and uncle draw made Alexis feel deeply connected to them. By fifth grade, she was self-taught and well ahead of the curve. “People would say, ‘I can’t draw,’ and I’d think, ‘But I have to.’ It was just part of me.”

Freshman year brought change and challenge when she transferred to Vanguard and was thrown into digital design. “Illustrator was terrifying,” she laughs. “I had to teach myself just to catch up.” But she didn’t give up. By sophomore year, she was hooked. And by junior year, she was leading.

As managing editor of the yearbook, Alexis found her stride. “I got voluntold a lot,” she jokes, “but I loved it.” Her creativity, once quiet and private, became something she could share, and others started seeking it out. “That’s when I realized people actually wanted my work. Maybe I was good at this.”

The once-shy freshman had transformed. “Graphic design gave me confidence,” she says. “It made me feel like I belonged.”

She hopes others find that courage, too. “If it makes you uncomfortable, you’re doing something right,” she says, a mindset shaped by the support she found in Mesquite ISD. “My teachers and peers helped me believe in my work and myself.”

Now, Alexis is ready for what’s next. Her vision is clear, her creativity bold, and her story still unfolding, a blank canvas she’s more than ready to fill.