Reagan Berry

Solana Warren performs her scene in the fall play, “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.”

With music playing and books filling her room, senior Solana Warren opens the pages of her favorite novel to relax in her short moment of down time after a taxing 12 hour day of extracurricular activities, Warren tries to stay off her phone in an effort to remain creative and stay productive.

Warren has always been creative. As a little girl, she used her imagination to keep herself busy in her own way.  

“I would always be singing or doing dramatic pretend scenes with my friends,” Warren said. “It was a natural progression for me to join drama and put that into something real.”

The best part about drama, in Warren’s eyes, is its focus on teaching empathy and human connection throughout every character she plays. Whether it’s an angry character, funny character or someone she could never relate to, Warren has never stepped into a character she could not empathize with.

“She is [very] willing to step in and try things,” English Teacher and PawPrint Adviser Karin Childress said. “A lot of times people have a fear of failure, so it can limit them to step out of their comfort zone… I think [Warren] is very much willing to do that, even when it makes her uncomfortable.” 

Another one of Warren’s  extracurriculars includes PawPrint Literary Magazine, which also holds a special place in her heart. Not only did she earn the Demske writing award – a scholarship named after a student that passed – for her own story of grief, but as president of PawPrint, she feels connected to those who have overcome hardships and remain  open to sharing their stories.

“If I was vulnerable with other people and if I was willing to talk about the things that I experienced, other people would feel more comfortable doing the same thing,” Warren said. “Finding a community of people you can confide in and tell everything to and people who will support you is so important. Maybe it’s overstated and everyone says that, but there is nothing more important.”

Finding a way to be openly vulnerable and find other peoples’ vulnerabilities are part of the reason Warren fell in love with Pawprint. Witnessing the excitement of a student’s first publication has become a secret source of joy for Warren, keeping her in the club for half of her high school career.

“[Warren] cares about everyone, and she makes sure that [everyone] is okay and that they’re comfortable,” Warren’s best friend Megan Webb said.

Following in her older siblings’ footsteps who also attended Buena , Warren is deeply involved in Mock Trial. Her love for the activity has led her to discover her dream future in social work law, helping children navigate the legal system and find the help they need.

“There’s a large gap in the legal system between kids and lawyers, a lot of kids get left behind,” Warren said. “If I could be part of the solution, I would love that.”