5 things Iris wants to do in Honduras again
1. Spend time with her siblings and cousins.
2. Visit her grandma and give her grandma all her love.
3. Go back to the house she grew up in.
4. Go to the church she would go to when she was little.
5. See her family
Out of the many students in Miami Senior High, Iris Aguilar is a senior who has played all 4 years on the girls’ volleyball team. She is the setter and captain of varsity during her 2023-2024 season.
Volleyball
Iris joined volleyball during the beginning of her freshman year. “I joined because I loved seeing people play the sport,” she said. “I would also talk about volleyball with my friends.” Her first year was very confusing and hard. “I didn’t know nothing about the sport, didn’t have anybody to teach me, and didn’t know any of my teammates.” she said.
During her sophomore year, Iris got to learn a lot more about the game, got better with her volleyball skills, and had a lot of fun. In her junior year, Iris got to learn a lot of new things from her old teammates who gave their all to volleyball. She looked up to their mindset for volleyball, and the team also got to go to regional quarterfinals.
Iris’s last year in volleyball was fun. She said that she got closer to her teammates, made new memories, and experienced a position that is a lot of work. “It was a lot to take in from setting an example and being a captain. I had to help my teammates. I wish I could have helped them more, because they’re really great athletes, but I did all I could do,” she said.
Out of her four years in volleyball the one thing Iris would have changed is being a better captain to her teammates. “I probably could have been a more positive person for them and give more feedback to help them,” she said. “I love my girls and I would always have them in my heart.”
From Honduras to Miami
Iris was born in Pinalejo Quimistan, Honduras, on July 26, 2006. She said, “Honduras is a very poor place, but it was fun to be around because you had all your family members.” Playing with her cousins was the best.
She also thanks her parents for making her time in Honduras the most memorable. A memory she will never forget is when she went to the mall with her mom, they bought coloring books and colored the pages together.
When Iris was 7 years old, she and her mom moved to Miami, Florida in 2014. “Coming to a new country was difficult for someone who didn’t know the language,” she said. “It’s worse when you wouldn’t have friends or people to help you out.”
But one thing she misses is her family. “I miss my dad, my siblings, and the rest of my family. They are all back in Honduras, while it’s just me and my mom here,” she said.
Elementary, Middle, & High School
Iris first went to Comstock Elementary School, but later moved to Shenandoah Elementary. Her best memory of Shenandoah was finding a new perspective of school. “I used to get bullied before, and I didn’t have any friends in my old school, but after I moved schools, I made new friends,” she said.
After Shenandoah Elementary Iris went to Shenandoah Middle School. Her best memory was meeting her best friend, Genesis Nataren. Iris and Genesis have been best friends since 6th grade. “Making memories and growing up together ever since we were little girls,” is what Iris loves most Genesis.
Once Iris’s 3 years of middle school were done, she started her freshman year in Miami High. During her first year, she got in Honoria and became a historian, but she had a hard time and wanted to concentrate more on volleyball. Now in her senior year, she joined Beta. Her best memories of high school were getting to have a second family because of her sport, meeting her friends outside her sport, and “the love of my life, Christopher Zambrana,” she said.
Future Plans
Although Iris wishes she could continue volleyball in the future, she won’t be able to. “Volleyball in college requires a lot of aspects I don’t have,” she said. In the future Iris wants her own salon and a business of cosmetics.
To achieve that goal, she wants to take a gap year to study cosmetology and have private classes. However, if Iris had to go to a university, she would love to go to FIU or NSU. Iris wants to study cosmetics or major in business, which would help her accomplish her dream of helping her mother retire, have a good life, and not have to stress about anything.
If Iris’s dream to have her own salon fails, she has a backup plan to go to college and study business. She still wants to have her own business, but she can also work as a bank accountant or help people with their business.
Iris’s Mom
Iris loves her mom and looks up to her. “My mom has been independent ever since her mom died
when my mom was 8. My mom doesn’t need help
from anybody, and she finds her
own solution,” Iris said. Another reason Iris looks up to her mom is because “nothing can
bring her down. She has a reason to stand up each day. She never gives up,” said Iris. “She’s strong, smart and has courage to face difficult times.”
Iris’s mom worked hard to build three houses in Honduras for Iris and her siblings. Iris’s mom also fought cancer when Iris was young, and Iris is very grateful that she is still here today with her. “I love her a lot,” Iris said. “She’s my wonder woman.”
