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As an educator, Caprock High School Associate Principal Cheri 
Hess has never worked anywhere she wasn’t also a student. 

“Caprock is just one of those places that once you’re here, 

you don’t want to be anywhere else,” says Cheri. “I loved being a 
student here and I was very involved, but I don’t think I realized 
why I loved it so much until I came back as an administrator.” 

Cheri isn’t the only one. Currently, Caprock has about 30 

alumni on staff . The trend has carried on long enough that 
some of them taught Cheri when she was in school, and some 
were taught by Cheri early in her career. Not to mention, Cheri’s 
parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins also went to 
Caprock. 

There are lots of stories like that. Liaison Offi  cer Joey Lopez 

has returned to serve the school he once attended. Counselor 
Mary Larkan is nearing her 40th year at Caprock as an educator; 
that’s in addition to her time spent there as a student. Baseball 
coach Trevor Cordova graduated from Caprock. So did his dad 
who played on Caprock’s baseball team with Cheri’s brother.  
At Friday night football games, generations of Caprock families 
fi ll the stands. 

Cheri admits it’s tough to put her fi nger on just what it is 

that is so captivating about Caprock. “It’s hard to pinpoint why 
we feel so strongly about the environment here,” she says. 
“We had such solid community support when we came here 
as students. We feel like we can give back by supporting the 
generations that are coming up.”

Even with all the alumni, there’s plenty of room in the 

Caprock family for newcomers. “Once they’re here, they’re a 
part of the culture, too,” says Cheri of teachers and staff . 

On a Friday night in November, during the last home football 

game of the season, Cheri had the privilege of escorting a 
member of the Caprockettes on to the fi eld as senior students 
were recognized at halftime. “That’s the biggest honor anyone 
could give me. They know I’m going to be there for them and 
love and support them like they’re my own,” says an emotional 
Cheri. “That’s what families do.”

opportunity for Gabriel to transition to one of Xcel’s 
college intern positions and stay with the company. 
Th

 e possibilities that have come from Gabriel’s PRO 

Internship could potentially take him beyond college 
and into his career, and all because of his own hard 
work and ambition, and the foresight of a mentor 
who once walked the same path. “I’ve learned I can 
do a lot more than I thought I could,” says Gabriel. 
“I feel better about the future because of what I’ve 
already learned and experienced here.” 

If I can make an impact and help someone 
decide on the correct career path for 
them, that’s a good deal.

—Francis Dennis, Xcel Energy

As a
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We Are Family

Thirty Caprock Grads Return to Their Roots

PRO, or Pursuing Real Opportunities,

 is a collaboration of 

AISD, the Amarillo Economic Development Corporation and Amarillo 

College. High school seniors who choose to become PRO interns are 

matched with positions in their area of interest. The remainder of their 

time is spent in the PRO classroom, focusing on soft skills the 21st century 

scholar needs to master:  work ethic, punctuality, time management, 

team work and etiquette. 

Interested in grooming high school students to one 

day lead your business?

Business and community leaders can mentor high school seniors through 

the PRO internship program. Once your business or organization has 

interviewed and selected an intern, you can expect them to work four 

to six hours each week during the school year. Contact Karyn Pierce, 

AISD Director of Career & Technical Education at 806-326-1305 for more 

information about hosting an internship at your business.