Xander Alanis

PXU Digital Academy

Xander Alanis is a Senior at PXU Digital Academy who is grateful to be graduating this year with the Class of 2022. He has attended a few different Phoenix Union schools throughout his high school career but has found the most freedom and flexibility through PXU Digital Academy, Phoenix Union's fully-online high school. During the day, Xander has to juggle babysitting up to 6 children at a time and attending school simultaneously. Xander enjoys attending PXU Digital because he has been able to balance his personal life and education and will be graduating on time, despite all of the obstacles he has had to overcome. 

During Xander's freshman year, his mother was diagnosed with colon cancer and had to receive treatment. Due to these circumstances, Xander had to help care for his younger sister and work to supplement his family's income. His home life has been a challenge throughout his childhood, and he has not always had consistent housing, sometimes being homeless. All of this had a significant impact on his education. Instead of giving up, Xander listened to encouragement from his girlfriend and mother-in-law to work hard and finish his education on time. 

After graduation, Xander will be joining the workforce. He plans to work with his brother-in-law, learning how to paint and work on cars. He has always been fascinated by cars, especially since seeing his father work on cars early on in his life. His biggest goal in life is to be able to provide for his family, including his younger sister, who is a huge source of motivation for him. In his free time, Xander likes to babysit, be outdoors doing activities such as bike riding and walking, and spend time with his family. To his fellow members of the Class of 2022, Xander says, "You are not alone. Keep striving to be successful for yourself and those around you."

Here is a video featuring Xander:

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