Where are they now?: Nicolas Ritchie (Class of 2017)
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Q: Current occupation
A: Audio Engineer
Q: What post high school education did you pursue? (degrees, certifications, jobs, etc)
A: Certificate in Audio Engineering
Q: Describe your career path and current occupation
A: After graduating high school, I attended the Musicians Institute and received a Certificate in Audio Engineering. After that, I moved back to Julian and began an internship at Signature Sound Studios in San Diego, where I have worked ever since. I worked my way up to Recording Studio Manager, and expanded my engineering work from music projects towards audiobooks and voiceovers for movies and TV shows.
Q: What JHS experience(s) helped prepare you for your future career?
A: Funny as it sounds, it was actually the leniency of the teachers my senior year. Being allowed to hang out and listen to music, instead of doing something more “productive”, totally fostered my interest in pursuing audio engineering. Don’t underestimate a little free time!
Q: Do you have a favorite high school memory you would like to share? (Courses, teachers, extra-curricular activities, etc)
A: I always loved the homecoming float building day in the parking lot every year. It was fun to have the whole school involved.
Q: How did attending JHS help form the person you are today?
A: In such a small school, I learned to see each person as a unique individual with their own beautiful life, rather than a faceless number. Transfers nicely into adult life.
Q: What are you most proud of achieving since leaving JHS?
A: Starting a family that I love, having a career that I love, and learning to have an open mind.
Q: What were you passionate about in high school?
A: Music and working out
Q: What are you passionate about now?
A: The whole everything! My family, music, movies, reading, cooking, working out, the outdoors.
Q: What obstacle(s) have you faced that have helped mold you into the person you are today?
A: My own self pity along the way. Learning to acknowledge the immense privilege I have in life was an important thing to do.
Q: Knowing what you know now, what advice would you give your high school self?
A: Be gentle with people, and yourself. It’s not hard to be a good person.
Q: Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
A: Wherever the wind blows.
Where are they now?: Kamisha Hensley Greene (Class of 2010)
Q: Current occupation
A: FHL Realty Broker
Q: What post high school education did you pursue? (degrees, certifications, jobs, etc)
A: Real Estate Broker
Q: Describe your career path and current occupation
A: After 5 years of working under another local Broker, I opened my own Real Estate Brokerage in 2018, FHL Realty.
Q: What JHS experience(s) helped prepare you for your future career?
Graduating in a class of 47 students helped me understand the importance of relationships and collaboration with all people, those you agree with and those you don't.
Q: How did attending JHS help form the person you are today?
A: Attending a small high school taught me the importance of getting along with people from all walks of life. As humans we don't always share the same perspectives, cultures, and values but we can still share love and kindness and work together to achieve a common goal.
Q: What are you most proud of achieving since leaving JHS?
A: The life my husband and I have created for our family is my favorite ongoing mission and accomplishment. To raise our children in an environment that is full of God's Love, Joy, Peace, and Protection is an abundant blessing.
Q: What were you passionate about in high school?
A: I have always been a passionate person in all areas of life. In high school whether it be sports, FFA, politics, or any endeavor for that matter, I've always had the mentality of putting in 110%.
Q: What are you passionate about now?
A: In my life now, I am passionate about my family, God, our health, education, and friendships.
Q: What obstacle(s) have you faced that have helped mold you into the person you are today?
A: The loss of relationships with family and friends has taught me the importance of nurturing those relationships, being slow to speak and quick to forgive. Reconciliation is always worth the effort.
Q: Knowing what you know now, what advice would you give your high school self?
A: To listen more and talk less. To seek God and wise counsel. To bight my tongue when I'm mad. To sleep on hard decisions. To value integrity and humility.
Q: Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
A: On this adventure we call life with my family.
Where are they now?: Stacy Lee Slaughter Peyakov (Class of 1984)
Fun facts about Stacy (Stace):
Served as a board member for JHS 11/1999-11/2012
Currently living in Julian, CA
Honorary Mayor of Julian
Q: Current occupation
A: Owner Ranchita del Reo Orchard
Q: What post high school education did you pursue? (degrees, certifications, jobs, etc)
A: AA Dairy Science, BS Ag Education, Post grad teaching credential
Q: Describe your career path and current occupation
A: After college my husband & I moved back to Julian with our 1 year old & soon to be 2nd child. I continued working in the family business for the next 20+ years . Borrego Springs School District was in need of a shop teacher & asked me to come work. I did but realized teaching wasn’t for me. In 2010 I started my own Business, Wynola Flats Produce. Keeping it open for 10 years then selling it to work solely in my Heirloom Orchard. I now work year round but am partially retired. I started out with a plan in High School to work in Agriculture & I have stayed true to that plan 40 years later.
Q: What JHS experience(s) helped prepare you for your future career?
A: Definitely Agriculture (FFA) and public speaking
Q: Do you have a favorite high school memory you would like to share? (Courses, teachers, extra-curricular activities, etc)
A: The Superintendent, Mr. Wynn stepped out from the high school office, where they were having a staff meeting. He stood and waited for me to notice him, as I was doing donuts with my car around the flagpole. Of course I didn’t know the whole staff was watching. That went over real well!
Best Senior Year, painting my own parking spot & senior fun. Senior traditions & something all underclassmen couldn’t wait for. Waiting for your turn to try and up the class before you. I hung mostly with the guys. The friendships we had still remain today.
I enjoyed FFA and sports the most. 3/4 of the school participated in FFA. We were one of the top programs in the county. I was chapter president and southern region vice president. I earned my American Farmer Degree. That is still one of my best accomplishments.
High School sports were great! They were especially wild times back then.
And my Julian classmate I dated in high school became my husband. We will be married 39 years this year.
Q: How did attending JHS help form the person you are today?
A: Huge! My most influential teachers were from high school. Ag teachers taught me almost every skill I use on a daily basis today.
Q: What are you most proud of achieving since leaving JHS?
A: Running and owning my own business. Starting with nothing. It was so hard but so rewarding!
Q: What were you passionate about in high school?
A: My Christian Faith….and just about everything. Except math!
Q: What are you passionate about now?
A: My Christian Faith….and just about everything. Except math!
Q: What obstacle(s) have you faced that have helped mold you into the person you are today?
A: Having three back surgeries, after an accident, that caused my body to be in retching pain. Helping my husband go through stage four colon cancer. Raising two children in a house that was so cold you could see your own breath. And many times sitting on the floor with my spouse, counting pennies just to buy some groceries. All of that is very humbling and helps me be much more empathetic towards others.
Q: Knowing what you know now, what advice would you give your high school self?
A: If you’re gonna go to college take a bold step. Really research colleges. I hated where I chose. It was a rough change from Julian. Maybe I would have done better if I waited to go to college.
Q: Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
A: Being with my grandkids, working my Heirloom Orchard, traveling & being in Missions work.
Brandon Fender (Class of 2004)
Q: Current occupation
A: Consultant
Q: What post high school education did you pursue?
A: BA Social Ecology from UC Irvine, licensed real estate salesperson, currently studying for real estate broker license
Q: Describe your career path and current occupation
A: I’m currently a consultant providing affordable housing, fiscal health, and real estate services to government entities, special districts, cities, and counties in California. I started as an intern while I was a student at UC Irvine.
After about five years of consulting, I started a small craft brewery in Santa Ana with my wife, JHS graduate Robyn Spevacek, and brother-in-law. We produced and distributed craft beer throughout California and to several other states. We operated a tasting room and I was one of the original board members of the Orange County Brewer’s Guild.
We sold the brewery in 2020 and moved to Julian to raise our boys in the same school that we graduated from. I rejoined the same consulting firm around the same time.
Q: What JHS experience(s) helped prepare you for your future career?
A: Academics - the teaching staff at the time inspired me to pursue a university education. It took me a couple years to find a field that I was truly excited about, and UC Irvine’s Social Ecology program was a perfect fit and wound up being a great foundation for a career in affordable housing, fiscal health, and real estate.
Sports - The high school had more than twice as many students when I was in school, but even at that level there were a ton of opportunities to play sports. I played basketball for a couple years, baseball for three years, and soccer as a senior. I fondly remember playing sports and the coaches leading us.
Cedar Fire - As a senior, our house, and many of my friends' houses, burned down in what was - at the time, the largest fire in California history. It was devastating on the community, but we came together and made the most of the situation. A lot of my contributions to fiscal health - involving the efficiency and financial health of local government, involves working with small fire districts and fire service providers around the state. I’ve spent a lot of time discussing individual circumstances of rural fire districts and special districts providing fire services. It feels great to be able to make a small impact on improving fire service in California.
Q: Do you have a favorite high school memory you would like to share?
A: Computer and technology - at the time we had a pretty sophisticated computer lab with cutting edge technology. I learned to type efficiently which was a foundation for a professional career. I was also given the opportunity to work with different graphic design, video, and other software, which helped me throughout my education and professional career.
Soccer - I was the only senior to play on the soccer team in 2004. I also had the opportunity to play with my brother, who was a freshman at the same time. Playing a high school sport together with my brother was really fun. We had a lot of fun together.
Q: How did attending JHS help form the person you are today?
A: At a small school, students have so much opportunity to pave their own path. There are opportunities to learn different things or focus on things you’re interested in, and of course the opportunity to play high school sports. Most of the people I met at UC Irvine didn’t have nearly as many opportunities as we did coming from a small school.
Q: What are you most proud of achieving since leaving JHS?
A: I’m proud of many things - graduating from UC Irvine, starting, operating and selling a small business, and recently obtaining my real estate salesperson license and working towards my broker license. I’m really proud to be able to serve the community as a Trustee for the Julian Union High School District.
Q: What were you passionate about in high school?
A: I discovered my passion in community college - I really enjoy working to improve communities whether it’s through design and development, or through applying financial analysis to improve public services.
Q: What are you passionate about now?
A: I am passionate about enhancing the built environment using financial analysis and real estate tools. We assist with building affordable housing for families and seniors. We help our clients obtain community benefits - parks, infrastructure, and other public facilities through real estate transactions. We help improve government efficiency and financial health.
Q: What obstacle(s) have you faced that have helped mold you into the person you are today?
A: Opening a small business was an incredible challenge. There were layers of regulation from federal, state, and local levels of government. Fundraising was exciting but stressful. Selling the business, which I had put so much of myself into, was easily the hardest personal decision I’ve ever had to make.
Q: Knowing what you know now, what advice would you give your high school self?
A: I wouldn’t change a thing!
Q: Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
A: I hope to have a broker’s license and continue working in affordable housing, fiscal health, and real estate for public sector clients.
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