Javier De La Torre Jr., 17, of Rock Falls is Rock Falls High School’s March Student of the Month. He is the son of Javier and Maria De La Torre, and has a sister, Rosa, and a brother, Josue.

Favorite class: Economics, because the entire subject is interesting to me; especially since it deals with money and supply-and-demand. Also, it taught me that high risks yield high rewards.

Least-favorite class: Calculus. The subject rarely makes sense to me.

Favorite teacher: Mark Truesdell. He not only was my cross country coach, but also his method of teaching appeals to my way of learning.

School activities in which you participate: I have participated in cross country and track all 4 years, and I also played a little bit of basketball during my first 2 years.

How would you describe your group of friends? They are the realest of the real. Although we are all outspoken, there is no other group of people I would want to have my back.

What will you do after high school? I plan to attend college and run cross country and track while studying either criminal justice or economics.

What is something you learned in high school that you think you'll never use? The unit circle.

What kind of music are you listening to? My music taste ranges from Latin trap all the way to hip hop, but I mostly listen to music from J. Cole.

What is one thing in my life that you can't do without? Running, because it has given me many great opportunities and memories.

What is your advice for surviving high school? Be yourself and don't let others tell you otherwise.

If you could change one thing about your school, what would it be? I would add a soccer team, since there is a lot of underappreciated soccer talent at Rock Falls.

What scares you the most? Not being able to provide for my parents in the future like they have provided for me.

If you could try any job for the day, what would it be? I would definitely be a professional soccer player. Soccer has been my favorite sport throughout my entire life, and I dreamed of becoming a pro when I was young.

If you could go anywhere in the world for free, where would it be? Mexico. Although I have been there before, I would visit more places within Mexico.

What is a good book you've read lately? "The Brilliant Disaster," by Jim Rasenberger.

What is your proudest moment? The day that our cross country team won the sectional championship for the first time in our school's history, in Oregon. That moment topped off all of the hard work that we had been putting in since the June before the season started. It was a great way to finalize our program's culture change.

Who are your role models? Both of my parents, since they risked so much just to provide a better life for my siblings and me.

What is your life's philosophy? Always place importance on your self-growth.

Shout out: I want to give a shout out to a special someone, Lilian Gaulrapp.