Clarke Central High School senior Daniel Castro sits outside of the Clarke Central High School Breezeway on April 15. As he has matured, Castro has enjoyed sharing his stories with peers. “Most of (my stories) are funny, just a silly little guy doing silly things. I like to remember those things,” Castro said. “Sometimes it’s cringe, of course. Sometimes I just laugh for like an hour. If somebody asks me (to tell a story), I will.” Photo by Grady Dunston
CCHS senior Daniel Castro’s affinity for stories has connected him to his community.
A young man strides into class and immediately greets his teacher, grinning from ear to ear. Within a moment, the student, Clarke Central High School senior Daniel Castro, has unknowingly managed no small feat: capture the attention of an entire classroom.
Clarke Central High School senior Daniel Castro holds up a Lego sculpture on April 15. North Oconee High School English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) teacher Alicia Richwine admired Castro’s consistent effort to practice English during the two years he spent in her class. “Some students are very hesitant to try pronouncing the words or sounds that give them trouble and don’t really want to do that in front of other people,” Richwine said. “(Castro wasn’t) embarrassed by mistakes, but willing to work until he (fixed) them.” Photo by Grady Dunston
Castro’s 100-watt smile spreads across the faces of the students as he introduces himself, discussing his plans after high school with such sincerity that will leave the class buzzing about his personality for days afterward.
Though he may deny it, the attention isn’t unearned. From Castro’s contagious smile to how gestures with his hands as he talks, every word out of his mouth feels like the beginning of a story, no matter if it’s a debate in his Advanced Placement Spanish class or a retelling of his adventures as a mischievous 13-year-old.
But these stories aren’t just words. Each of Castro’s anecdotes allows him to connect with his community.
“I will say I’m a storyteller. I love to speak about me, speak about Colombia (and) speak about my life, too,” Castro said.
Following Castro and his immediate family’s immigration to the United States from Colombia in 2021, he attended North Oconee High School, where he met English for Speakers of Other Languages English department teacher Alicia Richwine.
While taking her class during his freshman and sophomore years, Castro found a way to share his stories in a new language.
Clarke Central High School senior Daniel Castro (right) sits with his sister, Sara Cabrera (left), in 2016. Castro’s mother, Oglethorpe Avenue Elementary School Dual Language Instruction Program teacher Briyis Hahn, encouraged her children to have face-to-face contact with people whenever possible to maintain their connectivity. “I don’t want (to just text) with my friends because I want to listen. Are you sad? Are you happy? One of the things that my daughter (does) is speaking (on) FaceTime because (Castro agrees) with me that he wants to see her, listen to her, look at her expression.” Photo courtesy of Briyis Hahn
“As (Castro) acquired more English, (he) was more capable of expressing himself clearly and being able to refine what he wanted to say or write,” Richwine said. “He was always open and willing to put himself out there to try to say or write in English.”
Castro started school at CCHS at the beginning of the 2024-25 school year and immediately left a huge impression on CCHS foreign language department teacher Dr. Javier Soler after a firm handshake and an introduction. While recounting the moment, Soler couldn’t help but smile.
“The first day (Castro) introduced himself, he was saying, ‘My name is Daniel Castro. Do you want to hear my second last name?’ (I said,) ‘Yes.’ ‘Guevara.’ ‘OK.’ It’s like someone whose last name is ‘Washington-Jefferson,’” Soler said.
Castro’s stories don’t stop at school though. His home has also become a space for him to connect with his family, especially his mother, Oglethorpe Avenue Elementary School Dual Language Instruction Program teacher Briyis Hahn. From screen-less family dinners to attending community events, Hahn has continued to emphasize the importance of a communicative and strong community.
“We can speak together and speak frankly, no filter.” Hahn said. “ He is very human and sensitive person. He is very considerate because he knows our history, he knows I am working hard, and he tries to support me in the ways that he can.”
“He was always open and willing to put himself out there to try to say or write in English.”
— Alicia Richwine,
North Oconee High School English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) teacher
And so, Castro believes that every memory — every introduction, every connection, every story — is what makes him, him, not just the charismatic and earnest demeanor he shows at first glance.
“I am a person who thinks you are what you lived. The experience you had in life is what marks you,” Castro said. “If I clone myself, he would not be me, because he doesn’t have my experiences. He may have my DNA, but he doesn’t have my core memories. You are what you remember (and) experienced, good or bad.”
