ALEX CACERES, a senior at SV, is the OPINION EDITOR for the SPARTAN SHIELD. Having called Caracas, Venezuela home for the first 8 years of her life, she is someone who takes great pride in her country and her roots. Although learning English as a third grader in an unfamiliar environment was a massive hurdle ALEX had to overcome, she fell in love with writing in the process and she’s excited to continue her writing career in college.