Sanger West senior Adriana Ornelas earns Superintendent Superstar honor

Adriana Gonzalez Ornelas earned this month’s Superintendent Superstar honor at Sanger West High School, a recognition that puts a senior in the spotlight while also testing how well Sanger’s schools are preparing students for life after graduation. Teachers described Adriana as showing determination, and her recognition lands at a campus that is still growing into its role as one of the district’s two comprehensive high schools.

Sanger West sits at 1760 S. Fowler Ave. in Fresno and enrolled 1,492 students in the 2025-26 school year, according to the California Department of Education. The state lists 59 English learners on campus, or 4.0% of enrollment. The school says it was designed to eventually hold 2,500 students, with enrollment boundaries drawing from John Wash, Sequoia, Lone Star and Del Rey elementary schools, a sign that Adriana’s path began in a feeder system that stretches across the Sanger area.

The honor also comes as Sanger West adds more space for students. The campus opened a new Student Commons on May 5, part of a broader expansion that underscores how quickly the school is changing as enrollment climbs. For seniors, that growth matters because the school’s guidance page includes a college-and-career instructional specialist and a dedicated CTE counselor, concrete supports meant to help students move from coursework to college, training or a job.

Sanger Unified School District says it has 22 schools in all, including 14 elementary sites, two 7-8 middle schools and two comprehensive high schools. Superintendent Dennis Wiechmann, Ed.D., has said the district’s mission is centered on equitable access to learning and that "each and every parent and community member plays a pivotal role in the success of our district." Adriana’s recognition fits squarely within that message, but it also points to the question local families keep facing: whether students in Sanger are benefiting from a reliable pipeline of counseling, career planning and academic support, or whether standout seniors still have to find their way through gaps on their own.

For Fresno County families watching Sanger West grow, Adriana’s honor is more than a feel-good nod. It is a marker of what the district says it can offer, and a reminder that opportunity has to reach beyond one student to matter schoolwide.