April 14, 2026 — At Pebblebrook High School, hundreds of students are putting the final touches on their high school resumes as they prepare to graduate and move on to the next exciting chapter of their lives.
Evelyn Pacheco is one of those students, and admittedly, it hasn't been an easy road for her to get to this point.
"I grew up in a small household with a lot of people. Money was a struggle, but it was ok," said Pacheco.
Growing up in a Spanish-speaking household, Pacheco struggled to communicate with her English-speaking teachers but worked hard so she could get the most out of her time at Pebblebrook.
"I'm going to be the first person in my family to graduate from high school — first generation," said Pacheco.
Not only has she succeeded in the classroom, but she's also excelled as a Dual Enrollment student at Chattahoochee Technical College where she looks to go into nursing.
The choice to pursue a career in nursing is intentional for Pacheco. When she was young, she was involved in an accident that now drives her to want to advocate for others and help give them a second chance at life.
As she prepares her cap and gown, Pacheco can't help but think about her mom and all the sacrifices she's made as a single mother to help her succeed.
"I'm going to think about my mother and what she's going to think about me. And of course, I'm going to be emotional because everything I did was because of my mother," said Pacheco
Pacheco has already completed four Dual Enrollment classes during her time at Pebblebrook and is excited to begin her new journey at Chattahoochee Tech.
"She is an excellent example of any student who ever doubts whether they can do it or not. You can. Because if Evelyn could do it, everyone can do it too," said Pebblebrook's bilingual school counselor Karen Grannis.
The Pebblebrook senior made sure to stop by all of her teachers' classrooms after putting on her cap and gown to take a picture and say thank you for their help along the way.
Note: As graduation approaches, Cobb Schools will continue to highlight inspiring seniors from the Class of 2026.
