In the words of Sophia Paffenback, “Camila is a h***-of- a musician, and h***-of-a good friend.” Within the span of a few seconds, she took the words right out of my mouth. She is truly a h***-of-a-good person. 

At Carver, there are people that let the whole world know their name. Sometimes, their names are said in full, like “A Tribe Called Quest” or “Napoleon Dynamite.” Whenever you see these people in a picture, your mind goes “yeah, I remember them. That’s…” These people are often heavily involved with the school, whether through productions, fundraisers, or club events. But there are a few exceptions, and Camila Campos-Cerri is one. She isn’t widely known. Sometimes, when I talk about her, people ask who? While some people have a loud, notable name, others have a loud presence. 

She’s a senior, but she isn’t “just a senior.” Her name may not be well-known, but her talent speaks for her. The moment I point her out to the people who question the face behind Camila Campos-Cerri, that’s when they learn the name behind great talent.

“She’s motivated. She’s talented. She works well with her classmates. She’s good at a lot of different aspects, playing multiple instruments like trumpet and bass, while also mixing and recording, which are key parts of dim,” said Mr. Basset, the DIM teacher of Carver Center. Throughout her time at Carver, Camila participated in various projects. When I asked Mr. Basset one of his core memories with Camila, he had a bunch swimming in his mind. “That’s tricky, I have a lot of them,” says Basset. Eventually, he fished one out. “If more recent, then putting together the showcase. She worked with a bunch of seniors to do the main stage production for the showcase.” Throughout her time at Carver, Camila has participated in nearly every show. If they needed a bass, she was there. She’s the bass backbone of the school. She knows that. She’s confident. She knows her worth. She’s always willing to let her friends hear her stuff. But she has another trait that a lot of people don’t have: she’s talented, but humble. Everytime she gets a compliment, she blushes and waves her hand with a bright, big smile. She’s also quite multidisciplinary. She appreciates nearly every genre of music. She’s not the kind of person who can be crammed into a musical box. She’s willing to work with anybody and do anything, as long as she can contribute. 

I don’t know how she does it, honestly. Every morning, before the sun cracks through the sky, she drives down the treacherous 695 to get here. On the highway, swarms of red lights delay her movement. Eighty-year-olds speed down the road, like they’re listening to Highway to Hell. The morning is always hectic. Yet, amidst all this morning chaos, she still arrives with a smile on her face and a pre-prepared bass lick. She’s chill, but she  has a smile that’s contagious. She’s fun. She has a lot of heart. She shares it through her music, through her jokes, through her passions. 

Next year, she’ll be heading to Towson University. She was accepted into Towson’s prestigious jazz band, where she’ll continue to perform. A lot of people at Carver Center are bound to make it big. But Camila has that face that makes you say “yeah, she’s definitely gonna make it big.” I’m so grateful for her presence. I’m glad that I got to meet her. I can’t wait to see what’s in store for her future, because it’s going to be bountiful of opportunities.