Henry (Hank) Rodriguez:  

Hi fellow Highlanders! I remember leaving Sinaloa Jr. High, and entering Royal High into the 10th grade, not knowing where my life would take me or what my goals might be. I knew I always loved drawing for friends, and was even commissioned to create advertising and posters for compensation, along with feeling the thrill of seeing my cartoon strips published in school newspapers, and such. At Royal, I took as many art classes as possible, with the notion that it was written in the stars that I would most likely end up at Disney Animation Studios in the distant future. But, I especially had a dream, much larger than life, that consisted of the possibility that perhaps a sincere prayer to the good Lord above might one day yield a present to me of a loving and devoted wife to share with me a simple home, and a child or two, so we might be able to continue a legacy of life that began with the origins of human existence. To my delight and amazement, while in my senior year at Royal High, I met the love of my life, and future wife, Rolanda. She was not only an extremely beautiful girl, but she was irresistible in every way, talented and creative, with a heart of gold and a gift for bringing sunshine into any room she entered. Why I was so blessed to have her accept me as her life-long soul mate, best friend, and make me the luckiest husband in the world, I'll never know. But who am I to question God's infinite wisdom and plan for us and our futures together? Following graduation, I found that Moorpark College would be a great stepping stone toward my ultimate goal of becoming a successful cartoonist and animator, while earning a decent living working for a local swimming pool service company. I never intended for it to happen, but I found myself acquiring customers of my own along the way, while attending school and trying to figure out just how I could ever afford to put myself through Art Center or some other respected institution, and support a wife, and potential family, to boot. As it turns out, I am now in my 30th year here in Simi Valley of repairing and servicing pools in our area. I still have fun with drawing, but I'm starting to believe that art is probably not going to end up being my career path at this juncture in my life. (Ya Think??) Well, Rolanda and I married in 1980, brought Tyler into the world 8 years later, and in 1994, Lauren was born and completed our perfect family, although deciding to surprise us by arriving prematurely, six weeks early, and weighing in at 3 lbs. 15 oz. I'll streamline ahead to report that all is well with both kids and at ages 13 and 19, they have proven to be everything any parents could ever hope for, by developing into the kind of individuals whose kind and generous spirit, and behavior, is well spoken of and admired, which defines to us the ultimate meaning of success and happiness. All the while working hard and competing with the forces which test our mettle in regard to finances, keeping the kids in good schools and churches, and all the trials and tribulations that life throws our way, Rolanda and I continued to live a true-lif...Expand for more