Oxford celebrates future college athletes Alma Manzano and Benjamin Wong

Theoden Melgar, Digital Content Editor • May 23, 2023

Oxford Academy celebrated Alma Manzano and Benjamin Wong just before the the 2023 school year and athletic season concluded. On May 17, teammates and fellow students honored them at their athletic signing ceremony in the gymnasium.

Oxford hasn’t had the opportunity to send future college athletes often, this being the first signing ceremony after the pandemic. Manzano will be staying local and will play soccer for the University of LaVerne . On the other hand, Wong will be moving out-of-state toward the east, continuing swimming at The Air Force Academy.

Now elite college-level athletes, Manzano and Wong will be taking special steps alongside the rest of their senior class. Valued on the field and in the swimming pool, as both athletes and friends, they had a special send off toward their college career. Closing out their time as high school athletes, they’ll have plenty to experience moving forward.

For instance, the Air Force Academy will be requiring Wong to go bald.

“Honestly, I think the thing I am looking forward to most is going bald and swimming with my bald brethren,” Wong said. “Y’know, we’re gonna have a little bonding experience.”

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About the Contributor

Theoden Melgar, Digital Content Editor

Although his initial reason for joining the Gamut was because his friends were applying, veteran writer Theo Melgar is now serving his fourth and final year in the Gamut as Digital Content Editor for the 2023-2024 school year. Formerly the Gamut’s illustrious Sports Editor for two years, you won’t necessarily catch Theo on his way to varsity basketball practice afterschool — instead, you might find him constructing robots in the engineering building as FTC Head of Technical for OA Robotics. When he’s not villainously editing his fellow staffers’ drafts, Theo can be found devouring fried chicken from Jollibee (don’t forget the gravy) and watching his favorite episodes of The Amazing World of Gumball. With newfound responsibility as Digital Content Editor, Theo is committed to incorporating fresh, interactive digital content such as in-website games and hopes to make improvements to the Gamut website. Yet as his time at Oxford Academy nears close to an end, Theo plans to pursue greater ventures that tie to his passions of computer science and cybersecurity, but most of all, is looking forward to graduating.