The world is fuzzy, except for a small view from the right eye. Colors are visible but far away they are a blur. The sound of rainfall is particularly vivid. Music tells a different story. Laughter is heard as the purest release of joy, and the quality of a voice serves not only as identification, but as a window to the soul.

 One would think this world would be incredibly limiting, but for junior Angelique Tino, who is partially blind, it’s a way of life.

 “I can’t see out of my left eye,” Tino said, who added that she can see “from my right eye well enough to identify things within a couple feet. Further away it gets harder.”

 Tino has not always been blind. When she was 7 years old, she developed a brain tumor that pulled on her optic nerve, causing the loss of vision in her left eye. Since then she has learned to view the world differently, particularly sound.

 For Tino, being able to hear is very important. Given the choice of being deaf or blind, she says she would rather be blind. “If I cannot hear my best friend laugh, that would make me really depressed.”

 In the classroom, Tino learns better from hearing her teachers speak, and tends to identify people based on the sound of their voices. “The voice tells a story. It is the emotion of the soul.”

 Tino has learned to listen to the way people speak, and not just hear a sound coming out of a mouth. She does not have the luxury to judge a person based on their appearance.

 “Using your eyes to see how a person looks… you don’t know who they are until they talk,” said Tino who explains that she tends to pay more attention to people when they speak.

 With this appreciation of sound comes a love of language, especially Spanish. Currently, Tino is taking Spanish 7-8 and hopes to continue studying Spanish in college.

 “Spanish is a cool language,” she said, adding that after “investing all the years,” she would hate to lose it.

 Though she is legally blind, Tino remains motivated in academics and extracurricular activities. By law she is considered low vision and can ask for assistance in her classes, yet she remains independent. “I don’t use my blindness as a weakness or excuse… I use it as a reason why I should do (things).” One, is running.

 “I love to run more than anything,”said Tino, which is a reason why she joined the cross country team. “I feel with my feet and I’m in sync with the world.” Her internal motivation remains apparent. “I’m not running for anyone but me. I push myself.”

 Off the trail, she is also driven with different goals and ambitions. Though Tino is partially blind, she has a firm view of the future. Tino sees herself “pushing through college” and graduating with a masters in Spanish. But her biggest concern is that when she graduates that she can make a difference, possibly as someone working in international relations to promote peace.

 “She has so much to overcome,” said Tino’s Spanish 7-8 teacher, Raquel Chavez. “She knows what she wants… She is an amazing girl.”

 Tino strives to keep her outlook bright. “I can’t let small things bring me down,” she said. “My mindset isn’t negative. I stay on the positive side.”