Tabitha Dariyan Namie
Tomori

Plans after high school:

Santa Clara University

Intended interest area of study?

Business

Favorite moment from high school?

My favorite memory of my high school career was winning the Hero Speech Debate in my sophomore year. I have always struggled to have confidence in my public speaking ability, so the idea of giving speeches against my classmates was my worst nightmare. Despite that fact, I worked hard and practiced presenting a countless number of times. I ended up becoming the finalist from my Honors class, and before I knew it, I was the overall winner from all of Mr. Willard’s history classes.

This event gave me the confidence I needed to succeed in my ‘Ōiwi Genius “TED Talk” later that year and eventually in my senior legacy project, which was another one of my favorite “moments” in my high school career. When I have to give a speech or talk in front of a crowd of people, I look back on the Hero Speech Debate to remind myself that you can do anything you set your mind to, no matter how daunting it may be.

Most influential adult throughout my K-12 journey:

The most influential adults throughout my K-12 journey and my life have been my mom and my Grandma Ann. They have taught me what it means to be a strong, independent woman, and no matter what, I know that they will always be there for me. All of my accomplishments and success would not have been possible without their constant love and support.

What are you most looking forward to?
I am looking forward to experiencing life outside of Hawai‘i, whether that means meeting new people or seeing new places. In order to fully appreciate home, I know that I have to leave and see the world, and I am ready to take that next step as college approaches.