When I think of a model student deserving of spotlight and recognition, fellow senior Destiny Malindima appears in my mind like sunshine and rainbows after rain! Destiny represents the academic weaponry of the class of 2026, her credentials ranging from both in-school and out of school activities.
As a full IB (International Baccalaureate) student, Destiny keeps a busy schedule. Coincidentally, she was busy with homework prior to being interviewed! However, she provides her strategies for maintaining her work–as well as includes a few tips, “I try to maximize my class time, but when I need to study, I try going to the public library and use the resources I’ve been given to study.” She emphasizes the importance of not taking public and available resources for granted! Once graduated, Destiny aspires to further her academic career by majoring in engineering!
Other scholarly activities Destiny has participated and currently participates in includes Adam’s orchestra, playing viola, TRIO Upward Bound and model UN. Outside of school, she contributes to society by hosting, serving, and managing for Perkin’s restaurant–previous to its recent closure. She also volunteers at the All 4 Animals Rescue, something she’s been doing weekly for almost two years! The cats highlight her volunteering experience, which she often conveys via social media.
When Destiny isn’t focused on school, volunteering or anything of the sort, she adores hanging out with her friends and pursuing many creative and artistic activities, like drawing, painting, scrapbooking/decorating, learning guitar and sculpting! She incorporates her friends in her art very often, as seen below. Destiny also has a broad musical palette, with some of her favorite artists being Pink Pantheress, Kendrick Lamar, Steve Lacy, Michael Jackson and Tyler, The Creator.
Destiny credits her mother as her central inspiration for working hard. She details, “My mom inspires me, she immigrated from Malawi (East Africa) to come here and sacrificed everything so I had a better chance at life. She’s an exemplar of resilience and she inspires me to never give up and work hard.” In very superhero fashion, Destiny is also very motivated by hope, claiming that it’s ingrained in her thinking, no matter how down she may feel.
Destiny is an outstanding representation of an exemplary student and senior, and not just in school, but in society as a whole. She displays a warming kindness, hope and creativity that inspires those around her, contributing to an excitement to see where her spotlight will continue to grow!
