Clizia Martini

Who is your role model and why?

My role mother is my godmother because she taught me how to achieve the things that I want to, how to do better and improve myself for the next time, and how to think about things before I do them and not just make impulsive decisions.

Has she taught you any important life lessons?

She told me that you’ll experience and go through hard times, but if you just keep pushing through, you’ll experience joy and have a good time in the end.

Has she told you any life advice or stories that have stuck with you?

She grew up in Minnesota, and as she continued to grow up, she didn’t see her family much and was pretty distant from them. When she had to move away, she missed them more and wished she’d been able to spend more time with them. It stuck with me because I realized how important it is to appreciate family and spend time with them while you can.

Ayaan Abbasi

Who is your role model and why?

I would say that my role model is Lin-Manuel Miranda because he is a hard worker and is passionate about what he does. He writes and tells his stories with art. He embraces what he loves while also taking a stand against injustices. 

How has he inspired you?

I learned to embrace my flaws and what makes me me. With his passion to diversify the theater industry, he has shown me that I can do whatever I want, as long as I have a good attitude about it and a good work ethic. 

Has he said any life advice or stories that have stuck with you?

He said that love is love is love is love at the 2016 Tony Awards. He said this in memoriam to the Pulse shooting victims. It showed that we should respect, care, and love each other. 

 Sofia Li-Harezlak 

Who is your role model and why?

My role model is Mrs. LeFors because she taught me how to work hard and persevere at school, even when I felt like giving up. She also taught me how to communicate effectively and well with my peers because of all of the group discussions and work she facilitated.

How has she inspired you?

She has inspired me to be a strong woman because she simultaneously was pregnant and was working which is really something I look up to. She also has contributed greatly to why I love writing and my future career plans.

Has she said any life advice or stories that have stuck with you?

She always told us to remember why we write and read with a purpose. On the first day of school, she played the song Hall of Fame by The Script for us. This really stuck with me because of the handout she told us to fill out. This handout made me feel heard in her class because she used it to specialize our education for each specific person by asking how she could help us become better writers and readers.