LINDEN HIGH SCHOOL

As we spotlight three outstanding valedictorians, we are given a glimpse into the unique stories that led each of them to the top of their class.

𝐊𝐚𝐲𝐥𝐚 𝐋𝐞𝐰𝐢𝐬 (𝐋𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥), 𝐎𝐛𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐚 𝐎𝐫𝐞𝐤𝐢𝐞 (𝐌𝐜𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐮𝐬 𝐌𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐥𝐞 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥), 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐋𝐚𝐲𝐭𝐡 𝐀𝐛𝐝𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐡 (𝐒𝐨𝐞𝐡𝐥 𝐌𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐥𝐞 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥) 𝐦𝐚𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐝 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐬, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐨𝐧 𝐝𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐚𝐜𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐜𝐬, 𝐚𝐧 𝐮𝐧𝐰𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐬𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐮𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐞𝐝.

𝐊𝐀𝐘𝐋𝐀 𝐋𝐄𝐖𝐈𝐒 (𝐋𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥):

𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙑𝙖𝙡𝙪𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙃𝙖𝙧𝙙 𝙒𝙤𝙧𝙠 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝘾𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙪𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙎𝙪𝙥𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩

For Kayla Lewis, the motivation to strive for excellence came from the people around her. “Being around so many friends who were working so hard academically shows you how little of an excuse I had to not work equally as hard,” she explains. While she acknowledges the support from her family, she also found inspiration in her peers. Whether they had jobs, busy home lives, or other responsibilities, Kayla recognized that she had no excuse not to give it her all. Her family's encouragement and her determination to succeed played a significant role in her journey to becoming valedictorian.

Her sense of pride comes from more than just academic achievement. One of the moments she holds dear is the project she worked on in her senior year, where she hand-painted ornaments and raised funds for the Linden Community Food Bank. “I only raised $90, but the moment sticks out to me because you never realize how willing a community is to give back to others until you witness it," she reflects. For Kayla, being valedictorian was not just about grades but about the connections and positive impact she made on others.

Looking beyond high school, Kayla Lewis has clear goals for her future. She plans to attend Stetson University, where she aims to pursue a career in family law. With college expenses in mind, Kayla is determined to stay financially savvy. "To save money, I plan to work throughout college, and I hope to apply for more scholarships to help afford my education," she shares.

Her ambition is further supported by her family, especially her sister-in-law, who is also pursuing a career in law. Kayla is eager to seek advice and mentorship from her, saying, "I hope to ask her for any advice while attending college." Kayla’s determination to succeed is a testament to her hardworking nature, and with the support of her family, she is ready to take the next steps in her journey toward becoming a family lawyer.

𝐎𝐁𝐈𝐍𝐍𝐀 𝐎𝐑𝐄𝐊𝐈𝐄 (𝐌𝐜𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐮𝐬 𝐌𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐥𝐞 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥):

𝙀𝙢𝙗𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙣𝙜𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙁𝙖𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙁𝙤𝙘𝙪𝙨

Obinna Orekie’s path to becoming valedictorian was rooted in a simple decision: “I just decided I was going to try,” he says. Early in the school year, his mother expressed her hope for him to become valedictorian, and Obinna chose to take that challenge on. Yet, he confesses that doubt was a constant companion. “There were times when I stayed up past midnight to complete an assignment, and other times when I doubted myself,” he admits. But Obinna credits his faith in God for helping him push through the tough moments, giving him the strength to persevere.

Obinna learned early on that balancing school, extracurriculars, and mental health wasn’t easy, and he often had to isolate himself from distractions to stay focused. “If they are not helping you study, isolate yourself from them,” he warns. Through the ups and downs, he found pride in the balance he achieved, particularly in his involvement in clubs like French Club and Jazz Band. “I’m proud of the fact that I could balance so many clubs and still get my assignments done,” Obinna says, emphasizing how these experiences helped shape his growth and sense of community.

Obinna’s dreams extend far beyond the classroom. As he looks toward his future, he has set his sights on a career in medicine or, alternatively, as a professional soccer player. "I plan to work somewhere in the medical field when I grow up, if not a professional soccer player," he shares.

Obinna’s goals aren’t just about personal success—he aspires to be someone who inspires others. "I want to be someone big in life, someone others look up to," he explains. Alongside his professional aspirations, Obinna is focused on expanding his skill set for the future. "I also want to learn how to speak different languages. I never know where I’m going to be in the world, so being multilingual can really be a great asset for the future," he says, showing his awareness of the global opportunities that lie ahead. With his drive, ambition, and forward-thinking mindset, Obinna is poised to make a meaningful impact, wherever life takes him.

𝐋𝐀𝐘𝐓𝐇 𝐀𝐁𝐃𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐀𝐇 (𝐒𝐨𝐞𝐡𝐥 𝐌𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐥𝐞 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥)

𝙁𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙡𝙮, 𝙁𝙖𝙞𝙩𝙝, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙋𝙪𝙧𝙨𝙪𝙞𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙀𝙭𝙘𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚

For Layth Abdallah, the motivation to excel academically was deeply intertwined with his family's sacrifices. “My parents always pushed me to my limits and sacrificed their own desires to give me an education,” Layth reflects. This sense of responsibility to repay their sacrifices fueled his drive. Layth’s confidence in his academic ability grew over time, and by the end of the year, he realized that he had a good chance of becoming valedictorian. “My fellow salutatorian and I would constantly check on our grades,” he says. “Towards the end of the year, I realized that his GPA was a bit lower than mine and that I was soon to become the Valedictorian.”

Balancing academics with his personal life was never easy for Layth either. However, he believes that success doesn’t come without hard work. “In life, nothing is given. It is earned through hard work and dedication,” he shares. His faith in God and his belief in himself were his strongest pillars throughout this journey. “My faith in God and faith in myself has ultimately gotten me to where I am today,” Layth explains.

For him, being valedictorian isn’t just an academic milestone but a validation of his commitment and hard work. “Being the Valedictorian is an honor. It is one of the many things I have written on my bucket list of goals to achieve. It is truly a dream come true,” he says with pride. His future goals include studying at a prestigious university and continuing his basketball journey while focusing on fitness. “I will achieve these goals by believing in myself, by staying disciplined, and by not letting anyone else bring me down,” he concludes.

As Layth Abdallah looks ahead to his future, he is focused on both his academic and athletic ambitions. “My long-term goals are to make it into a prestigious college university and continue my studies, while also focusing on basketball and getting in better shape,” Layth shares. His passion for both education and sports drives his determination to excel.

For Layth, achieving these goals goes beyond just hard work—it requires self-belief and discipline. “I will achieve these goals by believing in myself, by staying disciplined, and by not letting anyone else bring me down or lead me astray,” he explains. This mindset reflects his commitment to overcoming obstacles and staying true to his aspirations. With such a strong sense of purpose, Layth is ready to take on the challenges of college life and continue striving for greatness in both academics and athletics.

𝘾𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙤𝙣 𝙏𝙝𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙨: 𝙁𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙡𝙮, 𝙎𝙪𝙥𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙎𝙚𝙡𝙛-𝘽𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙚𝙛

Across all three valedictorians, a few common themes emerge. For Kayla, Obinna, and Layth, the support of their families was indispensable. Whether it was Kayla’s family driving her to clubs or Obinna’s parents pushing for academic excellence, their loved ones played an essential role in their success. Similarly, all three emphasized the importance of self-belief. Obinna found strength in his faith, while Layth similarly added trust in his own potential, and Kayla drew confidence from her peer group and family.

Balancing schoolwork, extracurriculars, and mental health was no easy feat for any of them, yet they all found strategies to make it work. Whether it was Kayla using her lunch breaks to finish assignments or Obinna isolating himself from distractions, each valedictorian found their own way to prioritize their goals.

Finally, all three students agree that being named valedictorian was more than just an accolade—it represented their growth, perseverance, and commitment to excellence.

For each of them, it’s a stepping stone toward even greater achievements in the future.

Their stories inspire us to embrace hard work, lean on our support systems, and never underestimate the power of self-belief. Whether it's through family support, community involvement, or a relentless pursuit of excellence, Kayla, Obinna, and Layth have shown us that anything is possible when you commit to your goals.