WE SEE IT, TOO.

“I want to become a dentist. I think most people are influenced by the media, so they see athletes or photographers and stuff like that, so they ​are gravitating towards those areas. There’s nothing wrong with that, but I think that a smile can light the world, and I want to help create that, and I want to become a dentist. I love seeing people smile.”

“This year the best part of what I’ve experienced through being a kindergarten teacher is seeing the kids kind of come to life in nontraditional ways. You always expect the kids to flourish in English, math, and those core subjects; but then we do something outside the box like art, science, or a STEM activity, and see kids really light up. We see their strengths, and maybe I wasn’t aware of them, and suddenly I’m stunned and amazed and impressed by these kids that I had no idea had these passions and interests.”

“My favorite class this year has been AP Government. Politics is a hot climate right now, and being able to learn how that process works has been very fascinating. Right now, we’re talking about Congress, how a bill becomes a law, and the way the Houses interact with each other. It’s been really cool to see what we’re learning play out in the real world and current events.”

“I want to be an automotive engineer because my great, great, great grandpa owned the Studebaker car business, and I want to make it come back alive. I’ve been coming up with a lot of ideas for cars. My goal this year is to improve my math skills.”

“One way that I challenge students beyond the curriculum is to take their learning and teach it to their peers. Once they have learned the material enough to be able to become the teacher, I then know they have really learned it. And then I’ll ask them to take it one step beyond. We never let students sit around and take the easy route.”

“One of my favorite subjects is math. I really like it because we have a great math teacher. Ms. Mantooth is awesome, and she just makes it fun and enjoyable. Like, it’s not just boring math. And I also like science a lot. This year we did a bunch of work on cells and learning everything about cells. And we got to do a big cell diagram, and that was really fun.”

“One time, when someone was upset, I was like, ‘what’s wrong?’ And they said, ‘I’m kind of grumpy this morning.’ So I cheered them up and did silly faces.”

“Most of the friends I have now went to elementary school with me, which means we’ve been friends for quite a long time. Some nine, ten years. But I’ve made some great new connections here at Riverglen since I started three years ago. Also, all the teachers here are very cooperative, and we can talk to them about our grades. We’re not scare to let them know that we’re not getting something because they are always really glad to help us.”

“I moved here from Texas last year, and I was used to a big, crowded school. Roosevelt is the best school ever. It is small and calm. Mrs. Mills is the best teacher that I’ve ever had because she is funny and nice. She has a compost bin with worms in the classroom as a part of our science unit because we are learning about vermicompost. Mrs. Mills has inspired me.”

“I like sciences because it’s so fun, and we get to play with robots. I like Mrs. Montgomery because she’s so sweet. I like music because we always get to sing and dance. I like my friends because they let me pick all the games at recess. I like math because I like getting so smart.”

“Through one of the programs I volunteered for, I had to give a pretty big speech, and it was in front of a lot of people. That was something that was a little out my comfort zone, and I think I did pretty well. It was a proud moment.”

“Today, I was bored of going outside, so I stayed in the computer lab. This kid (I don’t know his grade) came in, and all the computers and iPads were taken. So I just gave him mine because I’ve been there a lot of times, and I just wanted to give the computer to him.”

“My biggest dream is to be an automotive engineer and LEGO Star Wars designer. I love art because I’m good at it, and it makes me feel good. I also like science experiments. My favorite teacher is Mrs. Greenwood because she has a pet turtle and is really funny.”

“I’d like to be a zoologist because the job sounds awesome, and you get to work with animals of all kinds, land or sea, everyday. My goal this year is to keep reading and keep making relationships in my class and continue to keep my grades up and just have a good school year altogether.”

“I was in band 7th and 8th grade. I loved that class because I love music, and it’s a passion for me. It made me a better person because it taught me to accomplish the work that I have to do to make others succeed with me. It really taught me self responsibility.”

When Ope Abimbola transferred to Fairmont Junior High School, he struggled with many of the same challenges any new kid in school faces. Though, moving from Nigeria added a bit more difficulty. People spoke differently. They acted differently. The climate was colder.

In many ways, Boise differs from Nigeria, Ope’s home country in West Africa, but one thing remained the same: he had a community that accepted him and his family and were willing to help them adjust to the new environment. Fairmont’s diverse student base also helped Ope realize there were students from multiple culturally-diverse backgrounds.

And the move to the U.S. for Ope’s family meant so much more than a geographic change.

“I didn’t really live with my dad for the first 10 years of my life. Due to his job, I would only see him once in a while in a year,” Ope said. The move to Idaho allowed the whole family to be together again.

Now, as a chemical engineering student at the University of Southern California, the 21-year-old can reflect warmly on this transition. His experience at Capital High School helped him love the home his family made and grow into the man he is now. Teachers encouraged him to ask questions and strengthen his character. Particularly, his physics teacher helped him learn patience.

“Physics was very challenging. I got my first B ever in that class,” Ope said. “But I was like, ‘You know what? It’s okay.’ And that has definitely prepared me for college, because in college you’ve got to know how to balance your life choices.”

In high school, Ope’s schedule was filled with extracurriculars, allowing him to hone in on his time management skills. He played soccer and tennis, and took part in science olympiad, national honor society, and mock trial.

Though college was never a doubt in his mind, the where and how was unknown.

The Boise School District helped connect him with scholarships that ultimately sealed the deal with USC. Specifically, George and Bev Harad’s AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) scholarship was a big one, something Ope will be eternally grateful for.

“Ope has an enormous amount of positive energy and has learned how to balance it among his college studies, social activities, and seeking out new potential career opportunities, such as his summer internship at Micron,” said Bev Harad, one of Ope’s biggest fans. “These qualities, combined with his ever-present enthusiasm and love of life, make him an extraordinary young man who is destined to have a meaningful impact on society.”

The future is bright for this amazing young man. He intends to graduate with a degree in chemical engineering and has his eyes on a master’s degree in material science. He’s interested in working with sustainable energy. Though it’s unknown where he’ll end up, Ope wants to return to Boise to raise a family one day and give back to the community.

But he does say one thing with certainty: He’s come a long way since he was that shy junior high kid, and the Boise School District has been with him at every step.

“I want to be a mechanic or build houses, but at the same time, I want to go around the world and visit new places. I want to visit Africa and Europe . . . and then other places later. I want to help the people that don’t have as much as me,  and I want to learn the culture from those places.”

“My favorite subject is art because yesterday we got to make snowflakes, and we hung them up on our window. And now every time I go past my school, I see our snowflakes in the window.”