This article originally appeared as part of the story Senior Spotlight in the August 2019 issue. Read the profiles of other inspiring Edina High School students here: Bennett Dykstra, Caroline Bercaw, Ryan Schenck
Meet some exemplary students of the Class of 2020. We shine a Senior Spotlight on students at Edina High School who are dedicated, hard-working, have a mind for service and enjoy giving back to the community.
A top student in her grade, Mariam Diaby is also a member of the girls’ basketball team. In addition to training with the team during the season for two and a half hours a day, Mariam is a Link Crew Leader.
“I work with ninth graders to help them feel welcomed into the high school atmosphere. We do fun activities, and discuss how we can use these activities in excelling in high school,” Mariam says. She is also in Girl Up!, Gender Sexuality Alliance, 212 and French Club.
“My main core values are respect and compassion because I believe that these two things are essential in achieving equity,” she says. “By giving back, I feel like I am using those two values to create an equitable community.”
Her greatest achievement so far is earning her community service letter—Edina High School offers a letter for any student who completes 120 hours of community service.
“Having something to channel all that energy in is a really big deal. The process of lettering was a lot of work, but it is the most rewarding experience of my high school career,” she says.
Mariam credits Edina Schools with her success and outlook on life. “It’s hard to keep track of how many ways [Edina High School] has shaped my life,” she says. “At the high school, there are so many resources available to students that it isn’t hard for a driven person to find what they need. Along with extracurricular activities, there are a lot of outlets for students to achieve academically, which is also helpful.”
Mariam wants to study medicine, travel and experience other cultures.
