A Q&A With Al Raby High School’s Top Seniors

Al Raby High School seniors Robert, Taliyah, Dushawn, and Jasari all have different interests. 

Robert has gotten extremely involved in sports. He’s especially proud of his efforts as a defensive lineman on Raby’s football team and has gravitated toward math as his favorite subject in the classroom. His long-term goal is to pursue a career in sports management as the general manager of a professional sports team or by starting his own sports company. 

Taliyah loves to read and has also been involved in cheer and dance at Raby. She’s currently reading I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter and To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before. Her major will be political science because she eventually wants to become a lawyer and have her own firm to help people who have been wrongfully convicted. 

Dushawn has gotten involved in all things digital while at Raby, from getting involved in the school’s broadcast technology CTE program to working on his YouTube channel to following his passion for video games by streaming on Twitch. While he’s still deciding on his next steps, he can envision a variety of careers in the digital space that would be fulfilling for him. 

Jasari has also gotten involved in broadcast, but she’s more interested in the artistic side of digital technology. On top of that, she was a cheerleader and was on homecoming court twice. Her passions for art and photography have led her to decide on graphic design as her major. Eventually, she wants to evolve her skill set enough to create her own graphics business. 

While each of them has had a unique high school journey, they all share one thing in common: being among the top ten members of Raby’s Class of 2021 based on their academic achievements. Read below for their insights on how they were able to excel both inside and outside of the classroom.

What advice would you give younger Raby students to succeed academically? 

Taliyah: I would recommend that they stay focused and engaged in their learning and that they ask questions all the time, because that is what has helped me. 

Dushawn: Students should know that high school can be challenging, but it’s not so hard where you always have to overwork yourself. It’s important to know when to take it easy sometimes. 

Robert: I would say to never give up, always be you, and don’t change yourself for anybody.

Robert: My advice is to keep going. Don’t look back, and don’t let others hold you back. 

Jasari: I would tell myself that confidence is key. 

Taliyah: I would encourage myself to step outside of my comfort zone more.

Dushawn: The pandemic helped me mature a lot more. I dedicated the entire year and all of the free time to growing, maturing, and becoming a better person since we’re becoming adults. 

Jasari: I think I learned about the importance of communication. During the pandemic, the communication got more distant because I wasn’t as close to my loved ones, and that really impacted me. 

Robert: It reminded me of the importance of turning your work in on time. It was a challenge at first, but once you get used to it, you understand that it’s easy.

Jasari: My word is interesting because, at first, I didn’t know what I was getting myself into. As the years went on, high school got more fun as I developed deeper connections, made more friends, and really started to shine. 

Taliyah: I would say exciting because I learned a lot of stuff about myself. I will always remember my English teachers as they helped me expand my knowledge and got me into reading. 

Dushawn: I am going with knowledgeable. Of course, I learned a lot about myself schoolwise. But Raby has also helped me learn a lot about myself. There’s a lot of good people there, and I loved making memories with them.

High schools across the city have phenomenal students who are a part of the Class of 2021. Read our features of soon-to-be graduates from Hubbard High School, Kennedy High School, and Goode STEM Academy.