Do you know what you want to do when you graduate? In this article, we learn about Perfect Akinyemi’s ideal life, how her life is at SBHS, and how she is managing being the SBHS representative.
Caitlyn Soun: What is your favorite Tom Ellis Movie/show?
Perfect Akinyemi: I really like this actor in the show called Lucifer. Although my mom and I are Christians but, we still enjoy watching him. The way they portrayed him and the acting was so good; it was fun to watch, even though in reality we know that’s not how he acts.
CS: What is a meaningful scene in “Confession of an Invisible Girl” that maybe had an impact on you?
PA: To be honest, I watched it with my best friend and we were at their house. We were watching a random movie at their house, and in the movie the girl looks okay. Why are we saying she’s ugly? When she took off her glasses, of now everyone thinks she is all that, and I’m just like, “you looked okay just the way you were.” Just because you changed your appearance doesn’t mean you’re gonna changed inside. So the emotional improvement and the emotional goal of the lead was good.
CS: What is your favorite thing about SBHS?
PA: My favorite things about SBHS are the teachers, community, the people at the school, sometimes students. I enjoy all the teachers who are always supporting you and always there for you whenever you need them, and if you need to work things out.
CS: Which teacher has helped you out the most?
PA: The teacher that supported me the most was Mrs. Polk, my AP Bio teacher last year. Whenever I needed an extension when I had a game or field trip, she would either give me the work ahead of time or she would help me catch up on it so I would not fail the class. Another teacher who has helped me the past two years is Mrs. Akahoshi from AVID; she is always there whenever you need extra class materials: pens, paper, anything. You will be able to come to her, and she will help you with it.
CS: How do you feel now that you are a senior graduating, and why?
PA: Before, I thought that high school would take forever, but now that I’m actually a senior, it feels like It’s only been like two months at most. It feels like time is moving too fast. It feels like it just started a week ago.
CS: What book did you publish, and what was it about?
PA: I was a part of a book publishing program, from kindergarten to 12th grade. Students published books or poems about their life in San Bernardino, what makes it shine, and what makes them love it. I published two times: once my freshman year and once my junior year. I didn’t know it was going on my sophomore year, but if I had known, I would have already done it.
I published about my junior year, and I published about all the great people who came from San Bernardino. Now they come back to the community to help us become better. Just like Alexander Mattison, he is a football player from San Bernardino High School; he made it big. He’s a professional football player now, but he still comes back to the community and helps us, and he founded the “I Am Gifted Foundation,” where he gave back to students in San Bernardino.
CS: Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
PA: I know that in ten years I want to have a stable job that gives me a stable source of income; where I have an apartment to myself where I have all my books, close to my work, and that I will be able to provide for myself with no trouble. And that I can give back to my parents, like $500 a month without a dent, hopefully. I just want to be able to live peacefully, like freely, without any financial worries.
CS: What is something that you worked really hard for?
PA: I was trying to become valedictorian for school, but I wasn’t doing well enough for it. It’s difficult to earn because a lot of students are also taking dual enrollment classes and doing their GPA. Maybe three years ago, I would have been the valedictorian in my school with a 4.24, but the top student in our class now has a 4.91, and that’s amazing. No matter how I try, I haven’t been able to move up. I’m still working toward it so I can at least be valedictorian. I have a 4.76 GPA, which puts me at rank 7, but I just need to study a little more and add more college classes.
CS: And what about the University of San Diego made you choose that spot? Is it the engineering program or anything else in particular?
PA: I chose the University of San Diego because I was like, “Oh, me and my best friend wanted to go there.” It had both of our pathways, and we would be able to room together, and it would make a lot of sense. But I don’t think that’s gonna be one of my options anymore, because it would be difficult to get in because of the tuition rate and the acceptance rate.
I’m gonna try and get admission into this Sacramento State University for their Black Honors College, and I’m also gonna try and get a full-ride scholarship to a historically Black college, and my safe college will be Cal State San Bernardino.
CS: What grabbed your attention for Sacramento State?
PA: My equity counselor talked to me about it today and told me about their Black Honors College, and now they’ll be able to help you to get scholarships and stay in touch with people that look like us, so then we can have it from a small clique. That there’s an all-black dormitory, so then you won’t feel out of place with other people.
