Meet Suga Iopu

Whiz Kid's name: Laususuga “Suga” Iopu

Whiz Kid's age: 17

Whiz Kid's school: Clover Park High School

Whiz Kid's accomplishment: Suga is president of her Junior Class and a leader in Clover Park’s Pacific Islanders Club. She also plays varsity volleyball, works at Papa Murphy’s and attends Life Center South Church.

She has already been awarded a scholarship to Boise Bible College, but has yet to settle on a college. Among her top choices are Whitworth University, Northwest University and the University of Washington. She plans to study youth ministries and criminal justice.

Whiz Kid's key to awesomeness: Suga, who first credits her relationship with Jesus Christ for her success, said she firmly believes that if you believe in yourself, there are no limits on what you can put your heart and mind to.

Juggling Advanced Placement classes, student government, after-school activities, work and church isn’t easy, though.

“Junior year is the year that sets where you’ll be a few years from now,” she said.

Suga said her favorite thing about being a junior is “the feeling of starting to look into colleges and visiting campus after campus.”

For now, though, she is enjoying serving as class president.

Suga called the Junior Class officers “amazing” and said that without their commitment, hard work and shared love of their school, “I would have lost my mind as president!”

Her involvement in student government was borne of a desire to follow in the footsteps of her her older brother, Andrew, a 2007 Clover Park graduate.

That was in sixth grade – and she has held a position every year since.

“Every year, I run in hopes of making our school prosper and being the voice of the students,” she said. “I believe that what I want doesn’t matter – but what the students of my school want is more important.”

And with senior year looming, Suga has one big goal.

“I’m hoping to continue my streak in leadership for my last year."