Meet Tani Palafox

Whiz Kid's name: Tani Palafox

Whiz Kid's age: 17

Whiz Kid's school: Lakes High School

Whiz Kid's accomplishment: Tani is Lakes’ Junior Class Representative, as well as a member of the National Honor Society, B.O.S.S. (Blue and Orange Scream/Spirit Squad) and an Executive Mentor. She also plays volleyball and runs track.

After high school, Tani plans to attend an in-state college – preferably the University of Washington or Western Washington University. She has yet to decide on a course of study.

Whiz Kid's key to awesomeness: Tani said that she has benefitted from getting to know people and their stories.

“I think learning about someone can make you a better person,” she said. “You can learn from their mistakes, learn about their experiences and grow from what you have learned.”

Furthermore, she said, exposure to differing perspectives challenges a person to “think in a different way to understand what they see.”

Tani’s introduction to student government was kind of an accident – she didn’t run for office last year, but attended all of the summer meetings and got to know some of Lakes’ ASB officers.

“I really wanted to be a part of it because it was something I got to enjoy with people I had fun with.”

On the first day of school, Lakes’ ASB advisor asked Tani if she had checked her schedule, and when she did, she saw that ASB was on it.

Now, she is enjoying the opportunity to be involved not only at Lakes, but in the community, too.

“I love that we help people,” she said. “It has to be one of the most rewarding things to see how appreciative people are of the things we do – but we do things not to get credit for them, but for the sake of doing them, and I think that’s really important.”

As for the Junior Class officers, she said the group makes the most of its time together.

“I love the team and bonding with everyone,” she said. “We have fun no matter what our task is.”

Tani said her favorite thing about being a junior is meeting new people and making new friends.

“I think that the older I get, the more outgoing and brave I become,” she said. “So this year, being a junior, I feel like I have stepped out of my comfort zone even further, which is helping me to find out and learn who I am.”