Stockton- Back in elementary school, there was one person who really caught my eye: Aaliyah Kemp, or as I like to call her, Lyly. We’ve been best friends since third grade, and over the past ten years, she’s become one of the most important people in my life. She’s the type of person who brightens up any room she walks into – she’s kind, confident, funny, and just an amazing friend overall. Honestly, anyone who meets her or gets the chance to talk to her is very lucky because she is nothing short of a great person no matter who she talks to.
Lyly is currently a senior, and one thing I’ve noticed throughout the years is that she’s always been an exceptional student. She hasn’t just made the honor roll every year, she’s been doing great in school since we were kids. This year, she’s really proud of her perfect 4.0 GPA. Her favorite subjects are AP Literature and Chamber Choir, always speaking fondly about Mr. Zollinger. She told me, “Mr. Zollinger has truly been my favorite teacher throughout high school,”. She also gives accolades to Mrs. Dahl and Mrs. Dahlstrom, praising them for making the Lincoln High School choir a special experience during their first year running it.
Lyly’s not just about school, though. There’s way more to her than that. Right now, she’s learning German and she’s already doing really well. It’s a way for her to connect with her roots. Her goal is to become a German teacher someday. She will attend the University of the Pacific for her bachelor’s degree, and then move on to CSU Long Beach for her Master’s degree. Plus, she’s already preparing for a trip to Germany next year – a dream vacation that will help her dive deeper into the culture she loves.
Another part of Lyly’s world is books. She is a bookworm who especially enjoys classic literature. A couple of her favorite authors are Fyodor Dostoevsky and Sylvia Plath. Their works have had a huge impact on how she sees things as well as her writing. Even when she has choir and school responsibilities, Lyly still makes time to tackle some heavy philosophical books, which is rare for most people our age.
Not many people know this, but Lyly used to be a black belt in karate. I remember one time after karate class, someone tapped me on the shoulder. I turned around, and it was Lyly! I had no idea she was at the same karate academy as me. She was in a higher-level class since yellow belts and up are trained separately. She was already a brown belt at just eight years old as well. I did karate too, but I never got to the level she did. A fun little memory I had.
Another special part of Lyly’s life is her hairless cat, Winnie, short for Winifred. She adopted Winnie three years ago after convincing her mom to let her adopt one. Whenever Lyly talks about Winnie, she describes her as adorable, lovely, and precious, and you can really see how happy she makes Lyly. She hopes to give Winnie a sibling in the future!
Lyly’s personality really stands out when it comes to the little things. She’s a big fan of the color pink, especially pastel or baby pink. But she’s not into neon pink at all. Strawberries are her favorite fruit, too. It’s these little quirks, like what she loves to eat or her favorite book by Dostoevsky, that make her special — just genuine and totally her!
What I really love about Lyly is how friendly and open she is. When I was the quiet kid in our third grade class and didn’t say much to anyone, she was the first person to come talk to me. She has this charm that makes people want to be around her, and it’s no wonder why she has so many friends that love hanging out with her. Lyly doesn’t just focus on herself – she genuinely supports everyone else, and I’m really grateful to be one of those people.
