Hawaii’s Super Students




Saturday, December 28, 1996

Name: Natalie Lake
Age: 10
School: Hauula Elementary
Favorite subject: Spelling
Pastimes: Going to the beach, reading, jigsaw puzzles
Future: Writer

Her list of favorite subjects begins: "Spelling, reading, math, science - I have a lot." Now, social studies, art and creative writing have been added.

Lake just likes school.

The fifth-grader says she arrives early, starts the day's assignment when she finds it on the blackboard, and does her homework "right away," finishing before dinner.

She tackles the school computers in her free time, typing or playing Yahtzee, Monopoly and card games. When school's out, Lake prefers to spend time with her family at the beach, just "being with friends" and watching television and movies, especially mysteries.

Teacher Laurie Flores was impressed with the "quietly prepared" Lake on her first day, and by Lake's good work and attention in following weeks.

Flores said Lake often offers help for classroom tasks, and describes her as "a very sweet personality, very smart. I see her being a success in whatever she does."

Lake said she wants to be a writer of children's stories. Meanwhile, she's working on the last part of a 100-piece jigsaw puzzle and is almost at the end of her current read, a chapter book called "Leprechauns Don't Play Basketball."