Super Students
Saturday, January 2, 1999
Name: Meris Smith
Age: 16
School: Kahuku High and Intermediate
Favorite subject: Japanese
Pastimes: Ceramics
Future: Undecided
Meris Smith has a passion for water sports. She'll take on a shark
A junior at Kahuku High and Intermediate School, Smith is on the varsity swimming and coed and girls' water polo teams.
In October, she was recognized as female player of the year for coed water polo.
After graduating from Kahuku, Smith plans to attend college in California or Washington, schools known for their strong water polo programs.
Smith can't decide what she wants to major in, but she loves science.
She's dissected frogs and cats, but never a shark. It's an assignment she's looking forward to next year in advanced placement marine biology.
Still undecided about her career goals, Smith said she might want to be a marine biologist or maybe a lifeguard -- as long as it's not a job where she has to sit behind a desk all day. "I couldn't do that," Smith said. "I have to be outside and do things."
Principal Lea Albert said Smith is a straight-A student who takes extremely difficult courses, like advanced-placement calculus, and does a lot of community service projects.
Smith is secretary for the National Honor Society and a member of Amity and Vibes, a club involved in many service-oriented school activities.
She has also volunteered the past four summers as a summer fun leader at the Haleiwa Surf Center.
"She's a role model for all students," Albert said.
Shirley Iida, Star-Bulletin
