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"Spunky" National Youth Delegate Chosen to Represent Simley in Washington, D.C.

Senior Yinka Akintujoye is one of only 250 high school students across the nation who were selected to represent their schools or states at the conference.

Her peers call her personality “fun” and “outgoing” and her adult role models think of dedication, perseverance and spunk when asked about her strengths as a student.

They’re talking about Yinka Akintujoye, who has been nominated to represent Simley High School as its National Youth Delegate at the 2011 Washington Youth Summit on the Environment. Offered by George Mason University, in partnership with National Geographic and the Smithsonian National Zoo, the week-long leadership program for rising high school seniors or academically outstanding juniors will take place June 26 to July 1 at George Mason University.

Akintujoye is one of only 250 high school students across the country who were selected to represent their schools or states at the conference. Nominations were made by high school educators or by George Mason University, based on college entrance exams such as the SAT or ACT, and strong academic performance with a 3.5 minimum grade point average. Delegates must also show an interest in conservation and the environment.

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 “It’s pretty cool!” Akintujoye said, adding that she’s interested in this conference because it’s “science-related, and I’ve always loved the sciences.” 

Akintujoye, a senior, plans to major in biochemistry and become a physician. Her first choice of school among the Ivy Leagues is Yale University, where both her brother and sister studied. She has also applied to pre-medicine programs at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and New York University, and has already been accepted by the latter.

“I’m very, very proud of her,” said Yinka’s father, Olufemi Akinseye-Akintujoye. “She perseveres at anything she does; she sees things through. She is a determined young lady and has been this way ever since she was a little girl. As long as she continues to keep at it, the sky will be the limit.”

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Lam Nguyen, a teacher at Simley, agrees. Nguyen has been familiar with Akintujoye’s progress throughout her high school career, ever since she took his Civics class and became involved with Peer Court in ninth grade. Although she is younger than her peers, he says that her maturity level matches or exceeds theirs. And because she is following in the successful footsteps of an older brother and sister — who both attended Simley and graduated from Yale — he says that she has had big shoes to fill.

“For her, that’s a lot of pressure — but she has risen to that challenge. And she has her own unique qualities. She is definitely more spunky — a real joy to have in class; very fun and outgoing.”

Combine those qualities with a 3.7 GPA and a lengthy list of leadership roles and extracurricular activities.

Akintujoye is a member of the student council in 11th grade leadership. This is also her second year in the National Honor Society, where she has volunteered at Presbyterian Homes of Inver Grove Heights and the American Red Cross.

To stay well rounded, she presides over the International Club, is involved in the Quiz Bowl, the Letter Persons Club, Students Against Drunk Driving and the Robotics Club.

She is also captain of the Simley Speech Team. James Eich, head speech coach, has coached Akintujoye for the past two years. In the Poetry category, she has taken first place three times this past year.

“She's a natural speaker and leader with an optimistic and outgoing personality,” Eich says. “She is dedicated and determined.”

Her brother and sister inspired her interest in the performing arts from an early age. Involved in theater since sixth grade, Akintujoye has played leading roles for the past three years and will be play the Fairy Godmother in Simley’s upcoming "Cinderella" production. She has also performed with the school choir since her sophomore year.

With such a full plate of Advanced Placement and Honors classes, leadership responsibilities, extracurricular activities and volunteer work, Akintujoye has taken her not-so-relaxing schedule in stride.

“It takes a lot of effort, but it happens somehow,” she said. Fellow seniors Desiree Aviles and Jonessa Ross vouch for that.

“She’s fun; she’s really smart and outgoing,” Aviles says, and Ross agrees.

“She’s devoted to whatever she does,” Ross adds.

That skill should come in handy as Akintujoye begins to brainstorm how to raise funds and seek sponsorship for her trip to Washington, D.C. Akintujoye is not sure if she could afford it yet, and she expects it to be challenging in these economic times – but she plans to find a way.

“If she puts her mind to something, she tends to succeed — so I'm not surprised that she has been chosen to attend the Washington Youth Summit,” Eich said. “She will be a great asset to the program.”

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