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ADNAH HAID

Curiosity and questions: A foundation for learning

When meeting Adnah Haid, a curious middle school scholar, her spirit of inquiry is evident.  She’s a critical thinker who won’t take information at face value. Instead, she loves to crack open a book, do her own research and then come to her own conclusions. She has questions. She wants to know why things are the way they are in the world.

“Literature is my favorite subject. I like to read a lot. Reading takes me to other places where I don’t live and helps me to understand them better. It is also my favorite way to relax,” she explains.

It makes sense then that Adnah favors her middle school reading seminar class at Rainier Scholars, a course where students annotate key passages; share their opinions by citing evidence from the book; and explore essential questions around complex themes of race, class and social justice.

Adnah is just 14; yet she shares powerful insights and wisdom beyond her years. “I realize that not everyone who goes to school has the opportunity to have these types of discussions. It is helpful that we have them at Rainier Scholars.”

An ambitious go-getter and dedicated student, Adnah is working toward an aspiring goal: She wants to be a neurologist or a brain surgeon. “I am fascinated by the medical field. I am a listener and not a talker. I observe well and it is one of my strong suits.”

Adnah readily admits she likes to question the world around her, and has a desire to find the source or root of a problem—a great foundation, and fitting for the career path she has chosen.

Looking to the future but still rooted in the present, Adnah is focused on exploring a breadth of opportunities that are available to her. “Billings Middle School is a really cool school, especially if you want to try new things. I get to have experiences I wouldn’t have had before—including a five-day back packing trip on the Olympic Coast.”

A strong spirit of inquiry is just the beginning of what will shape Adnah’s future.

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