Haven House’s Young Women of Distinction award recipient Lilli Johnson graduated from Homer High School in three years. Johnson plans to take a gap year and teach in Uganda. Her advice to Homer High students is to take care of themselves first.

“It’s totally worth it to watch Netflix and not do homework. It’s worth it. It will make you feel better,” Johnson said. “It might stress you out the next day, but your homework is not the most important thing. You are and remember that.”

Nouredine Mama, a foreign exchange student from Cameroon, thanked the Homer community for their help and hospitality during his senior year. Mama played basketball and soccer while at Homer High, the former which he learned upon coming to Homer.

“I loved it. The way sports is linked with the school. A lot of students are athletic; it’s not usual where I am (from). We do play sports but it’s not in high school. It’s kind of different,” Mama said. 

“I love Homer. The community, everything. People taught me a lot. Telling them thank you is not that powerful or enough. It’s more than a family relationship.”

Mama plans to study abroad, either in the United States or England, for college where he hopes to study either computer engineering or to be a doctor.