Marian Voices is a new Spartan Star series that explores the journeys and personal perspectives of a diverse range of Marian Catholic students. For its first installment, the Spartan Star interviewed Onyi Inyenkenchi, an active member of the speech team who has participated in several events, including extemporaneous speaking, dramatic duet acting, prose, poetry, and oratorical declamation. Throughout her four years on the team, she has competed at the state level in both poetry and dramatic duet acting, placing in the top six during her junior year. Furthermore, Onyi serves as an NHS officer and is an active member of the Women’s Club. Throughout this interview, we explore the experiences, values, and personal growth that have shaped her time at Marian.
Q: If you had to describe yourself in three words, what would you choose? How do these words encapsulate your journey with speech?
Onyi: If I could describe myself in three words, I would say that I am empathetic, intelligent, and hardworking. I would say that I am empathetic because I tend to see things from other people’s perspective, even if I feel a certain way. (Even if) I don’t agree with what you did, I understand wholeheartedly what you did! (I recognize) that if I had been in your shoes I would have done something similar.
I don’t believe in judging other people, or their past actions. Maybe if you had been in that situation you would have done the same thing. Another thing is that people are so unique, we all have unique experiences, and even if you have two people who’ve been through the exact same thing, they could have experienced the same situation differently. That is why I feel like you can’t really judge people, because everyone experiences the same thing differently. Life affects us all differently. Nobody else can say they’ve lived your journey.
Q: Do you have a specific example where you exemplified empathy or any of the other words you specified?
Onyi : Hard working… I’ll elaborate on that. I’ve been doing speech all four years of high school, which is a blessing, and I’ve had my moments, but I firmly believe that if you’re gonna do something you’re gonna do it well. And with speech, I dedicate so much time to it!
Q: What else are you involved in and what are some achievements you are proud of?
Onyi: I am the secretary of the Women’s Club. I’ve been a member for the past three years. Before the school year started, we had a lot of storms in the area, and the local community was really impacted by that, so when school started, the Women’s Club had a “Back To School Drive” for those who were impacted by the storms. Being a part of that felt like a really big accomplishment for me, since that was the first time I did community outreach. It felt good to serve not only Marian, but the broader Chicago Heights community.
Q: Can you point to a specific moment where you failed at something, but that failure led to personal growth?
Onyi: Senior year is all about transitions. It kind of feels like… it’s literally the pinnacle of your high school career. It’s the make or break moment. For example, on the first day of school in AP Spanish we did some icebreakers in Spanish and, you know, I was FREAKED out! First off, most of the people were native speakers and they were speaking fluent Spanish. That whole first week was a mental battle. I kept asking myself if I wanted to stick with it. I knew deep down I was going to be disappointed if I allowed the momentary discomfort to force me out of a spot I worked so hard for.
Q: How is it (AP Spanish) now?
A: Now, it is really good. Granted, Spanish is challenging, but I definitely don’t feel the fear. My AP Spanish teacher (Ms. Dominguez) has actually told me to let go of my fears. Recently I approached one of the Spanish-speaking custodians in an attempt to lose the fear. I spoke to her in Spanish and she was just so warm and inviting. From that moment on, I have not been afraid of Spanish.
Q: Who is the one person here who saw potential in you before you saw it in yourself
Onyi: Wow… that’s a wonderful question! Like in regards to extracurriculars, Sheila Boyd. When she was a senior, I was a freshman and we both did poetry and she basically mentored me. I was a novice at what I was doing, but I showed potential, and Sheila always reminded me I was talented. We’re still in contact today. I appreciate her for laying the groundwork for my success in speech. She didn’t train me like a novice, but rather like something who could really go somewhere.
Q: If you could give advice to the Onyi that walked through the doors on her first day of high school, what would it be?
Onyi: If I had advice for her, I would tell her to keep working hard, that it’s all gonna pay off, and that you deserve to be in these spaces. For example, after 8th grade, my scores got me placed in accelerated classes, but being the person I was, who constantly strived for higher and wanted to do more, I wasn’t satisfied. I came back to Marian in May to re-take the proficiency exams. I was moved up to honors in English and math. When I got into those classes, I started questioning myself, constantly comparing myself to others. I felt inadequate. It reminds me of AP Spanish this year where I started to question whether I belonged there. So, if I could speak to her, I would say that you do belong in these rooms, that you do belong in these classrooms, and you possess a unique perspective that no one else can bring. I’d tell her that that unique quality is her superpower. This goes back to what I talked about in the beginning, where two people can experience the same thing in their own ways. How we respond to life’s questions and challenges will be different from the way someone else responds and that is my superpower.