Whiz Kid: Sean Hiroshima, Novato High Valedictorian

Every Wednesday, Novato Patch honors a Whiz Kid in the community for doing something special in academics, sports, for charity, or for devoting herself to the study of acting like last week's Whiz Kid, .

This week we honor a senior going on to study political science and international relations at Stanford this fall. This young man found his vocation through a very interesting and unusual club at his high school.

NAME:  Sean Hiroshima

SCHOOL:  Novato High 

GRADE:  Senior

GOOD DEED:  Sean is a valedictorian and will be a senior speaker at his graduation ceremony this year at Novato High. He’s also president of the Model United Nations Club, his school’s chapter of a national organization devoted to recreating the UN with mock conferences complete with mock crises. These two- or three-day events are sponsored by universities and Sean has taken part in several including those held at UC Berkeley and Stanford.

“Being in the Model UN Club showed me the power and the potential diplomacy has on the world stage. If you don’t do the research, it seems like nothing (positive) is being done, because things move slowly, but conflicts are being avoided ... In the news they might overlook the positive things that are being done because it’s not sensational."

KEY TO AWESOMENESS: Kean Hiroshima, a graphic designer, says about his only child: “He’s always been extremely studious, excelled academically and his mother (wife Stephanie Hiroshima) has helped him develop good study habits.”

For his part, Sean says, “I’ve had a determination to do well and a curiosity, a need to know and to figure things out.” He credits Miss Overson, who taught him Latin (did you know Novato High is one of only two schools in Marin that offer Latin?) and AP English, as his favorite teacher.

Since we’d all agree the world could use more diplomacy and good international relations, we wish you the absolute best, Sean!