For senior Nadia Badal, having the opportunity to be on Homecoming Court is a full-circle moment. “If my younger self walked into the room, she’d probably be shocked,” she said. “When I was younger, I didn’t have many friends and kept to myself. Seeing how much I’ve grown and flourished since then would definitely surprise her.”
Badal’s time at HEHS has been defined by involvement and impact. A four-year member of the POMS Team and a state qualifier on the Speech Team, she’s also president of the Multicultural Student Association and a member of HOSA, National Honor Society, Spanish Honor society, and SASA. Through MSA, she helped organize a winter clothing drive that collected and shipped over 50 boxes of donations to refugees in Pakistan. “That was really meaningful to me,” she said.
Her favorite memories come from early mornings with teammates. “Being on the bus at six in the morning heading to speech tournaments, just talking and laughing, knowing we’re all in it together, that’s something I’ll always remember,” she said.
Badal credits Ms. Ahmed as one of her biggest influences. “She’s such a good teacher: real, honest, and critical in the best way,” she said. “She doesn’t tell you what you want to hear; she tells you what you need to hear so you can get better.”
Badal plans to follow a pre-med track, majoring in biology with the goal of becoming a physician. “I’ve always wanted to help people,” she said. “Being active in my community helps me do that.” She volunteers weekly at a hospital as a shift manager, an experience that’s shaped her sense of leadership and empathy.
When asked what the best advice she’d ever be given was, she prioritizes growth above all. “Accepting that you’ve failed or been defeated is a step toward improvement. It’s okay to fail, it helps you grow.”
Badal hopes to be remembered as hard-working, self-sufficient, and family-oriented.
