Student Spotlight: Ehsanollah Soltani

Welcome back, Komets! Today, we have the first addition of our Student Spotlight. Read below to learn more about our awesome students.

The senior class of Kearny DMD has 81 students, all with exciting stories to tell and lessons to share. Today we’re focusing on one exceptional student; our current valedictorian and treasurer of ASB & Class of 2025, Ehsanollah Soltani. 

Soltani was born in Afghanistan, moving to Iran, then Turkey, and California, all in pursuit of freedom and proper education. Describing the places he's lived, Soltani said, “From the people to the mountains, Afghanistan is a beautiful country. Iran, on the other hand, has great architecture and good food, but their people were and are racist towards Afghans. I was not able to go to school in Iran because of my ethnicity. Turkey was a great country at the time…But now, everybody hates each other.” He continued by saying, “It is not what it used to be. It has changed a lot, and that change was not positive.” About his experience with America, Soltani reported, “I've been here for 8 years, and I am grateful to be able to go to school in America. America has a great education system, and people are blessed to be able to go to school in America.”

He showed plenty of school spirit in the interview, explaining that “DMD, in my opinion, is the best school in Kearny. The staff, the classes, and the programs they have are all amazing. DMD has helped me learn new skills in filmmaking and also editing. It can be a little stressful sometimes, but it is all worth it. I really enjoy my time here in DMD.”

Working hard both inside and outside of school, Soltani has many responsibilities to his work and his family. “I don't really hang out with friends or do any fun activities. I work most of the time. I take care of my family; I look after my disabled brother and other siblings; I drop and pick them up from school. My parents don't really know English, so I take care of everything my parents would need to be taken care of, such as scheduling appointments, making payments, reading mail, Gmail, etc.” He stated. When asked how he deals with all his obligations, he remarked, “Having faith and patience is key. There's no need to stress over everything. Just be patient and leave the rest in the hands of Allah.”

Finally, when asked to share a message with our readers, Soltani shared a (somewhat long-winded) poem he wrote, “Be patient and faithful; let trust lead the way. Respect your dear parents in every word they say. Treat others with kindness, sincerity, and truth. For Allah sees all the good that you do. Forgive those who wrong you, but remember what's done. Let arrogance flee, for we are all one. Don't judge your brothers, thinking you're above, for we're all created equal by Allah’s love. So heed your parents; their wisdom is clear. Their wishes for you are full of care and sincere.”

Despite the various struggles he has faced in life, the way Soltani continues to press on and excel is inspiring. Interviewing Soltani was quite interesting, and I think that many readers may find his experiences useful in their own lives.

“He got that fit on fr” -Anonymous Student