2024 Students of Distinction
Lola Hawkins illuminates lives with compassion and curiosity
Gig Harbor Now is posting profiles featuring the Students of Distinction being honored by the Greater Gig Harbor Foundation. These students will be celebrated during a banquet from 6 to 9 p.m. on Wednesday, May 15, 2024, at Ocean5, 5268 Point Fosdick Dr.
Lola Hawkins
School: Gig Harbor High School
Category: Career and Technical Education Achievement
In a world often overshadowed by complexity and strife, some individuals shine brightly, casting light into the lives of those around them. Gig Harbor High School’s Lola Hawkins is one such beacon of positivity — a curious, extroverted soul whose infectious enthusiasm and boundless creativity illuminate the world around her.
Lola Hawkins
A radiant presence
Curious and extroverted, Gig Harbor High School’s Lola Hawkins loves to meet new people. She tries, she says, to be “a light in the lives of everyone,” using her creativity and sociability to share her naturally cheerful personality. As creative as she is studious, you might catch her singing in the car as she goes to school or hitting the books as she prepares for nursing school.
Driven by determination
Lola describes her drive and motivation as “unstoppable.” As she puts it, “When I set my mind on something, I will do whatever it takes to accomplish that goal.” Fearing neither risk nor failure, she chooses to look on every experience as learning opportunity.
A lifelong learner
She hopes to make learning a lifetime activity and even aspires to earn a doctorate in nursing one day. By the time she’s 30, Lola hopes to be working as a geriatric nurse practitioner, putting her passion for helping others into action in her day-to-day life.
Not everyone is an enemy
Asked what she’d like to see change in the world, Lola says she would like to see people be more mindful about how they communicate with each other. “I often find,” she observes, “that people automatically see others as their enemy or competition rather than a friend, especially in high school. I hope that as time moves forward, people will grow to be more kind to each other.”
These attitudes have been shaped by her volunteer work with InterAct Club, especially in the lessons she’s learned from her advisor. Although she knows she still has a lot to learn, she hopes, as she prepares to leave home for college, to continue learning more about how to make the world a better place.
Lola Hawkins
Category: Career and Technical Excellence Achievement
Parents: Matt Hawkins & Chela Mitchell
Achievements/Activities: ASL 1 – 3; ASL 4 instructional practicum, Career College and Financial Education Class; ASL Club President; Cheer Team
Favorite Teacher: “My favorite teacher is Mrs. Munkres! For three years, Mrs. Munkres has been my science teacher. She taught me biology, chemistry, medical interventions, and has truly fostered my love of science and interest in medicine. Each day that I walk into her classroom, she has a big smile on her face. She cares for her students like no other. Her love of teaching is evident through each engaging lesson that she cultivates.”
Best thing about high school: “The best thing about Gig Harbor High School is the vast opportunity it gives students to find and pursue their passions. Without the opportunity to try new things at my school, I would never have had the chance to join and lead Interact Club, ASL Club, or National Honor Society. Not to mention participate and compete in cheer. Gig Harbor High School has allowed me to find what I am passionate about, and I am so grateful for that.”