Aaliyah – Youth of the Year Candidate
Aaliyah is a 16-year-old 11th grader from Gainesville, Georgia. Friends and family know her as kind, trustworthy, and outgoing. Passionate about working with kids with special needs, Aaliyah aspires to pursue a career in special education. Her immediate goal is to make the honor roll during her junior year, and long-term, she envisions building a successful and wealthy future.
In school, Aaliyah enjoys science, especially exploring topics like how matter can change from a solid to a gas or from a gas to a liquid. She is also active in track and field, demonstrating her drive and commitment both inside and outside the classroom.
Aaliyah finds her greatest inspiration in her father, who motivates her to keep pushing toward her goals. She lives by the words of Rod Wave: “God gives his toughest battles to his toughest soldiers.” She also enjoys Rod Wave’s music, Tyler Perry movies, and relaxing at home—a fun fact many don’t know about her. Her favorite snack is cheese puffs paired with lemonade, and if given the chance to travel anywhere in the world, she would choose Bora Bora or Turks & Caicos.
To her peers, Aaliyah’s advice is simple but powerful: “Go big or go home.”