The annual Highland High School homecoming football game for the rams is always an exciting sight to see. Positive energy is radiated from the stands. The roar of the student body and loyal families fills the air. Supporters are decked out in school colors to show their school pride and at the front of it all is a single student in the Black Hole. Someone with the utmost level of school spirit.
Laviana (Lavi) Nonu, highland senior, is the heart of Highland. Nonu is a girl who always has a smile on her face and loves to make others happy. She is this year’s spirit chair and is proud to hold the position.
As the spirit chair, some of her responsibilities include organizing the spirit bowl, helping student government plan events, and leading the student section at games. Nonu takes pride in trying her best to always be positive because branching out in any way possible is important when building a student community.
“It just helps when you smile at one person and then maybe that branches out to five more people and then ten more people. You make more people happy exponentially just by being kind,” Nonu said. “I truly believe we are a family.”
It has become a proud tradition for Nonu’s family members to serve as spirit chair and pass down the torch. It started in 2018 and has been going on for the past 6 years. Showing this is one family who loves to spread joy.
Heather Parry, counseling center secretary, met Nonu when Nonu was starting her Highland journey and has nothing but nice things to say about her.
“Lavi to me is such a spirit of Highland,” said Parry. “I think that her enjoyment of people is contagious, and people enjoy being around her because she is so kind and generous.”
Nonu has taken this love for people to exciting lengths; she volunteers as a Salt Lake City fire cadet. It’s a CTE program taught at Highland and through the program a student can earn a CPR certification, a wildland red card, and an EMT certification. A big heart is needed to help those in need and Nonu is one of those people with a big heart.
This rambunctious behavior didn’t just start when Nonu was elected, she has been showing up for Highland teams for years. Nonu has played volleyball throughout high school and has become known for not only cheering her heart out but singing the national anthem at their games as well as the lady rams basketball games.
In the past, she has volunteered as the girls’ basketball team manager purely to support them and show them some love because women’s sports don’t get the attention they deserve. Nonu feels that leaving a legacy is incredibly important as the spirit chair.
“If people don’t remember me being kind or making them smile or laugh, then I don’t think I did a good job, but I hope I did make them happy,” Nonu said.
People light up when they see her in the halls or at school dances. It’s as if she’s friends with everybody. The bonds created between students at Highland are strong, it’s what makes Highland. Not every school is fortunate enough to have that kind of community.
“The student body is so diverse, and everybody comes with their own experiences and their own backgrounds. They all bring something to the table, and I think Highland wouldn’t be Highland if we didn’t have the students that we have now.” Nonu said.
