Nadiyah’s Excellent Week

Yes, it can sometimes be hard to be the youngest kid in the family, especially when you’re the youngest by 19 years or so! Even so, Nadiyah takes her status in stride most of the time, and she is one of the hardest-working people (not kids, people) I know. That’s why we’re especially pleased and proud to witness her many accomplishments. I don’t say too much about Nadiyah’s gifts in this blog, because a) I don’t like to brag, and b) her activities can be hard to keep up with! However, this week Nadiyah did several more things that deserve recognition, so yes, please allow me to put her on a little pedestal.

Nadiyah, the Scientist

Nadiyah’s excellent week began with the 2025 Science and Engineering Fair of Metro Detroit (SEFMD) award luncheon, held last Friday at the Huntington Place convention center in Detroit. Nadiyah’s project focused on using computational biology techniques to find a genetic basis for the disease endometriosis. Endometriosis is a painful condition that afflicts upwards of 200 million women around the world, including Nadiyah’s big sister Stacy. Nadiyah was a top awardee at her high school (Detroit Country Day) Science Fair, and she received the James T. Battle Memorial Award at Detroit area fair. She received a scholarship and a laptop computer!

Nadiyah, the Public Speaker

The very next morning, Nadiyah had to be in Walled Lake, Michigan at 7:00 am to compete in an all-day regional forensics (public speaking) competition. Nadiyah participates in several of these events each year, and she is usually a finalist in her category – prose. This time was no different, as Nadiyah once again made it to the finals of the competition and placed third overall. The quality of competition at these events is amazing – and inspiring!

Nadiyah, the Cultural Explorer

Last night, it was time to mix some fun in with all of the hard work. Nadiyah is writing an essay for her AP English class. The subject of her essay is hats – yes, hats, the “crowns” that many black women have worn to church and to special events for generations. We could think of no better consultant for this project that Nadiyah’s “auntie” Johnnie Mae. Johnnie has upwards of 100 hats that she has worn in style for many years. When my mother and sister were alive, they and Johnnie enjoyed buying hats, talking about hats, and most of all, wearing their hats atop stylish outfits. So Nadiyah’s interest in these hats was about much more than couture – she is interested in the culture and family history that the hats represent. Nadiyah and Johnnie had a great time posing with the hats while they laughed and reminisced about my mom and sister. For me, it was a very special evening, because I could almost feel their presence.

Nadiyah, the Exemplary Scholar

This morning, following last night’s “hats” session, I awoke late. As I usually do, I wiped the sleep from my eyes and checked my phone for any urgent email messages that might have arrived overnight. My eyes were drawn to an email from Nadiyah’s school and when I opened it, there was yet another Nadiyah accomplishment. The letter from the school began this way:

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Tarver,

It is my pleasure to inform you that Nadiyah has been elected to receive an invitation to membership in The Cum Laude Society.  Induction to The Cum Laude Society is an especially high honor for juniors because we are limited to including only 10% of the class.  In a school with Detroit Country Day’s strong academic tradition, such a restriction forces us to be highly selective, considering not only grade point average, but also scholarship, character, and academic leadership and involvement.

Yet another honor for Nadiyah.

So yes, Nadiyah is our youngest child by far. She is following in the tradition of excellence established by her big sister Stacy and her big brother Aaron, but she is carving her own path. Tonight we are feeling blessed and proud, and we are thankful for all of the family members and friends who have supported and loved Nadiyah during her journey, just as Auntie Johnnie did last night.

Please join us in a prayer of thanks for Nadiyah’s many blessings, and keep her in your prayers in the days and years to come.

David