LEWISTON — Hossain Naji, 22, told 300 eighth-graders at the Lewiston Middle School on Wednesday that being kind and appreciating teachers will help them be successful in high school.

Born in Somalia, he moved to Maine in 2001, graduated from Lewiston High in 2008, and Columbia University last month. He was called back to his old school as a START (Steps for Accomplishing Real Life Transitions) aspirations speaker. His task was to give advice about how to be successful in high school.

First, Naji congratulated the students. “You made it through middle school. I bet it was a little rough, the roughest time for many students. It’s going to get better in high school.”

He told them it’s most important to be kind. His favorite quote is by the Dalai Lama, “Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible.”

Start by saying please and thank you, he said. “It goes a very long way.”

Another way to be successful is consider teachers allies. “People always talk about coaches pushing you, making you a better athlete, right?” Naji said. “A teacher does the same thing for your mind. Every time a teacher tells you you haven’t done enough work, or read more, it’s not that they don’t like you, they’re coaching you to become a better student. Hopefully that will help you get the success you’d like to have.”

Get involved in school activities, he advised. “It’s going to be four years,” Naji said. “If you don’t do fun stuff it’s going to be four long years.”

Trying new activities and finding some you don’t like will help you find some you do like, Naji said. Entering high school, he knew he was good at soccer and wasn’t good at basketball. He tried track, loved it, and took second at a state competition.

An avid reader, he also worked on the yearbook, and called that experience one of his best.

Academically, high school will be harder than middle school, he told them, but if they take good notes and work hard, they’ll be OK. He encouraged them to push themselves, take hard classes. “Don’t let a previous instructor tell you you’re not smart enough. I got into challenging classes.”

Read one or more books this summer, a page or chapter a day, Naji said. “It’s not much,” but it will make a difference in high school.

And “avoid the really bad choices.”

High school is a time to make a new start. “Enjoy your summer and get excited to leave your mark,” he said.

Naji answered a few questions from the audience, including whether he has a job.

He doesn’t. He graduated from Columbia a month ago, is staying with his mother this summer and plans to go to Los Angeles this fall to find work as a script supervisor. It’s not his first choice but it’s a way to break into the film industry, he said.

“Hollywood here I come,” Naji said to applause.

bwashuk@sunjournal.com

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