On your way to your first track meet of the 2023 season. You’re sitting on the bus and only ten minutes away, then before you know it, you’re pulling up at the East High School Stadium. You gather your stuff, stand up, and walk off the bus. You’re immediately hit by the blazing sun and the cool breeze. You find a place on the grass, and you decide to make yourself comfortable. You see the runners starting to set up their blocks and start doing run offs. About two minutes later, the runners get in their blocks, and you hear the gun shoot up in the air. The runners take off and you see Arina Tembo zoom off. Learn more about this East High School senior and track star.
What kind of sports and activities are you involved in besides track?
Tembo is also involved in other sports and activities including student government, sisters for success, basketball, cross country, Scarlet Squad, poetry club, Boys and Girls Club, and IHSSA, which stands for Iowa High School Speech Association.
How long have you been involved in these sports?
Tembo has been doing sports since freshman year, but since COVID-19 happened, she didn’t get a chance to finish off her year doing sports, so once her sophomore year hit, she started doing sports. “Well, I’ve started doing sports in freshman year then it canceled because of covid so sophomore,” Tembo said.
What do you like to do outside of school?
Outside of school, Tembo likes to help volunteer at places, and she also likes to do activities and sports. Tembo also goes to church, and she also likes to volunteer to help with the “little lady Scarlets,” Which is a group for upcoming girls that are soon to be scarlets.
What are your plans for this summer? Are you going to be getting ready for the new school year?
Next school year, Tembo is going to be in her first college year. To get ready, during this summer she’s going to be getting a job, moving out, and getting herself prepared and ready for the school year. For the summer, she plans on traveling and doing a lot of other fun things.
What college are you attending and why?
Tembo plans on going to Grand View University, so she can run track. “I want to go to Grand View University, so I can run track there,” Tembo said.
How do you feel about your high school year? Is there anything you would change why or why not?
Tembo said that she wished she cared more about her grades and payed more attention during freshman year because now she has to catch up. “I wish I payed more attention and cared about my grades and school freshman year because now I have to play catch up,” Tembo said.
Overall how would you rate your high school year and why?
During Tembo’s high school year, she feels as if Covid ruined it, so she didn’t really get to enjoy it. “Alright, Covid ruined it so it could’ve been better,” Tembo said