Spotlight on Youth: Dabria Douglas
Dabria Douglas is a recent graduate of Ottawa High School in Grand Rapids. In this interview with the Grand Rapids Times, she talks about her change in attitude about school, deciding what to do for an occupation in the future and more.
GRT: Did you go to Ottawa Hills all four years of high school?
Douglas: No, I actually went to Wyoming High School and then I went to Ottawa.
GRT: What were your grades like before you became a sophomore?
Douglas: Before the tenth grade I was really kind of struggling, but by the end of the school year I had made it up in my mind that I was going to get the best grades possible. After that point, my grades have been all A's and I graduated with honors.
GRT: What made you change you mind about school and decide to get good grades?
Douglas: I got serious about school and asked all of my teachers what I needed to do to get a good grade in their class and I got the work done. My mother also had a lot to do with it. She sat me down and told me that if I wanted to accomplish my dreams that I needed to have good grades. She told me that it was my choice to have good grades or not but she let me know that employers in the future would be looking at my grades.
GRT: What do you want to be in the future?
Douglas: I would like to be a Chef in the future, so I know that they are going to be looking at my grades. I was told by my teachers at Wyoming High School to have a back up jobs. Originally I wanted to be a doctor, but if that doesn't work, then I want to be a Chef and if that doesn't work, I would like to be a model. As far as being a Chef, I have been cooking my own food since I was twelve years old. I started cooking whole meals at a young age and it is something that I developed a passion for. I wasn't as passionate in the past about cooking as much as I am right now.
GRT: Now that you have graduated from high school, what do you plan on doing?
Douglas: I am working at Amazon right now and I plan to take a year and a half break and then I plan to enroll at Grand Rapids Community College's culinary arts program. I was cooking at the Boys and Girls Club when I was going to high school and I would cook and make little deserts for the little kids when it was time for them to eat and a lot of them would tell me that they loved my food and that was very encouraging to me. A lot of people see my passion for cooking and they appreciate my skills in the kitchen.
GRT: What would you like to do after finishing Culinary Arts School?
Douglas: I would like to then go to another college and get a business degree. I would really like to open and operate my own restaurant. It will be like an inexpensive food that will include breakfast, lunch and dinner and little deserts. I want it to be a fancy enough place to sell wine and offer people the option or ordering a steak but I am still thinking through a lot of the details.
GRT: Would you like to stay in Grand Rapids and open a restaurant or do you plan to move to another state?
Douglas: Although I do want to stay here and support Grand Rapids, I also would like to open a restaurant in Los Angeles or in Miami, Florida.
GRT: What would you tell young people about achieving their dreams?
Douglas: I would tell them not to get into any drama and to keep to themselves. Keep your circle small, keep your friends close and keep your enemies closer. Your haters will always be trying to judge you and tear you down and that just makes my confidence even stronger because I know that it something that I am doing that they wish that they could do. I would also tell them that if you really have a dream that you want to accomplish, then don't let anyone stop you from achieving it. Don't ever stop, because you will regret not doing your best to achieve that dream later in life.
The Grand Rapids Times would like to congratulate Dabria Douglass on graduating from high school. May you achieve your dreams and continue to make this city proud of you.
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