Editor’s note: The Reporter salutes some of the best graduating seniors from each of the Auburn School District’s four high schools.

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For Myiah “Shemyiah” Christian and Miguel Cardenas, the switch to West Auburn High School was, without a doubt, the best thing they could have done for themselves.

Best, though for distinctly different reasons.

The Cardenas of two years ago was in near constant conflict with his Auburn High School teachers, his fellow students, indeed, with just about everyone having a pulse.

“I didn’t like Auburn High School,” Cardenas said. “It was too big.”

By his own admission, Cardenas swung his fists. He swung his fists a lot. His sister enrolled him in anger management class. It didn’t help.

“I even tried fighting a teacher once,” Cardenas noted. “That didn’t go well.”

And at least once a year, the angry young man could expect to earn a suspension from school.

Christian, formerly at Kent-Meridian, was an over-the-top intelligent, but painfully shy, introverted girl, the girl who sat practically unnoticed in the corner of the class, a human potted plant.

She had her own, highly original way of learning that worked perfectly for her, but found herself clashing with teachers who tried to get her to do things their way.

“My biggest hang up over there was math. And I had a history teacher who didn’t work with my learning style, so I failed the class. It felt like I wasn’t going to go anywhere, so I was going to drop out,” Christian said.

One day a friend, a West Auburn High School student, encouraged her to stay in school. She was too smart to drop out, he said. Why not enroll at West Auburn? She did.

Two years after the arrival of these kids, two worlds that had been standing on their heads turned right-side up. Cardenas and Christian are the pride of their graduating class.

“Every class, I like every class,” said Cardenas, who has since lowered his fists and morphed into a class jokester and favorite with his peers. “I didn’t like Auburn High School cause it was too big. Here you just know your teachers, cause there’s, like, no one here. The groups are smaller, so you get to know your teachers really fast.”

“If I hadn’t come to West Auburn, I don’t think I’d be the strong person I am today,” Christian said. “When I first came here, I was really shy, and I had, like, three friends and didn’t talk to anybody because I was smart, and they didn’t like that. And I guess I was mean. Then I started helping people with their work, but not giving them the answers. I wanted to help them understand better.”

Left to do things her own way, Christian, the former math failure, made a surprising discovery and career choice.

“I really want to be an accountant,” Christian said. “It’s math, but it’s mainly plus and minus. I love the organization you have to do. You can do it your way, but you have to do it a set way, you can just tailor it to yourself. It’s fun, and it kind of caters to my thoroughness. I just want to do everything correct.”

Cardenas found the going rough at first.

“I got in trouble the first day. I took my cell phone out and was texting, and my teacher, Mr. Wilson, told me to take it to the office. I said, ‘screw this.’ The day next I walked into class, and we just talked. He said, ‘I’m not going to play your little game. You either take your phone to the office and continue your day here, or don’t show up at all.’ I gave it a try.”

At first, Cardenas, an indifferent student, continued, with barely passing grades.

But by the end of that first year something lit a fire under him, his grades began a steady arc upward.

“Now I can’t see myself failing. I have to get a certain grade out of a class,” Cardenas said.

“I’d also rather solve my problems now. I don’t see myself fighting anymore, unless it’s to defend my family.”

Cardenas dream is to become an electrician through an apprenticeship at Puget Sound Electrical. Because he lacks the prerequisites and the waiting list is long, however, he’ll attend Green River Community College for two years and transfer to South Seattle Community College.

Both students credit their teachers and advisors for the positive changes.