HONOLULU (KHON2) — A soon-to-be Waianae High School grad secured a spot at Yale University, but for her – success is more than just a destination.
Denise Pawleen Cabrera is headed to Yale University where she’ll be majoring in Computer Engineering.
“I applied to over 20 schools and got a lot of rejection letters,” stated Cabrera. “When I got into Yale it was the best feeling because that was one of the last ones I was waiting for. Rejection really is redirection.”
The school said the last Waianae High Schooler accepted into an Ivy League was nearly a decade ago in 2015.
“The thing that separates Cabrera the most in our classes is not the skill set she demonstrates, but the compassion she has for helping others,” said Waianae High School Teacher John Allen. “Probably the best student we could possibly have had.”
Cabrera started the Waianae Robotics Team and won multiple national awards for journalism.
“Everybody kind of knows Denise is like the person who has the most skills but she never flaunts it in any way,” said Allen. “It’s such an amazing thing to watch from a teacher’s perspective because normally that’s my job.”
As valedictorian, Cabrera will share a few words of wisdom at her graduation.
“Growth doesn’t come without challenges and having those challenges made me into a better person, so I always look for a challenge,” Cabrera said.
Her motivation— something more than just success. According to the Waianae student, trying her best in all she does matters more than accomplishments. Her mindset is what allowed her to overcome self-doubt, one of her greatest struggles.
“Just wanting to do better for myself and for my mom,” stated Cabrera. “I hope I’m happy in the future. That’s it. I feel like success isn’t really measured by what I’m earning.”