Sarasota County STRIVE Award Student Stories: Daria Tiubin
When she was five years old, Daria Tiubin emigrated with her parents from St. Petersburg, Russia, to North Port, Florida. Although not too far from another St. Petersburg, Daria spoke almost no English and felt completely lost.
“I didn’t have any friends when I first moved,” she said. She quickly realized “wow, I don’t understand anyone. I didn’t understand my teachers at all.”
Her disorientation reached a new height when she was bullied at a water fountain because Daria couldn’t understand a girl telling her that she needed to move out of the way.
As mystifying as her new school life in America was, her home life was even more complicated. Already in elementary school, she understood that her mother struggled with alcoholism. Though Daria tried to help, her mom kept drinking. She was pulled over for drunk driving and spent time in jail.
Parenting her own mom was “not great to experience…. I didn’t really have a childhood because of it.”
In second grade, though, Daria enrolled at Pine View School and has been there ever since. It was at Pine View that she made her first two real friends. They helped Daria acclimate, showing her new elements of American life. Of finding these friends, Daria said “it was so welcoming.”
Daria’s home life, however, remained difficult, and in middle school, her parents divorced. But while facing this new complication, she made friends with her classmate Ethan, and they remain best friends today. Indeed, Ethan and his family have become a second family for Daria.
In high school, after her mom was arrested for her third DUI and had to return to Russia, Daria found vital support from Ethan and his parents. She said, “I don’t know where I would be without him and his family.”
If friendships have helped Daria persevere, so have clubs and extracurricular activities. She is active in organizations such as Key Club, UNICEF, Health Occupation Students of America (HOSA), and the Boys and Girls Club.
Daria is especially grateful for her involvement in the Boys and Girls Club. Through its STAR Leadership Training Program, she has found mentors, become a mentor to younger students, joined the board of the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce, and traveled to Europe.
She has even been inspired to start her own business with a friend. Noticing how many stickers she and her classmates had plastered on their water bottles and laptops, Daria saw an opportunity. She and her friend will design and sell stickers that advocate for social causes. With their profits, they will donate to Students Against Destructive Decisions and organizations raising awareness about climate change, voting, and mental health. They recently received the articles of incorporation for their business—Stick Up—and will launch a website soon.
Today, Daria has come to an important understanding about her mom: “I can’t control her. The only person’s life that’s in my control is my own. I can make my own destiny.”
She is actively doing just that. Daria credits her friends and the supportive community she has found at Pine View School and through organizations such as the Boys and Girls Club. They have helped her adjust to a new country full of so many unknowns and have made her feel accepted. They have supported her as she has weathered the many storms of her mother’s alcoholism.
As she awaits word from admissions officers, Daria is excited to explore her diverse interests in law, political science, computing, and biology in college. While worried about the possibility of attending college away from her closest friend, she knows that wherever she goes next, it will not feel like a foreign country.
Her advice to incoming freshmen: Don’t give up. Think of how your impact can help others. And be active—get involved in organizations that push you to reach your potential and help you give back to the community.
For over 30 years, the Education Foundation of Sarasota County has supported students and teachers because education transforms lives. As a champion for life readiness, the Education Foundation provides personalized, comprehensive resources and relationships so that students can find their purpose and progress intentionally through their K – 12 schooling. Its mission is to enhance the potential of students, promote excellence in teaching, and inspire innovation in education, guided by strategic philanthropy.
About the STRIVE Awards
The STRIVE Awards were born out of H. Jack Hunkele’s vision to recognize students who have overcome tremendous challenges to succeed in life. Thanks to the H. Jack Hunkele Charitable Foundation and other generous donors, the Education Foundation of Sarasota County, in partnership with Sarasota County Schools, highlights the resilience and grit of students across our county. During award ceremonies at their high schools, STRIVE Award recipients receive cash gifts for education after high school as well as recognition. They are invited to serve as student leaders promoting resilience and persistence, and they are connected to Education Foundation resources such as student success coaching, mentoring, workshops, and more.
Learn more about the STRIVE Awards and this year’s remarkable recipients: EdFoundationSRQ.org/STRIVE2023.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Sarasota County STRIVE Award Student Stories: Daria Tiubin
