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Zoe Harran: A Dedication to Excellence
by Dean Hayashida
Not many high school students can say that they marched in a parade before more than 50 million television viewers and 3.5 million live spectators lined up along the crowded streets of the Big Apple.
"All of my best friends were there. It was one of my most memorable experiences," said Zoe Harran, a senior at Kekaulike High School in Maui.
Harran was one of 400 Hawaii high school students selected to perform in last year's Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. The Hawaii All-State Marching Band was one of the 10 bands picked to march through the streets of New York City in the most well known holiday parade in the world.
"There were kids representing almost every [Hawaiian] island. We started rehearsing a year before, and we went there without ever practicing as a whole band. I think we started rehearsing two weeks in advance, and we were a lot better than I thought we would be."
We recently sat down with the 17-year-old to catch up with the latest on all of her many accomplishments.
- Q. Can you talk a little bit about where you're from, and what you do on your free time?
- A. "We just moved to Kula this month, which is about five minutes from school. Our school spans a couple of towns and it's all rural kids. Most of my time is dedicated to school and swimming. I'll read pretty much anything as long as it's not too dull or too dry. I have sleepovers with my girlfriends, and we just got into Alfred Hitchcock horror movies. Don't ask me why."
- Q. You've been swimming competitively for 10 years now, but how do you maintain your edge and what lessons have you learned over the years?
- A. "I've been swimming since I was 13-years-old, and it's something that has always challenged me. At times, it can be so mentally and physically demanding that I feel like I just can't take anymore. Not to be too melodramatic, but in swimming, there's no end for improvement. It taught me true determination."
- Q. In your mind's eye, what sticks out about New York, and your performance in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade?
- A. "For most of us, it was our first trip beyond the west coast. It was sort of like our last hurrah, since we'll be graduating next year. It's sad because everyone's going in different directions."
This well-rounded individual is a member of the Tri-Music Honor Society, Key Club, National Honor Society (NHS), Jazz Band, French Club, and Club Swim Team. Zoe is a two-sport letterman in swimming and water polo, and she's a Maui Interscholastic League (MIL) first team all-star for swimming. She participates in community service projects once a month, and in her free time she likes to read, sketch, and take pictures. The Maui teenager plans to continue her competitive swimming career when she goes away to college next year, so remember the name, Zoe Harran.
