By Isabella Davis
Sacred Heart Academy
Haru Dukanac has always been surrounded by different languages and traditions.
The 16-year-old from Scarsdale in Westchester embraces the gift of languages and the insight they offer to different cultures.
Growing up in a multicultural household — her father, Vuk Dukanac from Belgrade, Serbia, and her mom, Mina Dukanac from Gifu, Japan – Haru has been surrounded by different languages and traditions from birth.
Now, she can speak, read and understand Japanese and English, and she is currently studying French and is a member of the French Honor Society at Eastchester High School.
Her curiosity towards languages extends outside her home and the classroom. She organizes events for her school Asian Club. “Although the club isn’t big yet, it has helped me get more involved in my school community by socializing with other students from different grades, and with teachers who I have never had classes with before,” she said.
Outside of school, Haru spends her summers as a counselor at Tokyo Frost Valley, a summer camp located in Claryville, New York. The camp was established in 1979 to help Japanese American youth learn the language, enjoy the outdoors and build a strong sense of community. Haru has attended this camp since she was seven, which has allowed her to make lifelong friends and learn more about her Japanese heritage.
“I’ve built so many relationships with people that have been going strong for years now, and it’s such a unique experience that I look forward to every other summer,” she said.
Her love for language studies and embracing the cultures around her has not only enriched her understanding of different backgrounds and introduced her to new people, but it has influenced her love for writing and has helped her develop meaningful connections among her family, friends and those around her.
“Haru is an amazing listener,” said her friend Rebecca Derise from Eastchester High School. “Haru is definitely a very curious person who loves to know about my life and the lives of our friends. She is very good at telling stories and showing her concern for others and their lives.”
“I feel as though my gravitation to learning about different cultures correlates to my love for writing because I’ve been exposed to so many different people and environments and all of those people have their own story of how they got where they are now,” Haru said.
Her passion for writing and sharing stories led her to join her school newspaper club, where she covered topics such as new classes, schedule updates and any changes that have taken place in the school environment.
This summer, she hopes to continue developing her skills at the Robert W. Greene Summer Institute for High School Journalists.
Haru explained, “I signed up for this program as I was searching for opportunities for me to explore my skills and interests and utilize them in a more serious atmosphere. I want to see if I really am interested in taking on journalism as a career, even though I know that the skills I learn and the skills that I polish will be greatly valuable.”