Noah's Story
From early morning football workouts to juggling a part-time job, Highline High School senior Noah Golafale has taken on a lot — and grown even more thanks to levy-funded coaches who care and mentor.
Noah is a three-sport athlete who participated in basketball, track and football during high school. But football, he says, is the sport he’ll miss the most.
“It was the friendships, the fun, and the chance to prove what I could do,” says Noah. “Football taught me to push through hard things. Once you’ve done 5:00 a.m. workouts and late practices, writing a five-page essay due in a week doesn’t seem so bad.”
The long hours and demanding schedule taught Noah time management, commitment and a work ethic — skills that helped him thrive in the classroom as well.
“If anything, sports helped my grades,” he says. “I wanted to be a good student athlete. You can’t play if your grades aren’t good. That motivated me.”
Noah plans to attend UW Tacoma for two years, then transfer to the University of Washington in Seattle to study aerospace engineering, with the long-term goal of working at NASA.
He credits supportive coaches for his success on and off the field.
“Coach JT Jackson, our head football coach, really worked with my schedule and understood what I needed. He pushed me to be more ambitious. I’m grateful to have had him as a coach.”
Noah also served as a team captain for track this year — an experience that helped him grow as a leader.
“I don’t usually step into leadership roles unless I have to. This year, I did, and I learned a lot from it. I want to thank Coach [Miran] McCash for trusting me and supporting me, especially while I was working part time during the season.”
Noah works at SkyZone Trampoline Park while balancing sports, school and leadership.
“I’ve learned how much I can really do,” he says.
Thank You, Highline Voters
The 2021 Highline Education Levy helps fund coaching positions and makes opportunities like these possible for students across Highline Public Schools. Thank you for supporting our student athletes — on the field and in the classroom, preparing for their futures.
