Today, over 262 students will be graduating from Hayward High School, donning their freshly pressed gowns and classic caps with tassels, anxious and elated to hear their names called guaranteeing their right of passage through the grant of a diploma.

But one exceptional, peerless and unequaled young woman stands out among the rest, as she will make her way to the podium to present her speech as the 2012 graduating class valedictorian.

Helen Tomimbang, 18, says she has been dreaming of and diligently working towards this moment for four years, a goal she set for herself since the moment she set foot onto the campus.

Composed, articulate, and absorbed in profound thought, Tomimbang says she is deeply honored by her appointment, both proud and surprised of being the top academic student in her class.

Graduating with a 4.28 GPA, Tomimbang worked on her speech for over a week, planning to expose the “greatness” Hayward students are capable of, convince them to continuously push boundaries, influence them to serve a greater purpose and learn how to define themselves and their four years at Hayward High.

Contemplating on the effects of broadcast media on inner-city youth, impassioned on giving back to the community through service, intelligently debating medical research practices, and discussing both classic and new wave rock and roll, a short discussion with the senior gives the impression of a superhuman, a teenager wise beyond her years with a work ethic rarely seen in her age group.

Quiet but assertive, Tomimbang is very humble about her accomplishments. Stoic as she talks about her dozen scholarships and academic awards, the high school senior takes time to respond to each question, her pensive abilities resemble that of a worldly mature highbrow.

Truly, Tomimbang is in a class of her own.

Yet, she poignantly reveals her wish for a legacy, not hoping to be remembered as that super-human, omnipotent teenage powerhouse, rather wishing to be remembered as a girl like any other – flawed and flawless.

“I don’t just want to be known as some other girl who went to Hayward High. I want to be known as someone who made an impact on people’s lives, someone different but relatable, even if I was quiet and didn’t get to meet everybody, or didn’t always join popular school groups like council or whatever,” she said.

“I want to be known as that girl who will always be inspirational to everybody and cares about everybody. Not just that smart girl, I want to be known as that girl who had a very human disposition at the same time, like she also falls in love and makes mistakes and cries and breaks down. I want to be remembered by the things that make me more human and give life to me.”

Born to Filipino immigrant parents, Tomimbang says she owes her successes in high school to the many challenges, obstacles and perils she dealt with growing up, saying it almost forced her to break through the mold and work harder to be different.

Being at school was an “escape” from reality for the young scholar, delving into literature, science and mathematic complexities in an attempt to discover and find solutions to the intricacies of her own life.

Growing up with an autistic brother, single-parent income and breast cancer patient was not easy for Tomimbang, as growing up poor in Hayward allowed her to greatly appreciate education and view it as an equalizer and tool to create change.

“It was overwhelming at first,” she said in regards to her younger brother, who after years of trials and tribulations now lives in a group home near their apartment.

“It taught me a lot about life, appreciating the little things and definitely not taking anything for granted,” she said. “But more importantly, it gave me a drive to be the change I wish to see in this world. I can do something about this, for my brother, for other families and the future of autism in this country.”

Tomimbang’s AP Literature teacher Connie Miller said the Hayward community needs to know about her incredible energy and spirit, that her story will exemplify courage and that success is possible regardless of your economic background.

“She’s a good example for students, for all high school students, those students that struggle. And here they have someone in their community that has been successful,” said Miller. “We need role models. Students need to see that there is someone they can relate to who is the same age, that lives in the same neighborhood they live in, experiences some of the same things they experience and still is able to be successful.”

Tomimbang attributes her current success to the difficult situations in her life that forced her to “become a part of the solution,” determined to one day find a cure to autism and write a book on her experiences. She will be entering UC Irvine this fall as a Biology major.

“Here I am challenged with my health, but when I see Helen succeed so well in school [it’s like] God has a way of telling me you are having a wonderful life that you should be happy with what you are going through no matter what,” said Helen’s mother, Marilou Omictin Tomimbang. “Even though I am a five-year survivor, I asked her for a lot of help. And even with how busy she is, she was never selfish, always helped me.”

Speaking with beaming eyes as she looked upon her daughter, Omictin Tomimbang exemplified a zealous character, overcoming breast cancer but always putting Helen’s education first.

“The world needs someone positive, someone who wants to help others and has the humanity to do it good,” she said. “Helen is here because she wanted it. Kids in this area could have the same thing, but many of them don’t have the support or tools to do it. That’s why her whole life I made sure money didn’t affect her possibilities and that she always remembered where she comes from and stay humble.”

The valedictorian says she is excited for new challenges in college as well as experiencing college life. Although she will miss her boyfriend of a couple of months, Tomimbang knows college will be critical in pursuing medical school at either Stanford, Harvard or Columbia universities.

Never one to settle for less, Tomimbang says she has “big plans” for her future and hopes that beyond anything, her life will be spent impacting positivity and health in the world.

“I’ve always known I was meant to do something bigger than myself, ever since I was very little I wanted to be more,” she said. “Hayward High is just the beginning for me. I’ve proven to myself that hard work definitely pays off, now is the time for me to explore more horizons, expand my intelligence and use my skills to help people.

“I just want to be an inspiration and I want to create change. You know, many people said it couldn’t be done. I was tired of being an under-dog, so hopefully on graduation day other students can relate to that and then want to be something more, something bigger than themselves, the change they wish to see in the world. Hopefully it works.”