Aloniab Sirak might not be the most well-known person at Edina, but he’s one of the funniest and talented people to be produced by Edina High School: a big, bright hidden gem in the rough.

For most of his high school career, he has always been a loner, sticking more in the art department with his favorite teacher, Dalen Towne. But his senior year was his great big bloom, meeting some of his greatest friends who truly accept him for who he is in places like Zephyrus and Art Club.

Although many teachers shaped Aloniab’s time at EHS, one stood out above the rest. Towne consistently showed him kindness and patience, leaving a real lasting impact on his high school experience and being an amazing influence on who he is as a person and as an artist.

“I was taking Advanced Drawing and Painting, and I was a horrible student. I wasn’t getting anything done. She was one of my best teachers; she doesn’t hold it against you,” Aloniab said. “She treats [everyone] equally.”

Aloniab says that in recent memory, his favorite memories in high school are the ones made right here in Zephyrus. “I’m the first guy to get a column on Zephyrus,” he said. “I started coming out of my bubble this year, being one of the founding members of chud board.”

It’s not only Zephyrus that helped him come out of this bubble but also Art Club, which he was excited to join because Towne is the advisor.

“I really liked spending time with Mrs. Towne,” he said. “It was one of the main reasons I went until I met a great group of friends. It makes me feel enriched, hanging out with a lot of different people: a samsara of people with different artistic ideas resurrecting every week.”

Although Aloniab’s high school career wasn’t the most cliche, he’s still making the most out of his life while he’s still young. After high school, he plans to explore his ancestral lands and go back to Palestine to go see his family.

“I’m learning Arabic right now,” he said. “I’m gonna go to the West Bank in Palestine. Both my aunts came from the West Bank, and they’ve told me it’s beautiful. It’s a great place to be.”

Although Aloniab wishes that he could have expanded his social circle through high school, he wanted to leave everyone with the few words that “it’s ok to be a loser.” Many people may be scared of not living up to their high school dreams, but life is more than just high school.

This piece was originally published in Zephyrus’ print edition on May 19, 2026