PLANT CITY HIGH SCHOOL

A first-generation immigrant, Tina Kumar is proud to be the daughter of parents Daljit Kumar and Balbir Kaur, who moved to the U.S. from Punjab. She has three older sisters: Monica, Sarina, and Simran, and one younger, Deepak. Along with spending time with family, Tina enjoys reading

Tina describes herself as determined, caring, and very understanding: “no matter the goal, I always try my hardest, and I love caring for others.” The tri-lingual student has accomplished business-level fluency in the Punjabi and Hindi languages. Notable also, Tina has volunteered more than 250 hours within the community through efforts at South Florida Baptist Hospital, Tampa Gurdwara, and Bruton Memorial Library. She also established a school club called Letters for Rose, through which more than 250 letters have been delivered to nursing home residents. She added, “One thing I loved about growing up in Plant City is the community. We are all so encouraging and loving towards

Regarding her future, Tina envisions herself ten years from now as a practicing Director of Nursing with a Doctorate in nursing. She explained, “My aim is to develop strategies to support underserved communities and continue to give back to my local community. Being of service to others is a top priority in my future. Equally significant, I aim to positively influence me and those around me.”

“Without a doubt, my parents have contributed to my success. They dedicated themselves tirelessly to supporting our family of five, including making the move to a foreign country and adapting to an unfamiliar language. Despite the difficulties they encountered, they always prioritized the value of education and hard work, which played a significant role in shaping me into the thriving student I am today.”

One favorite subject at PCHS was calculus, for which she credits Mr. Eatman, largely due to his teaching ability. She said, “He also consistently encouraged me to strive for academic excellence and was always available to provide assistance.”

Tina would advise other students to “learn how to balance,” adding, “It’s okay to have strong ambitions, but learning how to balance, without comparison, will be your greatest strength.”