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Each year, as OC Family Magazine editors work through more than 100 nominees from private and public schools to create the annual Shining Students cover story, two themes merge: The nomination lists grow each year and the quality of students improves. What is a shining student? We purposely leave that answer blank when we approach the county's high schools because there is no one answer. This is not simply a list of valedictorians any more than it is a list of sports stars. What helps us in our unscientific grading is that dreams must somehow be reachable. If you are going to go to Mars, tell us why you have the skills; if you write that you will save the world, explain how you have the will. So it is with our 6th Annual Shining Students cover story, which until this year typically was limited to 10 seniors. This year, we've bumped the list to 20. Why? Well, the profiles that follow best answer the why, while giving us hope for the future. If, indeed, we'll be moved one way or the other in the next 20-30 years by this group, that should be solace enough that we are in good hands with this representative group of the best and brightest in Orange County. Many of the students got to meet each other recently during a photo shoot at Fashion Island. It was a meeting of equals and high aspirations. Every year, we point out that these students represent a future generation that will have to try, with its own devices and ingenuity, to solve many of the world's problems - population, environment, disease, war, instability, hatred, moral questions - as well as focus on the challenges of multicultural unity, political courage and religious discourse. The older generation is not leaving behind a Garden of Eden; it presents few role models. In years past, we have sent reporters to interview our Shining Students, only to find that what they, or their school representatives, wrote in each nomination was as meaningful as anything we could develop. So now you have not only more students, but more of their own voices, or the voices close to their educational ambitions. Stefanie Wilson of St. Margaret's School, this list's only junior, received an award that defines who she is. "She is one of the most selfless and committed young women you could ever hope to find. She does much more than just talk about making a difference..." The end-of-the-year award goes to a junior who "executed both leadership and a willingness to improve the community and the world by leading others through personal example and commitment." That is a compelling endorsement. Getting support to our military Lutheran High School freshman Shauna Fleming, 15, was challenged by her father, Michael, to collect a million thank-you letters for the military as part of National Military Appreciation Month in May. With the help of fellow students, the Orange campus was the clearinghouse for what may be the largest amount of thank-you letters ever delivered to one location. Through a website and e-mails, the outreach touched American military men and women not only in Iraq, but serving around the world, as well as retirees. The campaign is called, A Million Thanks. A giving spirit Of course, no list is complete without the requirement that most of these students give back to the community. Orange County, as a whole, is low on the philanthropy meter when compared to the nation. It is vital that the next generation understand the importance of helping a community. Elise Boivin, a senior at Laguna Hills High, is one such student. She is founding president of the school's chapter of Best Buddies International, which lines up one-on-one friendships with disabled students. She expects to continue her work in this arena in college. She has been involved in a districtwide effort to raise more than $17,000 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. And as a babysitter, her clients include an adult with Down syndrome. So it is, too, that Liliana Moreno of Newport Harbor High finds her weekends filled with serving food to the homeless at the Someone Cares Soup Kitchen in Costa Mesa. Each month, she visits children at Tijuana's orphanages. And she volunteers as an after-school tutor. She plans to attend the University of San Diego, and when she steps on campus this fall, she will be the first generation from her family to do so. She expects to be a business administrator in the hotel and tourism industry. Well-rounded? No, completely rounded It is hard to argue with Principal Tom Ressler's assessment of Alexa Zabat-Fran: "She is one of those students whose positive influence will have far-reaching and long-lasting effects...who possesses the talent, spirit and passion to realize her dreams." The Capistrano Valley High School senior has already taken her academic accomplishments off-campus, attending summer school at The College of William & Mary's Chancellor Academy, where she studied neurology and geology. This year, she has earned UC Irvine's first high school internship, as a research assistant studying neurobiology and behavior. On campus, Alexa is volunteer coordinator for Character Counts, a club devoted to inspiring good citizenship. Alexa, of course, is not alone in her accomplishments. In fact, it is noted that Brian Pearson may be the "most well-rounded student at Dana Hills High School." How so? The senior ranks second in a class of 629 students academically, with a 4.60 gpa. So, while he is an AP Scholar with Distinction, he also is a key member of the water polo and swim teams. He has interned for state Sen. Bill Morrow. At Fairmont Preparatory Academy in Anaheim, senior Ali Qureshi is practically off the charts with a 4.83 gpa. His nomination lists 9 scholarship distinctions and awards, including AP Scholar with Distinction, City Council of Anaheim Academic High Achievement Award, National Foreign Language Merit Award and Science Department Award for AP chemistry. He has his choices for the fall, with acceptance into Dartmouth College, Harvard, UCLA and the Union/Albany Medical College Leadership in Medicine Program. His nomination notes: "Diligent, completely responsible and mature, Ali has demonstrated a willingness and eagerness to accelerate academically." He is an International Baccalaureate Diploma candidate. The Stanford child Much is made about the difficulty of enrolling in the country's elite schools, of which Stanford is ranked, depending on your bias, No. 1 or 2. Angeline Nguyen, a senior at Cornelia Connelly School in Anaheim, will be a student there in the fall. She is ranked at the top of her class and has earned awards in science and humanities at the private school. Her 4 AP courses and an honors course underscore her commitment to academics. The varsity tennis player is president of the school's Engineering Club and vice president of the National Honor Society. Sure of himself, certain of herself Maybe it is only in lists like these that students find the time - and substance - to put together an autobiography. William Lively, a senior at Sunny Hills High in Fullerton, did so in junior high. It was more of a look forward than anything else, and he projected that he would earn an International Baccalaureate diploma and be a valedictorian of his class. He has always recognized "that to get into a top university, I needed to work hard from the beginning of high school to the end...I take the most pride in my work ethic." School counselor April Pflug gets right to the point with senior Debi Thomas of John F. Kennedy High School in La Palma: "She is the most outstanding volunteer I have known in my 31 years of education." In fact, Debi's extracurricular activities and community service of more than 600 hours takes up more than half a page on her resume. Most importantly, she is going into a field that is certain to be rewarded with her in it: "medical professional specializing in neuroscience." She writes: "I believe my future is brighter than ever as I prepare for the next chapter of my life in pursuit of excellence and a world-class education, even study abroad...I want people to value my presence as a necessary part of the world's balance of viewpoints, experiences and cultures." Painting her own canvas An artist's touch never gets lost in a Shining Students' list. Long before we published our first group in 1999, parents of Kristel Brinshot recognized the creative self-expression found within the now-17-year-old senior at Mater Dei High School. She excels in paint, sculpture, watercolor, automotive design and poetry. Art, says her nomination, allows her to "explore her inner thoughts and express her deep emotions." Her work has been recognized at the Mater Dei Art Show and her talent rewarded with a summer scholarship to the Laguna School of Art & Design. She also has taken several semester-long courses at USC through the Herbert Ryman Masters program; Ryman was a longtime artist who gained fame for turning Walt Disney's vision of Disneyland into visual sketches and who painted the beautiful backgrounds of the Disney classic "Bambi." Another artist is Dan Cao, 15, a sophomore at Irvine High. He was a recent winner in the Concerto Competition with the Saddleback Symphony. This is one of several major awards he has earned on piano since 1999. From a loss comes a gain Audra Bardsley lost her mother at a young age. The Foothill High/Tustin senior has turned this tragedy into self-motivation. She writes: "Living with one parent who worked full time, I learned the necessity of independence. My mother, in her absence, has shown me the endless value of identity, and the ability to find comfort within the realm of my own mind." Audra, says her nomination, "is continually searching to challenge herself and learn new things." She has received academic awards of excellence each year and has done particularly well in Advanced Placement exams in biology, European history, U.S. history and calculus. She is enrolled in the school's most rigorous curriculum, the International Baccalaureate Program. Another of this year's students, Fred Rose of Emerson Honors High, lost his father at age 3. Says his nomination: "Fred understands the hard times that people sometimes must face. Because of his compassion and sensitivity, he cares deeply and does his best to help all he can." Fred likely will be the school's valedictorian when final grades are posted. A diverse viewpoint Florencia Krochik moved to California from Buenos Aires, Argentina, when she was a freshman. The senior at Corona del Mar High spoke little English, but soon overcame that challenge. She is fluent in Spanish, English and Hebrew, has taken most of the AP classes offered on campus and also enrolled in community college coursework. She is involved in numerous organizations, including the Orange County Human Relations Associate Program. She is co-founder and co-president of TAP (Tolerance Among People), a club that targets hate in high schools and helps those who feel excluded because of prejudice, nationality or appearance. "Most Likely to Succeed" The above designation, voted by fellow classmates, sometimes simply goes to the most popular student. In th case of Scott Bradley, it may indeed be the right call. The Aliso Niguel High senior is both athletic star and academic standout. He was awarded the baseball team's MVP award and was scholar athlete of the year last year. He had a 4.20 gpa and is chairman of the academic tutoring program at Aliso Viejo Library. You can find him at the Rose Parade as a float work-crew member, at St. Timothy's Catholic Church in Laguna Niguel as a member of the Youth Ministry-God Squad Team and helping the homeless at the Catholic Worker in Santa Ana. The success description also aptly fits senior Braden Barnett of Sage Hill School in Newport Beach. Writes Theodore Freeman, his Latin teacher: "(He) is an outspoken member of the student government and I have never once heard him complain. I have never seen him overwhelmed with frustration. He has never turned in an assignment late with the excuse that he just couldn't find the time...Braden comes into my class every day with the energy, spirit and cheer of one who thrills to find life's greatest rewards." Another candidate for future success is Wesley Paulsen, a senior who has been appointed to West Point. He is the first Orange High student in 25 years to get the appointment. He should be able to help the West Point football team, which has struggled: Wesley was voted the varsity football team's Offensive Lineman of the Year and just recently won the Gene Autry Humanitarian Award, given to athletes who are involved in community service and humanitarian causes. All planned out Some students have focused on exactly how their life will unfold after college. For example, Viet Nguyen, valedictorian at Saddleback High/Santa Ana, plans to attend New York University and enroll in international finance at its Stern School of Business. "My biggest dream is to start my own company," he says. And he already has, in a sense, founding a club for junior high students, Builders Club, that mentors and prepares them for high school. Viet had to find the funds, the sponsors and the adult supervisors to pull it off. The comeback kid A community's loss or its gain? Juliana Garcia, a Santa Ana High senior, plans to become a lawyer "and come back and work in the Santa Ana community, to work with low-income families." The city native, herself a product of a low-income family, is not shy about speaking out. She is a 4-year member of the school's debate team, serving this year as captain. She plans to attend USC and major in political science with a minor in Spanish. She says: "My family has always supported my academic life, and they will always be the reason for my success." STEFANIE WILSON, 18 San Juan Capistrano, St. Margaret's School She is defined as a "multi-dimensional person with the common thread of character, leadership and perseverance woven through everything she does." One of her particular strengths is a "strong presence in every class...day after day, she contributed positively in the class in the form of interacting with the lecture and discussions, encouraging her classmates and affirming others." Extracurricular life: Laguna Playhouse and the high school theater program, for which she served as the first student director in the school's history; and counselor coordinator for the community-based Special Camp for Special Kids. SHAUNA FLEMING, 15 Orange, Lutheran High/Orange It was an idea hatched by this freshman to create a campaign, A Million Thanks, to collect and distribute 1 million letters of appreciation to current and past military members. Of course, that's a high calling, though the numbers have reached an astounding 300,000. Beginning in early April, the website has averaged 9,000 hits a day and more than 10,000 e-mails. To participate: www.AmillionThanks.org. It is coordinated through the National Military Appreciation Month, www.NMAM.org. ELISE BOIVIN, 18 Laguna Hills, Laguna Hills High School She is knee-deep in on-campus activities and outreach service, from president of the French Club to commissioner of Hours and Dollars for Key Club. Elise can be seen, live, at Saddleback Valley Unified School District board meetings, of which she is a student member. She is an International Baccalaureate candidate and has received numerous scholastic awards. She excels at the piano, having played at the Music Teacher's Association of California Convention. LILIANA MORENO, 17 Costa Mesa, Newport Harbor High Her nomination predicts that this senior will make a "positive impact in this world and (leave) it better than she found it." A first-generation college enrollee, she has earned several awards on campus and has been a finalist for the Student of the Year award in the social sciences and foreign language department. She is a successful fundraiser, helping with a Parent Help USA event that focuses on protecting children from abusive parents. ALEXA ZABAT-FRAN, 18 Mission Viejo, Capistrano Valley High The senior's academic record is spotless; 4.3 gpa, member of the Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) program, a member of the National Honor Society and multicultural commissioner for the Associated Student Body. Her community outreach is particularly innovative: She created "Cookies and Conversation and Rocking Chairs to Share" to not only bridge the generation gap, but also provide rocking chairs to senior centers to create a comfortable atmosphere for interaction. Alexa also is a champion athlete, earning a bronze medal in the Taekwondo World Championships. BRIAN PEARSON, 18 Laguna Niguel, Dana Hills High He was selected as the 2003 Boys' State Representative for his high school and, once there, was elected Minority Leader in the Boys' State Senate. His nomination notes: "Brian makes a positive impression and leaves every place he attends a better place, through hard work, dedication, personality and intelligence." He plans to major in political science and hopes to become a U.S. senator. ALI QURESHI, 17 Fullerton, Fairmont Preparatory Academy/Anaheim This top academic student, accepted to Dartmouth College, UCLA and Union/Albany Medical College Leadership in Medicine Program, also reaches out to the community and beyond. He created the United Hyderabad Relief Organization to help those in need in Anaheim and last summer traveled to India to start a free care clinic, a milk program at the Apna Sahara Orphanage and a hot meals program for the lepers of Hyderabad. ANGELINE NGUYEN, 18 Long Beach, Cornelia Connelly School/Anaheim This may have not been the tipping point for getting into Stanford, but it sounds like fun, and something this young academic would attempt in her usual, full-spirited way: She and fellow students won first place in Bridge Presentation this year at the American Society of Civil Engineers Annual Popsicle Stick Bridge Competition. She has more than 400 service hours, which leads her class. This community work includes serving as the school's ambassador and volunteering at the Blind Children's Center. She is a Gold Award winner in Girl Scouts. WILLIAM LIVELY, 18 Fullerton, Sunny Hills High/Fullerton He is an Eagle Scout, an athlete, and American Red Cross CPR instructor. So, while this young man charts his future, he takes to the hills to contemplate the potential. Through scouting, he has found a love of nature and hiking, covering more than 300 miles in 3 states over the past 3 years. William created a mountaineering club at the high school and helped organize 3 backpacking trips. DEBI THOMAS, 18 La Palma, John F. Kennedy High She knew she wanted to be a doctor at age 4, when she went around the house with a plastic stethoscope and other instruments, "injecting" her parents or telling them their blood pressure was too high. Among her many hours of community work, she is most proud of being a teacher in the Saturday Science Academy, helping young people struggling to belong and achieve in school. Among her many talents, Debi plays classical piano. KRISTEL BRINSHOT, 17 Santa Ana, Mater Dei High She has made the Principal's Honor Roll all 4 years while earning scholarships and awards for her artwork. This has included a solo exhibition of her work at the Artists Village in Santa Ana, themed "Art is not a Privilege." Proceeds will go for art supplies and technology at the Orange County Children's Therapeutic Art Center in Santa Ana. To see her work, find the mural painted on a large brick wall at St. Anne Church in Santa Ana. Of her contributions to the community, she says: "Children are the future and by being an example of what it means to be a good person, you are helping society come to peace." DAN CAO, 15 Irvine, Irvine High He won the Concerto Competition with the Saddleback Symphony recently. The accomplished pianist has won several awards over the years, including first place in 2001 and 2002 at the Southwestern Youth Music Festival Open Categories; the Music Teachers Association of California Solo Competition in 1999; and in the 2002 Los Angeles Liszt Competition. In the Saddleback competition, he performed Rachmaninoff's "Piano Concerto No. 2, Op. 18, first movement." In school, Dan is on the honor roll. AUDRA BARDSLEY, 18 Tustin, Foothill High She is not only excelling in academics as her high school career comes to a close, but she has burnished her background as an accomplished dancer (ballet), volunteer and tutor. She works at the Irvine Nature Center as a volunteer. She is called "the poster child" for the high school's rigorous International Baccalaureate Program. FRED ROSE, 18 Yorba Linda, Emerson Honors High He is one of the outstanding students in Orange County. The school's likely valedictorian, he has received all A's in his classes. Also, he is co-editor of the yearbook and tutors fellow students in need of academic assistance. He is involved in the drama program, serving as an assistant director, and will attend Chapman University in the fall on a partial scholarship. FLORENCIA KROCHIK, 18 Newport Beach, Corona del Mar High She does a lot with a lot of effort. Organizations include PAL (Peer Assistance Leadership), and outreach includes the Anti-Defamation League's Dream Dialogue and the Someone Cares Soup Kitchen. This year, she organized Challenge Day on campus and hosted the fourth annual Appreciating Diversity Week. SCOTT BRADLEY, 18 Aliso Viejo, Aliso Niguel High Among his many pursuits on the baseball field and in the classroom, he is a member of the National Honors Society. He also will take his sport a bit further, accepting a baseball scholarship to attend Boston College. He has maintained his academic excellence with a rigorous schedule of college prep and AP coursework. BRADEN BARNETT, 18 Corona del Mar, Sage Hill School/Newport Beach He finds equal challenges on the soccer and track teams, in student government and as an AP student in Latin IV class. "What I admire most about Braden," writes his Latin teacher, Theodore Freeman, "is the joy he so effortlessly finds in life." He is well-known on campus for his love of laughter and his reputation for zaniness. "Braden unquestionably loves to shine," his teacher writes, "but he also delights in seeing others shine." WESLEY PAULSEN, 18 Orange, Orange High He is headed to West Point with a 4.7 gpa and a varsity football Offensive Lineman of the Year award. He is ranked fourth academically among his 425 classmates and has been a member of the National Honor Society since 2002. He is a volunteer with the Orange Elks Club, handing out Christmas food baskets since 2000. VIET NGUYEN, 17 Santa Ana, Saddleback High The future entrepreneur is founder and president of the Guitar Club, class representative for the California Scholarship Foundation and the Vietnamese Student Association and captain of the volleyball team. He has accumulated scholarship awards from the Santa Ana Chamber of Commerce ($5,000) and the Elks' Worthy Student Scholarship competition ($4,000 so far). With a gpa of 4.636, Viet is the school's valedictorian. His drive and focus could bring economic dividends to his city. "By starting my own company, I will open up a lot of jobs and opportunities to the people of Santa Ana," he says. JULIANA GARCIA, 18 Santa Ana, Santa Ana High She has kept her eyes wide open in a city that is heavily Latino, with many low-income families. "I see the kinds of disadvantages we have, and just working to be better than that and to overcome that would be great." Besides her academic excellence, Juliana is vice president of the California Scholarship Federation, which promotes community service, and volunteers at both the local soup kitchen and the Boys and Girls Club. She also tutors first-time debaters at the high school, and is a member of the early Academic Outreach Program and Future Leaders of America. |
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