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20 Profiles of Orange County’s Best & Brightest Each year, OC Family Magazine editors work through more than 150 high school senior nominees from Orange County’s public and private campuses to choose 20 students who particularly stand out. That is no easy chore. Virtually the entire nominee list is ideal. Yet, there is a trait found in the finalists, of people who seem best suited to make a difference. Here is that list (we actually squeezed in 21 as the list of nominees was particularly strong this year), including their own words from personal statements and college application essays. The cumulative result is a snapshot of teens, ready to become young adults, full of vision, already shaped by life experience, and fully capable of changing the world. Our criteria this year: If these selections made up the UN’s future Security Council, would there be less strife in the world, new ideas, renewed energy, and more innovation that benefits everyone? We came up with an answer: Yes. Lisa Tucker is a typical high school senior in many ways. She hangs out with friends, shops at the mall, goes to football games and can’t wait for Prom Night. She was even Homecoming Queen this year. But then, there’s that “American Idol” thing. Not many 16-year-olds make it to the Top 10 of the biggest TV hit in the nation – one moment in time (ironically, the title of her audition song) that has catapulted her into instant stardom and made her the pride of her hometown, Anaheim. “I went to IHOP the other day and someone walked up to the table and said: ‘It’s Lisa Tucker!’” All this attention is a little weird,” says the gifted teenaged singer who is now a household name. “But I’m trying to get used to it.” Anyone watching “Idol” this season – and there were more than 31 million every week – couldn’t help but marvel at the poise and powerful voice characteristic of this surprisingly young girl with the winning smile. Variety, a Hollywood publication, voted her one of “10 Young Talents To Watch.” Surely, it will be our pleasure. Lisa started singing when she was 2 for her father Stanley, a computer consultant - her first and biggest fan. “He was always saying, ‘Lisa, sing me a song!’” And sing she did, every chance she got. On the way to school, at home, while playing Barbie dolls. Her two brothers (now 21 and 23) would yell, “Lisa, could you just shut up for two seconds?” But Stanley would always say to his Belize-born wife, Eleanor, “I think Lisa can really sing.” Lisa’s mom didn’t think much of it at first. “Oh, that’s just because she’s your little girl.” But one day, when Lisa was 8, she was on the backyard diving board singing a tune from “The Little Mermaid” to an imaginary audience. Her parents cracked the window and quietly listened while Lisa belted it out. Her mother was stunned. “The tears started coming down because that was the first time I really listened to her.” At that moment, Eleanor knew her daughter had real talent. Her journey begins Soon after her debut on the diving board, Lisa’s parents encouraged her to audition for “A Little Princess,” a local production by Orange County Children’s Theatre (OCCT). “We thought it would be a good way to cure her shyness,” especially since she dreamed of being an entertainer, says Eleanor. Lisa was terrified. “I thought, ‘No WAY am I getting up there in front of all those people!’” But not only did she impress the director who told everyone in the room to “remember this moment,” she landed a lead role in her first play. She didn’t have to wait long for her next big break, either. When Disney Productions were casting children for “The Lion King” at the Pantages Theater in L.A., they called OCCT, who referred 10-year-old Lisa. Again, sheer terror at the auditions. But she nailed the role of the original young Nala. “Once I step on stage and sing that first word, the nerves just go away.” It was her first paid gig in front of a nightly audience of 2,700. “I would have done it for free!” School is still king During the six years between “The Lion King” and “American Idol,” Lisa has been a busy up-and-comer. She performed in Las Vegas and Washington, D.C., sang in a local band, learned to play piano and guitar, was a finalist on “Star Search” and won Ed McMahon’s “Next Big Star” TV competition – twice! Amazingly, through it all, school has remained a top priority. She even skipped a grade in elementary school, where she excelled academically. On the “Idol” set, Lisa and the other young ones, Paris and Kevin, had three hours of schooling every day with a Fox-paid private tutor. After all, we don’t want America’s next big star flunking out. While this gifted artist could have attended any performing arts school she desired, she chose the public-school route. “I just wanted to have a regular high school experience. Go to games and cheer. . She insists, “I wanted to keep school totally separate from what I was doing on the outside.” The John F. Kennedy High School teen will follow in her brothers’ footsteps and go to college. “It’s always been a really big plan for me.” She’s thinking USC. Most likely, she’ll major in music. But college will have to wait a year while she and the other Top 10 contestants go on the “American Idol Tour,” landing in 40-plus cities in the U.S. and Canada. The tour begins this month. ‘It’s been such a ride’ It was a collective heartbreak when Lisa was voted off “American Idol” on March 29, particularly in Anaheim where Mayor Curt Pringle encouraged residents to rally behind their homegrown star, who turns 17 this month. “I just went out and did my best. That’s all I could do.” But it was a great run, and the experience changed her life forever. Since “Idol,” Lisa has been in hot demand. In New York, she performed on the “Live with Regis and Kelly” show; sang the national anthem at the Angels’ season opener and a Mighty Ducks’ playoff game; and guest-starred in “The OC,” playing none other than Lisa Tucker, herself. Oh . . . then there’s that album she’s not saying much about. “I have way too much energy to focus on one thing.” As for the really important questions . . . Yes, she gets to keep all those great clothes from the show. And no, Simon isn’t really mean. He came up to Lisa the night she left “Idol” and said: “You are one of the people in this competition who is going to have a long career after this.” After getting Simon’s approval, what more could she possibly dream about? “I want to win a Grammy.” – By Lynn Armitage Laura Chanan, Tarbut V’Torah Community Day School, Irvine Laura, 18, is going to Yale and has the ability to be one of those rare students who changes the campus by being there, rather than being changed by the campus by being there. The National Merit candidate and AP Scholar has a 4.59 gpa and has won academic awards in math and technology. She is the only non-adult member of the Volunteer enter of Orange County, a nonprofit that plans activities for all ages to perform. She tutors Cambodian immigrants in her free time. Accomplished on the viola, Laura has played with the Orange County Youth Symphony Orchestra. And in May, when President Bush was in Irvine, he gave her the President’s Volunteer Service Award which recognizes the best in American spirit. That same month, she was told that she was selected to participate in a summer program, Legacy Heritage Internship for Young Scientists. This is given to “brilliant Jewish high school juniors and seniors with demonstrated scientific aptitude and achievement.” Only 30 U.S and Canadian students are chosen to work in Israel. Laura writes of working on an equation en route to Hawaii that, based on plane speed, wind speed, departure time and distance would give her the answer to the quiz question: When will we be halfway to Hawaii? “People were talking about their answers and I told them mine. One pleasant but condescending woman told me that she disagreed with my answer, but said I shouldn’t be disappointed because, after all, I was only 12. The winners were announced and to the astonishment of the lady, ‘Laura Chanan’ was a winner.” Cecilia Rosca, Buena Park High School The youngest child of a large family is also the high school’s valedictorian. She has been applauded for her high academic achievement and described as a person of integrity and perseverance and civic duty, with honesty and responsibility thrown in. She has held several positions in student leadership and also teaches a Sunday school class at her church and helps at a local elementary school during summer school sessions. She quotes Ralph Waldo Emerson: “It is not the length of life, but the depth of life.” And she writes of her early struggles academically, being compared to older siblings, and slowly getting it. “The numbers on my transcript show my academic side; they do not reveal my character. I am multicultural. I was born in Romania to a Slovakian mother and a Romanian father. My family was a mixture of two cultures and has adapted to a third. At home, I am Romanian and Slovakian; I speak the languages, eat the food and observe the customs. At school, I adapt to the American lifestyle. I have been surrounded by my stable and loving family my entire life. My parents taught me to value relationships, especially my relationship with God. This is who I am.” Daniel Rojas, Santiago High School, Garden Grove Daniel’s recognition is equal parts academic, athletic, leadership and community service. His characteristicsinclude a quiet, humble manner and unusual maturity. Superintendent Laura Schwalm has said: “I have had the privilege of knowing many outstanding young people in my 33-year career as an educator. None has impressed me more than Daniel Rojas.” The 18-year-old, fluent in Spanish, considers his parents his heroes. They grew up in Mexico in poverty, and now, years later, he prepares to leave home for USC. And he will miss them. “High school has had the greatest impact on my life. Two of my greatest joys during high school were participating in football and Key Club. I learned so many life-long lessons like dealing with loss and how to work with others. My future goals are to attend USC and major in business administration and minor in political science or the music industry. My career goal is to become the CEO of a major recording label. My goals for my personal life are to marry my best friend and have two or three children and just be happy with my family.” Victoria Degen, Laguna Beach High School Victoria has had to fight for more than her place in school – she’s had to fight for her life. She has been diagnosed with two different types of cancer in the past four years. “I beat both cancers,” she writes, “and this is the fact that defines who I am: a fighter and a winner.” She plans to major in broadcast journalism at Boston University. “After several months of chemotherapy in 2001, the only hairs on my entire body were two eyelashes. Nevertheless, I was excited about my first day as an eighth-grader, so I put on my wig, loaded up those two eyelashes with a couple layers of mascara, and set out for school. Two years later, I developed another kind of cancer, this time in my uterus. Beating cancer twice taught me other valuable lessons. I learned that although people have no control over what happens to them, they can control their attitude during difficult times. “Had I not had cancer, I never would have become associated with the Make-a-Wish Foundation. My work as an ambassador led me to discover my passion for public speaking and helped me decide to major in communications. In the last three years, I have spoken in front of thousands of people to raise funds for this wonderful organization. “A few days ago, I cracked open a fortune cookie containing the following message: ‘Health, success and happiness are in your future.’ Thanks to my past experiences, I have no doubt.” Jason Kim, Sunny Hills High School, Fullerton Jason is one of a select group of Orange County students who go through the International Baccalaureate Diploma curriculum. He is ranked top of his class academically and is the editor of the award-winning campus newspaper. The accomplished pianist is considered the go-to student on campus. He has been honored by the local Rotary Club, and others, for his achievements. He recalls how his father, having emigrated from South Korea, found “life in America both difficult and wonderful.” He pumped gas in the U.S. to choose a better life for his son, rather than continue studies back home to become an engineer. That kind of sacrifice has stayed with Jason. The senior says that his life experiences here are unique – piano, cross-country competition, student newspaper. “Due to my father’s sacrifices, my education has extended far beyond the classroom. Today, my father is a wholesaler, a superhuman who works at least 13 hours a day. I have looked up to this man my whole life, and still look up to him today.” Jade Le, Rancho Alamitos High School, Garden Grove Jade has tried to do it all, to become the complete student. No wonder she was voted “Most Likely to Succeed” by the senior class. She holds a 4.68 gpa, competes on the volleyball team, is a member of the Key Club and Yearbook, and has been president or vice president of various campus clubs. Most importantly, perhaps, she is founder and president of the school’s Red Cross Club. She spearheaded efforts to raise money for Hurricane Katrina victims through movie nights, car washes and button sales. A current project is a measles initiative to raise money for vaccinations of African students. The slogan: “one dollar = one shot = one life.” The Vietnamese-born teen was imprisoned in her home country as a baby when her mother was caught trying to attempt to flee. Her father had left earlier with a sister; four years later, they all became one again in the United States. “It was my mother’s strong character that helped my family overcome language barriers, limited opportunities, and the lack of knowledge to effectively pursue new opportunities. “Possessing the conviction to help others provides me with a fulfilling purpose in life, and I plan on pursuing career goals that will help me to continue living with purpose.” She quotes Anne Frank: “How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.” Christine Antonios, Fairmont Private Schools – Anaheim Christine oversees the student yearbook and is director of the Senior Play. She is also known as a great person. Her leadership qualities, besides a 4.3 gpa, have included being president of a Christian club that she founded on campus. She teaches Sunday school at her church. She writes about her struggles in relating to a class’s study of Taoism and Existentialism. “The end result was a clash between everything in which I was once confident and a world that made me question that confidence. As the year continued, I found that nothing ever got easier and I never stopped feeling like the odd one out. I constantly had to not only encounter new worldviews, but I found myself defending my own. “I would like to think I have come full circle. I never lost that confidence I once had in my life, but I now have a reason for it. Instead of being dumbfounded and almost insulted by questions that arise that oppose my beliefs, I now enjoy the discussion and invite the challenge.” Christine received the Student of the Year Award in philosophy. Gerald Tiu, Troy High School, Fullerton Gerald is an International Baccalaureate candidate and in the Troy Tech Program, a specialized secondary magnet programs that offers accelerated classes in math, science and technology. He has been accepted to Yale. Recently, he and his schoolmate, Huy Nguyen, took third place and won $40,000 in the national team event of the Siemens-Westinghouse Math, Science and Technology Competition. Working under the tutelage of a Cal State Fullerton professor, Dr. Fu-Ming Tao, they studied the reaction of fluorinated acetones with chlorine radicals. The former are byproducts of hydro fluorocarbons, or HFCs, found in refrigerators and air conditioners and harmful to humans. At the end of his sophomore year, the budding scientist was one of 40 students nationwide to be accepted to the UC Davis Young Scholars Program. The accomplished pianist is active in campus clubs and on the student newspaper, where he is news editor. “I want to be a great scientist: a Planck, an Einstein, or a Mendel. Their accomplishments uncovered new frontiers and changed the course of established thought.” He writes that at the Siemens competition, he learned to see the whole human. “I had reduced the finalists to nothing more than their achievements, completely ignoring their human qualities, that they were in fact real people. What really made them Great Scientists was that they were Great People, people whose diverse interests extended beyond the narrow path that technical science presents.” Max Ukropina, Corona del Mar High Max has been all over the state, going to Sacramento to participate in youth and government programs, where this year he was governor of California Golden Boys State; serving as youth mayor of the city of Newport Beach; and now wrapping up a senior year, having had his half-hour conversation with Gov. Schwarzenegger while getting bitten by the public service bug. “In a speech I made alongside former U.S. Treasurer Rosario Marin, on National Youth in Service Day, I expressed my feelings: ‘The call to service: It’s something that survives deep in each of our souls. It’s a feeling that pushes one to sacrifice their time, their energy and their resources in order to benefit not themselves, but a complete stranger, their local community or global community.’ “I am not required to give back to my community. I do because it is my moral duty to inspire others, to use my drive to instigate change.” The school’s student body president was chosen by the Daily Pilot of Newport Beach and Costa Mesa as one of its 103 most influential people. Stefanie Etow, Santa Margarita Catholic High School Stefanie has found a way to balance academics with cross country. She has been a volunteer with Special Olympics as well as One World Running, the latter that brings running shoes to people worldwide who have no other footwear. Says the founder of the nonprofit: “Stefanie is thinking about other people around the world, not just her isolated little world.” She writes about how she helps a running companion keep her paces, by matching stride by stride with the friend. “After reading an inspirational article by Olympic gold medalist Billy Mills (he won the 10k race in 1964), my race time dropped two minutes. Everybody wanted to know what I did differently; it was not what I did, it was what I saw. I saw that my capabilities were relative to belief in myself. Belief brings success; doubt brings defeat. “Motivated by this insight to help other people see the potential in themselves as well, I became a certified Special Olympics track and field coach. For the last three years, I have devoted every Saturday morning to helping 12 individuals break through their barriers and push their limits.” “A side ache is temporary. Surrendering to that side ache is everlasting. Running has helped me be more than just alive. I am living.” Audrey Jacobsen, St. Margaret’s Episcopal School, San Juan Capistrano Audrey has worn a leadership medallion, earning the Dominic Ondryas Memorial Leadership Award. She has gone on a medical mission to India, witnessed more than 130 surgeries, met the Dalai Lama and realized that, even at a young age, someone can make a difference. She is a standout tennis player at her school and has a particular love of skiing. But it is her work with Operation Smile, a nonprofit that provides facial reconstructive surgery to children born with cleft lips and cleft palates, that has changed a young life. “The first time I walked into the Dharamsala Hospital, I was shocked. I expected it would be dirty, not up to American standards, but I had never imagined wild monkeys jumping in windows and running through the wards. This was a Third World hospital: Dirt layered the floors and filled the air, windows did not shut, sick people lined up outside iron gates for a chance to see a doctor, the smell in the air itself was sickening; I couldn’t breathe. “I met a 16-year-old girl with a cleft lip. This girl, who was my age, had no self-confidence, no smile, no joy in her eyes as teenagers should. “I got to watch her surgery; I looked on as her life changed right before my eyes.” Patricia Abad-Santos, Connelly High, Anaheim Her career interests revolve around psychology, philosophy, or the visual arts, but she could very well end up being a doctor. The honor roll student has earned several awards in school and from several organizations, and volunteered more than 550 hours of community service at Long Beach Memorial Medical Center as a student researcher. She has received end-of-the-year awards in art, English, history, religious studies and Spanish. The family discussion is big in this family. “In those classic Native American movies, the tribe gathers around a great fire at night. Except, ‘the tribe’ is my family, the ‘great fire’ is the dinner table, and the ‘great elder’ would be my father and the ancient myths and heroes could be anything from the idea of stem cell research to the origins of moonshining. “My thoughts were always challenged at the dinner table, but I learned how to support them with current events, history and even literature. “In the years to come, I will let my mind be molded by the world, the people I come across and the different experiences that will ensue.” Shana Kalaria, Capistrano Valley High-Mission Viejo Shana will be a doctor, a plastic surgeon. Count on it. Her academic, leadership and community service have created a well-rounded senior ready to take the next step in life. And she has seen her future work up close, volunteering in the operating room at Mission Hospital for the past four years and 900 hours. The National Honor Roll student recently ranked first academically among her 475 fellow classmates with a 4.8 gpa. “I traveled to India last summer on vacation, which made me even more passionate about becoming a doctor. In India, I saw the extreme amount of pain that people experience, and I knew that it was my calling to become a doctor and relieve people of as much pain as possible.” “Volunteering (at Mission Hospital) has given me insight into what doctors really do behind the scenes, and it has broadened my perspective of the medical field. A career in medicine will satisfy both my love of biology and my passion to help people.” Gerardo Moreno Jr. Santa Ana High Geraldo, known as “Gerry,” is student body president and an Advanced Placement student. He is active in church and in the Santa Ana community, where he was born and raised. He will attend UCLA and plans to major in political science with a focus on public service. Considered a role model to fellow students, his ongoing work on campus may set the stage for his career. “One personal quality that I believe puts me at an advantage is my leadership qualities. I have been involved in the Associated Student Body for the past three years and I consider myself to have been a vital part and a tremendous contributor to the team. My current position has offered me the most challenging experiences and helped me improve as a leader and a student. My ultimate goal is to become involved in my Latino community both politically and socially so that I may voice and help improve current public policy.” Jennifer Peterson, Marina High, Huntington Beach Jennifer is one of her school’s top students academically and serves as Yearbook editor, arts and entertainment editor for the school newspaper, Math Club president and a host of other clubs and organizations, such as Academic Decathlon. She has participated in pre-college programs at Harvard, Brown, UC Irvine and Stanford, but it is her travels to China and Sweden that she chooses to write about – a stranger in strange lands. “I’m back at home in sunny California. What a change from where I’ve been to. Here at home I am not the weird-looking one. At Chinese school one day, my teacher was telling me how my sentence structure is always mixed up because I tend to think of it in the English format. ‘Jennifer, it’s OK. You’re only half-Chinese. You’re fine. For you, it is only supposed to be half-right. For me, I have to have it right all the time because I’m full Chinese.’ It is only a joke, but the truth in it is there. The way I communicate reflects my dual heritage. I feel comfort in expressing who I am, regardless of the rules.” Priyanka Venkatesh, Dana Hills High The much-heralded music student – she has performed with the Pacific Symphony Youth Orchestra and studied the violin for 10 years – is well rounded. She hopes to study everything from astrophysics to Spanish, from biology to linguistics, in college. The senior, born to Indian parents, writes: “(In) California, I decided I didn’t want to be an ABCD, or an American-Born Confused Desi (Indian) anymore. First, I delved into learning Kannada, a South Indian language. Through books, I was able to learn the grammar and structure. Then, I developed fluency by speaking with my parents and other people in our cultural community every chance I got. “After I received a ‘Indian Heritage’ scholarship and trophy, I gave a speech in Hindi about the impact my culture has on me. “This past summer, I went to visit my auntie and her family (in India), and I shared wonderful experiences with them that I will never forget. We were able to have intelligent discussions (in Kannada and Hindi) about everything from Indian music and dance to Indian politics and the flourishing economy. (I have gone) from cultural ignorance to cultural vitality in just a few years.” Lindsay Berkowitz, Aliso Niguel High The homecoming queen is an aspiring architect who is ranked in the top 5% academically in her senior class. She is a bit of a fundraising phenom as well. At the Homecoming halftime show, her efforts helped raise more than $6,000 in funds and in-kind services. It is not surprising, then, that she chooses this Chinese proverb: “Those who say it cannot be done should not interrupt the person doing it.” “In other words, choose your perception and you choose your reality. I first planted the seeds of that proverb in middle school when I discovered the importance of demonstrating the courage of one’s convictions. Due to impending boundary changes, the school board intended to send many students in my middle school to three different schools in three years. Believing this unfair, I developed a petition, gathered signatures, and represented the students’ voices at the public hearing among hundreds of people. It taught me the importance of teamwork, goal-setting and the satisfaction of acting upon your passion in a meaningful leadership role. “Through my environmental studies, I learned that the size of the built environment will double over the next 20 to 40 years and will become one of the most resource- and energy-consumptive industries in the world. Storms like Hurricane Katrina taught me that a better grasp of environmental sciences could usher in a new age of architecture. These facts made me aware of the critical need to integrate ecology and the built environment and became the underpinning of my passion to practice in the Green Movement of Integrated Architecture.” Nic Adams, San Clemente High Nic’s teachers have described him as determined, imaginative and diligent. He is, no wonder, ASB president, working well with fellow student leaders on campus. He is enrolled in the International Baccalaureate program, is involved in theater and still donates time to community service. “From early on, I’ve wanted something more. Something astounding. A life ‘for the history books,’ as they say. On that I can recall with warm anxiety, knowing that whatever chapter I choose to recount, the faces of my audience will be beaming with glittery gaze. “Though I have a full scholastic and extracurricular schedule, my passion and heart lie in the creation of music and I hope to bring joy to the world by seeking a career as a music producer or engineer. I will thrive at the University of San Francisco, using all aspects and resources of the college, as well as the spirit of the city by the bay, to become the best professional human being I can be.” Mary Reyes, Orange High Mary began her schooling as an English learner; today, she is enrolled in AP classes. She is considered a quiet, attentive student, and that might serve her well in her desired field of nursing. She writes: “At the age of 10, I left the Philippines to see Disneyland. Filipinos look at America as the ‘land of opportunity where dreams come true.’ In my senior year, I’ve been an effective leader as the (National Honor Society) club’s senior secretary. I use verbal and non-verbal ways of communicating to influence members. In this way, I am constantly looking ahead and planning the future goals. As a leader, I work at clarity and definition of goals so that they can be internalized and acted upon by others. “A leader must be able to place himself in the situation of the follower. A leader must understand the motivation of the follow. In this way, a leader can satisfy the needs of the group and the individual.” Melissa Youssef, Capistrano Valley Christian Schools, San Juan Capistrano Melissa, 17, achieved her highest gpa this year, of 4.8. That also is the highest at the private school. A first-generation American coming from a single-parent household, she has faced some challenges. But, as she notes, “nothing is impossible to accomplish in this country if one puts their heart and mind into it.” She is president of the National Honor Society and has served on several school organizations, including as junior class president. She speaks three languages and plans to attend Pepperdine University. “If there were three words to describe my personality, it would be tenacious, responsible and committed. One of the most life-changing events that I have experienced…was my mission trip to Egypt. Having the opportunity to serve others has taught me numerous lessons that formed and shaped who I am today. As a result of working with people who live in the most desolate conditions, I have realized what a privilege it is to live in the United States, the land of endless opportunities where no hard work goes in vain.” The report was compiled by Executive Editor Craig Reem. |
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