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Editor's Note
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 When we set to work on this year’s list of Shining Students, our annual list of Orange County’s most outstanding young people, I couldn’t help but wonder where the students who made our first list back in 1999 are now, 10 years later. We put editorial intern Amanda Estep on the case. Here is what we learned: > Asiolefolasa (Asi) Faoa THEN: Asi Faoa was an 18-year-old honor student and ASB president at Magnolia High School in Orange when he was inducted into the first class of OC Family Shining Students. He was also a star athlete who was headed to UCLA on a football scholarship. NOW: Faoa turned a five-year college football career at UCLA into a professional career. He put his plans to become an attorney on hold, playing for the L.A. Avengers, the San Diego Riptide and, most recently, the Arizona Rattlers. > Meghan Clyne THEN: Ten years ago Meghan Clyne, a senior at the Fairmont Preparatory Academy in Anaheim, held the highest GPA in her graduating class (4.89) and was president of the National Honor Society. She dreamed of entering politics, hoping to make our world a better place. She told OC Family in a 1999 interview, “A real goal (politics) would be to enter Congress as a representative … That gives you a lot of power (to make needed change).” NOW: Clyne graduated from Yale in 2003 and has contributed as a writer to The Weekly Standard, the New York Sun and the National Review. She has also worked as a speechwriter for Laura Bush and President George W. Bush.  > Amanda Beard THEN: A decade ago, Amanda Beard was still reveling in the glory of her 1996 Olympic swimming success in Atlanta, where she captured two silver medals, along with a team gold. The Irvine High School senior was headed to the University of Arizona on a scholarship and eventually hoped to have a career in interior design. In 1999, when asked about her dreams for making the world better, she told OC Family she was concerned about the planet and about how we care for animals: “I want to see animals treated better …” NOW: Beard competed in the 2000, 2004 and 2008 Olympic games, winning a total of two gold medals, four silver and one bronze. She now models and has appeared in Sports Illustrated’s Swimsuit Edition as well as Playboy. In 2008 she joined Fox’s “The Best Damn Sports Show Period” as a correspondent. Last year, Beard supported PETA’s anti-fur campaign by posing nude in front of an American flag. The campaign slogan: “Be comfortable in your own skin.”  Finally, a nod to OC Family magazine Shining Student (2005) and cover model Mark Sanchez, who at that time was a Mission Viejo High School football star. After a stellar college career at USC, Sanchez was drafted last month by the New York Jets in a much-publicized deal worth millions.We tracked down Sanchez to ask how important family has been to his success. Here’s what he told us: “My entire family has been instrumental in my success. They have been incredibly supportive, but at the same time they pushed me to be my best.” Sanchez credits his mom, who used to take several different connecting busses to attend his games, as the one who was always there to comfort him. In the end, fame and fortune aside, family often defines us most. |
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RSS SubscribeReaders Feedback:
I appreciated your follow up about your former Shining Students from year's past, as well as the article about the current Shining Students. This year's bunch are truly amazing!
I do have one concern, however, about the "Still Shining" Editor's Notes. OC Family is a family magazine, yes? Since when is the fact that someone poses nude in Playboy or in front of the American flag for a PETA ad something that deserves recognition and OC Family's admiration as a "Still Shining/Shining Students" alum?
I think OC Family should maintain higher standards as a family magazine. Otherwise, what message are we sending our girls? "Look! You too can get recognized for being a Shining Student by posing nude! After all, everyone's doing it!"
Just my two cents.
| Comment at 6/2/2009 |
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