Profiles of the 2011 All-Star Graduates

BRETT EVANS
Federal Way High School
Parents: Chandra and Michael Evans
Residence: Federal Way
GPA: 4.0

Brett Evans wanted a college education and training to become a military officer. By enrolling in the U.S. Naval Academy, “I’ll get the best of both worlds,” he said.

Late this month, he’ll start training as a plebe at the academy in Annapolis, Md. Classes start in late August.

“It’s very regimented,” he said. “They’re going to tell me what I have to do and what I get to do.”

Brett’s father, grandfather and great-grandfather all served in the Navy.

“Since middle school,” he said, “I know I’ve wanted to give back to my country.”

For now, Brett said he hasn’t decided between entering the Navy or the Marines after the academy. He plans to major in business or engineering.

Gaining admission to the Naval Academy required applying for and receiving a nomination from a member of Congress. U.S. Rep. Adam Smith, D-Tacoma, nominated him.

At Federal Way High, Brett excelled in the college-preparatory Cambridge Academy. He’s earned letters in football, baseball and tennis, and served this year as Associated Student Body president.

For community service, Brett has fed homeless people, cleaned up a park and served as a mentor.

As a Christian, he credits God and his family for his accomplishments.

“Without them, I don’t feel this opportunity – this dream – would have come true.”

What’s next: U.S. Naval Academy.

Steve Maynard, staff writer

CHANEL WASHINGTON
Lakes High School
Parents: Roy and Andrea Washington
Residence: Lakewood
GPA: 4.0

Chanel isn’t letting a wheelchair limit her aspirations.

Diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy at age 2, doctors didn’t think she’d live to see her 11th birthday.

“I feel there’s this stereotype or standard for a lot of disabled people that they can’t make a big impact in the world and they’re more like a burden on the world,” Chanel said.

She is proof to the contrary. She has been accepted to Harvard University, where she plans to start a mentorship program for physically disabled students to help them get into college. She credits mentoring she received as a senior with helping her realize her goal of acceptance into an elite university.

During her sophomore year at Lakes, Chanel served as state president for DECA, an association of marketing and business students. She served three years as class president and four years as captain of the Knowledge Bowl team. In the community, she’s served on the City of Lakewood’s Youth Council and the legislative youth advisory council.

“Chanel has a deep sense of pride in her scholastic achievement because she feels that with limited use of her body, her mind is her most precious asset. She wants to nourish it with as much knowledge as possible,” school officials wrote in her nomination letter.

What’s next: Chanel plans a career in public health policy.

Christian Hill, staff writer

CHELSEA SOTHIA KEM
Wilson High School
Family: Mother Thavy Lar and grandmother Channary Bourly
Residence: Tacoma
GPA: 3.87

Chelsea has been involved in student government at Wilson and in the All-City Student Senate. And while she’s interested in politics and government, she doesn’t see herself as a career politician.

“I’m pretty honest,” she says. “I think I’m pretty genuine. That’s what I strive to be, at least.”

She hopes to become an entrepreneur. “I like the idea of building and expanding a business.”

This Daffodil Princess said she initially entered the competition because she was interested in the scholarship that comes with it. But she found that the experience opened new doors.

“It was fun,” she said. “Once I was in it, I found there were so many great and amazing people rooting for you.”

Chelsea volunteered in a variety of settings: in public libraries, at the Boys & Girls Club and in her school’s student store. She also took Advanced Placement classes in government, literature and chemistry – even though she says she hates to study. She’s also a glassblower.

Chelsea said that being raised by her mother and grandmother prompted her to set some life goals.

“I want to get my education, work a bit, get married and have a family,” she said. “My family is so nontraditional. I really want a traditional family.”

What’s next: Chelsea plans to major in business at the University of Washington.

Debbie Cafazzo, staff writer

JESSICA HUFF
Spanaway Lake High School
Parents: Aaron Huff and Sherry Huff
Residence: Puyallup
GPA: 3.73

Jessica has an idea how she’ll feel when she marches down the aisle at graduation to receive her diploma: excited, accomplished, hopeful. And proud. The 18-year-old worked hard to get there, overcoming personal obstacles on her path to success.

She’s moved more than a dozen times in her life, shuttling between her mom in Michigan, dad in Puyallup and grandma in Spanaway, she said.

But her love of learning has been a constant. She’s especially strong in spelling and math.

She’s also interested in the world around her and what makes people tick, perhaps from so much experience being the new kid in town, she said.

She hopes to translate that into a career in psychology.

At Spanaway Lake High, Jessica distinguished herself with high grades, volunteer work with seniors at care centers, and awards for two years of perfect attendance. She also fit in a part-time job.

A school counselor called her “bright, positive and dedicated to others.”

Jessica said it’s never occurred to her to be any other way.

“I’ve always had a very optimistic attitude. That was what got me through everything – having an optimistic attitude and knowing that everything is going to be good in the end.”

What’s next: Jessica won’t attend college right away, but wants to enroll at a community college and transfer to a four-year university.

Sara Schilling, staff writer

JONATHAN HANISCH
Peninsula High School
Parents: Ed and Ellen Hanisch
Residence: Wauna
GPA: 4.0

After Jonathan made Eagle Scout two years ago, quitting would have been understandable. He had a lot on his plate: lifestyle changes after moving to Washington; a full load of Advanced Placement and other tough classes; cross-country, track, church and other commitments. He stuck with Scouting for a simple reason: “You don’t turn your back on the program.”

Adults who know Jonathan describe him as loyal, a problem-solver, a leader by example. One teacher called him the rare student “whose maturity and confidence set him apart so much that you start thinking of him as a colleague rather than a student.”

As senior patrol leader for his Key Peninsula troop, Jonathan has logged 200 hours of public service and enjoyed an outlet for outdoor pursuits, helping younger Scouts press on when fatigue sets in, his scoutmaster said.

Last year Jonathan joined Pierce County Explorer Search and Rescue, recording another 150 hours.

The quietly thoughtful teen moved from Nebraska with his family after his sophomore year. He said he feels richer having been exposed to more ethnic and political diversity here – and to scenic wonders such as the Olympic National Park coastline.

“(The move) was a culture shock at first – a geographical shock, too – but for the better.”

What’s next: Jonathan will attend the University of Washington. He wants to be a cardiologist.

Matt Misterek, staff writer

KAINEN BELL
Stadium High School
Parent: Christine Bell
Residence: Tacoma
GPA: 3.82

Kainen has been hanging around at the Al Davies Boys & Girls Club in Tacoma since he was in elementary school. Today, the place feels like home.

“It’s like my club now,” says the state Boys & Girls Club Youth of the Year.

But the consummate volunteer didn’t earn the big award the first time he tried. He wasn’t sure he wanted to repeat the long application process he went through as a junior, but “a lot of people encouraged me.”

So he applied again. That’s typical Kainen, say those who know him.

Growing up without a father figure in a tough neighborhood was a challenge, he said. It was difficult to find positive black male role models.

“I had a rough time in middle school,” he said. “I was trying to find who I was.”

He rejected the lure of drugs and gangs and chose success at school, in sports – including football and track – and at the Boys & Girls Club. Now, he wants to be a positive symbol who shows other youth a better way of life.

“You want to go to college?” he asks younger kids. “You can do it.”

What’s next: Kainen plans to attend the University of Washington. He’ll attend a summer business program there and hopes to be admitted to the school of business.

Debbie Cafazzo, staff writer

MICAH DONOR
Home-schooled
Parents: Pete and Terry Donor
Residence: Lakewood
GPA: 4.0

Micah likes to push himself. He maintained perfect grades while taking home-school courses and classes at Steilacoom High. For the last two years, he was enrolled full-time at Pierce College, where he’s graduating with honors and an associate’s degree.

He also held down a part-time job as a math, economics and chemistry tutor at the college, and fit in a broad range of volunteer activities, from a mission trip to the Dominican Republic, to serving as a youth leader and playing guitar during worship at his church.

Micah started playing baseball when he was barely big enough to hold a bat, and grew into a standout pitcher on Steilacoom’s team. He also played basketball and ran cross-country, and last year trained for and competed in a triathlon.

“I don’t sit around a lot. I’ve always been that way. I just like to keep busy,” he said.

When he does take a break, it’s often with a book in hand; an avid reader, he can discuss the finer points of the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy.

Balancing his commitments has taught him focus, time management and perseverance, he said. And he’s also taken away another lesson that could double as his personal philosophy: “You have to work hard to be good.”

What’s next: Micah will attend George Fox University, in Newberg, Ore., to study engineering and play on the baseball team.

Sara Schilling, staff writer

MINA SAUDAGARAN
Annie Wright School
Parents: Shahrokh Saudagaran and Uhni Pak
Residence: Tacoma
GPA: 3.88

It’s hard to say which document speaks more loudly about Mina: her strong record of academics and service, or her well-used passport.

At home, she’s excelled at speech and debate, with her rigorous International Baccalaureate classes, as student body president, and as a United Way of Pierce County volunteer and board member.

Traveling abroad, she’s seen countries including Australia, Brazil, Singapore and Turkey. She witnessed abject poverty in India and had to wear a head-scarf visiting a mosque in Dubai.

Mina’s Korean-born mother and Iranian-born father made sure she was a student of the world, even as she grew up in an eclectic mix of U.S. places where her dad taught college – the San Francisco area, Stillwater, Okla., and, since she was 11, Tacoma.

“My parents made it a goal that while I was living under their roof, my sister and I would see as much of the world as we could.”

Her global perspective has flavored her philanthropy. Two years ago, she read a New York Times article about an Afghan girl whom a Taliban attacker sprayed with acid because she dared attend school. Mina raised $6,000 for the girl’s medical care.

“What sets Mina apart from her peers is her drive and curiosity,” said Zachary Hansen, college counseling director at Annie Wright.

What’s next: Mina will attend the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania.

Matt Misterek, staff writer

PREETI PRAKASH
Curtis High School
Parents: Mani and Geetha Prakash
Residence: University Place
GPA: 3.99

Preeti’s experience with medicine began in a place many teenagers would shy away from. As a sophomore, she was too young to volunteer at a hospital so she asked to assist at a local hospice house, not realizing it meant providing end-of-life care.

She said the experience was empowering because it showed she could bring comfort to a person just by talking with them.

“It’s beautiful that someone can connect with another person regardless of whether we truly understand what they’re going through.”

During her junior year, Preeti worked with a cardiologist, a family friend, and did research on coronary heart disease in women. She co-authored a summary that was published in a research journal.

The summer before her senior year, she interned at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle.

For all her efforts, Preeti already has a spot in medical school locked up in Texas. She’s also an award-winning classical Indian dancer and plays classical Indian violin. She has amassed 900 hours of community service, including four years on the University Place Youth Council.

She looks forward to a career helping others.

“I will constantly be learning when I’m a doctor.”

What’s next: Preeti will start her freshman year at Rice University in Houston and afterward is guaranteed a spot at Baylor University’s medical school. She plans a career in biochemistry or biomedical engineering.

Christian Hill, staff writer

QING QING TANG
Mount Tahoma High School
Parent: Hong Hong Messer
Residence: Tacoma
GPA: 3.71

When Qing Qing arrived in Tacoma, a family member bought her a Chinese-English electronic translator. It was stolen from her backpack at school, and she found the pieces on the floor.

Undeterred, she bought a big dictionary and continued learning a new language.

“I didn’t know English when I came here,” she said, recalling her days at Gray Middle School. “Every day, I felt like I could not say anything. I felt mute.”

But with help from that dictionary, classes for English language learners, and time watching television, she learned.

Her second language is one of a long list of accomplishments. Qing Qing plays pool and table tennis, has a green belt in Tae Kwon Do, and is interested in photography and drawing.

She likes listening to Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata” to soothe her on hard days. When she was a freshman, her mother was hit by a car and severely injured. Qing Qing became her family’s housekeeper and caregiver for her baby brother.

“Everything changed so fast,” she said. It changed again when the family temporarily returned to China her junior year.

But school advisers found she kept a strong work ethic and determination to go to college, taking classes including physics while assuming heavy responsibility at home.

What’s next: Qing Qing plans to attend the University of Washington Tacoma and is interested in a medical career.

Debbie Cafazzo, staff writer

REED HAWKINS
Bonney Lake High School
Parent: Gary Hawkins
Residence: Bonney Lake
GPA: 4.0

Reed was a shy ninth-grader who didn’t like public speaking when a teacher encouraged him to run for student council. He thought about it a while, then signed up.

“That was the turning point. It changed my whole high school career,” he said.

Four years later, he has a slate of leadership positions on his résumé. He still doesn’t like giving speeches, but he loves the feeling of being connected to his school and making a difference, he said.

Others have taken notice. A school counselor described Reed as “successful and talented in all areas” and said his “integrity, persistence and positive attitude” shine through.

Leadership wasn’t all that kept Reed busy at Bonney Lake High. He took numerous honors and advanced placement classes – including a biology class he petitioned the school to offer this year. He served as track and cross country team captain and was on the swim team.

He volunteered helping autistic students twice a week and participated in community clean-up days and other activities.

He graduates as a valedictorian and vice president of the student body.

Although he doesn’t yet have a specific career in mind, he said he intends to continue being a leader.

“I just want to make the best with what I can do for other people.”

What’s next: Reed will attend Seattle Pacific University and plans to study biology.

Sara Schilling, staff writer

SHEILA OJEABURU
Thomas Jefferson High School
Parents: Jeremiah and Beatric Ojeaburu
Residence: Federal Way
GPA: 4.0

Sheila chose her college from a student’s dream list. She applied to 10 top universities and was admitted to all, including Harvard, Princeton, Yale, Columbia, Stanford, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of California at Berkeley.

Sheila wavered between Ivy League standouts Harvard and Princeton and chose the former. “I guess I’ve always wanted to go there since I was a little kid.”

As a Christian, Sheila said her faith is the central guiding force for her life, including where to go to college.

“I prayed about it a lot,” she said. “I think it’s where I’m supposed to be.”

Her father is a gastroenterologist, and her mother is a guidance counselor. They both earned college degrees in Nigeria before coming to the U.S. when she was 5.

“My parents coming here as immigrants taught me education was key.”

She’s also learned to give back to the community. Through a program called Consejo, she and her 16-year-old brother have tutored fourth- and fifth-graders who’ve lived with domestic violence in their families.

Sheila earned her diploma from Thomas Jefferson in the college-preparatory International Baccalaureate program.

Her next stop: Cambridge, Mass. “I’m actually waiting for it to kick in that I’m going there.”

What’s next: Sheila plans to study neurobiology. She wants to go medical school – also at Harvard – and become a neurosurgeon.

Steve Maynard, staff writer