ACHIEVERS ALSO BELIEVERS TEENS DRIVEN BY PASSIONS FOR MUSIC, GOD, PEOPLE.Byline: Holly Edwards Staff Writer Shane Summers thrives on art, music and dance. A gifted painter, pianist and tap dancer attending North Hollywood High
Geraldine Uy, a talented math student and water polo water polo, swimming game encompassing features of soccer, football, basketball, and hockey. The object of the game is to maneuver, by head, feet, or hand, a leather-covered ball 27 to 28 in. player from private Louisville High School Louisville High School may refer to:
Taft High School valedictorian Feilin Zhu was inspired to succeed academically by the racial prejudice she experienced in school as a youngster. And succeed she has - Zhu is heading to Harvard University Harvard University, mainly at Cambridge, Mass., including Harvard College, the oldest American college. Harvard College Harvard College, originally for men, was founded in 1636 with a grant from the General Court of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. this fall to pursue a degree in biology after visiting her hometown of Shanghai, China, this summer. ``Finally I decided if they don't think I can do it, I'm going to study as hard as I can and be as successful as I can,'' Zhu said. ``America is a land of opportunity, but you have to take advantage of that.'' The three are among hundreds of outstanding students graduating from public and private high schools in the San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills. this month. While their stories differ in detail, all three share enthusiasm for their individual pursuits. Passion for art Summers, 17, is one of the most creative students in the highly gifted magnet school at North Hollywood High School North Hollywood High School, originally called Lankershim High School when it opened in 1927, is a secondary school in North Hollywood in Los Angeles, California. The school mascot is the husky, and the school colors are blue, white, grey. , say those who know him best. An avid visual artist, Summers also is an accomplished pianist and tap dancer, who is known for his deadpan humor and is seen as the class comedian, said Phyllis Spadafora, coordinator of the magnet school magnet school n. A public school offering a specialized curriculum, often with high academic standards, to a student body representing a cross section of the community. . ``He has some of the most interesting combination of passions - he's a composer, an artist, a dancer, a comedian - and he nourishes all of them outside of the classroom,'' Spadafora said. ``In addition, he takes a rigorous course load and is doing very well academically.'' Though he has been drawing and painting since he was a child, Summers said he prefers more kinetic arts such as music and dance. Summers is taking piano lessons at the Colburn School The Colburn School is a music, dance, and drama school located in downtown Los Angeles adjacent to the Museum of Contemporary Art and across the street from the Walt Disney Concert Hall. of Music in Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. , and will perform there June 23. ``I've been changing all my likes and dislikes a lot lately, but the things I like the best are piano and music,'' said Summers, who lives in South Los Angeles South Los Angeles is the official name for a large geographic and cultural area lying to the southwest and southeast of downtown Los Angeles, California. The area was formerly called South Central Los Angeles, and is still sometimes called South Central. and takes the subway to North Hollywood each day. ``I like the movement of music, but I like art too, because it's so expressive.'' Summers grew up in a multicultural household - his mother is Korean and his father is African-American - and much of his artwork depicts a synthesis of ideas and people. In one picture, created on scratch board, the bodies of three people of varying sizes and shapes are connected as if they were tree roots. ``In this picture, everyone's connected and there aren't any hard edges. Everything's really soft,'' Summers said. ``I really liked that idea.'' Summers and a classmate, Cecilia Garcia, also created a colorful mural on Lankershim Boulevard, just south of the subway station, depicting various scenes from California history. In music and in art, Summers said he prefers a blend of styles and forms. ``I don't like musicians who only play one certain genre,'' he said. ``I like anyone who's open-minded and plays well. I want to get good enough that I can just play what I'm thinking.'' Humble, with honors Uy, 17, of Northridge is an avid water polo player graduating near the top of her class with a 4.4 grade-point average at Louisville High School, a private Catholic school in West Hills. The honors student An honors student is a student in elementary, middle, or high school recognized for achieving high grades. Honors students are recognized on lists published periodically throughout the school year, known as "honor rolls". plans to attend UCLA UCLA University of California at Los Angeles UCLA University Center for Learning Assistance (Illinois State University) UCLA University of Carrollton, TX and Lower Addison, TX , where she will be one of more than 35,000 undergraduates. ``I've been going to small Catholic schools all my life,'' she said. ``Now I want to go to a big school with a lot of different kinds of people.'' Though she is one of the most popular and academically successful students in her class, Uy is known for her humility and modesty, said Gail Divine, Uy's college counselor. ``She's an incredibly good student, she's involved in a lot of school activities and she's a tremendous athlete,'' Divine said. ``But Geraldine doesn't require a lot of attention or pats on the back. The thing that strikes me the most about her is her modesty.'' Describing water polo as a combination of soccer and basketball, Uy said she likes the speed and competitiveness of the sport. But, she admits she lacks the cutthroat aggressiveness some players have. ``The problem with water polo is it's an easy sport to do underwater pushing and holding where no one can see,'' Uy said. ``But I don't like to do that, it's like cheating.'' The foundation for her academic and athletic success, Uy said, is her religious faith. Uy has been involved in the campus ministry club throughout her high school years, and served this year as the ministry's secretary and treasurer. ``Any time I get down if I lose a game or don't do well on a test, I still have my faith to fall back on,'' she said. ``It's the one thing I can always count on in my life.'' Driven to succeed Zhu, 18, of Woodland Hills, valedictorian of Taft High School with a 4.7 grade-point average, said she was inspired to succeed academically by the racial prejudice she experienced in American schools when she was younger. Zhu moved to the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. when she 5 so her father could pursue a doctorate in economics at the University of Rhode Island History The University was first chartered as the state's agricultural school in 1888. The site of the school was originally the Oliver Watson Farm, and the original farmhouse still lies on the campus today. . The family then moved to Sacramento when she was 10 and she has lived in the Valley since she was 15. ``The racism was subtle, but I knew it was there,'' Zhu said, recalling a fourth-grade teacher who spoke to her and her parents as if they were children. Since she has lived in the Valley, Zhu said she has encountered more enlightened attitudes and has thrived while at Taft, where she is a peer counselor, helping fellow students tackle the college and career selection process. Tana Star, Zhu's Advanced Placement biology teacher, said Zhu has a rare clarity of vision and ability to turn pressures into challenges. ``It's a wonderful, exciting thing to see a high school student set a goal and go about achieving it,'' Star said. ``Most of us just dream our goals, but she lives them.'' Because of her intense desire to help people, Zhu said she plans to pursue a career as a pediatrician, and has been volunteering in the infant ward of Northridge Hospital Medical Center Northridge Hospital Medical Center is a hospital in the Northridge town of Los Angeles, California, USA. It is currently operated by Catholic Healthcare West. History The hospital was founded in 1955 by Dr. for two years to prepare for that. She said a choking scare with her younger sister prompted her to want to help children. ``When she was 3 months old, she had a breathing problem and we were afraid she was going to choke,'' Zhu said. ``I felt so powerless and I didn't know how to help her, she was so young and so vulnerable. Ever since then, I've wanted to be a pediatrician so I can help children like her.'' CAPTION(S): 3 photos Photo: (1 -- color) Multitalented Shane Summers, among the top seniors at North Hollywood High, painted a mural with a fellow student that shows California history displayed on Lankershim Boulevard. Gus Ruelas/Staff Photographer (2) Taft High valedictorian Feilin Zhu plans to pursue a career in pediatrics after moving on to Harvard University in the fall. Charlotte Schmid-Maybach/Staff Photographer (3) Geraldine Uy of Louisville High says her faith helps her succeed in grades and sports. Michael Owen
Box: VALEDICTORIANS: CLASS ACTS ALL THE WAY |
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