Jessica Hernandez Co-Valedictorian
Being valedictorian is the most honorable title someone can achieve in high school. This year our school has the honor of introducing two students as our valedictorians.
With a G.P.A. of 4.45, Co-Valedictorian Jessica Hernandez will end her high school career knowing she achieved the honorable. She will be able to look back at her high school career and know she did her very best.
Jessica entered Paramount High her senior year after living in Texas for two years. Having to start all over was very tough, but Jessica did not let that stand in her way. Jessica committed herself to doing her best, which got her where she is today.
Even though this was Jessica’s first and last year at Paramount, she achieved quite a lot and will be remembered for the dedication and commitment she always put in her work. As an active member of the Marathon Club, she attended many races in order to train for the marathon, and her training paid off when she completed the LA Marathon this past Memorial Day. She was also a member of the College Club; and prior to her arrival at Paramount, she was involved in Track and Field at Grand Prairie
High School in Texas.
The support she has received from her friends and family has kept her motivated to succeed. She has a great support system at home with family who has been by her side every step of the way. Determined to further her education, Jessica will be attending UCLA this fall as a math major. She will be going into the real world with the knowledge she obtained through high school to become a great asset in life.
By Catherine Ruiz, Senior
Gabriela Robles, GPA 4.37
Co-Valedictorian
Although the ’09 Valedictorian race was a close one, Gabriela Robles has come out as top of her class. This year’s Valedictorian was not only number one in her class, she was also well known throughout the campus. The term “smart Gabby,” as many people know her, doesn’t do her justice, since it only incorporates one aspect of her overall persona.
Gabriela has had two main sources of inspiration in her life. Her family has always been the force behind her drive, pushing her to educate herself and better her life. Also, her many teachers have been the mentors whom she gives credit to as the foundation to her educational success.
Gabriela’s first choices for attending college were UCLA and UC Berkeley where she plans to major in Bio-Chemistry and attend Med School in the future.
In her free time, Gabriela kept busy with a variety of activities: Leadership,
Corsaires, Macaws, Softball, and Class Vice President; to simply name a few. She also enjoys cooking. “I find myself cooking at home whenever I can and I usually change the recipe that I’m following in the book.” One word to describe Gabriela would be INCOMPARABLE.
2009 Pete Pirate—Hugo Yepez
In his application, Hugo Yepez wrote, “Pirate Spirit’ has no words to describe it, but when you encounter it, you know it.” Pete Pirate. . .yes, for the class of ’09, if you looked “Pete Pirate” up in the dictionary, Hugo’s picture would be there as an example.
Hugo has been active since he arrived at Paramount High School and willingly accepted responsibilities in his chosen clubs and activities. He has been both a member and officer of Macaws, Corsaires, College Club, Class of ’09, and Yearbook.
Also, Hugo has been active in Leadership serving as Commissioner of Entertainment for one year. He was involved in many activities including D-Jing at lunch, acting as the mascot, and working with “Pennies for Patients.” He was part of the team who set up for assemblies—Renaissance and Wacky Olympics—prepped for the Homecoming half-time show, and was one of the “voices” of the daily
announcements.
As a Class of ’09 officer, Hugo was instrumental in planning for prom, and the Senior Farewell, along with preparing a “mini-conference” for Leadership in the fall of ’08. In his “spare” time, he also participated in Mariachi Night and Faculty Follies in addition to volunteering his time for the yearbook staff. Academically, he also graduated third in his class. Pete Pirate...Hugo Yepez. Yes, it IS a perfect match.
2009 Polly Pirate—Nataly Barragan
Polly Pirate represents the ideal high school student: scholar, athlete, and “gung-ho” supporter of Paramount High School. Nataly Barragan meets those standards. She has been a scholar, in the Top Ten academically every year, an athlete on a volleyball team, and a supporter/participant in many school extra-curricular activities.
As a scholar, Nataly had an overall GPA over 4.0, due to the many honors and AP classes. As an athlete, she played on the JV team for two years, and then was elected the captain of the ’09 varsity team, and led them to league Second Team Honors.
As far as activities go, Nataly has been very involved in Leadership, holding two major offices: Commissioner of Athletics and Commissioner of Advertising. She has been involved in planning school-wide events such as Homecoming, Wacky Olympics, dances, and assemblies. Nataly has also been an active member of Corsaires, serving as president her senior year. Other clubs that she
contributed to with her efforts were Macaws and CSF.
Nataly has been in the Halloween contest (winning in ’08), sold countless bags of snacks to raise funds for her clubs, and was crowned ’08 Homecoming Queen. Nataly said, “When I look back at high school, I won’t have any regrets about what I could’ve done, because I did everything I possibly could.”
Nataly Barragan exemplifies Polly Pirate.
Sonya Cuellar,
Alicia Linden-Anderson, VP/Clerk
Linda Garcia, Member
Vivian Hansen, Member
Tony Peña, Member
Ready, set, hut, hut. Victor Salcedo has not only been a member of the Paramount High School Football team but he also earned the title of 2009 Salutatorian.
His father’s unwavering determination to provide him with a better life along with his mother’s unconditional love inspired Victor to reach his academic goals. Victor’s sisters also inspired him by showing him many different paths to success.
Victor has been accepted to Cal State Long Beach, UC Irvine and UCLA. UCLA is his dream school and his hard work has paid off as he attends this fall. Victor’s future plan is to major in political science with the eventual plan to attend law school. He states, “I want to become an immigration lawyer and contribute to the Chicano cause.”
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