Early College High School

8 Sunday, June 12, 2022 — DAILY REPUBLIC Early College HIGH SCHOOL

TOP STUDENTS

Jessica Lapurga

Next year: Internship with First 5 Solano this summer and attend UC Berkeley for Social Welfare in the fall. At Cal, I plan to get involved with Filipino cultural groups and take advantage of the access I have to professors who are leading professionals in the fields of welfare and policy. I hope to make the most of my college experience at the #1 public university in America. Career goal: Become a child welfare social worker. Down the line I would like to earn my clinical license and my ultimate dream is to work with organizations to lobby and advocate for policies that will strengthen families and children in my community. Highlights: The small but close community and the dual enrollment opportunity. The multitude of experiences I was able to have, I got the ‘high school experience’ with dances and games at Rod while getting my associate’s degree at Solano all while doing outreach in my community. Lastly, the friendships and memories I have made during these four years. Scholarships, awards: Chinese American Association of Solano County Scholarship, Rotary Club of Fairfield Suisun Good Character Award, Early College Student of the Year Nominee, Mustang Excellency Award (5-time recipient). In 10 years: I see myself living an abundant and balanced life. I see myself traveling the world to see how other countries operate and to learn other cultures. I hope to be a person rich with experience and relationships. Mashika Mrema

Next year: University of Chicago. Career goal: The handsomest philanthropist to ever live in Solano. Highlights: Helping people pass their classes. Not taking the SAT. The pandemic. Scholarships, awards: University of Chicago Grant. In 10 years: Not Fairfield. You’re just going to have to wait and see. Danielle Murphy

Next year: I will be studying mathematics at UC Berkeley. Career goal: I want to do something in the field of math, possibly teaching or something where I work with data. I’m pretty open to what that looks like because I have time to figure it out. Highlights: Leadership President, Magazine Editor for ECHS, headed the planning for a fundraiser that raised $3,000 dollars for a nonprofit organization. Secretary of ECHS GSA. Scholarships, awards: n/a. In 10 years: I’d love to be in a STEM job, with a dog in a cute apartment. Yazmyn Sims

Next year: Attend UC Santa Cruz and study computer science and game design. Career goal: Game design. Highlights: Becoming president of the Robotics Club, becoming a member of the National Honor Society, and becoming the tech editor for Key Club. Scholarships, awards: The Voice of Democracy Speech Scholarship. In 10 years: Hopefully bringing home a baby from the hospital. I would love to be a mom. Christopher Knight

Next year: I will be attending a UC school to study biology. Career goal: I hope to become a surgeon. Highlights: I have maintained over 4.0 GPA throughout my time in high school and have achieved an A in all but one of my college classes I have taken. I will be graduating with an associate’s degree before I even graduate high school! Aside from grades, I have also participated in many leadership organizations and groups both inside and outside of school such as the National Honors Society, Solano Youth Coalition, Fairfield Youth Commission, and Black Student Union, where I also serve as vice president. Scholarships, awards: N/A. In 10 years: I see myself completing my residency in medical school in order to obtain my dream career of being a surgeon.

Maritza Gonzalez Torres

Next year: I plan to attend a UC. My top choice is UC Santa Cruz. I plan to live there. I will be majoring in cell and molecular biology. Career goal: To get into medical school after college. After medical school, I hope to complete a residency to then become an oncologist. Highlights: All the hours my friends and I spent together. Every day was full of smiles and laughs. They were the best part of my high school career. I enjoyed the time I was able to participate in clubs such as H.O.P.E Club, BSU, KEY Club, and NHS. Being able to participate in Leadership was an amazing privilege that has taught me a lot. This year, I enjoyed the time I spent volunteering at the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano. I will always be grateful for the college classes I was able to take. Overall, high school was a great learning and growing experience. Scholarships, awards: Eligibility in the Local Context Program, Honor Roll, Academic Letter, French AA Degree, Liberal Studies AA Degree, Science and Quantitative Reasoning AA Degree. In 10 years: I see myself practicing medicine, still living in a bigger city after college. In my personal life, I hope to have a family of my own and just be happy no matter where I end up.

AARON ROSENBLATT/DAILY REPUBLIC

Micah Schmidt

Next year: My plan is to stay at Solano and transfer out at a later semester. Career goal: To be someone who can entertain others and elicit emotion in a creative way. Highlights: Our Senior Class picnic and field day. The rallies we’ve had. Homecoming in sophomore and senior year. When I was nominated for Student of the Year. Scholarships, awards: Good Character Youth Reward from the Rotary Club. I’m currently a Life Scout in Scouts. Elected the Vice President of our Senior Class Club. In 10 years: I see myself being someone that I can be proud of, and doing something that can both fulfill myself, and make others happy. Tanisha Khatri

Next year: I will be attending UC Davis as a freshman majoring in biological sciences. Career goal: Optometry/optometrist. Highlights: The Early College High School program has exposed me to new experiences and lessons that I will keep with me as I transition to attending a university and start my career pathway. I became exposed to a college environment from an earlier age, which helped me work toward becoming more open and aware of others. Scholarships, awards: Mustang Gold Pin for earning a 4.0 GPA or above every semester (earned every semester since ninth grade). Academic Letter for earning and maintaining a 3.5 GPA or above for three consecutive semesters in 10th and 11th grade. In 10 years: I see myself practicing a job in optometry, hopefully at a health maintenance organization. I hope to become a proficient optometrist who enjoys helping patients with their eye care. I want to have a good balance of work and time to pursue other interests such as blogging. Hayley Hodge

Next year: I will be continuing taking classes at Solano Community College and then transferring in the spring or fall of 2023 to a different college. I would like to major in criminal justice, sociology, psychology, or criminology. Career goal: I hope in criminal justice in some way. Forensics maybe or something in the field, but this could always change. Highlights: Coming back to school in person. Our time in quarantine and online helped me understand how grateful I should be to be able to interact with people. When we came back in person it felt amazing, talking to my friends and being able to see them every morning. Talking to them became the best way to pass time. Being nominated for homecoming queen for ECHS. Even though I didn’t win when we joined with Rodriguez it was still a lot of fun and the homecoming football game is one of my favorite memories and reminds me of the homecoming game I went to my freshmen year. A lot of the same people from that game were at the senior one so it felt like a full circle. Scholarships, awards: I’ve received scholarships from pageantry contest and scholar athlete. In 10 years: I would prefer to focus on the present because I don’t have any idea where I’ll be in 10 years. But my goal is to be in my preferred career, enjoying my job. As long as I’m content with my life and happy with where I’m at it will be good. Diego Escobar

Next year: Go to Solano Community College as a computer science major and get my associate’s and possibly transfer to UC Berkeley or Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Career goal: I would like to go into something in the technology field. Highlights: Being part of ECHS and making new friends, all of us struggling to complete our Cornell notes each week for virtually four years. Taking college French classes with newfound ECHS friends for two years straight and doing cultural things together, such as making crepes and learning about France. Waking up one minute before class and logging into class during distanced learning. Being a part of the ECHS robotics team as the unofficial robotics engineer. Talking with friends after class about anything. Hung out with close friends in the cafeteria each day playing card games no matter what. Attending major school events for the first time, such as homecoming with friends. Scholarships, awards: Awards: Fall 2018-Fall 2021 Rodriguez HS Academic Excellence, Mustang Award, earn a GPA of 4.0 or higher in a semester Fall 2020, Rodriguez High School’s Academic Letter. Scholarships: $500 from College Board for searching scholarships on their website. In 10 years: I either see myself working as a software engineer, collaborating with other software engineers working on a product that can be beneficial to others, or maybe in a workshop of some sort working on robots, maybe like those created by Boston Dynamics or like the Da Vinci surgical robots, seeing as how my dad has worked with them in the past. Landen Nguyen

Next year: To go to San Jose State University and major under computer science. I will be staying with my auntie, so I want to be able to grow as an adult as well, and learn responsibilities as I grow up. Career goal: Computer analysts/IT. Highlights: Achieving high academics while participating in high school sports such as cross country, and leadership. I’ve also was able to manage to get through the troubles of online learning, and persevere even though times were the hardest. Scholarships, awards: Highest Honors academic letter, and multiple Golden Mustang pins for maintaining excellent grades. In 10 years: I see myself as a grown adult, which is kind of scary. I will have a lot of responsibilities other than my job, and that I would have to worry about stuff that I didn’t have to worry about now like shelter, food, taxes, bills, etc. However, I will hopefully be able to get through those responsibilities. All of this is scary to talk about, but I’m sure I can get past these obstacles. Scarlett Hodge

Next year: Depending on some additional decisions, I’ll be staying at Solano for a semester than transfer to a four-year. Career goal: I want to be a pilot. Highlights: I’ll be getting my AA this semester, I’ve had a 4.0 or higher every semester. Scholarships, awards: I received a scholar athlete award. In 10 years: Happy, successful, independent, and 2 inches taller. Jordan Thompson

Next year: I plan to attend UC Davis next semester for an undergraduate in computer science. Career goal: My current goal is becoming a machine learning engineer. Highlights: I worked 100 hours of community service at the food bank and am receiving two associate’s degrees from Solano Community College. Scholarships, awards: Honor Roll for every semester and valedictorian. In 10 years: I’d like to work AI in cybersecurity, where I could develop systems that can detect incoming threats for companies or even the government. Outside of work, I’d like to live a comfortable life filled with a large social life and continue art as a hobby. Audrey Duremdes

Next year: Staying at Solano until I get enough credits to transfer. Career goal: I want to be an epidemiologist but that requires grad school (so much money), so I might just go into public health and see where that takes me. Highlights: My school had a spring rally and we didn’t win or anything (even though we’re seniors so we should have), but I just love feeling the energy of high schoolers having silly little competitions and acting like kids for the last years we’ll be able to. In sophomore year I used to bring a beach volleyball to school every day and we’d spend most of our breaks and PE passing it around even if we weren’t any good at it. My friends and I would discuss the leaks for the Manga we read every Friday with the thorough analysis of a graduate student writing on Charles Dickens. And even though I see them less frequently this year, I’m still glad to have made those memories with them when I did. Not even trying to be sappy or anything but the bonds I made with the people I love are what made high school enjoyable for me. Scholarships, awards: N/A In 10 years: Rich and famous.

Aidan Bonifacio

Next year: To attend Solano and then transfer to a four-year college. Career goal: To be either a nurse or a pediatrician because these have been careers I have always wanted to be in. Highlights: None. Scholarships, awards: N/A. In 10 years: I see myself done with college and as a nurse practitioner or pediatrician. I see myself as very happy, successful, and more accomplished than I realized. I see myself still hanging out with the friends that I have now and having a great time. I see myself living with my loving family who supported me all my life and have continued to do so. I also see myself living in the Bahamas in a nice house near the beach overlooking the wide, glistening ocean while sipping on a mango pineapple smoothie with coconut shavings sprinkled on top. Ten years is a long time so I don’t really know what to write about anymore, what matters most to me is right now the present. Severiana Davis

Next year: My plans are to achieve an AS in chemistry at Solano. Career goal: To become a forensic scientist. I have yet to decide on the specific division that I want to to work in yet, so it’s general forensic science for now. Highlights: Making new friends and participating in different school events. Scholarships, awards: N/A. In 10 years: I see myself having a full-time job as a forensic scientist and hopefully traveling constantly.

Graduating Class of 2022

Lucitrianna Agbigay, Edwin Akpokli, Diego Alvarado, Alexa Amador Trejo, Amara Barney, William Blair, Aidan Christian Bonifacio, Ky’lon Brooks, Michael Bultena, Augustine Cope,

Leslie Cortez Garcia, Gladys Cuin Molinero, Severiana Davis, Audrey Duremdes, Xabier Eraso, Diego Escobar, Jack Flynn, Brooklyn Giles, Maritza Gonzalez Torres, Hailey Grasty,

Amelia Harris, Jennifer Hernandez Mejia, Hayley Hodge, Scarlett Hodge, Logan Jenkins, NaZingha Joyeux, Tanisha Khatri, Christopher Knight, Ashlynne Kraly, Jessica Lapurga,

Dylan Lara, Angelabelen Meza Flores, Mashika Mrema, Danielle Murphy, Landen Nguyen, Jonathan Olivares, Luis Orozco, Yessenia Pantoja, Madeline Paoli, Prithivi Periasamy,

Xavier Ramirez, Rowan Regen, Olivia Ricard, Selene San Nicolas, Melissa Santos, Micah Schmidt, Kayla Sharp, Kayla Simpson, Yazmyn Sims, Aizeyosabor Sorae, Katelyn Sousa,

Alexis Taliaferro, Hamza Tayeb, Caeley Thompson, Jordan Thompson, Alejandro Torres Chimal, Haley Vang, Marielle Velasco, Tyler Walker, Chloe Willis, Lucas Yoes,

Charles Young, Jade Young, Zakar Zakarian.

Rodriguez | CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5

own production company. Highlights: I emceed the night rally and performed with the baseball team. Scholarships, awards: Honor Roll, Leadership Scholarship. In 10 years: Rich, famous, humble, married with kids, constantly working to become a better person, well-traveled, still doing something that improves the world. Murwary Samadi

Next year: Attending Pepperdine University to major in political science. Career goal: Lawyer. Highlights: N/A. Scholarships, awards: Honor roll, highest honors, scholar athlete, national honors society. In 10 years: Living a successful life in SoCal.

Mohsin Raja

Next year: Going to a four-year college. Career goal: Most likely some tech and business work. Highlights: Receiving straight A’s and 4.0 GPAs in consecutive years. Scholarships, awards: N/A. In 10 years: Stable with a career job and a passion side gig. Allyssa Gabrielle Mallari

Next year: I plan to go to nursing school and further my studies in the Philippines. Career goal: Become a nurse who can specialize in the OR. Then eventually I would want to go to medical school to pursue med surgery in the Philippines. Highlights: Meeting new people and experiencing high school life with them. Additionally, I’ve met some of the nicest, kindest and best teachers in all my school years. Scholarships, awards: I haven’t received any scholarships and big awards. If the awards (pins) for school are considered awards then that would be my only award. In 10 years: I see myself with a family and probably in medical school still. Mischa Alemania

Next year: n/a. Career goal: n/a. Highlights: Making and creating friendships that hopefully last. Scholarships, awards: n/a. In 10 years: n/a Jayden-Marie Joseph

Next year: To attend Sonoma State. Career goal: To either become a teacher or a zoologist. Highlights: N/A. Scholarships, awards: Dean’s Candidate from Sonoma State. In 10 years: Hopefully working as a zoologist at an animal sanctuary. Elise Patel

Joseph Bae

Next year: School. Career goal: Software engineer at FAANG. Highlights: Badminton and volleyball. Scholarships, awards: Don’t remember. In 10 years: Working. Denis Reilly

Next year: Going to community college to start general ed. Career goal: I am not exactly sure yet. Highlights: Getting good grades, playing tennis and basketball for the school, getting the high school experience, making a lot of new friends, becoming a better person. Scholarships, awards: I have received scholar athlete awards, honor roll/principal’s honor roll, and varsity letter/pins for the jacket. In 10 years: I see myself out of schooling and hopefully in whatever career I choose and starting to become successful with what I am doing. Jacob Phillips

Next year: Going to UC Irvine in the Campuswide Honors Program. Career goal: Becoming a psychiatrist to help people overcome mental health difficulties. Highlights: Meeting new people changed my life for the better and made me the person I am today. Scholarships, awards: None. In 10 years: Hopefully helping people through their mental hardships, not in an extreme amount of debt, and overall living, laughing and loving. Kristin Rivera

Next year: I plan to go to community college to take all of my basic classes. Career goal: To find something well-paying that also makes me feel happy. I want a job that I would enjoy doing to the point where it doesn’t seem like a job. Highlights: Maintaining a 4.0 GPA throughout high school and participating in the senior homecoming skit. Scholarships, awards: I’ve received pins for my grades. In 10 years: I see myself as a college graduate who has taken all of the needed classes and I am on track to get to the highest point in my career. I see myself living comfortably where I can afford vacations and little things to treat myself. I would be healthy and happy and I would be very comfortable in my life. Aidan Floresca

Next year: I plan to go to Napa College for my first two years and transfer out eventually to a better school. Career goal: I want to do something with a communication degree or something where I get to create and visualize things. Highlights: Creating dances for the school and making new friends. Scholarships, awards: I have always gotten honors awards and schools have been trying to give me scholarships. In 10 years: I see myself happy with my family and having a great job. Annelise Dichoso Gregory

biology, physiology and behavior. Career goal: I hope to become a successful physical therapist. Highlights: Maintained a GPA of 4.0 or above all four years. Scholarships, awards: Scholar Athlete Award. In 10 years: I see myself living somewhere near a beach, happy, and with a stable job. Nicole Raver

Next year: Learn to my fullest potential. I hope to meet new people and make new friends, and most importantly, make the best out of school. Career goal: As an aspiring engineer in a field where women are still a minority, I want to be a voice for other young women. I want to break the cultural force on women, of how women are never in charge, women can’t be an engineer, only men are capable of that work. Highlights: Being around my friends. There were many meaningful moments of joy and laughter that really made my high school years a blast. I am grateful for my friend’s group, as they push me to be the best version of myself. All the hangouts, socializing and connecting with each other really made high school memorable for me. Scholarships, awards: Goizueta Legacy Scholarship of $30,000 per academic year. In 10 years: I see myself achieving all the goals I’ve mentioned.

Katy Do

Next year: I intend to attend UCLA’s next fall semester to study molecular, cell and developmental biology. Career goal: I hope to continue on my pre-med track in order to reach my final goal of running my own dermatological practice. Highlights: I served as the secretary of both Rodriguez’s Fashion and Boys Volleyball Club as well as participated on the varsity teams for Rodriguez’s Volleyball, swim and badminton. Scholarships, awards: I’ve earned the title of Salutatorian. In 10 years: I hope to be in medical school specializing in dermatology and continuing my studies and working toward my doctorate degree. Zaina Sharqawi

Next year: I plan to attend UCLA, taking the predental route. Career goal: I hope to become an orthodontist after graduating from UCLA school of dentistry and even open my own dental clinic in San Diego. Highlights: I enjoyed many school events like homecoming and football games. Hanging out with friends in and outside school will always be my favorite memories, and “studying” at Starbucks with friends. Scholarships, awards: Senior of the Year and won principal honor roll every year of high school. In 10 years: I see myself having a loving family, living in San Diego, and being a successful orthodontist and the mother of three cats. continue my academic and basketball career. Career goal: I plan to become an athletic trainer for a professional sports team, or go overseas to play basketball. Highlights: I had above a 4.0 every semester on every report card. I played varsity basketball for three years. Scholarships, awards: Full ride academic scholarship to Dominican University. Scholar athlete four years in a row. Student of the Semester 20212022. In 10 years: I see myself working out of state as an athletic trainer for a professional basketball or football team.

Samantha Fabie

Next year: I plan to major in biology-physiology and minoring in music at San Francisco State University. Career goal: Become a physical therapist and hopefully bring light to the importance of music education in schools. Highlights: Performing my 2019 fall season show of marching band. It’s still one of my favorite shows to date, not only because of how successful the show was, but because of the people and effort the made it possible. Being able to keep up with all the AP classes I took with the extracurricular activities I had all year around. In my four years, I stuck with music and all things related to it. Scholarships, awards: My freshman and junior year, I received drumline awards with the title ‘grade’ of the year. I’ve been in the Rodriguez Entertainment Unit for all of high school and I pride myself on my musicianship and leadership skills as one of the drumline captains. At my senior year championship show, I also received an award for Outstanding Performer. In 10 years: Down the line, I hope to be finishing up my DPT (Doctor of Physical Therapy) program and begin my route of opening my own clinic. Adrian Alvarez

Next year: Study civil engineering at San Diego State University. Career goal: To work as an engineer and try my hand in business. Highlights: Studying with friends before finals week. Scholarships, awards: Early admission to SDSU and Scholar Athlete all four years. In 10 years: Working with good credentials, and stability. Zoe Adams

Next year: Attending UC Davis to major in biology on the track to be a nurse. Career goal: Pediatric nurse. Highlights: Being head drum major of the Rodriguez Entertainment Unit. Scholarships, awards: n/a. In 10 years: Hopefully out of school with a stable, nursing job. Camryn Washington

1,000 points. Scholarships, awards: MEL AllLeague (Sophomore, Junior, Senior), Scholar Athlete four years for basketball and track, Senior Year Varsity Co-MVP, Rodriguez Girl’s Basketball Hall of Fame list. In 10 years: I will be in the medical field helping athletes. Mason McClure

Next year: To go to UCLA or maybe Berkeley if I am accepted off the waitlist. Career goal: To become an engineer or an entrepreneur. Highlights: Taking a video game design class freshman year, hanging out with friends at lunch, and challenging myself by taking 6 AP classes during 12th grade. Scholarships, awards: The National German Exam and an AP Scholar award. In 10 years: I see myself trying to discover new technologies and methods to help improve the world.

Tyvin Tandy

Next year: Trying to create great memories during my years at UC Santa Cruz. Career goal: Program new technology or to create video games. Highlights: Attending the first football game at Rodriguez. Scholarships, awards: N/A. In 10 years: I see myself working in big technology companies and to teach students how to code.

Aditya Ramnathan

Next year: Begin my life at UC Berkeley as an industrial engineering major. Career goal: Work as a professional in a field that I find interesting such as artificial intelligence or entrepreneurship. Highlights: Hanging out with friends at football games and also being a part of the Rodriguez culture fair. Scholarships, awards: AP Scholar with Honors Award and the Academic Achievement Award from 9th to 11th grade. In 10 years: I see myself having graduated with bachelor’s degree or even possibly a master’s degree. I also see myself working abroad in different countries.

Amir Al-Ezzani

Next year: Attend UC San Diego or UC Irvine, major in computer science and engineering. Career goal: Successful in the field of technology in order to improve people’s lives. Highlights: Spending time with friends, REU and tennis. Scholarships, awards: AP Scholar, Highest Honors, Honor’s society, and Academic Excellence. In 10 years: Having a successful and fulfilling career while enjoying life. Sharleen Gallegos

Next year: I plan to attend UCSC in the fall to major in neuroscience as a premed. Career goal: Get my doctorate. Highlights: Being football team manager and going to leadership led events and having fun with friends. Scholarships, awards: I’ve received honors all four years. In 10 years: I see myself in a stable independent place in which I’m able to provide for my family and myself Mekayla Ruiz

to become a profiler in the Behavioral Analyst Unit of the FBI. Highlights: Playing volleyball and joining National Honors Society. Scholarships, awards: N/A. In 10 years: I see myself continuing to study criminology in order to receive my Ph.D.

Keila Marie Solis

Next year: Attend California State Long Beach. Career goal: Become a physical therapist. Highlights: Volleyball, NHS. Scholarships, awards: Scholar-athlete. In 10 years: Working as a physical therapist.

Cody Nilsen

Next year: Go to Sacramento State. Career goal: Become a dental hygienist. My all-time career goal, though, is to open my own clinic. Highlights: High school as been a mix of stress and hardship, but some of my most prized moments consisted of competition. Going to Vet Science or FFA events to compete for our school. I like the thrill of trying things that are foreign and will give me a challenge. Other moments were ceramics class and trying to make things for my parents and friends. Expressing myself through my artistic ability, then going home to see the surprised looks on my family’s faces. Scholarships, awards: Regents Scholarship from the University of the Pacific for $24K annually, Honor Roll awards and placements within FFA competition. In 10 years: Most likely having opened a clinic or even my own other business. I want to get into some type of industry for medical, but not decided yet. I feel like I want to help people and opening up a clinic will allow me to personally talk to them. I also see myself hopefully successfully living my life in a nice house or even traveling the world.

Janav Arora

Next year: Solano Community Collage, CS major. Career goal: Work as a software engineer. Highlights: 1500 SAT score and winning LD debate tournaments. Scholarships, awards: CAASC for $750, Assist-a-Grad for $2000. In 10 years: Working for a company that helps fight climate change.

William Liu

Next year: Attending UC Davis and majoring in engineering. Career goal: Establish a business and working to design microprocessors. Highlights: Placing in MEL Cross Country Varsity Boys Junior and Senior Years and JV Sophomore Year. Winning band competitions. Football games. Senior Nights. And hanging out with friends and going on road trips. Scholarships, awards: Nomination to the U.S. Military Academy, completion of Eagle Scout, Summit Award from the University of Oregon. In 10 years: Most likely living in the North Bay Area and working to create a successful business and career.