A SALUTE TO SENIORS ’97 / ORANGE COUNTY HIGH SCHOOLS

SANTIAGO HIGH SCHOOL: Maria Velazquez

Maria has been a champion of her school both in the galleries of fine art and on the roads of the grueling Los Angeles Marathon, running with fellow students. A gifted artist, she was a member of the Art Club and participated in the school district’s Festival of the Arts, sidewalk chalk-drawing demonstrations, the Imagination Celebration and the Courtyard Center Art Show.

Officials with the Laguna Art Festival and the Orange County Department of Education selected her canvases for public display.

She has been on the Honor Roll for four years and has maintained a 3.44 grade-point average.

The Santa Ana resident plans to attend a four-year university and major in art.

SAVANNA HIGH SCHOOL: Kristen Madsen

Kristen was an active campus musician, playing with the concert band, wind ensemble, jazz ensemble and marching band. She was a drum major and clarinet player who has a flair for the tenor saxophone, French horn and alto bugle. A peer tutor and scholar, she has a 4.20 weighted grade-point average.

The Anaheim resident plans to study geophysics at UCLA.

SERVITE HIGH SCHOOL: Joseph Sanberg

Valedictorian of his class and a National Merit Scholar, Joseph was involved in student government at the local and national levels. While with Junior State of America, he was national chairman of the Council of Governors and a governor with Southern California Junior State.

He was student body vice president and was involved with the National Honor Society and the California Scholarship Federation. Among other honors, he won the National Youth Service Award and the Bank of America Achievement Award for math and science. He has a 4.75 weighted grade-point average.

Joseph was head statistician for his varsity football team and volunteered for the March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation, the Volunteer Center of Greater Orange County and the Western Medical Center.

The Villa Park resident plans to attend Harvard University.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CHRISTIAN HIGH SCHOOL: Sheeba Lilly Mathews

Sheeba was a leader in both student government and athletics. She was freshman secretary, sophomore president and junior class vice president, all while working as general manager of the campus store and acting in all the school plays. She played varsity volleyball and was captain of the varsity basketball team, winning the title of best defensive player for the Arrowhead League Tournament.

She earned a 4.0 grade-point average while working part time as a secretary for various companies and occasionally volunteering her time at a soup kitchen.

The Corona resident plans to attend Biola University.

SONORA HIGH SCHOOL: Rebecca Schearer

Rebecca has combined rigorous academics with a love for swimming. While earning a 4.67 weighted grade-point average, she was a member of the varsity swim team and volunteered to teach children how to swim. She also spent time with her church youth group, tutored other students and worked at a veterinary clinic and St. Jude Hospital.

She was a member of the Associated Student Body, the California Scholarship Federation and the Advanced Placement/International Baccalaureate Club. She served as vice president of the National Honor Society and was secretary for the Math, International and Spanish clubs. She was a foreign-language senator and a candidate for the International Baccalaureate diploma.

The Fullerton resident plans to study animal science at UC Davis.

ST. MARGARET’S EPISCOPAL SCHOOL: William A. Sokol

William was ranked No. 1 in his class. He was yearbook editor, a member of the honors math society, a participant in mock trials and captain of the varsity tennis team.

Interested in languages, he speaks Spanish, French and English. He lists writing, playing piano and studying history among his hobbies.

Academic achievements include a 4.3 weighted grade-point average and a score of 1,470 on the Scholastic Achievement Test.

The Laguna Beach resident plans to major in physics at Harvard University.

ST. MICHAEL’S COLLEGE PREPARATORY HIGH SCHOOL: Vimal B. Bhanvadia

Vimal was elected class president in his freshman and sophomore years and president of the Associated Student Body his senior year. He played football, basketball and was captain of his team for the Orange County Academic Decathlon. He belonged to the National Honor Society and the California Scholarship Federation and was chosen editor of the school yearbook.

As an enthusiastic leader, he organized the school’s food drive.

He works as an office clerk and enjoys driving and listening to the radio.

The Hacienda Heights resident plans to study psychobiology at UCLA.

SUNNY HILLS HIGH SCHOOL: Lisa Grinfeld

Lisa danced and sang in her school’s musicals, designed lighting for plays and founded the Comedy Sportz Club. She served as secretary of the B’nai B’rith Youth Organization and belonged to the French Club, the California Scholarship Federation and the National Honor Society. While maintaining a 4.7 weighted grade-point average, she volunteered with the National Charity League, the Florence Crittendon Services, the Fullerton Children’s Repertory Theatre and the Muckenthaler Theatre.

The Fullerton resident will attend Yale University in Connecticut.

TRABUCO HILLS HIGH SCHOOL: Evelyn RaeJean Townsell

Evelyn was a star member of her school’s Academic Decathlon team, which was awarded first prize in the county and second place in the state competition. Earning a 4.63 weighted grade-point average, she was president of the California Scholastic Federation and a member of the National Honor Society and the Spanish club.

Not restricting herself to intellectual rigors, Evelyn showed her enthusiasm for her school’s athletic teams as a cheerleader and a mascot. She also devoted her talents to track and field events, dance and art.

She volunteered at an animal clinic and helped out at rest homes and with food distribution for the poor.

The Modjeska Canyon resident plans to major in biology and art at UC Santa Barbara.

TROY HIGH SCHOOL: Johnnie Manzari

Johnnie is a cartoonist and wrestler who participated in his school’s Technology Magnet Program. He placed ninth out of 505 Southern California contestants in the Wrestling Masters Tournament and was team captain for two years.

He has a 4.72 weighted grade-point average, was a National Merit Scholar and a full diploma candidate in the International Baccalaureate Program.

He was also a member of the National Honor Society and a California Scholarship Federation seal bearer.

He painted school murals and worked as cartoonist for the Gallup Award-winning Troy Oracle.

An Anaheim Hills resident, Johnnie plans to study computer science at Stanford University.

TUSTIN HIGH SCHOOL: David Waldram

Well on his way to a career in the performing arts, David has not neglected activities with his church or the Boy Scouts of America Sea Base.

The actor and director, who has a 4.13 weighted grade-point average, worked on theater and video projects. He portrayed roles from Hamlet to Dracula, winning the Creative Vision Award for his work.

David directed a two-act play for his senior project and won a best-directing award from the University of LaVerne for another project. He is known for helping other students with their dramatic work.

He participated in the Model United Nations and the Associated Student Body. He sails, swims and plays water polo.

The Tustin resident will double-major in theater and film at Chapman University in Orange.

UNIVERSITY HIGH SCHOOL: Parth Raval

Parth has excelled. He was one of the school’s valedictorians, with a 4.48 weighted grade-point average. He was a National Merit Scholarship winner and won fourth place in the ThinkQuest national competition. He was involved in the American Field Service, with which he visited Italy, and was a member of the Key Club, Science Club and Junior Statesmen of America. He volunteers with the Irvine Education Foundation.

The Irvine resident will attend Stanford University.

VALENCIA HIGH SCHOOL: Joshua A. Green

Joshua created his own business and impressed teachers and fellow students with the murals, signs and other work he produced for the art department. He won awards, including the Popular Choice Award, at the Placentia Art Assn.’s Art Show.

The writer and film aficionado has a 3.68 weighted grade-point average and works as a martial-arts instructor, a portraiture artist and a photographer. He also works at Disneyland and at a pet store.

The Placentia resident plans to double-major in studio art and psychology while maintaining his portraiture business.

VILLA PARK HIGH SCHOOL: Matthew Riley

Matthew received his school’s music medallion, played the lead in the spring musical and was elected president of the Associated Student Body. He was a member of the School Site Council, the advanced madrigal choir and the concert choir and was president of the grammar society.

An Eagle Scout who volunteers with the Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation, he has a 4.44 weighted grade-point average.

He plays golf, scrutinizes his investments and writes children’s poetry and short stories. He also sings and plays the piano.

Matthew lives in Orange and belongs to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He plans to attend Brigham Young University on a full scholarship and undertake a two-year church mission.

WESTERN HIGH SCHOOL: Michelle Meehyun Kim

After living in various places around the world, Michelle moved to California in 1991 and earned a 4.35 weighted grade-point average. She joined the National Honor Society, the California Scholastic Federation, the Key Club, the French Club and Youth Alive.

Her honors have included a Bausch & Lomb science award and the Michael L. Roston Creative Writing Award. She served as treasurer of the Pioneer Outreach Network for Diversity and was president of the Korean Club.

She enjoys tennis, swims and plays the clarinet and piano.

She worked for Focus and Reflection, newspapers of the Korean Christian Reformed Church of Orange County. She participated in Orange Coast College’s mathematics meet and volunteers at the Buena Park Library and the Garden Grove Hospital and Medical Center.

The Huntington Beach resident plans to study molecular biology at UC Berkeley.

WESTMINSTER HIGH SCHOOL: Quang-Tuyen T. Nguyen

Quang-Tuyen was captain of the academic decathlon team, speech and debate president and a National Merit finalist. As valedictorian, she has a 4.84 weighted grade-point average.

Photography, martial arts, ballet and reading Russian novels are among her hobbies. At Garden Grove Hospital, she volunteers in radiology, postpartum care and the emergency room.

A Westminster resident, she plans to attend Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass.

WHITTIER CHRISTIAN HIGH SCHOOL: Alisa Bloom

Alisa was involved in many aspects of campus life and is active in her community. She was a cheerleader for four years, serving as captain of both the varsity and junior varsity squads. She served as Associated Student Body president, sings in the Praise Band and was involved in the school’s Chapel Committee.

In the community, she was crowned Miss Whittier for 1997 and is Whittier Christian High School’s representative for La Habra’s Kids Summit. While working at Nordstrom, Alisa earned a 3.94 weighted grade-point average.

The La Habra resident will attend Pepperdine University, where she plans to study biology as a premed student.

WOODBRIDGE HIGH SCHOOL: Christine Ann Joens

The oldest of seven children, Christine knows the value of cooperation. She served in a soup kitchen, volunteered at the Irvine Barclay Theatre, worked as a summer camp counselor and lent a hand to an organization that helps head-injury victims.

She has a 3.85 grade-point average and was an Irvine Spectrum Award winner, a Toyota Scholar and a California Scholastic Federation Seal Bearer. This Associated Student Body president worked as a lifeguard for the Woodbridge Village Assn. and as an office filing clerk.

An Irvine resident, she plans to study engineering at USC.

Contributing to this special report were John Canalis, Susan Osborne, Gretchen Stahl, Cathy Werblin and Leslie Wright.