Ventura County Valedictorians

More than 70 young people are graduating at the head of their class from Ventura County high schools this month.

The following list of valedictorians around the county does not include top students at Adolfo Camarillo High, Channel Islands High or Oxnard High, where valedictorians are not selected until later this month. And as a matter of tradition, neither Ventura High nor Buena High in the Ventura Unified School District selects valedictorians.

Royal High School, Simi Valley

Lindsey Aberle

GPA: 4.10

College: UC Santa Barbara

Career plans: Undecided

Life goals: I’d like to be happy and have a successful career.

***

Alicia Bartholomew

GPA: 4.25

College: Brigham Young University

Career plans: Accountant

Life goals: After college I want to have a family and career while helping out in my community.

***

Heidi Biersborn

GPA: 4.16

College: Pomona College

Career plans: Modern rock deejay

Like goals: I want to become a KROQ deejay, any time slot, like Jed the Fish, Sluggo and Richard Blade. I want to be married and living in L.A./Inland Empire area.

***

Tatjana Bozinovski

GPA: 4.05

College: UC Santa Barbara

Career plans: Criminal psychologist

Life goals: To live my life to the fullest each and every day; to touch and change just one person’s life in a positive way, and to do the best I can do at the career I eventually choose.

***

Michelle Chang

GPA: 4.23

College: UCLA

Career plans: Surgeon

Life goals: I have nothing specific in mind. The only thing I want is to be content with whatever I am doing, to be content with life.

***

David Clark

GPA: 4.32

College: UC Santa Barbara

Career plans: Engineer

Life goals: I would like to be a success in business, but most importantly I wish to start a family.

***

Shabnam Farahmand

GPA: 4.25

College: UCLA

Career plans: Genetics

***

Eric Frederick

GPA: 4.15

UC Santa Barbara

Career plans: Engineering or business management

***

Susan Friedman

GPA: 4.07

College: UC San Diego

Career plans: Undecided

Life goals: I would like to create and become CEO of my own computer software-hardware-communications corporation.

***

Alina Cheta

GPA: 4.05

College: University of La Verne

Career plans: FBI

Life goals: I would like more than anything to accomplish exactly what I set out to accomplish and nothing less. I also plan on adding to my love of languages by learning two more, Italian and possibly Russian, to the other three I already know.

***

Jason Groves

GPA: 4.13

College: Moorpark College

Career plans: Genetic engineering

Life goals: Earn a PhD, work at Amgen, settle down with a nice family and see Jethro Tull in concert.

***

Alexa Inkeles

College: UC Santa Barbara

Career plans: Travel

Life goals: Try every sport in the world.

***

Jeremy Isch

GPA: 4.16

College: Cal Poly San Luis Obispo:

Career plans: I plan to make as much money as I can while doing as little work as possible.

***

Brian Janssen

GPA: 4.10

College: UCLA

Career plans: Forensic science

Life goals: I would like to be a key elite in society. Possibly become a professional witness in high-profile cases.

***

Youn Jin Kim

GPA: 4.20

College: UCLA

Career plans: Accounting, chemistry or teaching

Life goals: I really want to send my parents on a very luxurious fantasy land vacation. They have always supported me and given me the best they could during rough times. I always remember how my mom used to say that since she was brought up poor, she always wanted to give her children all she could. I just want to return the favor and thank my parents for truly giving me all I could ever ask for.

***

Annie Kwok

GPA: 4.10

College: UC Davis

Career plans: Genetic engineer

Life goals: My main goal is to have a beautiful family, live nicely and be content in whatever I do. In short, I would have to accomplish never-ending happiness.

***

Francisco Martinez

GPA: 4.17

College: USC

Career plans: Cinema/Television

Life goals: I want to make a blockbuster epic film, surrounding the Dark Ages and the life of a tragic hero, including his love affair with a beautiful vixen princess. All this leading to my Academy Award for best director and best picture.

***

Chiara Murari

GPA: 4.00

College: A university in Italy

Career plans: I want to work in different countries as a journalist.

Life goals: My dream is to come to know as many foreign languages and cultures as possible, and to travel all around the world. I love writing and living new experiences, so I think that a job as a journalist will give me all that I want. I also hope I will be able to be useful and helpful to others somehow.

***

Kirsten Nicholas

GPA: 4.14

College: Brigham Young University

Career plans: Doctor

Life goals: Be successfull in everything I do. Be able to contribute to society. Lead a happy life and have a family.

***

Devin Petroff

GPA: 4.10

College: California Lutheran University

Career plans: Science

Life goals: There is so much I want to accomplish! I would like to continue my education and drive to succeed in college. I am also working toward my black belt in kenpo, which is a very important achievement to me. I owe a great deal of my success to all of those who supported me, especially my family and East-West USA.

***

Solayman Rafiq

GPA: 4.06

College: UC San Diego

Career plans: Cardiology

Life goals: I would like to become a successful cardiologist and have a family with two kids (a boy and a girl--in no particular order), and live somewhere near Simi Valley so I could live close to family members.

***

Mariette Riad

GPA: 4.23

College: UC Santa Barbara

Career plans: Accountant

Life goals: Anybody who knows me knows that I am oblivious to time. One of my goals in life is to be on time! More importantly, my ultimate goal is happiness, whether happiness means having a family or living alone, working as a CPA or a housewife. I want to be happy living with the love of my God and my faith in his mercy and love.

***

Justin Robinson

GPA: 4.00

College: Cal Poly San Luis Obispo

Career plans: Physical fitness trainer.

Life goals: Above all else, find a good wife ad have kids who will be ore successful than me. I wold love to train professional athletes, hopefully get my Phd. If not, come back and coach high school speech, wrestling and track.

***

Karl Romero

GPA: 4.03

College: California Lutheran University

Career plans: High school English teacher

Life goals: to change or affect one person’s lie in my career the way my teachers have affected mine, and experience life to the absolute fullest: see the world, take the risks, and feel the pain and happiness life brings with it.

***

Seth Shapiro

GPA: 5.0

College: Loyola Marymount University

Career plans: Undecided

Life goals: I don’t know. I’m only 17 years old. I think I will take a little more time to decide what I’m gong to do with my life.

***

Rachel Shelby

GPA: 4.18

College: UCLA

Career plans: Medical researcher or environmental scientist

Life goals: I want to get my degree in science, a good job, and then I want to have a family and travel all over the world with them. I also hope to get a lot move sleep in the future than I am getting now.

***

Kimberly Sinclair

GPA: 4.20

College: UCLA

Career plans: Professional art or photography

Life goals: I want to travel; love someone!

***

Alisha Teichner

GPA: 4.13

College: Stanford University

Career plans: Psychology

Life goals: My main goal is to live a happy life, which I believe involves helping to make other people happy, and whatever I eventually choose for my career will reflect that. I think the most important accomplishment in life is to leave the world a little bit brighter.

***

Kim Tran

GPA: 4.20

College: UC Irvine

Career plans: Medicine

Life goals: I would like to spend a few years in Vietnam to practice medicine for the less fortunate, marry rich, have children, and learn how to swing. I hope to travel around the world, find a cure for male baldness.

***

Andrea Velasquez

GPA: 4.07

College: Brigham Young University

Life goals: During my life, I’d like to graduate from BYU (and have lots of fun doing so), and find a great guy who will ask me to marry him. I hope to be an active person in the community and in church. If I accomplish this, I would consider myself a successful young woman.

***

Jenny Wilkinson

GPA: 4.16

College: UC Santa Barbara

Daniel Wilson

GPA: 4.09

College: Azusa Pacific University

Career plans: Advertising

Life goals: I’d like to be happy, successful and have fun in whatever I do. I’d like to live long and healthy and be able to say it’s been great in the end, and know I’m headed to heaven. I’d like to get married and raise a family. I’d like to have a positive impact on other people’s lives in any way I can, I’d like to use my talents and attributes to the best of my ability, and all in Christ’s name.

***

Donna Yang

GPA: UC San Diego

Career plans: Business

Life goals: I would like to be successful and happy in whatever job I do. I plan on raising a family with at least three kids. I want to help others whenever I can and make a difference in someone’s life. And in all I do, I hope to please and glorify God.

Filmore High School

Kevin J. Aguirre

GPA: 4.20

College: California Lutheran University

Career plans: Special effects for the movie industry

Life goals: To graduate from college and be successful in a job that I enjoy. Working on the special effects for a major movie such as “Star Wars” is one of my goals. I am also interested in traveling around the United States and possibly some other countries as well.

***

Esther C. Gurrola

GPA: 4.34

College: Pepperdine University and USC

Career plans: Biotechnology

Life goals: To consider my life a success, I must refine myself intellectually, physically, socially and spiritually--thereby becoming a dynamic, well-balanced member of my community. Along with striving to cure genetic disease, I feel a duty to be the servant of others. Therefore, I intend to actively participate in service to my community. Therein will lie the greatest accomplishment of my life.

***

David H. King

GPA: 4.07

College: UCLA

Career plans: English teacher or journalist

Life goals: I would like to return to Fillmore and possibly teach at Fillmore High. I would love to raise my kids here, in the small town where I was born and raised. Another dream I have is getting involved in local government, either on the school board or on the Fillmore City Council. I have also thought about writing a book and getting it published.

El Camino High School, Ventura

Caleb Klaus

GPA: 3.88

College: Ventura College, then transfer to Sarah Lawrence College in New York

Career plans: Computer animation, percussionist

Life goals: Travel, Special summer project will be to participate in a bison count [and] observation program in Yellowstone National Park. Pursue studies in art and music.

Rio Mesa High School, Oxnard

Amanda Brake

GPA: 4.00

College: Ventura College

Career plans: Chiropractor

Life goals: I would first like to establish my career and then raise a family. My goal is to maintain a happy, healthy and successful life.

***

Caitlan Browne

GPA: 4.60

College: Pomona College

Career plans: Federal government or multinational organization.

Life goals: Throughout my life, I want to continue learning and to travel around the world. Also, I wish to have a happy family and many cats.

***

John Huang

GPA: 4.571

College: Harvard University

Career plans: Doctor

Life goals: I hope to serve my community through my profession. I know that, as a doctor, the comfort, shoulder pats and warm smiles will be just as important as my medical expertise.

***

Karla Kanongata’a

GPA: 4.00

College: Brigham Young University

Career plans: Lawyer and judge

Life goals: I want to be an accomplished lawyer and judge, but more importantly want to be a successful wife, mother, and human being. I hope to be able to touch many people’s lives throughout my career and life.

***

Anthony Shadduck

GPA: 4.10

College: St. Mary’s University in Texas

Career plans: Music teacher

Life goals: To become a well-educated person I would like to share my knowledge with others, and teaching will give me that opportunity. Music makes me happy, and as a teacher I will be able to share music with my students.

Moorpark High School

Michael Liu

GPA: 4.36

College: California Institute of Technology

Career plans: Scientist or software engineer

Life goals: I would like to start my own company, producing Internet and graphics software, and lead a productive and rewarding life.

Conejo Valley High School, Newbury Park

Robert Bauer

GPA: 3.13

College: Moorpark College, then a university in Texas

Career plans: Video game design

Life goals: Go to college, get a car, move out and land a job in NAMCO Ltd. (a video game distributor).