June 17, 2005

Silver Creek’s Class of 2005 produces 12 valedictorians

Meet the valedictorians of Silver Creek High School and learn where they plan to go from here.

Suruchi Anand
Suruchi Anand will be heading to the UC Berkeley in the fall to pursue a degree in business, with a focus in international studies. She’s excited about the people in college and would someday like to learn how to type without looking at the keyboard.

Greatest mentors: Mrs. Kimble, my fourth and fifth grade teacher who once said, “We only forget things that we didn’t find important in the first place.” Well, I still remember her. Ted Okano, my wise English teacher and my mentor throughout high school, who I equate to a modern-day Socrates, so I can proclaim myself Plato.

My extended family, which has shown me the immense love and understanding that can be shared among relatives. My older sister, who so generously set a guiding path for me to securely follow in her footsteps—if I want to. My parents, whose patience and devotion has awed me throughout my life, forcing me to test their limits and push their buttons so that I could sincerely understand their extraordinary commitment to unconditional love for their children and for each other.

Favorite high school memory: Graduation, because I love talking and it’s even better when hundreds of people are forced to listen to you.

Nga Chung
Although Nga Chung will stay close to home in the fall to study electrical engineering at San Jose State University, he says, “I am looking forward to learning in a completely new environment and meeting different people.”

In addition to receiving a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, “I would also like to gain knowledge and communication skills to get me ready to enter the career world,” he adds.

Greatest mentors: My English teacher, Mrs. [June] Chen. Not only has she taught me how to study a novel and write research papers, but she also taught me many life lessons. She told the class that there are two things in life that are always underestimated: time and money. My parents are my greatest mentors, too, because they’ve taught me so much about life. They’ve taught me to stay focused in school and to choose the right friends.

Favorite high school memory: Being involved in the Homecoming and F.A.N.T.A.S.T.I.C.S. skits, because they brought our senior class together. All the hard work during the practices paid off when everyone had fun on the days of the performance.

Rahul Guttal
Rahul Guttal will be studying physics and engineering at UC Berkeley in the fall. He’s looking forward to the “loads of knowledge I will continually gain and the new people I will meet.”

Upon graduating from college, he may “do some research in particle physics and nuclear engineering to utilize better sources of energy that we still mildly neglect today.”

Greatest mentors: My mother and Mr. [Ralph] Giannini. My mom has always led me in the correct direction and always supported whatever I have done. Mr. Giannini guided me in my college decisions and his AP U.S. history class taught me very useful values in life.

Favorite high school memory: With four years of fun, it’s all a blur. But one memory that has really stood out is my Physics Class Boat Race. My friends and I constructed an awesome boat that I somehow managed to sink, but it was hilarious.

Steven Hao
Steven Hao, a member of the championship winning Silver Creek tennis team, will be leaving California to study molecular biochemistry and biophysics at Yale University in Connecticut.

While there, he’s interested in meeting students and professors from around the world. After college, he says he will most likely go on to graduate school.

A recipient of a National Merit Scholarship, Hao also won a place on United States biology team that will compete this summer in the 2005 International Biology Olympiad in Beijing, China.

Greatest mentors: My teachers, for all their advice and support in everything I did.
Favorite high school memory: Going to class in the second half of May because it is always fun.

Brian Nguyen
Brian Nguyen plans to attend the UC Berkeley in the fall, majoring in business administration.

“I am most looking forward to a sense of independence and responsibility in my life,” says Nguyen. “I would like to achieve the feeling that I have invested in my future through my education, and have laid down a solid foundation for my path towards success.”

Greatest mentors: My parents, because they have taught me the value of education and other virtues that correlate to success and happiness.

Favorite high school memory: When my study group for statistics went to my friend’s house and we began sharing our high school and personal experiences.

Mike Nguyen
Mike K. Nguyen, a recipient of merit awards, will be heading to the East Bay to study software engineering at the UC Berkeley.

“I look forward to having lots of fun, but also a good education in software programming,” says Nguyen, who was named “Most Professional” in his electronics academy. When he graduates from college, he says he’d like “to continue my job at IBM and become a fluent software programmer.”

Greatest mentors: My dad, who has taught me everything I needed to know since I was young, and my supervisor Clinton Estis, who has showed me the path toward my future as a computer software engineer.

Favorite high school memory: All the activities provided by the school, such as F.A.N.T.A.S.T.I.C.S., the bonfire [now a nonfire], all the wonderful concerts and much more. Also, I will remember all the fun times I had with my friends after the AP tests when we could relax and enjoy ourselves with various board games.

Anthony Tran
Anthony Tran plans to attend the UC Berkeley. For now, he has declared a molecular and cell biology major, but he’s also considering changing to physics.

“I am looking forward to finding my passion at Berkeley,” says Tran. Based on the fact that he’s not sure what he’d like to major in, Tran says, “I have not yet discovered what I’m ready to devote my life to. Hopefully, this passion will come to me.

“Upon graduating, I would like to be proud of what I’ve done in my college years,” continues Tran. “I would like to think back of my time in school and smile, neither feeling that my time in school was useless nor feeling like there is something I have not yet done.”

He lists his top achievements at school as realizing that hard work pays off, finding a set of friends that he won’t ever forget and discovering tennis, the pastime of his life.

Greatest mentors: My parents. To say the least, not only did they continually push me to do well in school, they did so while giving me enough room to discover my own individuality. They taught me to rely on myself and to work for myself. I’m not working because I’m forced by anyone, but rather, I work to achieve my own goals that I have set.
Favorite high school memory: Prom was an unforgettable memory for me. Aside from dancing the night away with my girlfriend, I was also able to play laser tag. Wielding a gun whilst clad in a tuxedo really makes you feel like James Bond.

Vivian Trang
Vivian Trang is another Silver Creek High School student who plans to major in molecular cell biology at the UC Berkeley.

“I can’t wait to meet new people and to have the whole college experience,” says Trang. “I would like to either go into research, maybe find the cure for cancer.”

Greatest mentors: My parents and my teacher, Mr. Zellner. My parents were always there for me and encouraged me in whatever it was I did, while Mr. Zellner taught me that I had the potential to do whatever I put my heart into.

Favorite high school memory: I have too many memories, but I guess the one I remember best was when my friends and I were going home from a Key Club event. We started singing in the back and somehow got the rest of the bus to sing with us. It was great.

Christopher Van
Christopher Van will be heading to UC Davis to study mathematics.

“I’m looking forward on being more independent, not having to rely on my parents as much, and living on my own,” says Van.

When he graduates from college, he adds, “I would like to teach AP calculus at a high school around the San Jose area, and try to beat the pass rate of my current teacher, Mrs. Guttal. Although I know beating her pass rate is going to be a very difficult task.

Greatest mentors: Matthew Hall and Leena Guttal—I’ve never seen any other teachers as dedicated towards their students.

Favorite high school memory: These last few days of school are my favorite memories. Everything is so relaxed, and everyone is happy, but just a little scared at the same time. People are having fun and the worry isn’t there anymore.

Dien Vo
Dien Vo will be studying bioengineering at the UC Berkeley in the fall. He’s most looking forward to the dorm life and what the classes have to offer. When he graduates from college, Vo would like to get a job and earn a master’s degree.

Greatest mentors: My parents, teachers and friends, because they all motivated me to succeed.

Favorite high school memory: All the movie projects, because I had a lot of fun with my friends while making them.

Jason Vuu
The Santa Clara Valley Math Association named Valedictorian Jason Vuu “Math Student of the Year” in May.

Eliza Finley
Eliza Finley is another Silver Creek High School Valedictorian of the graduating class of 2005.

The Silver Creek High School graduating class of 2005