CYNTHIA LEMUS RODRIGUEZ
Clover Park High School
Clover Park High School (CPHS) graduate Cynthia Lemus Rodriguez is going to live her life surrounded by smiles. She will be attending dental school at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Md., this fall.
Collaborating with her classmates and community in classes like AP Capstone Seminar, through her work as the ASB senior class president, on the Lakewood Youth Council and as the Student 2 Student vice president was Cynthia’s favorite part of attending CPHS.
“I love the community and staff here,” she said. “I’m really going to miss them because they were always supportive and truly believed in me. I wouldn’t be here without them.”
Cynthia was a QuestBridge College Match finalist which connects students to top universities. She chose not to do the match but applied to many top universities on her own accord and was accepted to many schools, including University of California, Berkeley, University of Notre Dame and the University of Southern California.
Cynthia is interested in pursuing a future in public health through dentistry. She has a passion for social justice and hopes to incorporate her care for others into her career. “Johns Hopkins is my dream school,” she said. “I’m so excited to attend a top dental school where I can be creative as a dentist and put smiles on people’s faces.”
DAVID DUONG
Harrison Preparatory School
Harrison Preparatory School graduate David Duong is graduating with the world at his feet. He will attend Washington University in St. Louis, Mo., next fall and hopes this is the first of many new experiences waiting for him.
David attended Harrison Prep from sixth grade to graduation. He is eager to continue his education in a new setting but will always consider his alma mater a home away from home. “HP is a really small school and is very tight knit,” he said. “I’ll miss knowing everyone here including our teachers.”
Though it can be nerve-wrecking to fly far from the nest, David can’t wait to begin his college journey in a new community nearly 2,000 miles away. “I’m very excited about it and more nervous for my family who will miss me and who I’ll miss,” he said.
The only thing left for David to decide is whether he’d rather major in computer science or biomedical engineering. He is leaning toward the latter to work with prosthetics and other medical technology, but either way, he is dedicated to using the experiences and skills he gained at Harrison Prep to excel in his future studies.
ADA OBERWARTH
Lakes High School
Lakes High School graduate Ada Oberwarth is crossing the graduation stage and the United States border this fall as she returns home to Ottawa, Ontario to study architecture studies and design at Carlton University.
Ada’s family’s posting in Washington has come to an end, and they are eager to return home to Canada. High school at Lakes was a great experience for Ada, but she is excited to look toward the possibilities ahead.
“I love so many of the teachers at Lakes and will miss them and my friends,” she said. “I’m just so excited to go home and start university because I feel like I’m starting the rest of my life.”
Ada’s favorite subject is, by far, art, and she is grateful to have attended Lakes where she could explore her craft in mediums that were not available to her at other high schools. “There is such a wide variety of classes at Lakes,” she said. “I took ceramics, glass craft and AP studio art class, which were not offered at my last school in Canada.”
Ada hopes to apply her artistic skills and natural affinity for math to a career in architecture. She recently traveled to Vancouver, British Columbia and felt inspired to use her creative mind to craft buildings as thrilling to explore as the ones she saw on her trip.
MAVERICK VILLEGAS
Open Doors
Open Doors Youth Reengagement Program graduate Maverick Villegas is determined to construct the future of his dreams. After living in the Philippines and New York City before returning to Lakewood to earn his high school diploma, Maverick has set his sights on a career in the U.S. Navy.
Studying in a traditional classroom was difficult for Maverick, but with the support and flexibility of the Open Doors curriculum and staff, he completed his remaining high school courses in less than a year.
“I loved how the teachers were always willing to help me with my work and motivate me to finish my classes so I could graduate on time,” Maverick said. “I’ll miss being a part of CPSD and going to Open Doors because this is one of my favorite memories.”
Maverick has been taking in the excitement of this year and believes these are memories he will keep forever. He is graduating in a new country, far from his home in the Philippines, and beginning boot camp for the Navy one month after walking across the graduation stage. He is excited to start his new career and hopes his ambitions take him far enough to become a naval pilot one day.