In her four years at Kentridge High School, senior Gina Huynh has had ample opportunities to pursue her interests in S.T.E.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering), as well as the arts.
“I think it is really heavily encouraged that students try to push themselves,” the 18-year-old said. “I think that taking AP (advanced placement) classes is highly encouraged. It’s not just if you decide you want to go into S.T.E.M. programs that you would only take AP courses that are in science or math. It is really emphasized that you need to be a well-rounded student.”
After high school graduation on Saturday, Huynh plans to attend the University of Washington this fall to become a pharmacist.
Her interest in math and science prompted Huynh to take AP chemistry and AP calculus, but she also wanted to strengthen her writing skills. She enrolled in a UW English class offered at Kentridge, which has been challenging and rewarding, Huynh said.
“I really learned a lot about pushing myself and being independent in my work through that,” she said. “I realized that even though college is kind of scary to me it can definitely be done. I think I am prepared for it because of college English.”
Huynh, who has been in involved in choir since elementary school, was able to follow her passion for singing through Kentridge’s choir program. Her love of singing comes from her mother.
“She was born in Vietnam,” Hyunh said. “She did a lot of singing within her community in Vietnam before she moved here. … It was something we enjoyed doing together.”
The theater program at Kentridge gave Huynh another way to explore her creative side. She was cast in the three musicals. Her favorite “Hairspray,” was this spring’s production.
“It might have been just because I am a senior,” she said. “I think there was just a lot to do in it.”
Her role as a council member on the “Corny College Show” in “Hairspray” required a lot of dancing, a skill that Huynh acquired in Kentridge’s Multicultural Club (MCC).
“We do cultural dances and things,” Huynh said. “I never really had a dance background but I was interested. I like to sing so I figured I needed to learn how to dance to be in the shows.”
MCC gave Huynh an opportunity to learn about other cultures and share her own.
“Because I come from an Asian background, it is who I am,” said Huynh, who served as an officer for MCC. “I like to express that and help my classmates appreciate diversity like I do.”
Huynh is ready for the next chapter in her life.
“I am most excited to get started on my career path,” she said. “I have always known that I have wanted to do something in the medical field so I am excited to find that community of people who all share similar goals with me and just learn from them.”
Huynh is the daughter of Vivian Phung and Coung Huynh. Her younger sister, Emily, is a freshman at Kentridge.
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