Top scholars honored at Kent high schools

Seven Kent-Meridian High School and Kentridge High School seniors will be named valedictorians when they graduate today at the Tacoma Dome.

The schools honor their top scholars each year with the prestigious title, recognizing them as having the highest cumulative academic records through their high-school years. Kent-Meridian and Kentridge Classes of 2008 will graduate at 12:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. today, respectively, at the Tacoma Dome.

The following students are this year’s valedictorians:

Kayla Daly, Kent-Meridian

Kayla Daly, 18, will graduate as Kent-Meridian’s sole valedictorian.

Daly said the highlights of her high-school career include being named Homecoming Queen and recently being accepted to Columbia University.

“When I got into Columbia, it was the culmination of all my hard work in high school,” she said.

Daly will attend the New York City-based school this fall to study science and economics. She said that she hopes to use her career to benefit others.

“Ultimately, I’d like to be working for the United Nations to improve the conditions of women in the Middle East,” she said.

LeeAnn Allen, Kentridge

LeeAnn Allen, 18, has dedicated her high-school career to study and dance.

A four-year member of the Chatelaines Dance Team, Allen said being on the team was one of her favorite high-school experiences.

“It was fun being a part of that long-standing tradition,” she said.

Allen also was active in many other clubs, but her studies in high school focused on math and science. She will continue that focus when she enrolls at Scripps College near Los Angeles, Calif., this fall.

There, she will major in biology and management with the goal of starting a career in biological research.

Jacklyn Brown, Kentridge

Jacklyn Brown, 17, will take many memories with her when she leaves high school this year.

“The highlight of my high-school years would definitely be all the irreplaceable memories that I have made with friends,” she said. “All the fun and laughter that we have had together is something that I will keep with me for a long time.”

Part of the Running Start Program at Kentridge, Brown will graduate with a high-school diploma and an associate’s degree in business from Green River Community College.

Brown will transfer to University of Washington this fall to continue her studies at the Michael G. Foster School of Business. She plans to pursue a career in accounting.

Shirley Leung, Kentridge

Shirley Leung, 18, spent her high-school years playing sports and making friends in addition to studying.

Involved in track and gymnastics at the school, Leung said she enjoyed participating in the sports for the camaraderie they provided. When she graduates, she said she’ll miss friends and her favorite teachers most.

Leung will attend University of Pennsylvania in the fall with plans to major in environmental engineering.

“I want to save the world,” she said. “I want to spend all day coming up with new ways to help the environment.”

Thao Truong, Kentridge

Thao Truong, 18, will miss her teachers most when she leaves high school behind.

“I’d have to say my whole Kentridge experience was really good,” she said. “(I’ll miss) the really supportive teachers. They made the classes enjoyable and really worth our time.”

Playing viola and piano in orchestra and jazz band at the school, Truong said music classes were another highlight of her high-school career.

Truong will switch gears when she attends University of Washington this fall. She said she is considering pursuing a career in pharmacy.

Craig Van Bruggen, Kentridge

Craig Van Bruggen, 18, said his high-school years were all about Kentridge music.

“The highlights for me were the band trips,” he said, listing Washington, D.C., and Disneyland as his favorite destinations with the group. “It was kind of what each year revolved around.”

Van Bruggen played alto sax in wind ensemble and jazz band all four years at the school, and he said he’ll miss the friends he made playing music.

Van Bruggen hopes to continue playing in band when he attends University of Puget Sound in Tacoma this fall. He said he plans to major in biology at the school, hoping to pursue a career as a lab researcher.

Eun Yi, Kentridge

Eun Yi, 18, said the highlight of her high-school career was making strong friends with her fellow classmates.

“You make a lot of friends here, and you’re going through everything together,” she said. “You have the same classes and the same experiences, so you develop close relationships.”

Yi will attend Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania this fall. She said she’s still undecided on what she wants to study, but she’s considering East Asian studies as a major. After college, she plans to pursue a career in law.