Applause for jobs well done

Some annual traditions don’t begin to tarnish with age.

Consider the 48th annual Scholarship Awards Breakfast, in which top students at Newport Harbor and Corona del Mar high schools will be honored at a Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce-sponsored event for their achievements.

A 4.0 GPA? Naturally. Hundreds of community service hours? But of course! Although everyone from President Obama to Kato Kaelin has the same 1,440 minutes each day, these students somehow find time to accomplish more feats in a school year than many adults could claim in a decade.

In between competing in national sports championships and academic decathlons, this year’s students have found time to intern at prestigious organizations, research at university cardiology labs, work on political campaigns, perform sketch comedy, teach piano to autistic children and volunteer at soup kitchens.

Oh, and many maintain a part-time job, too.

Read on to learn more about each student, and prepare for your jaw to drop.

Caitlin Ahearn

Activities: French Club president; National Honor Society president; Youth and Government; soccer and cross country

Community: Candy striper; Assistance League of Newport Beach; church volunteer

Honors: Academic Letter; Chemistry Olympiad; Excellent student in French

Employment: Pacifica Orthopedics, office assistant, baby-sitter

College Plans: Northwestern University

Vineet Baid

Activities: Philosophy Club

Community: Police Explorers lieutenant; Southern California Jain Temple, teacher at Jain Temple

Honors: Chemistry Student of the Year; Academic Letter

College Plans: UC Berkeley

Connor Carreras

Activities: editor in chief Trident Online 2006-09; editor-in-chief Trident Magazine 2007-08; section editor Trident Magazine 2006-07; Human Relations Council, 2007-09 press liaison; National Honor Society; Integrity Week Group leader 2008-09; Mock Trial; varsity track

Community: Bowers Museum junior ambassador; Location 3 Magazine

Honors: National Merit finalist; AP Scholar with Distinction; Sea King Pride Award; Academic Letter with Highest Honors; Principal’s Honor Roll; Trident Online website named Pacemaker finalist by National Scholastic Press Assn.; Trident Magazine won first place with Special Merit in American Scholastic Press Assn.’s annual contest.

Employment: Spectrum Pharmaceuticals clinical intern; MyOCHigh.com (division of the OC Register, now defunct), freelance correspondent

College Plans: Princeton University

Ken Cooper

Activities: Varsity track; varsity water polo

Community: Pelican Heights

Honors: Ranked 16th in state discus throw; Academic Letter

Employment: Engineering technician

College Plans: MIT

Sarah Furgatch

Activities: Varsity swimming; Human Relations Council, 2007-08 secretary, 2008-’09 creative director

Community: Taught swim lessons and helped out neighborhood swim team

Honors: 4.4 GPA; 2300 SAT score; 226 PSAT Score; National Merit Scholarship finalist; Scholastic All-American for USA Swimming; Academic Letter with Highest Honors for swimming — helped win DII CIF freshman year; 2007-08 Pacific Coast League Champ in 200M; All-American Time in 100 Breast Stroke; 2007-08 Most Valuable Swimmer for CDM; competed in seven USA Swimming Junior National Championships and one Senior National Championship; finalist at Junior Nationals

Employment: Taught private swim lessons; intern for Newport Hills Swim Team; lifeguard for Newport Hills Community Assn.

College Plans: Princeton University

Grace Lau

Activities: Academic Decathlon, president; Madrigal Singers, soprano section leader; National Honor Society; Philosophy Club

Community: Mariner’s Church “crew” member (Youth Ministry volunteer); United Swim Academy volunteer and senior member

Honors: Collegeboard AP Scholar with Distinction; National Merit Scholar finalist; Academic Letter with Honors; Principal’s Honor Roll

College Plans: Deciding between UCLA, UC Berkeley, and Johns Hopkins University

Soroush Mehraein

Activities: National Honor Society; Youth and Government; Mock Trial; Jazz; track and cross country

Community: Intern with GOP

Honors: Academic Letter; CSF; National Merit

College Plans: UC Berkeley

Elise Molnar

Activities: Varsity water polo; varsity swimming; National Honor Society; president Club MD

Community: National Charity League; Academic Mentoring Program

Honors: UCI Center for Neurobiology CNLM Grant recipient; President’s Volunteer Service Award; Daily Pilot Water Polo Dream Team; AP Scholar with Honors; Sea King Pride Award

Employment: Harbor View “Polywog” swim coach; Ocean Rookie Lifeguard Program

College Plans: Harvard University; Harvard women’s water polo team

Andrew Morrow

Activities: National Honor Society; Academic Mentoring Program; varsity volleyball, captain

Community: Assistant instructor for Short Stop Juvenile Crime Diversion Program; researcher for Higher Education Project; junior high volleyball coach, Harbor Day School; Beach City Service league member

Honors: Orange County Bar Foundation Leadership Award; Academic Letter with Highest Honors; AP Scholar with Honors; Varsity Coaches Award

College Plans: USC, UCLA or UC Berkeley

Nina Park

Activities: Human Relations Council; French Club; Club MD

Community: Hoag Hospital ER; Huntington Hospital ER; Newport Beach Public Library

Honors: Collegeboard AP Scholar with Distinction; Academic Letter with Honors; National Merit Scholar Finalist; E.I. Moore Memorial Award; Rensselar Scholarship Award; Daughters of American Revolution; Principal’s Honor Roll; Best Musician Award; Coach’s Award

Employment: Hyundai Digitech

College Plans: Deciding between UC Berkeley and Caltech

Amanda Polley

Activities: Animal Rights Club; Human Relations Council; Philosophy Club; tennis; Frosh/Soph and JV

Community: Discovery Science Center volunteer; Happy Cats Foundation volunteer

Honors: Academic Letter with Honors; Principal’s Honor Roll; AP Scholar with Honors

Employment: Paid UCI Engineering Program

College Plans: UC Berkeley, Northwestern or Carnegie Mellon University (planning to study chemical engineering)

Daniel Ward

Activities: President and founder of school Philosophy Club

Community: Research lab work in cardiology lab of UCI Medical School; assist with UCI lectures for Integrative Medicine

Honors: National Merit Commended; Daughters of American Revolution Citizenship Award; Recognized by NMUSD for publishing book of poetry; Academic Letter; CSF; UC Regents Scholar

College Plans: Cornell University

  Ryan Whelan

Activities: Track and cross country;

Community: Library assistant; intern in D.C. for Congressman Hunter

Honors: AP Scholar with Distinction: Academic Letter with Honors; Principal’s Honor Roll

Employment: Intern (unpaid) at UCI Research Lab (Integrated Nano Reaseron Facility)

College Plans: UC Berkeley (but undecided)

Eric Wright

Activities: Animal Rights Club; president National Honor Society; vice president Human Relations Council; varsity tennis; junior varsity tennis, captain; Random (Sketch Comedy Show)

Community: Irvine Animal Care Center, volunteer AYSO youth referee and organizer

Honors: Academic Letter with Highest Honors; Piano Certificate of Merit Honors Recitals (Top 10% of state); National Merit Commended Scholars; Principal’s Honor Roll; valedictorian; AP Scholar with Distinction

Employment: First Class Pizza, Summer 2006; tutor in Spanish, biology, junior year

College Plans: Georgetown, Notre Dame or USC.

Bryan Yasukochi

Activities: National Honor Society; Human Relations Council; track; soccer

Community: Newport Beach Youth City Council; AYSO youth referee, coach; Daily Pilot Cup coach; AYSO board member.

Honors: AP Scholar with Distinction; National Merit Scholar; Academic Letter with Honors; Principal’s Honor Roll; CSF; US Soccer Development Academy

Employment: Toy Boat, Fashion Island (2006-07 – 2008-09)

College Plans: Penn

McKenna Archer

Activities: Ambassador’s Club; Level 10 gymnast

Community: Church youth leader volunteer at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Catholic Church; Soup Kitchen; volunteered at Orangewood Children’s Center

College Plans: I hope to compete in collegiate gymnastics at either Yale or Cornell. Still waiting to hear.

Jillian Blackledge

Activities: Girls’ basketball; Environmental Studies Club treasurer; track and field

Community: California Reining Horse Assn., help with horse shows

Honors: DAR Good Citizenship Award; Sailor Award – basketball coaches award

College Plans: Probably a four-year university in San Diego to eventually get my teaching degree.

Sean Cantwell

Activities: International Ambassador’s Club vice president; National Honors Society treasurer; SPAC secretary; Flying Samaritans Club; International Princess Project Club member; boys’ basketball

Community: Head coach of the Newport Elementary School math team; senior altar server at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish; seventh and eighth grade basketball coach at Boys’ & Girls’ Club

Honors: Boys’ state delegate; AP Scholar with Distinction; Student of the Year Nominee in English, foreign language, science, math and social studies; Altar Server of the Year; Daughters of the American Revolution Citizenship Award

College Plans: Looking to major in the biological sciences with a pre-med emphasis. Strongly considering UCLA, USC and Notre Dame.

Ariana Cernius

Activities: Classical piano; black belt in karate; varsity tennis; Ambassadors’ Club co-president; National Honor Society

Community: National Charity League; Autism Awareness; Music Students’ Service League

Honors: National Merit Commended Student; AP Scholar with Honors; Academic Letter; Varsity Tennis Coach’s Award; Junior Varsity Tennis Coach’s Award; MTAC Certificate of Merit Level 10, Piano; California Scholarship Federation.

Employment: Piano teacher for autistic children; intern, Creative Solutions for Autism

College Plans: Claremont McKenna or Harvard

Cameron Chase

Activities: SPAC co-president, JSA

Community: Basketball coach at Boys’ & Girls’ Club; volunteer at Democratic Party of Orange County

Honors: Principal’s Award; four-year varsity member and captain of the tennis team

Employment: Currently a tennis instructor at Lido Island Tennis Club; Congressional page in Washington, D.C. — summer 2007; manager at Palisades Pro Shop – spring 2007

College Plans: Duke University, pre-law

Alice Cope

Activities: Blood drive coordinator; National Honor Society president; varsity volleyball; International Freedom Project vice president; SPAC

Community: Hoag Hospital Candy striper board member; St. Joachim Church lector; AYSO coach; Race for the Cure annual volunteer

Honors: English Student of the Semester; AP Scholar with Distinction; Academic Letter, all semester; Volleyball All League; CSF, honorable mention

Employment: Tutoring; volleyball camp instructor

College Plans: Cornell University

Slava Fedorchuk

Activities: National Honor Society; track and cross country; JSA; Mock Trial

Community: Community service through NHS

Honors: HOBY ambassador; statewide essay contest winner

Employment: Tutoring

College Plans: Unsure at this time, but definitely on the East Coast

Terra Friedman

Activities: National Honor Society; CSF president; cross country and track; soccer

Community: Lead service at my synagogue; accompanying my cantor in singing the prayers and leading the congregation in a communal worship; Someone Cares Soup Kitchen; Young Philanthropist Program; Teens Are Leaders in Training

Honors: Cross Country Letter; AP Scholar; Branch Honors (Piano, level 8)

Employment: Roadrunner Sports

College Plans: Either UCLA or Cal Poly SLO (waiting to hear back from UC Berkeley and Stanford)

Harrison Hatton

Activities: varsity sailing, captain; JSA

Community: Recreational Leaders in Training; Someone Cares Soup Kitchen

Honors: AP Scholar with Honors; Academic Excellence Awards

Employment: Tutor; summer sailing instructor

College Plans: Early Acceptance — Stanford; awaiting notice from Yale

Cameron Holmes

Activities: Ambassador’s Club; basketball; volleyball; JSA; FCA

Community: St. Andrew’s Church nursery; Peer Court

Honors: CSF; Math Student of the Year Nominee; CSF; NHS

Employment: Tutor; scorekeeper and referee for NJB

College Plans: UC, a good chance; Stanford if I’m lucky

Darren Leggett

Activities: Volleyball; basketball; Ambassador’s Club, vice president; Junior Statesman of America; Mock Trial prosecuting attorney/vice president; National Honor Society

Community: Camp counselor for homeless/underprivileged children in Los Angeles, Camp Harmony; basketball coach Boys & Girls Club; liaison for volunteers at Mariners Elementary School (also volunteered at numerous events); cooked meals for Boys Hope/Girls Hope

Honors: National Merit Commendation (Top 5%); ELC Recognized by UCs; William H. Reynolds award, basketball; Coaches Award, basketball

Employment: Volleyball camp counselor: Junior Spikers

College Plans: Waiting for additional acceptance letters to make final decision. Admitted into Marshall Business School at USC.

Shelby Searles

Activities: NHS vice president; CSF secretary; JSA – assembly representative; freshman class president; Mentoring for Character

Community: Young Adult Advisory Council; National Charity League; Girl’s Inc.

Honors: AP Scholar with Honors; Academic Letter and Pin; Student of the Year Nominee, English; CSF Seal Bearer; Latin Honor Society; National Honor Society

College Plans: Penn

Suzy Strutner

Activities: NHS secretary; CSF vice president; Flying Samaritans Club (founder and co-president); varsity tennis; newspaper editor in chief

Community: National Charity League; vacation Bible school leader

Honors: National Merit Finalist; Student of the Year Finalist; foreign languages

Employment: Sprinkles Cupcakes; advertising intern at Grupo Gallegos; 5 Seas Boutique

College Plans: Undecided

Jennifer Wukawitz

Activities: Varsity rowing, current team captain

Community: Read scripture at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church

Honors: National Society of High School Scholars

Employment: Newport Aquatic Center

College Plans: Columbia University, pre-med

Ruby Yoon

Activities: Young Democrats treasurer; Environmental Studies Club

Community: Volunteer with different animal rights groups; worked on the Yes on Proposition 2 campaign; attend peace rallies within the community

Employment: Have worked as a gymnastics coach in the past

College Plans: Still waiting to hear before I make a decision.