Rogers

COURTESY

Kimberly Ngo is graduating valedictorian from Rogers High School and plans to attend University of Washington in the fall.

Ngo no stranger to helping others

Rogers senior plans to pursue math-related field in college

By Jim Allen

THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW

The transition to college is seldom easy, but Kimberly Ngo already has a head start, thanks to a pattern of self-reliance that stretches back to her first days of school.

Ngo was only a first-grader when at her first parent-teacher conference, she did most of the talking because her Vietnamese immigrant parents struggled with English.

They still do, relying on Ngo for tasks such as grocery shopping, doctor’s appointments and lately unemployment paperwork after both lost their jobs because of the pandemic.

“That’s where my leadership comes in,” Ngo said. “Even when we’re going to the grocery store.”

At the same time, her parents expected the best from Ngo in the classroom and beyond.

“When report cards come home, they don’t even check it, even at conferences,” Ngo said. “My advisers tell them that Kimberly is doing well, and they are just nodding. I think that in my culture, it’s expected to get all those A’s.”

There have been many, enough to send Ngo to the University of Washington this fall. She plans to major in a math-related field.

“She constantly strives to try new things and work on ways to not only improve herself, but those around her,” said Rogers social studies teacher Karrie Docterman-King, who’s had Ngo since the latter’s freshman year.

“She has been a joy to have in my classes because of her positive attitude and strict adherence to taking initiative and getting tasks completed,” Docterman-King said.

At home, Ngo stepped up when her mother lost her job at a nail salon because of the pandemic and her father saw his hours reduced at an assembly plant.

As her parents tried to file for unemployment benefits, it was she who led them through every step of the process, every button on the computer screen.

The COVID-19 pandemic has shortchanged the graduating class of 2021 from some opportunities, but Ngo adapted.

“We’re not getting the whole senior experience,” said Ngo, who is president of the National Honor Society and tried to stay active in Key Club and student government, despite the pandemic.

This year, Ngo applied for the Spokane Lilac Festival’s Royalty Scholarship program, and was one of seven girls chosen.

“It’s been an amazing opportunity, with a lot of speech training that will help me later in life,” Ngo said.

Ngo also volunteers at Joya Child and Family Development (formerly known as the Spokane Guilds’ School & Neuromuscular Center), a nonprofit assessment and therapy center for children ages birth to 3 years old who have developmental disabilities and delays.

She also helped others at Rogers, helping make prom dresses for her classmates and raising money for others.

“As her leadership adviser, I have seen Kim grow into a strong, confident and well-rounded young woman who is ready to take on the world,” Docterman-King said.

Jim Allen can be reached at (509) 459-5437 or by email at jima@spokesman.com

ROGERS HIGH SCHOOL

Class of 2021

Expected to graduate are:

Ali Aboud Jiem Akilang Amenah Al Shamarti Hailey Anderson Haley Anderson Miah Anderson Dante Angel Madason Anspach Athena Apodaca Jaedyn Applonie Mary Jingle Arcenas Aden Armstrong Jesse Atwood Nicole Aubrey Patsy Aubrey Emily Auduong Monica Auston Damien Barber Lavona Bates Anna Batrak Casey Beamis Haley Bear Elijah Belgarde Jaqueline Bernal John Bima Sarah Bisbee Abbey Blackwell Luther Blaylock V Nikolay Bobrovnikov Makenzie Bradley Abraham Branij Phillip Branis Emanuel Brantley Joy Brian Selena Brito Delaine Broom Marisa Brophy Jaden Brown Samantha Brown Rigsby Ashlynn Brusseau Ellen Burgess Thomas Burton Ethan Buster David Callahan Marcus Carlile Jeremiah Carr Felicity Case Christopher Chapman Ajani Chapman-Egbert Katey Christensen Emma Clary Thressa Coffey Braydyn Cook Darien Correa Ordaz Chloe Cosgrove Destiny Cosner Charlie Courville Cesar Covarrubias Julissa Covarrubias Macy Crawford Aholianna Crespo Michelle Cruz Silva Donny Cunningham Kristiana DaJose Gunner Dacosta Nathaniel Daly Keshia Davis William De Parcq Rubylynn Debrum Angelika Dedkov Hailey Denbroder Sydney Densmore Starr Dezarn Jacquelyn Diaz Tony Diep Keneair Digno Barbara Dixon Skyler Doan Ledavius Dunlap Raine Ellithorpe Mariam Fakhreddin Perla Figueroa-Villa Shannon Fitzgerald Corden Foster Amari Frans Kyli Freeland Ryan Garvin Emily Gomez Jernie Gooch Lazarya Grayson Chasten Green Essence Griffey Daniel Grisham Chenille Rae Guieb Bobin Gurung Neschal Gurung Shamir Gurung Katie Hagedorn Peyton Haggerty John Win Hansen Makenzi Hansen Justin Harris Brayden Hefling Colin Hendrickson Jorlandy Hernandez Jose Hernandez Nataly Hernandez Kamren Hilde Rylee Hilker Hunter Holcomb Hailey Hooks Kyndra Hoyt Aniyah Humphries Skye Hunter Sage Huynh Ringo Jack Michael Jennings Casey Jeske Ricardo Jimenez Joseph Jisam Kapuanani Joel Rancelina Joel Eleanor Johns Abbie Johnson Johari Kakonga Chloe Karben Jiem Kerong Steven King Rickye Knudsen Nieon Kobeney Raman Krukovich Mark LaMont Carl Laikidrik Katelynn Lake Tanalynn Lalimo Ryan Lamb Andrea Lang Micah Lasalle Joshua Lauch Alma Lautermilch Joseph Lawrence Austin Leeper Leah Lemari Caleb Lemon Tanji Lewis Andrey Liashedko Riley Lindstrom Christine Livermon Jefferson Lokot Adan Lopez Levi Lyons Aiden Maher Atidrik Malolo Edlee Marphy Janae Martinez Karen Mashtare Dallas Masoner Rheanna Matte Carlos Matthews Riley McGee Jeremiah McKibben Joshua McKibben Mariah McNew Raven Meshell Abisai Michel Rodriguez Mikieo Mikieo Tucker Wesley Miller Annastasia Monks Amaree Moore Tyson Moore Alexander Moos Karter Morgan Keegan Moses Gaoshoua Moua Rhashaun Moultrie Jakob Mull Joshua Mull Destinee Murphy Andrii Mynka Navarro Newkirk Kimberly Ngo Tammy Nguyen Thien Nguyen Kim Nieto Neema Ntakirutimana Yasmin Nunez Guzman Esperance Nuwintije Meygan Oliver Danielle Olson Serena Parra-Trevino Zachary Partridge Uriah Patterson Matthew Patton Casaundra Pelley Leanne Pepion Audrey Perier Aaliyah Peterson Megan Peterson Kayla Pham Nancy Phan Shaniece Picard Josiah Pommer Jaelynn Proctor Simona Pruteanu Hanna Radford Marcelino Ramirez Gage Ramos Andre Ramsey Emily Recano Kai Reiner Edward Reynolds Jaden Rice Keyoselynn Rilometo Jascel Roberts Brisean Robinson Nathan Rodriguez Tembo Rubon Danny Rupp Roseme Salomon Jael Sam Gordan Sampson Destiny Sandbergen Diana Sandham Aarin Saunders Austin Saunders Macey Schultz Riley Scott Jordan Searls Owen Searls Bradley Shaffer Aryonia Shapoval Nataly Shatskiy Keigon Shove Nikolay Shvachev Dyani Sijohn Pascal Natalia Silk Josias Silva Mejia Austin Smith Bailey Smith Areli Solano-Castaneda Jeanna Staker Derek Steppe Caleb Suazo Greg Swedberg Isaac Sweeney Roselyann Tartios Sid Tensley Emily Tillett Jadyn Tinkham Anastasia Tishchenko Diana Tran Ethan Tran James Trent Anton Tyurin Peter Ueno Furaha Umutoniwase Maria Valdovinos Maya Vandament Jabez Vang Mackenzie Vanwinkle Alexis Villarrial Nancy Vo Mazelyn Vreeken Brus Jaana Vue Anika Walker Dawntasha Walker O’Neil Madison Wallgren Autumn Washburn Cheyenne Watts Dalton Wetmore Emily Whipple Jakiia Wilder Christian Winans Gracie Yates Shing Yawng Sofiya Zhelez Dakota Ziegler Branden Zimmerman

Graduation

The Rogers High School commencement will be at 7 p.m. June 13 at Spokane Riverfront Park Pavilion.

Principal: Lori Wyborney

Summa cum laude: Andre Ramsey, Kimberly Ngo, Emily Auduong and Ethan Tran.

Auduong Ramsey Tran