STUDENT SPOTLIGHT

10TEENS

MAKING THEIR MARK

BY TARA MENDANHA In this year’s roundup of youthful visionaries, we spotlight some of the region’s best, brightest, and most inspiring students. In no particular order…

Kate MacPherson Ian Ng

What accomplishment are you most proud of and why? Raising $1,500 for my school music program to use for purchasing new instruments, sheet music, and equipment. Over the course of more than a year, I prepared the 10 hardest pieces I’d learned throughout my piano career and successfully performed them for an audience of over 100 in October 2019. What are your hobbies and involvements in school? I’m the president and current team captain of the Science Bowl Club at Vista, and I coach the Science Bowl Team at Folsom Middle School. I also help run the Computer Science Club at Vista, which my friends and I founded this year; and I’m co-president of Vista’s Robotics Club. I participated in orchestra last year as a pianist and violinist and still help out. I also play varsity tennis on the school team. If you could travel anywhere, where would you go? Japan. It has such a different culture from the U.S., along with a unique history and is one of the leading countries in terms of developing cutting-edge technology. Favorites ESCAPE: Shooting hoops with my friends GUILTY PLEASURE: Playing Minecraft with my sister MEAL IN TOWN: Stuffed-crust pizza at Pieology LOCAL LANDMARK: Folsom Public Library MOVIE: The Dark Knight MUSICIAN/BAND: Panic! at the Disco SAYING: “I am a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it.”— Thomas Jefferson

17, OAKMONT HIGH SCHOOL 17, VISTA DEL LAGO HIGH SCHOOL

What accomplishment are you most proud of and why? Being selected to represent my school at the Northern California Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership Conference (HOBY NorCal) in June 2019. What are your hobbies and involvements in school? I’ve been on the varsity volleyball team since my freshman year and was selected as a co-captain and given all-league honors during my sophomore and junior years. Aside from volleyball, I serve as one of our editors-in-chief, head of sports, and the social media manager for the Oakmont student media publication, Norse Notes. What’s one thing not many people know about you? I once memorized every capital to every country in the world.

Favorites ESCAPE: Lake Tahoe GUILTY PLEASURE: Nutella crêpes MEAL IN TOWN: Fair Oaks Roll from Mikuni LOCAL LANDMARK: Folsom Lake MOVIE: Mamma Mia MUSICIAN/BAND: Train SAYING: “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.”–Winston Churchill

Angel Alonzo

18, OAKMONT HIGH SCHOOL

What are your hobbies and involvements in school? E-sports league, working out, and doing yard work. I’ve also been involved in our school’s student government program for all four years, where I’m able to make a difference on our campus with events and fundraisers. What’s one thing that not many people know about you? I’m generally a quiet person but enjoy hanging out with large groups, which is why I like student government so much. What are your plans for the future? Join the Navy and begin a medical career.

Favorites ESCAPE: Maidu Library GUILTY PLEASURE: Kettle chips MEAL IN TOWN: Mikuni or In-N-Out Burger LOCAL LANDMARK: Maidu Park MOVIE: Knowing MUSICIAN/BAND: Avenged Sevenfold and Disturbed SAYING: “Forget about it.”

Hannah Lucho

18, ROCKLIN HIGH SCHOOL

What accomplishment are you most proud of and why? Winning third place at the Vegas Acro Cup, an international competition. I trained in gymnastics for 13 years and standing on the podium made all the blood, sweat, and tears I poured into the sport worth it. What are your hobbies and involvements in school? I’m heavily involved in aquatic athletics and participate in swim, dive, and water polo. I’m also in the French Club and the American Red Cross Club. What’s one thing not many people know about you? I’ve observed a heart surgery in Peru. Favorites ESCAPE: Swimming at the beach GUILTY PLEASURE: Smelling fresh towels from the dryer MEAL IN TOWN: In-N-Out Burger LOCAL LANDMARK: Quarry Park MOVIE: Arrival MUSICIAN/BAND: Queen SAYING: “You don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone.”

Trenton Schmitt

18, GRANITE BAY HIGH SCHOOL

What accomplishment are you most proud of and why? Being recruited by Columbia University, along with winning the Gold Medal in fencing at the Junior Olympics. What are your hobbies and involvements in school? Lifting weights, guitar, and trap shooting. What’s one thing not many people know about you? I have three National Gold Medals and a Gold Medal from the Youth Pan American Games for sabre fencing. Also, I have played the electric guitar since I was seven.

Favorites ESCAPE: Hanging out with friends GUILTY PLEASURE: Spicy snacks: hot wings, Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, jalapeño chips MEAL IN TOWN: Chipotle LOCAL LANDMARK: Folsom Lake MOVIE: Step Brothers MUSICIAN/BAND: Metallica and NBA Youngboy SAYING: “It won’t always go your way, so you can’t get trapped in this idea that just because you’ve imagined a possibility for yourself that you somehow deserve it.”—David Goggins

Samantha Sonntag

18, ST. FRANCIS CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL

What accomplishment are you most proud of and why? Getting accepted into my dream college, University of Arizona. I worked really hard in school to get where I am today. What are your hobbies and involvements in school? Paddleboarding on the lake, drawing, painting, playing pingpong, and working out. In school, I’ve played all four years on the university tennis team, am in the Environmental Club, and played basketball my freshman year. What’s one thing not many people know about you? I did competitive cheerleading and gymnastics when I was younger. Favorites ESCAPE: The beach

GUILTY PLEASURE:

Avocados MEAL IN TOWN: Relish Burger Bar

LOCAL LANDMARK:

Historic Folsom MOVIE: Just Go With It MUSICIAN/BAND: Florida Georgia Line SAYING: “It’ll get better.”

Annabel Maguire

17, EL DORADO HIGH SCHOOL

What accomplishment are you most proud of and why? Being the youth volunteer director for El Dorado County’s Empty Bowls fundraiser last year, where I was recruited to provide training, organization, and leadership to 100 volunteer students. The event raised $37,000 to reduce hunger and malnutrition in our community and throughout the world. I’m also proud of being asked to attend the March for Our Lives in Washington, D.C.—a lifechanging event that led me to become a strong advocate for stricter gun regulations. What are your hobbies and involvement in school? I’ve played high school soccer for the last three years and ran both track and cross-country my freshmen and sophomore year. I’m also the president of Hands4Hope, a youth-driven organization that works on improving our community through student leadership and service, and founded the We Are Earth Club, which works on making our school and community more environmentally friendly and sustainable. What’s one thing not many people know about you? The last two summers I’ve gone to Cozumel, Mexico, and became a certified PADI Open Water Diver, which allows me to scuba dive around the world.

Favorites

ESCAPE: Hiking GUILTY PLEASURE: Road trips MEAL IN TOWN: Totem Coffee LOCAL LANDMARK: Henningsen Lotus Park MOVIE: On the Basis of Sex MUSICIAN/BAND: Rainbow Kitten Surprise or Florence and the Machine SAYING: “I raise up my voice—not so I can shout but so that those without a voice can be heard ...we cannot succeed when half of us are held back.”—Malala Yousafzai

SHOP . DINE . PLAY

Myldred Hernandez-Gonzalez

18, OAKMONT HIGH SCHOOL

Favorites ESCAPE: Driving while playing loud music GUILTY PLEASURE: Watching cheesy romantic comedies on Saturday nights MEAL IN TOWN: Chicken flautas at Mi Lindo Apatzingan LOCAL LANDMARK: Old Sacramento MOVIE: Jojo Rabbit MUSICIAN/BAND: Jon Bellion SAYING: “Dreaming is the only free thing in life so dream big dreams.”—My mom (Karla Hernandez)

What accomplishment are you most proud of and why? Receiving a full-ride merit scholarship to the University of Notre Dame. I’ll never forget the look on my mom’s face when I told her. My parents made a lot of sacrifices leaving their home country of Mexico to give their children a better education. When I told my mom I got the scholarship, she cried, hugged me, and said: “Everything has been worth it.” What are your hobbies and involvements in school? I’m a student in the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Program at Oakmont and have been the president of the Multicultural and CREATE Clubs all four years. I’m also the founder and president of the Viking CAST Club, which is focused around creativity, activity, and service; and the SUN Club, an environmental awareness and protection club. In addition, I’m the captain of Oakmont’s all-girls League of Legends e-sports team. Throughout the past four years, I’ve volunteered by mentoring freshmen and tutoring students in math, French, world studies, Spanish, and English-learning. What’s one thing not many people know about you? English was my second language, and I wasn’t considered fluent until fourth grade.

Katherine Logan

17, PONDEROSA HIGH SCHOOL

What accomplishment are you most proud of and why? Being the section leader in my high school marching band. It took a lot of courage to step out of my comfort zone and try out for this position. What are your hobbies and involvements in school? This will be my third year as a member of the California Scholarship Federation, where I currently serve as a public relations officer in my school’s chapter; and my fourth year as part of the Campus Light Club where Christians gather every Monday at lunch. What’s one thing not many people know about you? I was adopted, which helps fuel my desire to support causes such as pro-life and organizations that work to end human trafficking.

Favorites ESCAPE: Reading articles (usually about coffee)

GUILTY PLEASURE:

Coffee shops

MEAL IN TOWN:

Pupusas from Fernando’s Costa Del Sol

LOCAL LANDMARK:

Tower Bridge MOVIE: The Scarlet Pimpernel

MUSICIAN/BAND:

Colton Dixon SAYING: “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young but set an example for believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith, and in purity.”—1 Timothy 4:12

Cate Joaquin

16, ST. FRANCIS CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL

What accomplishment are you most proud of and why? My track team’s 4 x 1600 relay first-place finish at the prestigious Arcadia Invitational in April 2019 where we set a national mark with a total time of 20:20.82. Our team entered the race unknown and ended up beating several nationally ranked teams. Also, qualifying for the 2019 Footlocker Cross Country Nationals (only 40 girls across the U.S. qualify). What are your hobbies and involvements in school? Skiing, baking, traveling, and running. At school, I enjoy challenging myself academically (I have a 4.3 GPA) and am a member of two clubs and the California Scholarship Federation. Who is your role model? My teammate: Izzy Fauria. She’s not only an accomplished runner but is also very inspirational, positive, and incredibly supportive of everyone on our team. She was my mentor prior to arriving at St. Francis and is an amazing training partner who keeps me motivated.

Favorites ESCAPE: Manhattan Beach GUILTY PLEASURE: Anything sweet, especially macarons or lemon bars MEAL IN TOWN: For breakfast, pancakes at Bacon & Butter; for lunch, the chicken and prosciutto sandwich at Mendocino Farms; and dinner at Ruth’s Chris Steak House LOCAL LANDMARK: Johnny Cash Trail MOVIE: Ferris Bueller’s Day Off MUSICIAN/BAND: Shawn Mendes and Khalid SAYING: “Hunt it down!” (This is a phrase my teammates and I yell at one another during races.)

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