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Tokay High School’s top students

Age: 18

Future plans: Attend Stanford University in the fall, possibly majoring in human biology. I’m considering attending medical school after finishing my undergraduate work and pursuing a career in field epidemiology.

Jamie Funamura

Activities: Academic Decathlon, conflict management, Link Crew, soccer, badminton, Taiko drumming, Spanish club, Japanese club, California Scholarship Federation, Science Olympiad, Key Club and violin.

Awards and scholarships: National Merit Scholarship finalist, Bank of America Liberal Arts plaque, The Record Pinnacle Team, Lodi and Stockton JACL scholarship, Chinese Cultural Society of Stockton scholarship, Governor’s scholarship, Lodi Youth Commission Teen of the Month in March, Catch a Rising Star, UC Davis Spring Badminton Open first-place winner, Andrew Hill badminton tournament third-place winner, SJAA League tournament runner-up, and Academic Decathlon second-place overall award.

Most memorable experience: Being on homecoming court this year.

Parents: Jack and Janwyn Funamura.

Age: 17

Future plans: Attend either University of the Pacific or UC Berkeley. I plan to go to medical school after college and become a doctor.

Thomas Howell

Activities: Vocational Industrial Clubs of America, Tokay Royal Regiment Marching Band, Tokay winter percussion, volunteer martial arts instructor.

Awards and scholarships: UOP Regents scholarship, UOP Bishops scholarship, honor roll, and bronze medal in technical computer-aided drafting at VICA 2000 state competition.

Most memorable experience: Playing with Tokay’s band, going to band reviews and percussion competitions.

Parents: Buck and Ruth Howell.

Age: 18

Future plans: Attend UCLA, majoring in business economics. In the future, I would like to teach and coach at the high school level or pursue a career in advertising/marketing.

Shirley Fong

Activities: Varsity tennis, track and field, Link Crew, California Scholarship Federation, French club, SEED club, and tutoring.

Awards and scholarships: National Merit Commended Scholar, Golden State Merit Diploma, CSF Sealbearer, honor roll, Top of the Class award, Girls State Alternate Delegate, 2000 SJAA doubles tennis champion, scholar athlete, The Record Pinnacle Team, Governor’s scholarship, French club scholarship, and UCLA Regents scholarship.

Most memorable experience: Winning the track mile relay against St. Mary’s while running in the rain and the dark and upsetting our Lodi rivals 6-0 and 6-1 to capture the 2000 SJAA Doubles Tennis title.

Parents: Frank and Amy Fong.

Age: 18

Future plans: Attend UC San Diego, majoring in biological sciences. I would like to work with animals, but I don’t know exactly what I’ll do.

Emily Williamson

Activities: Link Crew, California Scholarship Federation, Community Improvement Association, math tutoring, track and field team, Japanese club, Tiger Pause, and volunteer keeper aide at Micke Grove Zoo.

Awards and scholarships: CSF Sealbearer, Golden State Exam Merit Diploma, honor roll, The Record Pinnacle Award, Top of the Class Award, Who’s Who Among American High School Students, Elks scholarship, and AAUW scholarship.

Most memorable experience: Being called Jerry Rice in P.E. during my sophomore year because I could actually catch the football.

Parents: Sarah and Scott Taylor.

Age: 17

Huy Tran

Future plans: Attend UC Davis in the fall to study mechanical engineering.

Activities: California Scholarship Federation, Spanish club, Science Olympiad, Academic Decathlon, and NSBE Quiz Bowl Team.

Awards and scholarships: UC Davis Regents scholarship, Governor’s scholarship, All San Joaquin County Distinguished Student Award, and Top of the Class award.

Parents: Hai and Chi Tran.

Age: 18

Future plans: Attend UC Davis to study biochemistry. If I acquire my biochemistry degree, then I will apply for medical school. With the acceptance to medical school, I am hoping to study and become a cardiologist.

Thuan Ho

Activities: More than 350 hours of community service at Dameron Hospital in Stockton and the watershed project in Lodi, Key club, Science Olympiad, California Scholarship Federation, French club president, and part-time job for two years.

Awards and scholarships: Alex Spanos scholarship, The Record Pinnacle Award, Top of the Class award, Golden State Merit Diploma, and CSF Sealbearer.

Most memorable experience: Seeing all of the college acceptance letters. It made me really proud of myself when I realized that I had been accepted to every college I applied to.

Parents: Chau and Hoa Tran.

Age: 18

Future plans: Attend the University of Washington to study communications or education. I plan to continue my participation in student government and water polo.

Jennifer Israel

Activities: Senior class president, sophomore class vice president, student forum and talent show organizer, site council member-curriculum committee, Community Improvement Association co-president and member, California Scholarship Federation vice president and member, conflict management, Link Crew, basketball, swimming, and water polo.

Awards and scholarships: Girls’ State Representative, The Record’s Pinnacle Senior Award, principal’s honor student of the month, homecoming court, swimming first team all-league, water polo first team all-league, water polo first team all-tourney at St. Mary’s Invitational, CSF Sealbearer, Golden State Merit Diploma, California Teachers Association scholarship, Governor’s scholarship, and John Giannoni scholarship.

Most memorable experience: Being the only junior who started on Tokay’s varsity water polo team when we went 14-0 undefeated and went on to play in the top five at sections.

Parents: Kenneth and Laura Israel.

Age: 17

Future plans: Attend UC Davis in the fall. End hunger, solve world peace, discover a new energy source and become a computer science engineer.

Cuong Tran

Activities: California Scholarship Federation, Spanish club, Key club, Community Improvement Association, Japanese club, Science Olympiad, Academic Decathlon, Science Bowl, Quiz Bowl, and Taiko drumming.

Awards and scholarships: UC Davis Regents scholarship, Governor’s scholarship, and All San Joaquin County Distinguished Student Award.

Most memorable experience: Getting Kyle Aarons drunk and throwing him in the girl’s locker room.

Parents: Hai and Chi Tran.

Age: 18

Future plans: Attend the University of the Pacific, majoring in biological science with a sociology minor. I plan to pursue a career in pediatrics.

Grace Mercado

Activities: California Scholarship Federation, Spanish club, Link Crew, Key club, Students in Prevention, and volunteering at SunBridge Elm Haven Care Center.

Awards and scholarships: UOP Regents scholarship, student government scholarship, the Association of Filipinos in Education scholarship, principal’s list, Golden State Merit Diploma, CSF Sealbearer, certificates of appreciation from the State Senate and City of Stockton.

Most memorable experience: For my birthday, my friends came over and we sang karaoke songs. It was the most embarrassing experience, but then we just stayed up talking afterwards. I never felt closer to my friends than I did that day. It showed me how much friends were a major part of my high school career.

Parents: Dante and Norma Mercado.

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