Lodi Academy’s top graduate puts one foot toward bright future
For Lodi Academy senior Jasmine Turner, graduation will be a big day.
It will not only mark the end of her four-year tenure on the small campus, but the beginning of an exciting new chapter in her life.
Turner, the school’s top graduate with a Grade Point Average of 4.02, plans to say goodbye to California living and hello to Alabama, where she will attend Oakwood College near Huntsville.
She chose Oakwood because it was where her parents met during their college days, and because of its outstanding pre-medical school program.
Turner hopes that her time at Oakwood will prepare her for a career in medicine — the 18-year-old said she can see herself as a doctor.
But while she may be on track for the future, Turner said she is not likely to forget Lodi Academy or the lessons she learned both inside and outside the classroom.
“It’s really prepared us academic-wise and for being able to look at life from different points of view.”
Her memories of the school will be enhanced by the time she spent in clubs and activities on campus, including flag football and basketball which she played all four years. Turner was also the treasurer of the students assembly and the student government representative for the class of 2005.
She said she was appreciative of Lodi Academy’s curriculum, which allowed students to travel to Mexico, New York City and Washington, D.C. The experiences gained from those travels made choosing a college across the country a little bit easier to handle.
Moving on does not mean forgetting the people who helped Turner get where she is today, including teachers and fellow students who together created a close family like environment.
But Turner eagerly awaits the challenges that lay ahead.
“I’m looking forward to broadening my horizons,” Turner said. “I can’t wait to meet new people.”
Contact reporter Sara Cardine at sarac@lodinews.com.