Top-ranked graduates in academics at La Jolla’s three high schools have four years of hard work to look back on and many more years ahead of them to prepare for.
Some of them paused their busy schedules to reflect with the La Jolla Light and offer advice for others.
La Jolla High School
Four graduating seniors at La Jolla High are being honored as valedictorians for the class of 2024, with grade point averages well over 4.0.
They are Julia Olson, who plans to attend UCLA; Gabriel Rebeiz, who will attend UC Berkeley; Christopher Ruff, Washington University in St. Louis; and Elizabeth Yoon, Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
La Jolla High’s graduation ceremony is Thursday, June 6.
“It was really important to me to be successful in school, as I believed it would help me form good habits for the rest of my life,” Yoon said. “Having strong grades has opened up many pathways for me, such as internships and college.”
To get there, she said, she took “many weighted classes throughout all four years of high school, including freshman year, which doesn’t count toward valedictorian GPA.”
“Early exposure to more challenging classes definitely helped me form good habits for my future years,” Yoon added. “I never stressed myself out about having the highest grade in the class or having my grades dip for a period of time, but I did always manage an ‘A’ at the end of the semester.”
Similarly, Rebeiz said, “it was important to me to do my best [in school]. It feels awesome to know that I did my best [and was named a valedictorian].”
From the beginning, Rebeiz took as much math as he could because “it satisfies the prerequisites for all the advanced classes at La Jolla High.”
He recommends that others do the same. “Don’t procrastinate; stay on top of your work,” he said. “Explore what interests you and dive into different fields. Don’t wait for anyone to teach you. Take the initiative to learn it yourself.”
For Rebeiz and Yoon, that also meant exploring interests outside the classroom.
Rebeiz, a longtime Boy Scout, earned the Eagle Scout rank last year — the highest in the Scouts BSA program of the Boy Scouts of America — for building benches and installing them along La Jolla’s Coast Walk Trail.
During her high school years, Yoon has been in various clubs and service organizations such as the National Charity League, and has participated in sports.
“I actually felt that my extracurriculars helped me stay organized with my schoolwork,” she said. “I did often have conflicts, but this did not affect my performance in school too heavily.”
But over four years of schoolwork, along with out-of-school activities and a social life to balance, the path has not always been easy. Yoon said there were times when her grades would dip, but communication with teachers was key in getting her grades back up.
“Always communicate your situation with others,” she said. “I was able to recover … by communicating with my teachers and/or counselors and letting them know I was struggling on the material or that I was busy with other things. Good communication and forming genuine relationships is what allowed me to be successful in high school and hopefully in future years.”
That communication reflected the “collaborative atmosphere at La Jolla High,” she said. “I [also] could ask any of my classmates for help whenever I was stuck. I really enjoyed working with my peers on homework and test prep.”
Rebeiz said he enjoyed “hanging out with great friends, taking Mesa Math classes and Mr. Babcock’s computer science classes.”
Olson and Ruff could not be reached for comment.
The Bishop’s School
During its May 31 commencement ceremony, Bishop’s awarded its Harvard Cup to the senior with the highest cumulative grade point average. This year’s recipient is Serena Zhang.
The Harvard Cup was first awarded in 1953 and has been given each year since.
Zhang also received the Michael W. Teitelman Loyalty Cup, which is named after Bishop’s 10th head of school and is considered the school’s top award. It goes to a member of the senior class who has “consistently demonstrated loyalty, excellence and integrity in all aspects of student life.”
Head of School Ron Kim said Zhang is “the consummate Bishop’s student and is involved in so many aspects of student life that it’s nearly impossible to list them all. She is a leader in the All Girls STEM Society, the Society of Women Engineers and the Science Olympiad and uses those skills to help her fellow students as a peer tutor. She is an active member of the East Asian Student Association and the Bishop’s Anti-Racism Coalition. She is a driving force behind our Peer Buddies program, a workhorse in ASB and a member of our chamber orchestra.”
“More important than this truncated list of her activities and accomplishments, this student is a radiant source of kindness and comion who illuminates our entire school community,” Kim said.
Zhang could not be reached for comment.
La Jolla Country Day School
La Jolla Country Day issues its annual Trustees’ Award to recognize the graduate with the highest cumulative GPA over the past four years. This year’s award was given May 31 to Maya Krishnan.
“I feel humbled by the privilege of access to the vast resources La Jolla Country Day School made available, including interdisciplinary course options, innovation labs, outstanding faculty, college counseling, community service, ive peer and parent groups, all within a framework of dignity, mutual respect and service to humanity,” Krishnan told the Light.
She said the ability to explore her ion helped her reach valedictorian status.
“My ion to engage with people and seek solutions to improve the human condition helped me embark on purposeful endeavors over a sustained period of time,” she said. “I think extended time commitment is super important to engage with communities, discover unmet needs and their meaningful solutions. I had an early start and that helped me with exploration and reflection.”
Her advice to future students, Krishnan said, is that “every one of us has a unique story to tell. Dream big, discover your talents and find your inner calling through action and engagement. Inspire those around you with your unique story.” ◆
