Alecia Foster
LA CRESCENTA -- For Clark Magnet High senior Jimmy Kan, getting good
grades wasn't about the quest to become salutatorian or valedictorian.
"It's just about doing your best in school," he said.
As his high school years come to a close, Kan, 18, will stand among
the top students in his class along with friend and fellow senior
Samantha Lawler.
Kan has been named salutatorian while Lawler has been named
valedictorian.
School officials kept a close eye on the two students' grades during
the last few months, knowing their grade-point averages were close and
the final results could go either way.
Lawler's flawless high school record of straight A's for her entire
four years won out in the end. In fact, her record extends back into
middle school.
"In grade school I didn't care yet," she said of getting good grades.
Kan has been supportive of his friend. "She deserves it," he said.
Although both participated in the district's Scholastic Bowl
competitions, Lawler chose to get more involved with various activities
at school.
She was president of the science club, a member of the math club and
president of the environmental vegetarian club.
Both will head off to college in the fall. Kan will go to UC Berkeley,
although he is not sure what his major will be. He's thinking about
engineering.
Lawler will head to CalTech, which she's wanted to attend since she
was 8, she said.
"It's one of the best science schools in the country," she said.
"It's also close to home and I like my family and I like California,"
she said.
Like Kan, Lawler wasn't sure what her major would be -- she's been
going back and forth between physics and astronomy.
