Rancho Bernardo High, Del Norte celebrate Class of 2016

Rancho Bernardo and Del Norte high schools bid farewell to more than 1,000 students combined as the Class of 2016 graduated.

Among those receiving diplomas last Thursday were four top graduates asked to reflect on reaching this milestone.

Rancho Bernardo High Valedictorian Kevin Hu plus Del Norte High Valedictorian Gokul Swamy and Salutatorian Joe Sun are headed to the University of California Berkeley to major in electrical engineering/computer science.

“I’m hoping to work in the business sector with computer science or ... (be a) software engineer,” Hu said.

“I’ve been interested in computers for a while,” Swamy said. “We are at a time when computers and technology are a more effective way of helping people and improving the world around us.”

Sun said he would like to use what he learns to be a software or hardware engineer so he can “solve world problems.”

Rancho Bernardo High Salutatorian Lynn Bi is going to Columbia University to major in bioengineering. “I’m not sure what I want to do, possibly something in the medical field,” she said. “I want to combine science and helping people.”

Hu, son of Rancho Bernardo residents Kelly Ren and Jason Hu, earned a 4.6905 G.P.A. and took 19 Advanced Placement classes. Hu said AP Physics was his favorite because of how teacher Yvonne Eibeck explained the material and gave students the freedom to explore aspects that interested them.

His activities included Key Club, Science Olympiad, Math Club competitions, peer counseling, tennis, volunteering and going to the gym.

Hu said his favorite high school memories are of Mark Pyle’s AP English literature class because of the way he explained and connected what students were reading to their lives and the guest speakers, such as a Holocaust survivor. “It started me on the path to reading more books about finding yourself ... (and) pursuing passions now because life is unpredictable,” Hu said.

Hu’s advice to younger students is to prepare for their classes early by reading course guidelines over the summer and asking those who already took the classes for help.

Swamy, son of 4S Ranch residents Shobana Sundaram and Kumar Swamy, whose G.P.A. was not released, took 14 AP classes. Swamy’s favorite was AP U.S. history because Tom Swanson “was an amazing teacher who could bring the material to life and I learned a lot.”

His activities included swim team, Computer Science Club president, Quiz Bowl team captain, The Beaker school science journal, developing software for Design 39 Campus, For Your Eyes Only organization and internships at San Diego Super Computer Center and the UC San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering.

Swamy said his favorite high school memory was made when the Computer Science Club made an app that won a contest sponsored by Apple this year.

As for his advice to younger students, Swamy said, “focus on what you’re passionate about (instead of) what looks good on a résumé or everyone else is doing. (If it’s your passion) you can put in an almost limitless amount of effort and be happy doing it.”

Bi, daughter of Sabre Springs residents Xiuhua Zhao and Yubai Bi, earned a 4.6818 G.P.A. and took 15 AP classes. Bi said her favorites were AP physics because “Ms. Eibeck is a really great teacher” and AP English literature.

Her activities included Science Olympiad, Silver Spur school newspaper, math team, Computer Science Club, being a violinist with the San Diego Youth Symphony, volunteering at Sharp Memorial Hospital and playing the piano.

Bi said her favorite high school memories are from the Science Olympiad state competition during her junior year. “I’ve been involved in Science Olympiad since middle school and just being in that environment and competing as a team was really fun,” she said.

Her advice to younger students is to “work hard and keep your head down. I wish I had explored more areas and not been afraid to take risks, so I’d encourage younger students to do that.”

Sun, son of 4S Ranch residents Terry Zhao and Lei Sun, whose G.P.A. was not released, took 15 AP classes. Sun said his favorite was AP computer science because “it was different from any other class I had taken ... (and) why I want to study the field now.”

His activities included being Science Olympiad president, Academic League, being Math Club president and helping students get into math competitions.

Sun said he was looking forward to Grad Nite and enjoying time on the beach this summer.

“High school really is about balancing time between classes, extracurricular activities, social life and sleep,” Sun said. “These are the most important to succeed in high school.”