ACADEMIC ALL-STARS

They’ve accomplished much in their four years of high school. They are

athletes, volunteers and scholars. And today, as they prepare to bid

farewell to their high school careers, we acknowledge their contributions

to their schools and their community.

Newport Beach’s top 32 high school scholars -- 17 from Corona del Mar

High School and 15 from Newport Harbor High School -- will be honored

this morning at the 38th annual Scholarship Awards Breakfast at the

Newport Sheraton, hosted by the Commodores Division of the Newport Harbor

Area Chamber of Commerce.

Each students’ resume boasts a long list of achievements. And they have

managed to do all these things while maintaining very high grade-point

averages.

The following are thumbnail sketches of each of these Academic All-Stars.

Unfortunately, space constraints have forced us to edit their lists of

accomplishments.

CORONA DEL MAR

Edward “Ned” Algeo

* Activities: Young Republicans Club, president; varsity football, soccer

and sailing; community basketball coach, AYSO soccer coach.

* Honors: California Scholastic Federation, Golden State Exam, high

honors in geometry; Academic Excellence Honor Roll; Who’s Who in American

High School Students, multiple years.

Jamie Brownell

* Activities: Varsity volleyball (various titles), Environmental Nature

Center, Friends in Service to Humanity (FISH).

* Honors: California Scholastic Federation, Student Athlete Award, All

Pacific League, first team; All-CIF Southern Section, third team; Power

Bar Athlete of the Week, Academic Excellence Honor Roll, academic letter.

Nicole Charney

* Activities: Varsity tennis (3 years), French Club president, Key Club,

Assistance League (sophomore class chairman, vice president); writing

children’s literature.

* Honors: National English Merit Scholarship Award, Golden State Exam

honors, Scholar Athlete Award, Academic Excellence Award, California

Scholastic Federation, USC Book Award, English, Leadership and Academic

Excellence.

Jessica Edwards

* Activities: Varsity volleyball, soccer; Club Fish, Spirit Club, AFS

Club, Assistance League (4 years), tutor at Shalimar Learning Center,

church activities with Grace Church.

* Honors: Earthwatch Grant travel in Australia, score of 4 on AP History

Exam; nominated for Who’s Who Among American Students, academic letter;

most improved player, volleyball; Scholar Athlete Award.

Sean Fenton

* Activities: Varsity football, team captain; varsity track, Letterman’s

Club vice president; Newport Beach Little League volunteer.

* Honors: Golden State Exam, high honors in algebra, honors in geometry;

All Pacific Coast League, football; Sea View League discus champion

(1999), Sea View League third place, shot put (1999).

Anna Finch

* Activities: Junior varsity cross country, JV track; Youth and

Government, Spirit Club, Class Council, Girls League, National Charity

League, Inspiration Chairman Grace Fellowship Youth Ministry.

* Honors: California Scholastic Federation, academic letter with honors;

honor roll; Golden State Exam honors, U.S. History; Speaking Pride Award.

Joe Goodstein

* Activities: Acting, mock-trial team captain, Junior State of America

secretary, Latin Club, peer tutoring, Legal Aide Society, Hoag Hospital

candy-striping, athletics organizer.

* Honors: E.I. Moore Memorial Award, Rennselaer Medal Award, National

Merit Commended Scholar.

Eilene Hao

* Activities: Jazz band, choir, badminton, Investment Club president,

Youth Against Hunger president, school newspaper, Key Club, Red Cross

Club, Club Fish, Music Club, Hoag Hospital candy-striping.

* Honors: E.I. Moore Award, Bausch & Lomb Science Award, DARE Good

Citizen Medal, Harvard Book Award, California Scholastic Federation,

National Merit Commended Scholar, AP Scholar with Honors, Speaking Pride

Award, National Poetry Society, honorable mention.

Leslie Holmes

* Activities: Swimming, Club Fish, retirement home volunteer work.

* Honors: Golden State Exam honors, geometry; academic letter, continuing

excellence; high honors, AP History Exam.

Ashley Jacobson

* Activities: Varsity tennis, CIF semifinalists; Youth and Government

president, Girls League, Spirit Club, Assistance League, Orangewood

Abused Children’s Home Thrift Shop, Taste of Newport volunteer,

Environmental Nature Center, Make-A-Wish Foundation.

* Honors: California Scholastic Federation, Golden State Exam for

Geometry, American Legion Girls State, academic letter, AP Scholar, CIF

championship, tennis.

Jennifer Lee

* Activities: Junior State of America, Latin Club, school newspaper page

editor, tennis, swimming, Hoag Hospital Junior Auxiliary president, peer

tutoring, Race for the Cure, Festival of Trees, athletic organizer.

* Honors: National Merit Finalist, university program for high school

scholars at UCI, Latin Book Award, Junior Auxiliary Hall of Fame.

Katy Lewis

* Activities: Orchesis Dance Troupe, treasurer, historian, president;

Young Republicans Club, Spirit Club, Children’s Home Society, charity for

single mothers, MS Walk, Pediatric Aids Foundation, Make-A-Wish

Foundation.

* Honors: California Scholastic Federation, academic letter; Golden State

Award for Geometry, Newport Beach Youth Council.

Sonia Lohiya

* Activities: ASB Commissioner of Community Service, American Red Cross,

Key Club, American Cancer Society, varsity badminton; Community Service

Task Force, Oasis Senior Center, Fairview Development Center, Make-A-Wish

Foundation, Spirit Run, school representative to Volunteer Center of

Orange County.

* Honors: National Merit Commended Scholar, AP Scholar with Honors,

California Scholastic Federation, Spanish Award, E.I. Moore Award,

American Legion essay winner, academic letter, university program for

high school scholars, Spirit of Volunteerism Award, PTA Reflections

winner.

Susan Lu

* Activities: President of Red Cross Club, French Club historian, Key

Club, Youth Against Hunger, Fountain Valley Regional Hospital volunteer.

* Honors: Certificate of Merit Branch, Golden State Exam high honors,

geometry; National Merit Commended Student; first place, Newport Harbor

American Legion Americanism Essay Contest, Principal’s Honor Roll.

Chris McCormick

* Activities: Varsity water polo, CIF champions; varsity swimming,

Spanish Club treasurer, Investment Club; volunteer, Environmental Nature

Center, International Water Polo tournaments, Surfrider Foundation, beach

cleanups.

* Honors: AP Scholar with honors, Advanced Placement Program, National

Merit Letter, California Scholastic Federation Seal Bearer, Golden State

Exam high honors in algebra, geometry; academic letter, continuing

excellence; scholar-athlete, CIF water polo.

Elizabeth Morse

* Activities: Varsity cross country captain, varsity track captain,

varsity soccer, French Club; volunteer to raise funds for Corona del

Mar’s new track, motivational speaker for Spirit Run; Mammoth Running

Camp.

* Honors: National Merit finalist; CIF Champion, 800 meters, Master’s

Champion, 800 meters; all-league and all-county cross country and track;

Dennis L. Evans Award for Excellence in AP U.S. History, E.I. Moore

Award, Corona del Mar Underclass Athlete of the Year.

Jason Tong

* Activities: Junior varsity tennis, Foreign Arts Club, piano lessons and

recitals, guitar (in a band) and martial arts; church band, Red Cross,

Environmental Nature Center volunteer work.

* Honors: AP Scholar with honors award, Top 10 in AP U.S. History.

NEWPORT HARBOR HIGH

Gregory Chinn

* Activities: Co-founder, Student Political Action Club (SPAC),

wrestling, cross country, canoe racing, Film Club, Christian Club, Young

Architect’s Club, lector at St. Joachim Catholic Church, volunteer at the

Interfaith Shelter, part-time pianist at Fashion Island Atrium Court.

* Honors: Junior Canoeist in U.S., placed fourth at Junior World

Championships in Zingreh, Croatia; U.S. National Canoe Team member,

California Scholastic Federation Seal Bearer.

William Clayton

* Activities: ASB vice president, president of Student Congress, National

Honor Society charter member, California Scholastic Federation, seven

athletic letters: three football, three volleyball, one basketball; Boy

Scouts of America, member of Area Youth Council, plans annual youth

conference for 200 students, accompanist for weekly Sunday church

service.

* Honors: Score of 1,450 on Scholastic Aptitude Test, Harvard Book Award,

outstanding junior academic letter; defensive back of the year, football.

Robert Cole

* Activities: Junior Class president, California Scholastic Federation

president, ASB Commissioner, varsity football captain, Academic Decathlon

Team, volunteer at Fairview Development Center.

* Honors: Boys State delegate, USC Book Award, Toshiba Scholarship

Winner, Golden State Exam honors in chemistry, U.S. history and English;

National Honor Society.

Nicole Dor’e

* Activities: Field hockey, golf, ASB sophomore representative, Key Club,

Hoag Hospital Junior Auxiliary, Board of Directors for FISH (Friends in

Service to Humanity), Our Lady of Mt. Carmel youth group.

* Honors: Girls State Student of Semester finalist in English, Student of

Semester nominee in math, Student of Quarter for Student Leaders; most

improved, most spirited, field hockey.

Elizabeth (Bitta) Jansma

* Activities: Varsity track and field, freshman Spirit Squad, junior

varsity field hockey, varsity field hockey captain, church youth group

(Adventure Unlimited), tutor, teacher’s assistant at Whittier Elementary,

creator of journal buddy program at Whittier, camp counselor at Adventure

Unlimited ranch.

* Honors: SAT: 720 verbal, 690 math; English Student of Semester, Social

Science Student of Semester, GSE Academic Excellence Award, DaVinci

Academy Mars colony, first place; Academic Excellence Award, AP Scholar

Award, academic letter and pin, Principal College Certificate of

Excellence, Golden State Exam Award in history.

Lee Meredith

* Activities: ASB, Community and Philanthropic Activities Commissioner,

Yearbook photographer, National Honors Society, Senior Show, volunteer

with church group and Orangewood Children’s Home, First Mates tutoring

program, Adopt-A-Family and Red Ribbon Week.

* Honors: Orange County Fair art awards: first place drawing, second

place collage; DaVinci Academy Student of Semester in honors geometry,

honors Algebra II, honors chemistry; first place in Reflections contest

in photography, Golden State Exam high honors in chemistry and written

composition.

Kelsey Peterson

* Activities: ASB vice president, CSF vice president, varsity football,

varsity baseball, member of Grace Fellowship Church, volunteered as

Little League Baseball coach in winter baseball camp, athletic field

renovation at Newport Harbor High School. * Honors: Boys State 1999, All

Sea View League honorable mention, E.I. Moore Award for citizenship,

National Merit qualifier, AP Scholar.

Jennifer Porter

* Activities: Field hockey, sailing, publicist for the DaVinci Academy,

Newport Harbor Yacht Club traveling team, National Charity League,

planted trees for Fairview Park.

* Honors: Principal’s Honor Roll, academic letter, Certificate of

Academic Excellence, Golden State Exam academic excellence awards in

geometry, California Scholarship Federation; selected as one of the top

15 skippers in Southern California, Southern California Youth Yacht

Racing Assn. team.

Courtney Rotstan

* Activities: Latin Club (4 years), Student Political Action Committee,

California Scholastic Federation, Ambassadors, DaVinci Academy,

candy-striper at Hoag Hospital, volunteer at the West Side Boys & Girls

Club, tutoring elementary school children.

* Honors: National Merit Finalist, AP Scholar with Honors, E.I. Moore

Award winner.

Andrea Schutz

* Activities: Volleyball, badminton, Social Science Club, California

Scholastic Federation, DaVinci Academy, National Charity League, St.

Andrew’s Youth Group.

* Honors: State volleyball champions, CIF Division I champions; Golden

State Exam, honors in trigonometry, written composition, geometry,

chemistry.

Patrick Sharma

* Activities: Student Political Action Committee co-founder and

co-president, Newport Aquatic Center Junior Canoe kayak team, DaVinci

Academy, California Scholarship Federation, participated at Freedom

Foundation at Valley Forge, volunteer assistant at OCC Adaptive Physical

Education, Grace Fellowship Church Holy Mackerel, volunteer canoe coach.

* Honors: Bank of America Plaque for Liberal Arts, UCI Program for High

School Scholars, Regents Scholarship Award for UCI, U.S. National Canoe

Team, Junior World Canoe Championships in Zagreb, Croatia; Golden State

Exam High Honors for geometry, English, chemistry; Czech Republic Junior

National Champion.

John Swigart

* Activities: Student Political Action Committee founding member, soccer,

cross country, golf, National Honor Society, DaVinci Academy, AYSO

assistant coach, piano playing for senior citizens, assistant at Newport

Harbor Yacht Club.

* Honors: E.I. Moore Award, Student of Semester, science finalist,

Student of Semester math nominee; perfect score on SAT math section;

second place, High School Photovoltaic Design Project Competition,

Outstanding Student of Quarter, science.

Valerie Terrell

* Activities: Editor for campus newspaper, Key Club president, Academic

Decathlon, California Scholastic Federation, swim team, badminton team,

Girls League, speech and debate secretary, March of Dimes Birth Defects

Foundation (advocacy chairperson), Neighbors for Neighbors, Amnesty

International, Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.

* Honors: Principal’s Honor Roll, Daughters of the American Revolution

Good Citizen, National Forensic League honoree, several awards for

Academic Decathlon, Irvine Co. Scholarship recipient, Zonta Girl for

February.

Erin Toole

* Activities: National Honor Society president and treasurer, ASB

Commissioner, school board student representative, California Scholastic

Federation, Social Science Club, swimming, frosh-soph soccer team

captain, volleyball, Helping one student to succeed (H.O.S.T.), mentor at

Whittier Elementary School, Volunteer Intern Program Academy, AYSO

referee.

* Honors: Academic letter and pin, Student of Semester, science; Student

of Quarter, health and safety education; Golden State Exam high honors in

English, honors in chemistry, U.S. history, and Algebra I; Coach’s Award

for frosh-soph soccer team.

Cari Valenstein

* Activities: Newport Aquatic Center Junior Crew, volleyball, DaVinci

Academy, National Honors Society, California Scholastic Federation;

Newport Beach Public Library Young Adult Advisory Council, Helping one

student to succeed (H.O.S.T.), Friends in Service to Humanity (FISH),

Hoag Hospital Auxiliary.

* Honors: National Merit Commended Scholar, AP Scholar, Newport Harbor

High School Academic Excellence, academic pin.