Behind each beaming smile is a story of rising above challenges and exceeding the potential to achieve academic success, independence and pride. From hopelessness to self-determination, 82 high school graduates from Santa Ana received well-deserved recognition at the 4th Annual Nicholas Academic Centers' Graduation Celebration held at the Westin South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa.
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On Saturday, June 9, 2012, over 400 people gathered at the Westin South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa to celebrate the accomplishments of the NAC’s 81 graduating seniors from the 2012 class. Friends, family, high school counselors & administrators, community leaders, and more shared an evening of great music, delicious food, and inspiring stories and speeches.
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Here's some nice news on the Hispanic academic front. About 80 Santa Ana, Calif., high school students who thought higher education was out of their grasp are off to Notre Dame, UCLA and Denison College, among other top-tier schools.
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Since the doors of NAC I opened in 2008, many students have passed through its halls. They come from different backgrounds and join for different reasons, but they are united in their purpose – their desire to overcome the odds and make college a reality. Most NAC students juggle an incredible amount of responsibilities and make sacrifices daily in pursuit of their educational goals. One such student, NAC alum Mariana Hernandez, did just that while earning the title of Valedictorian of Santa Ana High School in 2010. She managed to balance her class schedule with sports (Varsity Volleyball, Varsity Track and Field), clubs (MESA Club President, Mui Alpha Theta Match Society President, Go-Green Recycling Club President, California Scholastic Federation Vice President, Freshmen Mentor Program member, and Fellowship of Christian Athletes member), and afterschool programs (Nicholas Academic Centers, of course). Mariana’s hard work paid off when she gained admission to Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. What she has done at Georgetown is no less impressive than what she did during her time at the NAC.
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Nicholas Academic Centers Graduation Celebration Highlights Local Students Who Overcame Adversity to Achieve the American Dream of Higher Education
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Recently, Ashley and her classmates/teammates, Alex Hernandez and Ivan Lopez capitalized on their culinary skills and entered the “Cooking Up Change” competition, a national campaign created to advocate for “policies and practices that allow all students, teachers and staff to learn and work in a healthy school environment.” This is the campaign’s first year in California, an expansion made possible by sponsorships from Kid Healthy and Northgate Markets.
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12 years after retiring from the bench, Judge Jack K. Mandel donned the robe once more. Unlike the robe he wore during his 19 years as a Superior Court Judge, however, this robe was of the graduating kind.
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The Nicholas Academic Centers' "Chapman University Visiting Scholar Series" returns on Saturday, May 12th. The lecture, titled “Impressions Count: Business & Professional Skills for Your College Career and Beyond,” is the last Chapman lecture of the season.
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The Nicholas Academic Centers' "Chapman University Visiting Scholar Series" returns on Saturday, May 12th. The lecture, titled “Impressions Count: Business & Professional Skills for Your College Career and Beyond,” is the last Chapman lecture of the season.
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The NAC is pleased to announce that NAC senior, Katrina Linden, recently won the Heid Scholarship. She is the third NAC student in four years to win the prestigious award.
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NAC sophomore, Jasmine Davalos, recently won the office of Junior Class President at Santa Ana High School. A veteran of the varsity cross-country team, the junior varsity soccer team, and the varsity track and field team, “running” for office seemed a natural thing for Jasmine to do. In all seriousness, however, she felt her leadership skills would allow her to represent her class effectively and make sure events like the Senior Prom and the Annual Fashion Show are the best they can be. Her teachers agreed, and with their letters of recommendation, she began her candidacy. Jasmine will be placed in ASB next year and start her duties as Junior Class President.
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It’s true that many talented and driven individuals pass through the NAC halls on their way to success in the realm of higher education, but we are especially proud of NAC senior, Sandra Parra, for pursuing her goals and dancing her way into UCLA. In the fall, UCLA’s Department of World Arts and Cultures will welcome Sandra in what we’re sure will be the start of an amazing college experience. The NAC recently interviewed Sandra to get her perspective on getting into UCLA.
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In August, 2011, when NAC alum, Jessica Aquino, found out the internship she had prepared for fell through, she did what we hope all NAC students would do: She took advantage of the time she had available and found another opportunity to put her talents to work, and at the same time had a life-changing experience. The following is an interview with Jessica Aquino about this experience.
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