Salvador Perez Jr. - 9th Grade Recipient

Salvador Perez, a friendly and respectful 9th-grade student, finds particular satisfaction in his Algebra 1 class, where he appreciates the clear and systematic approach to problem-solving, describing himself as ambitious and social. The feeling of arriving at the correct answer using learned strategies is almost gratifying for him. Mr. Wakefield, his favorite teacher, has been instrumental in helping Salvador overcome his struggles in Biology, a subject not naturally his forte, by providing clear explanations that guide him to the right solutions. Outside of academics, Salvador is actively involved with the Keystone program at the Boys and Girls Club of San Pedro, where he enjoys contributing his ideas to event planning and collaborating with fellow members to improve the club. One of Salvador's proudest moments was achieving a perfect score on an 8th-grade science quiz, an especially significant accomplishment given his past difficulties with the subject, and his aspirations include enrolling at UCLA to study medicine.

“Salvador Perez brings such a positive attitude to class every day. He is always engaged in discussions, contributes great ideas, and works well with everyone around him.” 

- Ms. Early and Ms. Jurat

Sophia Taylor - 10th Grade Recipient

Sophia Taylor, a 10th-grade student, finds Mrs. Bruhnke's AP World History and Mr. Lei's Honors Chemistry to be her favorite classes this year. In AP World, she appreciates the daily learning experience and the ability to connect information to lectures, which helps her expand her understanding of historical topics. She enjoys Mrs. Bruhnke's teaching style, which makes the events and time periods simple and fun to understand. For chemistry, Sophia finds every lesson interesting and likes participating in activities and labs. She appreciates how Mr. Lei posts the weekly schedule, which allows her to stay on top of assignments and plan accordingly. Mrs. Cheng and Mrs. Patapoff have also been influential teachers for Sophia. She remembers decompressing and relaxing in Mrs. Cheng's classroom and completing projects in Mrs. Patapoff's class. Mrs. Patapoff also hosted helpful study sessions for the AP Human Geo. Exam. Sophia's hobbies include sewing, coding, graphic design, and novel writing, which she enjoys in her free time, often making things for friends and family. She is a member of the Classic Literature Club and the Multicultural Club, participating in discussions and helping with events. One of Sophia's greatest dreams is to publish a series of novels and books that will make it on the New York Times Best Sellers list. She describes herself as kind, ambitious, creative, and determined. One of her proudest moments was earning 15 medals in middle school, with 8 from PBL projects in Dana's STEAM Magnet and 7 from achieving Principal's Honor Roll for all three years.

“Sophia is an excellent student with one of the highest percentages in the class. She is a strong thinker, ready to share an observation about a particular text in her small group and with the whole class. Her classwork is always well done.” 

- Ms. Hoffman

Aide Franco - 11th Grade Recipient

Aide Franco, an 11th-grade student, finds joy and engagement in Advanced Math, her favorite class. She appreciates the accelerated pace and challenge it offers. Mr. Sanchez, her favorite teacher, stands out for his ability to simplify math concepts and for his caring and attentive approach to his students' work. Outside of school, Aide is actively involved in the Boys and Girls Club, participating in Keystone, music, and digital arts groups, with a particular passion for creating art through drawing and playing the guitar. Looking ahead, her biggest goal is to complete college and find a fulfilling career. Aide describes herself as creative, caring, dependable, and genuine. A significant moment of pride for her was deciding to join SAS, where she feels challenged, proud, and able to showcase her capabilities.

“Aide is an outstanding student in AP English Language! Not only does she have one of the highest grades in all 3 of my classes, but the classwork she submits is exactly what I hope to see: strong and thoughtful claims with specific detailed evidence again and again.” - Ms. Hoffman

Darlin Campos - 12th Grade Recipient

Darlin Gabriela Campos, a 12th-grade student, is particularly fond of AP Government, finding great satisfaction in connecting her studies to real-time events. While she doesn't have a single favorite teacher, she appreciates all of them for their openness and willingness to help with any issues. Darlin is involved in art as an extracurricular activity, which she believes teaches her patience, dedication, and consistency, qualities she values as she aims to master and commercialize her illustrative art. She finds that art keeps her ideas and creativity flowing, which she effectively incorporates into her interest in robotics. Darlin's greatest dream is to become a Robotics Engineer, contributing to the design and creation of new service and labor robots. She describes herself as curious, artistic, loyal, and adaptable. Her proudest moment in school was her academic improvement during the first semester of her senior year, overcoming the challenges she faced in the past three years.

“Congratulations to Darlin for being selected as Student of the Month! Darlin is one of the hardest-working students I know. She has overcome many obstacles to get where she is today, and I am continually impressed by her determination and dedication. She always puts extra effort into her work and approaches every assignment with a positive attitude. Darlin truly loves to learn and is always eager to engage in thoughtful conversations about the topics we explore in class.”  - Ms. Dragich