Meet RUHS Class of 2010

Redondo Union High School graduating senior Angelica Truong asked nine of her fellow graduates six questions prior to the graduation ceremony Thursday. This is the first installment of a two-part "RUHS Class of 2010" series.

1. What is your favorite high school memory?

2. How does it feel to be a senior?

3. What goes through your mind when you think of graduation?

4. Where/what will you be in five years?

5. What future advice can you give to fellow RUHS students?

6. What were you involved in at RUHS?

Matt Amelino

1. I have a lot of memories of hockey, traveling with friends, meeting new people. The memory that sticks out in my mind the most is my trip to Ireland during  freshman year for my uncle's wedding.

2. There's definitely a feeling of relief. I'll miss a lot of people, but that's part of life.

3. I think of it as the next step in life, and after this people will be going to college, and I'll be leaving the country.

4. I'm hoping to be finishing a degree in either culinary arts or film before then and eventually be working in either of those fields.

5. Go to class and do whatever you can to pass every class you take.

6. I played lacrosse freshman, sophomore and junior year. I played ice hockey all four years, but that was outside of school.

Cody Anderson

1. The late nights doing AP Chem or AP Calc with friends. The all nighters really sucked, but they definitely made for some fun times. The late night 7/11 runs, the temporary loss of sanity around 2 a.m. when you realize how much work you still have left to do, and just being with others that were going through the same BS that you were.

2. It feels great to finally be in that last phase of high school but at the same time it's kind of weird. This is the first time that we all collectively have had to stand up and lead. We've all assumed roles of leadership in clubs, sports, and academics, as well as in mentoring the underclassmen. It's weird to think that it's almost all over and that we'll be in the real world soon, but I think we're all ready for it.

3. Graduation to me represents the end of one chapter in my life and the beginning of another. I look back at all these years as preparation for what we're about to begin, and graduation is the start of it all. For me, graduation isn't really going to be anything monumental or defining in my life. It's more of a transition for me because I start summer training at the Naval Academy only five days after.

4. In five years I'll be a commissioned officer in the United States Navy, a second lieutenant, and I'll hopefully be in flight school on track to flying an F-18, or learning how to lead Marines in combat.

5. Keep your goals in mind at all times. Knowing your goals and being willing to do anything to achieve them will help guide you through high school and beyond. So long as you have some idea about what your goal is and are willing to do anything to achieve it, you can't go wrong. Work hard and don't let anything stop you, but make time for fun along the way.

6. I played varsity lacrosse my junior and senior years, was president of Model UN and Current Events Club. I represented Redondo for the 2009 PTSA Sacramento Safari and 2009 Boys' State. I participated in the Leader for a Day program my junior and senior years. 

It really is amazing to know that I've finally reached the goal I set out for myself six years ago. Everything I've done in high school has been geared toward getting into the Naval Academy and it finally happened. This year has been a lot of fun and it's great to see so many of my friends going to awesome schools and starting what are sure to be successful lives. I'm going to miss everyone and I hope I can stay in touch with a lot of the awesome people I've met over the past 18 years.

Michael Cross

1. Scoring the winning goal in overtime against Culver City. It was an intense [lacrosse] game and we made a comeback in the fourth quarter to send it into overtime, and I knew I was going to be the one to win it. I wanted the ball. I caught the ball during a broken play, set my feet and ripped a shot right off the goalie's hip. He had no chance. My whole team rushed me, cheering and celebrating. It made me feel like the most important person in the world.

2. It feels good. People respect you, teachers treat you more like an adult, you gain a lot of freedom, and second semester is a breeze.

3. I think of college and leaving all of my friends behind to move onto bigger and better things that actually matter. High school seems like too much of a baby step, while college seems like a leap into my future.

4. I will hopefully be starting a job at some business or be a financial consultant, but really I hope that I will be able to take the year off and travel. I loved Fiji and Australia and I want to go back there as well as visit other places in Europe and South America.

5. Do what makes you happy. Too much time is wasted on stuff that doesn't matter, and you'll look back on your life with regret. You never want to be the person wondering what might have happened or what could have been, so make sure you live life to its fullest.

Daniel Fallon

1. Well, one of them is definitely making a full court goal at the end of a [water polo] game. Being a goalie I never get to shoot and it felt awesome. We still lost, but it was great.

2. This has not been an easy year, but it feels great for it all to be coming to an end and to know that I set myself up well for the challenges ahead.

3. "Goodbye, keep in touch, I'll miss you," to everyone I love here at Redondo. "Good riddance" to everyone I can do without and everyone who made my high school experience more difficult.

4. I'm going to the Naval Academy so hopefully I'll be a Naval aviator.

5.  Take everything a day at a time. No amount of sleep is too little. Challenge yourself now, it will prepare you for life. The hardest classes have the best people in them. Hard work pays off in the long run, but laziness pays off now. A positive attitude will get you through anything. When you're working hard in school and athletics it's usually more tiring to try and enjoy yourself after a long week, but do it anyway. These are the times you will remember.

6. I was a co-editor-in-chief and lead photographer for the yearbook (photo editor for newspaper). Water Polo Goalie four years, three on varsity, team captain, co-MVP. VP of Model UN and president of Current Events Club. Three years of swim, two on varsity. VP of Ecology Club. The list goes on. 

It feels awesome to know that I was able to push myself to get exactly where I wanted to go and still have all the great friends I have today.

Jeremy Gross
1. My favorite high school memory is asking out my girlfriend.

2. To be a senior I feel superior to underclassmen.

3. When I think of graduation I just think of all the good times I've had with my friends and even though we are going to try to keep in touch it's sad to split up.

4. In five years I'll be getting my Master's at San Diego State University for business.

5. Future advice for students would be to always party hard and study harder.

6. At RUHS I was on the surf team, Cervantes honors society, and link crew.