For four years, Anzar High School students Sarah Al-Ahmed and
Carmen Morales have shared the same teachers and classes,
participated in the same clubs, and had the same 4.0 GPA. But next
fall, these two friends will share something new: a dorm room at
the University of California, Berkeley.
San Juan Bautista – For four years, Anzar High School students Sarah Al-Ahmed and Carmen Morales have shared the same teachers and classes, participated in the same clubs, and had the same 4.0 GPA. But next fall, these two friends will share something new: a dorm room at the University of California, Berkeley.
Before embarking on the new beginning that graduation heralds, they paused to reflect on their achievements. Both Al-Ahmed and Morales said they were most proud of graduating with 4.0 grade point averages.
“Having the motivation to finish was difficult for me,” Morales said. “There were a lot of times when I just wanted to go to the beach.”
“Keeping a 4.0 GPA throughout high school was really challenging,” Al-Ahmed said. “Especially my junior year when I was taking three AP (advance placement) classes.”
These unique seniors have more in common than high GPAs. Both were active participants in Girl Scouts and the California Scholastic Federation, and both spoke at a Farmer’s Market conference in San Francisco. Al-Ahmed and Morales even have the same favorite teacher: Chris Wardlaw, a former Anzar High School math teacher.
“He was the reason why I came to Anzar,” Al-Ahmed said. “He has an odd way of teaching that everyone understands.”
Wardlaw even threw a birthday party at his house for the girls when they turned 18 a few weeks apart.
“He is an awesome teacher and a good friend,” Morales said.
Although they shared in many extracurricular activities, each has her own unique interests. Morales played on the varsity soccer team for four years and will receive her black belt in tae kwon do later this month. Al-Ahmed was president of the school’s Creative Writing Club and participated in Interact, a Rotary-sponsored service club, which took her to Mexico to paint a house for less fortunate people.
Although both graduates will be headed to Berkeley in the fall, they will never forget their experiences at Anzar High School.
“Here I’ve learned that you can really get close to people,” Al-Ahmed said. “That there will always be someone there for you. It has made me less of a cynic.”
Morales came away with a different lesson from her four years at Anzar.
“I’ve learned to be an individual,” she said, “to do things my own way.”
Despite their many commonalties, Morales and Al-Ahmed have very different plans for the future. Morales said that she wants to study math, work with computers and eventually settle down to start a family.
Al-Ahmed would like to study physics or math, but said that she didn’t want to be a teacher.
“High school has prepared me for college. I have learned how to interact with people,” Al-Ahmed said. “It feels like it is now possible to accomplish these huge unimaginable goals I have for myself.”
“A high school diploma is proof that you can accomplish something,” Morales said. “It is the first step to getting a good job.”
Both girls were clearly excited and anxious about the evening’s graduation ceremony.
“I’m really going to miss it here,” Morales said. “I don’t think anyone, including myself, will make it through graduation without crying.”
Brett Rowland covers education for the Free Lance. He can be reached at 831-637-5566 ext. 330 or [email protected].
