Science, engineering intrigue co-valedictorians

Yaowei Deng reached many milestones as a student since he moved to the United States from Hong Kong 11 years ago.

As this year’s co-valedictorian at Churchill County High School, the 17-year-old’s father, who was a sailor in the U.S. Navy, brought the family to Nevada where Deng entered third grade and excelled.

“I didn’t know English except for a few words,” Deng said before the senior class picnic began Tuesday at Oats Park. “In a year and a half, I learned most of the language.”

As CCHS’s top student, Deng enjoyed his science classes and credits teacher Steve Johnson for inspiring him to consider medicine as a profession. Deng will enter the University of Washington (Seattle) in the fall with his ultimate goal — after graduation — to enroll in medical school. Deng said he especially liked Honors Organic and Bio Chemistry in addition to an Advanced Placement Chemistry class.

Deng finished his four years with a 5.2 grade point average with weighted courses figured into the final average.

For his four years at CCHS, Deng didn’t spend his entire time studying; he produces a résumé that includes a wide range of extracurricular activities.

“I enjoyed playing tennis and did well. I made regionals three times, but I never got to state,” he said. “I had a good time playing tennis.”

As a member of Student Council, Deng attended three regional conferences and one state conference, served as captain of the Science Quiz Bowl team, belonged to Student Council for three years as treasurer and rooted for the Greenwave as a member of Pep Club for four years.

Deng said he is also proud of being on the academic team that won the league title.

Not to be outdone by his involvement in the various organizations, Deng took the orchestra class in his freshman and senior years where he played violin.

“This year I was in all-state orchestra as a violinist,” he said.

Deng, though, vowed to keep playing the violin, but he will do so more on his own rather than taking music classes.

As he looks toward Friday night’s graduation, Deng has advice for his classmates: ”Don’t be afraid to be ambitious because youhave no idea wher it will get you.” And for underclassmen: “Hard work always beats talent. TRhey should hard to get what they want.”

Deng said he will miss Fallon and its strong community support, yet he won’t miss the desert. He is looking forward to the rainy Pacific Northwest.

Fallon native Jordyn Rogers has enjoyed growing up in the Oasis of Nevada, playing sports and enjoying time with her family.

She served as captain of the girls cross country team for three of the four years she ran. During the past three years, she has belonged to Student Council and is the Senior Class president.

“I’ve learned how to set an example for people, plan events, problem-solve and learn how to fix them,” she said.

“Rogers also belonged to the academic team with Deng and the Science Quiz Bowl team.

“We were pretty much involved in the same activities,” she said.

Rogers had a rigorous class load for the past two years, taking Advanced Placement classes in English, Spanish, statistics, calculus, government, chemistry and U.S. History, yet it was the love of chemistry that challenged her.

“I loved so many of them,” she said of her course load.

She followed Deng with a 5.1 GPA.

Although her studies focused on the college-bound academic lasses, Roger said she enjoyed taking a drafting class during her freshman and sophomore years.

“I liked AutoCAD,” she said, “and the class helped me want to go into engineering.”

Rogers is bucking a family trend of going to the University of Nevada, Reno and will attend Boise State University in the fall, majoring in engineering.

“But I will still like UNR,” she quickly said.

As with Deng, Rogers has sage advice for classmates and the underclassmen.

“Don’t give up on things you want to do,” she advises her fellow seniors, and for the young high-school students, “Don’t be afraid to take the hard classes and get involved.”