Sea Kings discuss their identities. Students interviewed range from freshmen to seniors, students to teachers, and fashionistas to programmers.

FASHIONISTA

Grace Borden, Freshman

“The biggest way I like to express myself is through clothes and my outfits. I really like buying new items and finding good deals. I think this is important to me because it gives me a way to show my personality and who I am.”

FAN IN 2019

Lisa Miao, Sophomore

“It’s easier to connect to other fans with social media platforms. I’ve met several people [from social media] at concerts and still stay in touch with them in the Los Angeles area. One of my friends ditched me last minute for a concert. She was supposed to be getting the tickets, so I was sad, but then someone I follow on Twitter was like ‘Hey, I have a free ticket for anyone who wants to hang out with me’… so we hung out and meet every month.” 

LEADER

Jason Shimoyama, Junior

“BTC teaches me more of how I can change not only our school, but our community in general. This class has allowed me to step outside my comfort zone. By joining BTC junior year, I have learned about so many leadership qualities and have made so many new friends, not only within the class but also students all over campus. For me, being dedicated and going beyond the requirements are qualities a leader has, including myself.” 

STAR WARS FANATIC

Mrs. Nemeth, Teacher

“Star Wars is something that connects me and my husband, a rocket scientist. I think that it is helpful to have an external point of reference to be able to look at the battle of good and evil and to be able to put ourselves in the position of different characters to see different perspectives so when we return to our own universe we can treat others with more humanity, compasion, and kindness.”

BASKETBALL PLAYER

Steven Kaufman, Freshman

“Sports have always been a big part of my identity, especially basketball. I have been playing for eight years and it is something that I hope I can continue in college and beyond. I always try my hardest to be the best that I can be.” 

HUNTER

Arjun Matthew, Sophomore

“I like being outdoors and learning about nature. In our cities, we get too caught up in what’s going on around us and we don’t really look outside to what was here before us. It’s about getting related to the environment. A common misconception is that hunters are just savages or just killers who don’t respect the environment. It could be true for some people, but most hunters really respect their environment.”

INDEPENDENT

Justine Levy, Junior

“I have to do a lot of things for myself and I am I hard worker. I really want to be a nurse, so I do a lot of programs like SCROC and volunteering at the hospital. Sometimes I have these activities for almost four hours everyday after school, which has taught me to balance my school work and volunteering. Having to deal with all these responsibilities at such a young age has prepared me for the adult world because I am eventually going to have to handle things on my own.” 

SEVENTEEN-YEAR-OLD

Gabby Gomez, Senior

“Being a seventeen-year-old means I have the chance to figure out what inspires me and what gives me purpose. I explore those ideas through participating in different activities such as drama and the friendship foundation. Managing college apps, APs, internships, and extracurriculars at seventeen can be overwhelming, but I try to take breaks every once in a while. Sometimes I feel like I’ve lived a whole lifetime, but really it’s only been seventeen years and there are so many more years ahead.” 

HEALTH NUT

Mr. Morales, Teacher

“Not everyone can keep up with my lifestyle considering eating. I consider myself a health nut. Not everyone can go to Taco Bell in the morning, have a Dr. Pepper, Snickers, and a Mountain Dew for lunch. Also skipping dinner is important to stay healthy and doing it all over again the next day. I switch off going to Taco Bell, McDonalds, getting doughnuts, and bagels in the morning. During lunch I like Snickers unless I am around students with a peanut allergy.”  

PROGRAMMER

Harry Cha, Senior

“I identify myself as a programmer, because when I talk to other programmers, I feel like I belong with them the most. We talk about our common interests, which is programming, and that’s pretty much all I do in my free time. I solve math problems using computers. I find my community of programmers online thorugh Reddit or computer programming competitions. I feel like I talk with them more, and belong with them more than other people around me.”