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Rowland Raider Spotlights
From Rowland Heights to Baltimore, Evangeline Kim Follows a Calling in Medicine and Community
Evangeline “Evie” Kim, a senior at Rowland High School will attend Johns Hopkins University on a near-full scholarship after building a standout record of academic excellence, leadership and service
When the clock struck noon, Evie Kim tried to do what many high-achieving seniors pro
mise themselves they will do: wait. The Johns Hopkins University decision had landed in the middle of math class, and Kim had every intention of opening it later, somewhere private, somewhere she would not have to manage whatever came next in front of a room full of classmates. Instead, she gave in to the suspense, pulled up the portal and clicked. Then she gasped.
A friend peered over her shoulder, saw the word she had been hoping for and announced it to the class before Kim could say anything at all. The senior at Rowland High School, who had spent years pushing herself in the classroom, on the track and through a long list of service and leadership roles, found herself shaking and crying at her desk.
It was the moment a year-long goal became real. Kim, a member of the Class of 2026, will attend Johns Hopkins this fall on what she described as a financial aid package that makes the opportunity “pretty much free.” She was also admitted to Cornell University, Boston University and New York University, and accepted to every University of California campus to which she applied, including UCLA and UC Berkeley, with a Regents Scholarship from UC Santa Barbara. But Johns Hopkins had long stood out.
Part of the appeal was practical: family in Baltimore and a chance to be closer to relatives on the East Coast. Part of it was academic: the university’s reputation in medicine, the field she hopes to enter. And part of it was philosophical. Kim said she was drawn to how deeply the university engages with the wider Baltimore community, a value that mirrors the way she has approached her own education. At Johns Hopkins, Kim plans to explore medicine more deeply, with particular interest in emergency medicine and global health settings where care and crisis intersect.
That approach started early. The daughter of a science teacher, Kim grew up in a household where curiosity was not abstract; it was hands-on. Kitchen science experiments with her father helped shape an early fascination with how the world works and, eventually, how science intersects with people’s lives. In her college applications, she wrote about medicine not just as biology or diagnosis, but as something shaped by culture, policy, and history — a perspective informed by reading widely, taking rigorous science courses and spending summers in Taipei, Taiwan, where she cared for her great-grandmother.
Kim carried a 4.556 weighted GPA and a 4.0 unweighted GPA, with a class rank of 2. She earned a 1560 on the SAT and a string of top AP scores. Her personal rule, she said, is simple: only do what genuinely matters. If an activity causes stress without growth or joy, she lets it go. On campus, Kim has been a four-year varsity athlete in cross country and track and field, a team captain and part of the group that led Rowland High’s girls cross country team to its first CIF Finals appearance in school history. She credits running with giving her both an outlet and a community. It was demanding, she said, but also grounding — a way to step outside the pressure of academics for a few hours each day.
She also became co-president of the school’s Computer Science Club, where she helped grow female membership dramatically while organizing STEAM events for younger students. But some of her most meaningful work came from a more personal place.
Kim revived the NOH8 (“No Hate”) Club, Rowland High’s Gender-Sexuality Alliance, after the club had been inactive for several years. Starting it again took courage, she said, because of negative attitudes she had seen and heard around campus. Even so, she pressed forward, recruited an officer team and helped expand the club across grade levels. In her view, it was one of the most personal things she has done in high school — and one of the most important.
Advice for Future Raiders: Do not build a high school life around what looks impressive from the outside, she said. Build one around what you can talk about honestly, what you care about enough to continue after graduation, what you find valuable for your own reasons.
Raider Anna Lee Pivots from College Acceptances to Tackling the U.S. Marines
Charting a distinctive path after graduation— Anna Lee is heading to the U.S. Marines with long-term goals in civil engineering and a future shaped by service, discipline and independence.
After the stressful college admissions process in the fall of her senior year, Anna Lee found herself standing at a crossroads that many high-achieving students know well: follow the expected path or trust the one that feels deeply her own. She had done everything a college-bound standout is supposed to do—challenging classes, leadership roles, extracurricular commitments, long hours balancing school with family responsibilities. She was admitted to UC San Diego, one of the schools she most hoped to attend. And still, after months of soul-searching, Lee decided her next step would not be a university campus -- it would be serving in the United States Marines.
After speaking with a Marine recruiter, taking the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery Test (ASVAB) and scoring in the 98th percentile, the elite score qualified her for every single enlistment option and military occupational speciality (MOS) in all branches of services, including highly technical, intelligence, and special operations fields.
“Although I know that there are so many opportunities both in college and in the military, I was more drawn towards the Marines because of the military benefits and different life experiences I would gain, and also the difference I would make in this world,” said Lee. “It wasn’t easy choosing where my next 4-5 years would be but, if serving for my country meant that I could still go to college later on and also be a proud Marine, why not do both? The sky is the limit. I think as long as I’m working hard towards anything I do, the best reward always comes from within.”
She plans to enter an intelligence and planning role, a noncombat military occupational specialty, while keeping open the long-term possibility of studying civil engineering.Lee said she has long been drawn to civil engineering because she wants to help design the foundations of buildings and homes and, one day, contribute to “beautiful cities.” She has even said she hopes to have the skills to build her own house someday.
One of her most transformative experiences during her time in high school came when she took a three-week study abroad program in London last summer. The trip tested her immediately: her flight was delayed, her luggage was lost for two nights, and she was far from home in a city that quickly demanded independence. But the experience also gave her a deeper confidence in her abilities. Her involvement with tennis for three years also taught her endurance, optimism and time management. Practices stretched for hours. Matches ran late. Homework waited at home. The experience, she said, strengthened her positive mindset on and off the court.
Lee also became a student leader serving in multiple positions through the Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA), including chapter president, regional president and, as a senior, California state vice president of public relations. She held leadership roles in the Creative Writing Club and Chinese Club and helped lead recycling efforts in environmental science and volunteered at the L.A. County Library.
Her Advice to Future Raiders: “Try a lot of things and do things that make you feel uncomfortable – step out of your comfort zone. The person you become may surprise you.”
Turning Years of discipline in the pool into a college swimming scholarship—and a future at Claremont McKenna College
The signature itself may have taken only a moment, but for Karen Prawira the meaning behind it had been building for years. Sitting down to make her college swimming commitment official, the Rowland High School senior described the feeling in simple terms: she was excited, grateful and proud to have reached a goal she had long imagined for herself.
Prawira’s signing to Claremont McKenna marks a milestone not only for her athletic career but for the school community cheering her on. Earning the opportunity to compete at the college level in swimming is a distinction that reflects years of training, consistency and resilience—qualities that have defined her path from childhood lessons to scholarship athlete. As she put pen to paper, she joined the ranks of students whose achievements stand out because they are built on endurance, not shortcuts.
Swimming has been part of her life since she was 7, the same year she began to compete. Far from seeing the sport as a passing childhood activity, she always imagined herself staying with it through high school and beyond. That long view mattered. It meant that the daily practices, the physical demands and the mental discipline of the sport were never just about the next race; they were part of a larger ambition she carried with her year after year.
Part of that vision was shaped close to home. Prawira said her sister—who attended and graduated from Claremont McKenna —became an important influence in how she saw her own future. After watching her sister’s experience, especially her first year, Prawira said she was drawn to the school’s environment and its swim program. The connection gave her something powerful: a destination that felt both aspirational and real.
Asked what she credits for her success, Prawira pointed to her faith. She described herself as the product of support, belief and steady encouragement from the people around her. She also is so appreciative to the Rowland High School swim team, coaches and her family for their support. “I believe the community created within the Rowland High School swim team between both the swimmers and coaches: Coach Mike, Coach Ian, and Coach Josh, as well as my parents’ commitment to taking me to all my practices and meets, was what brought me to where I am today,” shared Prawira. “That supportive environment I grew up swimming in from such a young age only made me love the sport so much more, it is truly something I am so grateful for and will forever cherish.”
Prawira will be headed to Claremont McKenna with a scholarship and financial package -- and with a chance to continue the sport she has loved for most of her life, carrying with her the habits that high-level athletics demands: persistence, discipline and the willingness to keep going even when the work is hard.
Two Paths, One Remarkable Finish
At Rowland High School Twins Ethan and Haley Chow are ending their senior year with standout achievements in robotics, wrestling and character-driven athletics as they prepare for the next chapter - Boston University and Worcester Polytechnic Institute
The twins, both members of Rowland High School’s Class of 2026, have spent their high school years building two distinct résumés while sharing the same drive and humor. Ethan made his mark through engineering, robotics and varsity wrestling, while Haley earned recognition as a student-athlete whose leadership and integrity reached well beyond the tennis court.
For Ethan, he excelled in competition spaces that demanded equal parts precision and endurance on the varsity wrestling team all four years and qualified for CIF each year. At the same time, he immersed himself in engineering programs including SkillsUSA and VEX Robotics, eventually placing fourth at the state level in robotics this year after finishing just three points shy of third. He also served as captain of the VEX Robotics team, helping guide a group made up largely of first-year participants.
That combination of technical ability and persistence helped shape his next step: Ethan will be attending Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts, a school he said that stood out for its strong robotics focus. Ethan described WPI as a natural fit, especially because of its visible support for competitions like the ones he attended. He will head east this fall with a merit scholarship of $124,000 over four years, on a college path built around engineering and hands-on problem solving.
As a dedicated and standout scholar-athlete and Varsity Captain of the girls’ tennis team, Haley served as a role model for her peers, coaches, and the broader Rowland community. In the spirit of true sportsmanship and unwavering integrity, Haley was honored as the recipient of the prestigious CIF Southern Section (CIF SS) Champions of Character Award. This remarkable achievement marks only the second time in the history of Rowland High School that one of its own has received this distinguished recognition, underscoring Haley's extraordinary embodiment of the award's core values: respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, trustworthiness, and citizenship—the six pillars that define champions beyond the scoreboard. (To learn more about Haley’s award, click here to watch her featured on CBS News as a Hometown Hero.)
Just as competitive off the court, Haley was an AP Scholar, immersed in campus life as an International Baccalaureate student, regional vice president of membership for FCCLA (Family Career Community Leaders of America) where she also competed in regionals, state and nationals, and was Interact Club Co-President. She is heading to Boston University where she plans to study Biomedical Engineering with a minor in genetics.
They both laugh when asked if it was the plan to be on the East Coast together – it was not – but close they will stay with only an hour train ride away from each other.
When asked what advice to give to future Raiders, Ethan said enjoy high school, start college essays early, and don't stress yourself out too much, because people make grades seem like they matter way more than they actually do. In a brief interjection that sounded every bit like a sibling moment, Haley jokingly pushed back on one point: students should, in fact, study.
Rowland High School's Valedictorian Lance Wu Accepted to Multiple Ivy Leagues -- Headed to Princeton University on a Full Scholarship
A life-changing moment arrived for Rowland High School senior Lance Wu when he opened his long-awaited college decision emails — revealing acceptances to multiple Ivy League institutions and a full scholarship to attend Princeton University.
Widely recognized for its rigorous academics, world-class faculty, and commitment to undergraduate education, Princeton University awarded Wu a financial aid package covering the full cost of tuition, housing, and meals for four years, valued at more than $387,000. Through its generous financial aid program, Princeton reports that approximately 83% of its recent seniors graduated debt-free.
“I promised my mom I would wait until she got home from work before opening my emails,” Wu recalled. “For two hours, I tried to distract myself, but I couldn’t. I was so nervous.” An avid video blogger, Wu documented the moment he learned of his acceptance. “My mom stood behind me, already in tears. It’s just the two of us, so we knew how much this meant. My future would be bright, but I’d have to leave her alone for four years. When I opened Princeton, I just started screaming—and so did she. It was incredibly emotional.”
In addition to Princeton, Wu was accepted to Cornell University and Brown University. He was also waitlisted at Harvard University and the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business. Other notable schools include Duke University, Northwestern University, University of California Berkeley’s Haas School of Business, and University of California Los Angeles.
Wu plans to explore interdisciplinary studies during his time at Princeton. “What I love is that Princeton allows students to grow before declaring a major,” he said. “I’m interested in business and economics, but I also care deeply about the environment. I hope to work at the intersection of business and sustainability, helping organizations make decisions that benefit our global future.”
Wu will graduate at the top of his class with a 4.533 GPA and as Valedictorian. He has demonstrated exceptional leadership and involvement throughout high school. He served as president of the California Scholarship Federation, played four years on the Rowland High School Raider basketball team, and participated in an international entrepreneurship program in Singapore, a global leader in sustainability.
He also volunteered with Heart of Hope, a non-profit supporting individuals with special needs, where he began as a volunteer and then served as its Fundraising Officer. However, Wu credits his experience in Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) as one of the most formative aspects of his high school journey.
Joining FBLA as a freshman, Wu quickly became an active competitor—advancing to state and national levels—and later served as Outreach Coordinator for the Southern California Region. His involvement was inspired by fellow Rowland student and FBLA member Allen Li (Class of 2024), who encouraged Wu’s ambitions after earning his own acceptance to Princeton.
“Allen was a mentor to me. He shared his experiences at Princeton and even helped review my essays and gave me advice,” Wu said. “Funny enough, as I was touring the campus during club day, Allen was actually there, promoting his business club. It’s surreal knowing we’ll now be at Princeton together.”
Wu describes his visit as unforgettable. “Walking through Princeton felt like stepping into another world—it reminded me of Hogwarts,” he said. “The historic architecture and atmosphere make you want to learn. It’s a place that motivates you the moment you step outside.”
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