Outstanding Newbury Park High School seniors

Paul Frank Paul Frank loves science. The Newbury Park High School valedictorian was selected to be a paid intern at Rockwell Science Center. He represented the school in science at the district's Celebration of Excellence event earlier this year.

A charter member of the school's National Honor Society chapter, Frank's also a candidate for an International Baccalaureate diploma. He served as a Teen Court defense attorney and has trained other teenagers to act as attorneys.

Frank was awarded a Presidential scholarship to USC and accepted into their science honors program. He plans to become a cardiac or plastic surgeon.

Twins Justin and Jeni Flores have shown brave resilience in the face of family adversity. Despite two terrible family accidents, the teenagers have missed very little school and lent emotional support to each other and their six other family members.

A hiking accident two years ago in a remote park nearly claimed the life of their youngest brother, Jordan. Thanks to Justin's quick thinking, however, he received prompt first aid treatment and rescuers were able to locate the brothers and airlift the severely wounded boy to a hospital. Jeni wasn't there but knew something was wrong.

Jill Zino "It's weird; you just know," she said of her connection with Justin.

Last year, just before Christmas, their mother, Kathie, suffered a brain aneurysm. She'd been the family's stalwart support during Jordan's many surgeries and long recovery. But for the last six months, the family's had to adjust to her health condition and limited memory.

Although circumstances have made it difficult to concentrate on schoolwork, Jeni and Justin are graduating on time.

"It brought us all closer together as a family," Jeni said.

Jeni plays the clarinet, baritone and bass drum and has performed in the school's marching band and drum line. She wants to become a pediatrician or an EMT.

Because of the experience with his brother, Justin wants to become a firefighter paramedic. Both Jeni and Justin plan on attending Moorpark College in the fall.

Jill Zino can't help herself. She loves being involved in school activities. She leads and organizes the student congress, a conglomerate of campus clubs that finds ways to improve rallies, dances and the like. She got involved in student government to rev up school spirit in her classmates. Although she was elected student body vice president, Zino doesn't need to be out in front of events to feel rewarded. She finds fulfillment helping behind the scenes.

Justin and Jeni Flores "I love planning activities and having events where students . . . can do something out of the ordinary," she said.

Zino plans to major in business at Biola University.

Karla Magaa

Just three years ago, Karla Magaa couldn't speak English. Today, she's so proficient a writer that she earned a high school diploma, no easy task considering she had to pass the high school exit exam, which is written in English.

Magaa and her mother moved from Mexico to the U.S. to be closer to Karla's older brother and so that Karla could have a better future. But due to the high cost of living here, Magaa needed to help out financially. She got a part-time job after school, working at a local restaurant. After working, she'd come home and do homework until midnight.

Magaa wants to return to Mexico to study archeology.

No photograph was provided.