Rubik’s cube in his left hand, tennis racket in the right, Carter Chan confidently struts up the red carpet, taking a deep breath, preparing himself to give his salutatorian speech. The title of salutatorian represents the pride of four hard years of work, balance, and dedication, which Chan is thrilled to commemorate at the end of his high school career.
Ever since Chan was young, helping patients in need and impacting their lives was something he always dreamed of. During high school, Chan immersed himself in the medical field, aiding clinical research coordinators as an intern, and creating a sports medicine app that surveyed high school athletes. Chan’s time in both spaces worked to develop connections between himself and the patients, something that set him apart from the other applicants in college admissions.
Chan was offered acceptances to many prestigious colleges, but Rice University stood out amongst the others with its invaluable opportunities for a pre-medical track Chemistry major.
“I chose Rice primarily because of the Texas medical center that is right next door and all the amazing hospitals in Houston,” Chan said.
Going to college allows for many new experiences, and Chan can not wait to get to know his peers in the residential colleges and the rock climbing community at Rice. He plans on continuing to play piano at college and hopes to join an intramural tennis league.
Carter was an active participant in the high school community as an officer of the Pickleball, Common Good Tutors, Esports, and Red Cross clubs. While keeping his grades in top condition, Chan also played varsity tennis for Claremont High and was a member of the Rock Climbing club as well.
But through all the excitement, Chan will still reminisce about his favorite memories made at CHS. The summer beach trips with the blazing fire fueled by papers from past school years along with winning the second round at tennis CIF were some of the most special moments that Chan treasures. Chan would like to thank his teachers Mrs. Lee, Mr. Carillo, and Ms. Delao. He would also like to shout out special individuals Alex Krauss, Lisa Yi, his parents, and his dog Max.
As the salutatorian of the graduating class of 2024, Chan stressed the importance of balance within achieving success. “Just live in the moment and don’t stress about college because you have so much time. To all the juniors, you’re almost there, but try to have a good work-life balance.”