From working diligently in the IB program to creating bills for the United States at a weekend Speech and Debate tournament, valedictorian Eric Tang is attending Pomona College to pursue his dream of becoming a doctor. In the future, he plans on majoring in molecular biology and then going to medical school to fulfill his dream. Aside from medical school, he wishes to become better at League of Legends.

Tang believes that Pomona College is the best fit for him due to the courses and location. One of the main reasons why he chose this college is because it is close to home. While attending the college, he wishes to visit home to help his grandma and parents. He also felt fortunate to get accepted into the school through the early decision process, which is where students who truly believe that the college they are applying early to is the right fit for them since this action is binding. This means that once one gets accepted, one must attend the college. Pomona College was Tang’s top choice, and he chose it primarily due to its outstanding programs in the medical and science field. He chose to major in molecular biology because of his love for chemistry and biology, especially when it came to subjects like genes and immunology.

Tang was surprised when they announced his name as Valedictorian at the Renaissance Rally. He believed that he was a shy, short, and scared kid that transferred from a private school to a large public school, so when he learned about this achievement, he was very humble and honored.

“The Class of 2017 is an exceptional class since everyone is so talented and passionate about what they do,” Tang said. “While I’m honored to be nominated, I think our class is the best suited to guide the world into a brighter future.”

Throughout his years at CHS, Tang was involved in many extracurricular activities such as Speech in Debate, Science Olympiad, Student Voice Committee, and other clubs. For Speech and Debate, he served as Congress Captain for two years and helped the underclassmen prepare for competitions. Tang is sad to leave CHS and had many fun adventures with teachers Dave Chamberlain, Robert Thomas, and Natalie Sieg. He will especially miss volunteering, his friends, and school projects. Tang’s love for memes and horrible puns made his presentations entertaining yet “face-palm” worthy.

“I’m definitely to going to miss just about everything about CHS, since it was probably some of the best years of my life for sure,” Tang said.

During the summer, Tang plans on sightseeing in Japan and then visiting family members in China. After that, he will catch up on lost sleep, recharge for college, hang out with friends before they part ways, and help his grandma tend her garden. Tang has gained valuable insight throughout his years at CHS as he learned valuable leadership, social, and time management skills. Although he is known for always sleeping in class, he has a word of advice for the underclassmen.

“Don’t sleep in class ever, and enjoy your high school experience. You have the freedom to still choose your path and to develop lifelong friendships,” Tang said. “Create relationships with your teachers because you’ll find all of them are kind, caring individuals who truly want to see you succeed.”

Tang can be seen walking around CHS with a smile on his face, greeting all his friends that walk past him. This year’s valedictorian has left a lasting impression on CHS and will be greatly missed.