Congratulations Nicholas Houchin!
By: Steve Houchin, Jr.
Topics: graduation, Stockdale High School
Posted by lhouchin Fri May 25, 2007 09:22:10 PDT
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My brother Nicholas Houchin has consistently exceeded the expectations of his friends and family. Today, as he prepares for high school graduation, he stands as a mature, successful and extremely motivated young man with a bright future on the horizon.
Academically, Nick has always given a 100 percent effort. Even after choosing to enroll in Stockdale High School’s most challenging classes, he is graduating at the top of his class with a 4.36 GPA. His efforts haven’t gone unrewarded—this fall Nick will be attending the University of Southern California’s prestigious Viterbi School of Engineering as a Dean’s Scholar (fight on!). He will be studying Civil Engineering. In addition, Nick will be interning at a top engineering corporation in San Francisco this summer.
Outside the classroom, Nick has dedicated himself to community service. Through his participation in the Dream Builder’s program, he was part of an award-winning team that brought a drinking and driving awareness program to Bakersfield’s high schools. He has also served as a role-model for local elementary students through the “Lunch Buddies” program, and as a volunteer at local retirement homes.
Nick has also excelled in two of his favorite hobbies, golf and piano. He played three years of Varsity Golf at Stockdale and was named All-League for his outstanding scoring average. This year he also competed in and passed his ninth level of the “Certificate of Merit” piano competition, which reflects 12 years of dedication to piano practice.
These accomplishments didn’t come without obstacles. During his sophomore year, Nick was diagnosed with a condition called “AV Nodal Re-entrant Tachycardia.” It required not one, but two heart surgeries. Despite this frightening experience, he retained his focus, and continued to excel. It was an experience that revealed Nick’s genuine qualities: honesty, strength, dedication and a true passion for life.
Above all else, Nick has been a wonderful brother and best friend. He has many exciting opportunities ahead, and his friends and family cannot wait to see what he will accomplish. I am confident that, more likely than not, he will once again far exceed all our expectations. Congratulations Nick!
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