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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Thursday, May 22, 2003

Maui senior wins national honor

USA Today and Advertiser Staff

A Maui High School senior who said his success has more to do with drive and dedication than talent has been named to USA Today's All-USA High School Academic Team.

"Hard work and perseverance are really key things," Matthew Jachowski said.
Matthew Jachowski will graduate in June with a 4.0 grade-point average and plans to attend Stanford University.

He is the son of Douglas and Maile Jachowski of Pukalani.

Jachowski, 18, compiled an impressive list of accomplishments during his high school career. He conducted astrophysics research on the causes of error in initial orbit determination, for which he was named a finalist in the prestigious Intel Science Talent Search.

He also was a Siemens Westinghouse semifinalist and received a third-place grand award at the Intel International Science & Engineering Fair.

He was a Presidential Scholar, captain of Maui High's state champion Science Bowl team, first-chair euphonium in the symphonic band, island coordinator for Key Club, cross-country team captain and Math League president. He also was the nonfiction prize-winner at the Seabury Hall Young Writers Conference.

Early on he learned the value of hard work.

In the eighth grade, he spent hours memorizing words before winning the 1999 state spelling bee. He went on to finish 22nd in the Scripps-Howard National Spelling Bee, retiring in the fifth round on the word "Tammanyism."

"The main thing about the spelling bee was that it showed me I could work hard, and I could be among the best in the nation," he said. "Hard work and perseverance are really key things."

Jachowski has gone beyond the classroom to teach himself computer programming, advanced math and astrophysics.

"I have a standard that I kind of expect from myself. I feel I need to work hard at anything. It's just not worth it to spend time at something you're not going to try at," he said. "If I work hard at something, I might enjoy it."

As one of 20 first-team All-USA Academic Team members, he will receive a trophy and $2,500.