Posted on: Thursday, April 21, 2005
ALL-STAR KIDS
Campbell High standout has her eye on Stanford University
By Rod Ohira
Advertiser Staff Writer
'EWA BEACH — Lyniese Patterson's drive for academic excellence is fueled by the sacrifices made by her mother, a single parent of two children working two jobs.
Age: 18
School: Campbell High
Grade: 12 Lyniese, who also maintains a good relationship with her father, Derald Patterson of California, has a 4.0 cumulative grade point average in four years at Campbell High and ranks No. 1 in her senior class of 300-plus, according to her counselor, Eleyne Fia.
Patterson is considering a career in either computer or electrical engineering and has narrowed her college choices to Stanford University and the University of Pennsylvania.
"I'm leaning toward Stanford," Patterson said. If that happens, current faculty believe it may be a first for the school.
What advice would you give to other kids who would like to follow your example? "Most importantly, it's to set goals," she said. "It gives you something to work for. But they have to be realistic goals. Also, I would tell them to value education. One of my friends said to me one time, 'You can't do what you want in life unless you know how.' It's true because knowledge is power." "She's unique because we don't have many females at our school who go into engineering," Fia said. "Lyniese works hard and is not an arrogant student. She's well-liked by her classmates. She has a lot of potential. I actually think she can be better (academically) than she is now."
Patterson's favorite subject is math. She is taking two advance-placement courses this year, calculus and psychology.
Patterson is a gifted student but still has to push herself to succeed.
"For me, setting priorities is a strength," Patterson said. "There are times I want to go out and have fun, but I have to remember that going to college is at the top of my list. When I get stressed or feel overwhelmed, I find it's helpful to take a break and collect my thoughts.
"I've been fortunate because I'm surrounded by positive individuals who support and motivate me," she added.
Patterson's extracurricular activities this year included being co-editor of Campbell High's yearbook; treasurer of the Leo Club community service group, and participating in the National Honor Society, school hiking club and the Math League.
Reach Rod Ohira at 535-8181 or rohira@honoluluadvertiser.com.
"I owe a lot to her," Patterson said of her mother, Rosemarie Limos Ramiscal of 'Ewa Beach. "She's made the sacrifices and has always been there encouraging me, taking off work when I have a school event."
Lyniese Patterson
Fia, in her 12th year at Campbell, and Maggie Soares, an educational assistant/career resource specialist who has been at the 'Ewa Beach school since 1980, know of no other Campbell graduate who attended Stanford University.
Who helped you? "All my teachers, in general, have been very supportive," she said. "But last year, Mrs. (Teresa) Hood, my expository writing teacher, encouraged me to do more, not settle for mediocre work. English is not my favorite subject, it doesn't come natural like math, so I have to work at it. Mrs. Hood got me to look at English a different way by exposing me to new types of literature."
