---
title: "Meet the 2015 Elite SoCal Students of the Year! | Elite Prep"
description: "Meet the Southern California Branch Scholars honored at the Elite Teacher Convocation, and see the high schools, colleges, and majors of each winner."
url: "https://eliteprep.com/blog/2015/6/15/meet-the-elite-socal-students-of-the-year/"
image: "https://eliteprep.com/og/post/en/2015/6/15/meet-the-elite-socal-students-of-the-year.png"
language: "en"
datePublished: "2015-06-15T23:46:34.000Z"
source: "eliteprep build"
---

# Meet the 2015 Elite SoCal Students of the Year!

June 15, 2015 2 min read

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![Grid of fifteen smiling student headshots against plain light backgrounds](https://eliteprep.com/media/image-asset-77-webp-w800.webp)

This post is 11 years old. Test formats, deadlines and admissions policies may have changed since it was published.

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Each year, Elite USA awards scholarships to a few of our students who most notably demonstrate the qualities we're committed to: a sincere passion for learning, an exceptional work ethic, and a outstanding attitude.

On June 6, Southern California Elite students and staff assembled at the Elite Teacher Convocation 2015 to celebrate the successes of the past year and recognize the efforts and achievements of this year's outstanding Branch Scholars. Congratulations to all our 2015 Southern California Students of the Year!

![Smiling young man in a black suit and patterned red tie posing for a headshot](https://media.eliteprep.com/image-asset-95-webp-w600.webp)

## Jacob Azoulay

Jacob is a graduate of Ocean View High School and attended [Elite of Irvine-Newport Beach](https://eliteprep.com/irvine/). He looks forward to starting at [Columbia University](http://www.columbia.edu/), where he'll be majoring in Business.

![Smiling young woman with long dark hair, in a portrait against a plain light background](https://media.eliteprep.com/image-asset-27-webp-w600.webp)

## Ju Yeon Han

Ju Yeon attended Valencia High School and was will be attending [UC Berkeley](http://www.berkeley.edu/), where she'll study Math and Physical Science. Ju Yeon is this year’s [Elite of Fullerton](https://eliteprep.com/fullerton/) Student of the Year.

![Smiling young woman with long brown hair in a sleeveless top, against a plain light background](https://media.eliteprep.com/image-asset-60-webp-w600.webp)

## Sawa Keymeulen

Sawa attended [Elite of Arcadia](https://eliteprep.com/arcadia/) and La Canada High School. She will be heading to Palo Alto to attend [Stanford University](http://www.stanford.edu/), where she'll be studying Biology.

![Smiling young man in a tan dress shirt and patterned purple tie against a plain background](https://media.eliteprep.com/image-asset-11-webp-w600.webp)

## Tae Jin Kim

Tae Jin attended [Elite of San Diego-Rancho Bernardo](https://eliteprep.com/locations/) and is a graduate of Del Norte High School. He looks forward to studying Computer Engineering at [Johns Hopkins University](https://www.jhu.edu/) this year.

![Smiling young man in a black suit, white shirt and black tie against a plain background](https://media.eliteprep.com/image-asset-22-webp-w600.webp)

## Joseph Ko

Joseph attended [Elite of Northridge](https://eliteprep.com/northridge/) and is a graduate of Santa Susana High School. He will be heading to [UC San Diego](http://www.ucsd.edu/) to major in Math & Economics.

![Smiling young man with glasses in a striped shirt and dark tie, posing for a headshot](https://media.eliteprep.com/image-asset-173-webp-w600.webp)

## Peter Liu

Peter graduated from the New Open World Academy and attended [Elite of Los Angeles](https://eliteprep.com/los-angeles/). This fall, he will be heading to [Harvard University](http://www.harvard.edu/) and studying Political Science.

![Portrait of a smiling young woman with long dark hair wearing a black strapless top and a necklace](https://media.eliteprep.com/image-asset-153-webp-w600.webp)

## Diana Martinez

Diana is a graduate of the Los Angeles Leadership Academy, where she was a member of the [Elite Community Scholars Program](https://eliteprep.com/community-scholars/). Diana will be studying Environmental Science at [Humboldt State University](http://www.humboldt.edu/) this fall.

![Smiling young man in a white t-shirt posing for a studio portrait against a gray backdrop](https://media.eliteprep.com/image-asset-35.webp)

## Hanad Musa

Hanad attended Tustin High School and is this year's Student of the Year from [Elite of Irvine-Northwood](https://eliteprep.com/northwood/). He looks forward to attending [UCLA](http://www.ucla.edu/) in the fall.

![Smiling young woman with long dark hair wearing a black blazer and thin necklace](https://media.eliteprep.com/image-asset-47-webp-w600.webp)

## Debbie Park

Debbie attended Torrance High School and was will be attending [Harvard University](http://www.harvard.edu/), where she'll study Government. She is this year’s [Elite of Torrance](https://eliteprep.com/torrance/) Student of the Year.

![Smiling young man in a gray suit, purple checked shirt and lavender tie, against a plain background](https://media.eliteprep.com/image-asset-182-webp-w600.webp)

## Neal Patel

Neal attended Troy High School and is [Elite of Rowland Heights](https://eliteprep.com/rowland-heights/)’ 2015 Student of the Year. He will be starting at [Stanford University](http://www.stanford.edu/) this fall.

![Smiling young woman with long brown hair wearing a coral chevron-patterned top, against a plain background](https://media.eliteprep.com/image-asset-57-webp-w600.webp)

## Anna Resnick

Anna attended Whitney High School and is [Elite of Cerritos](https://eliteprep.com/cerritos/)’ 2015 Student of the Year. She will be starting at [Caltech](http://www.caltech.edu/) this year.

![Smiling young man in a dark suit, checked shirt and red striped tie against a plain background](https://media.eliteprep.com/image-asset-14-webp-w600.webp)

## Verdinand B. Ruelos

Verdinand attended Canyon High School and is this year's Student of the Year from [Elite of Anaheim Hills](https://eliteprep.com/locations/). He looks forward to attending [USC](http://www.usc.edu/) in the fall, where he'll be studying Neuroscience.

![Smiling young woman with long dark wavy hair and a beaded necklace against a plain background](https://media.eliteprep.com/image-asset-6-webp-w600.webp)

## Taryn Sampaga

Taryn attended Aliso Niguel High School and is [Elite of Laguna Hills](https://eliteprep.com/locations/)’ 2015 Student of the Year. She will be starting at [USC](http://www.usc.edu/) this year.

![Smiling young woman with long dark hair wearing a black sleeveless top and sparkling necklace](https://media.eliteprep.com/image-asset-155-webp-w600.webp)

## Lorel Sim

Lorel attended [Elite of San Diego](https://eliteprep.com/san-diego/) and West Ranch High School. She will be a freshman at [Stanford University](http://www.stanford.edu/) this fall.

![Smiling young man with glasses and dark wavy hair wearing a checked button-down shirt](https://media.eliteprep.com/image-asset-88-webp-w600.webp)

## Daishi Tanaka

Daishi attended Panorama High School and [Elite's Community Scholars Program](https://eliteprep.com/community-scholars/) there. He'll be attending [Harvard University](http://www.harvard.edu/) and majoring in Political Science starting this fall.

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