Tracy High junior chosen as med intern at Stanford

A Tracy High junior was chosen in March to participate in a prestigious medical internship at Stanford University.

Ashna Thaker, daughter of Ketan and Deval Thaker, was one of nine American and international high school seniors and juniors selected by Stanford to attend the 2012 Shumway Summer Internship in the Department of Cardiothoracic at the university’s School of Medicine.

The month-long internship is overseen by Paul Chang, a senior scientist and director of the School of Medicine Cardiothoracic Surgery Research Laboratories and the Stanford Shumway Surgical Skills and Education Center.

Aspiring neurosurgeon gets experience

Gabriella Herrera, a 2011 West High graduate and the class president, recently began a summer internship at UC Davis Medical Center.

Herrera began work as a pre-surgical intern Friday, May 18, and will serve in that capacity until her internship concludes Aug. 24.

She has completed her first year at Harvard University.

The internship is officially known as the UC Davis Health Systems Department of Surgery Pre-Medical Surgical Internship.

West Valley students earn honors

Twenty students at West Valley Christian Academy were recognized for academic achievement this spring by the Association of Christian Teachers and Schools’ National Honor Society.

Selection is based on spiritual maturity, social growth, participation in school activities and academic excellence, defined as a GPA of 3.3 or better.

The new members are:

• Sixth grade: Abraham Canafe, Logan Le, Gabriel Murphy and David Summers

• Seventh grade: Audra Calderon, Katrina Cantos, Chandler Geha, Kelly Markham, Jamie Salanga, Mehroop Sandhu, Alyssa Santellano, Kyra Smith and Beverly Wilt

• Eighth grade: Aaron Canafe, Janna Emery, Francis Mina, Grace Murphy, Alicyn Osterlund, Jeremiah Tower and Leanne Velasco

During the 2011-12 school year, West Valley Christian Academy had 217 students in kindergarten through eighth grade at 1790 Sequoia Blvd.