Outstanding WHS seniors

Chase Wirtz Chase Wirtz is an awardwinning golfer for Westlake High. The all-star athlete will enter the Air Force Academy just after graduation to play on the Academy’s division one golf team. He plans to become a civil engineer.

Life didn’t start out rosy for Chase, however. As an infant, he had serious medical problems, including brain damage. But years of hard work has rendered him a stellar student and stand-out athlete. He graduates with a 4.3 grade point average.

Jameson Bass is a talented piano and guitar player whose name likely will be on the lips of recording executives one day.

But what distinguishes Jameson is the inner strength and maturity level he’s shown in coping with the horrific loss of his older brother four years ago. He’s become a visible and outspoken advocate for safe teen driving. He’s addressed audiences at numerous community events.

Jameson Bass Diagnosed with leukemia at age 11, Jessica Shuben underwent a painful bone marrow transplant and then another one four years later. Hospital stays and rigorous regiments, although giving her a clean bill of health, caused her to fall behind in math. She doubled up on classes to graduate on time and earned an impressive 3.8 grade point average.

Jessica has three careers in mind: sign language interpreter, teacher and writer.

Jessica Shuben With a 4.62 grade point average, Lydia Lo, editor of the school newspaper and a four-year mock trial veteran, is Harvard-bound. She has given over 100 volunteer hours to a local hospital.

The award-winning pianist has played the violin with the Conejo Valley Youth Orchestra for six years. She loves to perform and for two years she organized a quartet of friends to perform at area convalescent homes during Christmas-time.

Talk about time management: Michelle Bennett shared in student government, sang in the choir, volunteered at the library, ran for the track and cross-country teams and coached a community soccer team—all while earning a 4.4 grade point average. Her first involvement in the mock trial earned her an award: she was recognized as a Ronald Reagan Presidential Library Scholar. With sights set on a U.S. ambassadorship, Michelle enters UC Berkeley this fall to study international relations.

Lydia Lo Michelle Bennett