Kelsey Orens Kelsey Orens

Kelsey Orens will graduate from Oak Park High School tonight knowing that she did her best.

In addition to earning the AP Scholar award with honors, Kelsey captured the National Merit Commended Scholar recognition and was named on the Gold Honor Roll every semester of high school.

Top grades aside, Kelsey, 17, is proud of her accomplishments in community service. She volunteered at Sunrise Senior Assisted Living in Thousand Oaks and won the Anti-Defamation League’s No Place to Hate award on behalf of Oak Park High’s efforts during acceptance week.

Kelsey has also been a peer counselor facilitator, freshman mentor, one-on-one counselor and a certified conflict mediator. She was co-president of the H.O.P.E. Club, a group that raised funds for the charity Heifer International. She was also a member of the mock trial team.

Eric Pai Kelsey plans to major in Political Science at UCLA In 10 years, she expects to have earned her master’s degree, be happy, in love and well-traveled. She may also pursue a career in law or journalism. She plans on furthering acceptance for all individuals and defeating hate and discrimination.

Eric Pai

Eric Pai will graduate tonight as an AP Scholar with Distinction and a National Merit finalist.

Academically, Eric is at the top of his game. He has been a member of the Oak Park High School Academic Decathlon team for four years. His work ethic and ingenuity helped him and his team win second place in the Edison Challenge, a science competition.

Eric, 18, was president of the school’s Green Club for two years and launched a paper recycling program at Oak Park High.

Claire Adams Eric has been a violinist with the Conejo Valley Youth Orchestra for seven years.

He will attend Rice University in Houston to pursue a degree in chemical engineering.

“I see myself conducting innovative research in sustainable technologies and becoming a professor to inspire the next generation of leaders, thinkers and individuals,” Eric said.

Eric credits his father, Ching- Shing Pai, for being the biggest influence in his life.

“He shows me every day how to live a life of respect, kindness and fulfillment,” he said. As for a favorite teacher, Eric said his Advanced Placement statistics teacher, Matt Micek, helps students digest tough course material with a “pinch of humor.”

Claire Adams

Connor Paden Claire Adams has been a scholar, a volunteer and a creative student at Oak Park High School.

The 18-year-old won numerous awards for academic achievements during her years at the high school, including the Eagle and Gold awards.

For three years Claire presided over the Key Club, a community service organization. In the role of co-president she helped students find service opportunities in and out of school. She also was a member of the Safe School Ambassadors, a student group dedicated to preventing violence and bullying on and off campus.

Claire belonged to Agape, a singing group that performed at homeless shelters, juvenile hall, drug and rehabilitation centers, battered women and children’s centers, and elsewhere.

“We sing and talk with each group on our weekend spring trip and weeklong summer trip,” Claire said.

Lindsey Townley Outside of school, Claire is dedicated to helping others. She has been involved with her church leadership group for four years and co-leads a sixth-grade discussion group every Sunday.

After her sophomore year, Claire worked with orphans in the slums of Kenya and Uganda.

She also enjoyed acting in Oak Park High’s drama productions and has performed in 13 plays.

Claire will attend the University of Southern California in the fall as a theater major.

Connor Paden

Connor Paden is a well-rounded— and busy—young man.

During his four years at Oak Park High School, Connor was involved in politics, sports, theater arts and community activism. And he still managed to keep up a perfect grade-point average.

Connor won the OPHS Athletic Booster award, the Agoura Youth Basketball Association Scholarship and the school’s parent-faculty club scholarship. He volunteered as a coach for the Agoura Youth Basketball League and taught golf instruction to underprivileged kids.

Connor has won numerous athletic awards, including the Tri-Valley Golf First-Team honor, the All-League Award and the OPHS Athletic Award in ninth and 10th grades. He captured both the Varsity Award and the Academic All-League Athlete award for four consecutive years.

With a passion for politics, Connor attended the 2009 inauguration of President Barack Obama as part of the OPHS Leadership Council. He was also a member of the National Honor Society, the California Scholarship Federation and the Junior Statesmen of America.

Connor participated on the ComedySportz team and in the drama club and mock trial.

Connor will attend Texas Christian University majoring in business and sports broadcasting, with a minor in journalism. He hopes to be a sports broadcaster for ESPN.

Lindsey Townley

Lindsey Townley is athletic, creative and giving.

The 17-year-old Oak Park High School student has been a varsity track star, excelling in high jump, triple jump, the 4x400 team and as a 400 meter runner. She was named Rookie of the Year during her freshman year and won awards that include the Jumper of the Year award for high jump and triple jump.

An artist, Lindsey created the School Mascot art featured as the school’s directory cover in the 2008-09 school year and was named the Most Artistic this year.

Lindsey’s artistic sensibilities have not gone unnoticed by outside groups. She won the Westlake Village Art Guild’s Scholarship award, and her fine art painting won third place in the group’s show.

She also won special recognition for the 2011 Tamima Al-Awar Visual Arts Memorial Scholarship Program.

Through her involvement with the Music For Heart Foundation, Lindsey has helped save the lives of children with congenital heart disease by organizing school events for the charity. At school, Lindsey was a member of the Safe School Ambassadors Club, a bullying prevention program.

Art teacher Anna Lovejoy was one of Lindsey’s favorite teachers, and she said coach Kevin Smith was also an inspiration to her.

Lindsey will major in art at the University of Southern California in the fall.