Newport Christian’s senior class is fantastic four

When Ashlyn Thompson was a freshman at Newport Christian School, that was the highest grade the school offered.

In each successive year, Newport Christian added a grade, and the school is now set to honor its first graduating class since 2010.

The senior class had just four members — Lucas Hernandez, Matthew Bowman, Chang Yao (Tommy) and Thompson. Their graduation ceremony is scheduled at the school on July 8. They were tasked with leading and establishing a culture on campus.

With a high school enrollment of roughly 40 students, Thompson felt it was vital that everyone get along, as word could travel fast within a small school. She found the school’s focus on developing the overall person refreshing.

“They’re not putting up a front for anyone, and it truly is an amazing place,� Thompson said. “The teachers love you and they respect you. They just care for you on another level. They care and they desire to have a relationship with every student in their class.�

Newport Christian School graduating senior Ashlyn Thompson was a team captain for girls’ basketball and volleyball.

(Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)

Thompson, 18, of Lake Forest, served as captain of the girls’ basketball and volleyball teams at Newport Christian. She is training as a setter in the hopes of continuing to play volleyball in college at West Coast Baptist College in Lancaster.

Newport Christian’s valedictorian wants to remain around sports in her career path. She would like to become an athletic director.

Thompson is equally passionate about kids and particularly loves the look of dawning comprehension when they learn something new.

“I [have] loved working with kids all my life and I knew that, from a young age, that I want to be a teacher or just connect with kids on another level.�

Lucas Hernandez, 18, of Tustin, is a Newport Christian School graduating senior. The school will have its graduation in July.

(Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)

Hernandez, 18, of Tustin, said that Newport Christian presented opportunities that might not be available at larger high schools. Most kids made the sports teams if they decided to come out.

Yet it was another facet of the intimate environment that kept Hernandez at Newport Christian after arriving there for his sophomore year.

“I want to say the main reason I actually stuck with it all the way through senior year was because I built really good friendships with these people,� he said.

Hernandez, who played shooting guard for the Newport Christian boys’ basketball team, also plans to attend West Coast Baptist College. He is looking at playing basketball while pursuing a Bible degree. Eventually, he would like to be a physical therapist.

Bowman, 19, of Mission Viejo, played center for the Seahawks. He particularly enjoyed Newport Christian’s first season of CIF Southern Section competition his senior year.

“It was cool because since it was our first year in CIF, they test you out to see which division they’re going to put you in the next year,� Bowman said. “We got to play teams that were Division 5 all the way up to high-level Division 3 schools, so we got to be beat by 40 [points], and then we got to beat some teams by 40.�

Matthew Bowman, 19, of Mission Viejo, is part of Newport Christian School’s first graduating class since 2010.

(Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)

Although Bowman will not be soaring toward the rim for the Seahawks anymore, he is keeping his wings. That is because he has ambitions of becoming a charter pilot. He said he has about 50 flight hours under his belt.

As he is originally from North Carolina, a career as a pilot could be the perfect way to stay in touch with friends and family on both sides of the country.

Yao, 19, of Irvine, came to Newport Christian after two years at Northwood High School. He was appreciative of the fact that Newport Christian Principal Kevin Cyprian allowed him to repeat his sophomore year, saying that it helped him catch up to his classmates after moving to California from China.

Headed to Cal Poly Pomona, Yao wants to major in engineering. He said that his primary interest is in high-performance cars. He has driven an Alfa Romeo and a Tesla.

Asked when he discovered his love of cars, Yao said that it has always been a part of him.

“It [was] kind of born with me,� he said. “When I was like 2 years old, I just learned how to talk, just started speaking. I could recognize all the cars and naming them, the brand and everything.

“After elementary school, I kind of [knew] all the details about cars, like the facts, like what this car can produce, like horsepower, torque, make and model.�

Car racing appealed to Yao, who says he has not done so out of respect for his mom’s wishes. He may gravitate toward being a car mechanic for a racing team.

“I do want to race the car, but my mom thinks it’s too dangerous for me to do it,� he said. “I was trying to be a good boy, listening to my mom.�

Chang Yao (Tommy), 19, of Irvine, is a Newport Christian School graduating senior. The school will have its graduation in July.

(Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)

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