Senior Spotlights: Sierra Sands Students Serving Success

Four seniors from Burroughs High School in the Sierra Sands Unified School District are leaving behind their homes in Ridgecrest and preparing to take their next steps after graduation, each carrying with them a story of perseverance, leadership, and service. From medicine and law to engineering and military service, these students have turned ambition into achievement while making a difference in their school and community.

Andy Ha: Building a More Accessible Future

Andy Ha, ranked first in his class among more than 300 students, will attend the University of California, San Diego to study computer science. He decided to stay a little closer to home after earning admission to Carnegie Mellon University in Pennsylvania and the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom.

“Staying close to home, relative to my other choices, means a lot to me,” Ha said. “Along with that, San Diego offers the academic rigor that I am interested in.”

Ha’s passion for technology is deeply personal. His dad is a software engineer at Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, which introduced him to technology from a young age. Inspired by helping his grandmother navigate Parkinson ’s-related cognitive and physical challenges, he became committed to designing intuitive apps and software that adapt to people’s needs.

“I believe technology should be accessible. A lot of interfaces are not intuitive for users,” Ha said. “Technology should adapt to people instead of people being forced to adapt to technology.”

That commitment has shaped his high school career. He excelled in a rigorous academic schedule that included AP Physics and Calculus III, earned top AP scores, and helped Burroughs’ robotics team win programming awards judged by professional engineers.

“Our robotics team is almost like a sports team. These guys come every day, they come on weekends, they travel to competitions, and they’ve been highly successful,” Assistant Principal Chris Ostermann said. “It’s many, many hours after school that these students are putting into it.”

Outside the classroom, Ha volunteered as a tutor in mobile app development and SAT math through the nonprofit platform Schoolhouse. He also led a dialogue club connecting students from California, Texas, and Pakistan for respectful conversations on major issues.

“A lot of people have strong opinions on things, but they don’t know where to speak. Being able to share that perspective matters a lot,” he said.

Ostermann described Ha as focused, self-motivated, and selflessly committed to helping others.

“It’s just such a joy to be able to work with kids that are so focused on their future and where they’re headed,” Ostermann said. “In his case, he’s asking: How can I help?”

Emaan Ahmad: Leading With Compassion

Emaan Ahmad will attend Stanford University, where she plans to pursue biology on a pre-med track.

A first-generation college student ranked fifth in her class, Ahmad said she has dreamed of attending Stanford since childhood.

“I opened it and saw the confetti on the screen,” she recalled of her acceptance. “I ran to my mom and started crying because I was so excited.”

Ahmad has maintained straight A’s while balancing college coursework, playing cello in the orchestra, and serving in leadership roles. She serves as president of the Interact Club and participates in the California Scholarship Federation, both of which are focused on community service.

Her commitment to helping others also comes from personal experience. After her family’s gas station burned down, Ahmad began working at age 16 to help support her family while continuing  to balance her academics and extracurricular activities.

“I’ve learned to overcome anything that comes in my way and know that when hardships come, there’s going to be a good ending,” she said.

Principal Carrie Cope praised Ahmad’s resilience and leadership, noting that she has remained focused on her goals while juggling many responsibilities.

“She’s had goals, and she’s been able to accomplish them regardless of what was thrown in front of her,” Cope said. “She contributes to the community and the school community through her leadership. I’m very proud.”

When she arrives at Stanford in the fall, Ahmad plans to join the Muslim Student Association, where she hopes to find familiar ground and a place of belonging with other students who share her faith. Her belief system has given her a strong foundation in life, as well as hope and confidence, which she hopes to instill in others through her continued community service.

“I feel like in many situations, I stand out being a woman of color and a Muslim in a town that’s not as diverse,” she said. “Fostering an inclusive environment is pretty important to me, because I know how it feels to stand out.”

Ahmad hopes to one day improve healthcare access, particularly in underserved communities.

Jasmine Casas Flores: Turning Change into Opportunity

For Jasmine Casas Flores, success has meant adapting quickly. A military child who unexpectedly moved to Ridgecrest in 2024, Casas Flores plans to attend Suffolk University in her hometown of Boston, where she has been pre-admitted to law school and is on track to become a criminal prosecutor.

“I’ve always been drawn to helping people,” she said. “I have a very strong belief in righting wrongs. Plus, I like to argue.”

Though arriving midway through high school brought challenges, Casas Flores immediately immersed herself in campus life, signing up for several extracurricular activities in addition to catching up on a new curriculum. She participates in student council, yearbook, Naval Sea Cadets, Police Explorers, and serves as the student board member for the district.

“I personally love being involved in all the things,” she said.

Casas Flores also embraced the challenge of becoming a first-generation college student, navigating the admissions process largely on her own while earning substantial scholarship support. In the end, she says the whole experience was worth it.

“I have that first step in the door. The moving was worth it, the work, the late nights, the homework, it all led to this,” she said.

Her message to others reflects the resilience many military children develop: adapt and grow.

“Everything about your life can be thrown off. I did have a plan. I structured out all four years [of high school],” she said. “But you can always make your opportunities no matter where you go.”

Dustin Bui: Answering the Call to Serve

Dustin Bui is headed to the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, where he plans to study electrical engineering, compete in swimming, and eventually become an officer.

“Being an officer, it pushes you to your greatest limit, and even beyond that,” he said. “It demands excellence at the highest level.”

For Bui, service is both personal and purposeful. The son of Vietnamese refugees who came to the United States after the Vietnam War, Bui says he could think of no higher calling than to serve the nation that accepted and welcomed his family.

“I’ve always wanted to give back to my country for what it’s done for them, and it’s given me a strong drive and passion to serve my country,” Bui said. “I think serving is the best possible thing I could do, and repay the country that has provided my family with lots of opportunities.”

Service is a family trait, with grandparents who served in the military and three older brothers who also attended the Naval Academy. Bui hopes to continue a bit of sibling rivalry when he reports for duty, fighting to outperform one brother who is still training there.

“By seeing him do this, I’ve always wanted to get it for myself and do even greater things,” he said. “I’ve always tried to be better than my brother; it’s something that pushes us to become even greater.”

Admission to the academy required rigorous academics, physical fitness testing, recommendations, and a congressional nomination from 20th district representative Vince Fong. Bui is excited to put on his midshipman’s uniform and learn from the best of the best.

“I’ve always wanted to be in that uniform, because that uniform represents character and discipline,” he said. “I’m going to be surrounded by lots of talent.”

Bui has excelled in the classroom, progressing to Calculus III while taking AP and dual-enrollment courses. On weekends, he volunteers by playing piano at a senior home. He is also a swimmer, lifeguard, and mentor who gives lessons to younger athletes.

“When I was five years old, I almost drowned, so swimming inspired me to overcome my fear and get closer to the water,” Bui said.

That drive to push himself led him to swim competitively for the Naval Academy, further demonstrating his commitment to excellence.

Ostermann called Bui “very focused and self-driven,” adding that he is also heavily involved in student government and campus activities.

A Bright Future Ahead

Though their paths are different, these four seniors share common traits: determination, service, and a desire to improve the world around them. As they leave Sierra Sands Unified School District for campuses across the nation, they carry with them the pride of a community that has watched them grow and the promise of even greater things ahead.