Timothy Bui

Putnam City North High School 

Timothy Bui, who ranks first in his class, is a National Merit finalist and Advanced Placement Scholar with Distinction. He has received seventeen Science Olympiad medals and a gold-level Seal of Biliteracy in Vietnamese. He has been a Student Council treasurer, Science Olympiad team member, and a junior representative as well as vice president for National Honor Society and a leader for the school’s Link Crew mentoring program. He has volunteered with the Vietnamese Eucharistic Youth Movement for seven years. In his free time, he enjoys collecting rocks and practicing chemistry.Bui plans on attending the University of Oklahoma and majoring in chemistry.

Academic All-State Sponsor: Tinker Federal Credit Union 

Drew Burgess

Edmond Memorial High School 

Burgess is a National Merit finalist, Advanced Placement Scholar with Distinction and class valedictorian. He is president of his school’s DECA chapter; he has two second-place finishes and one first-place finish at DECA’s state competition, qualifying him for DECA’s International Career Development Conference each year.  A four-year state finals high school swimmer, Burgess serves as team captain and was nominated twice for OKC Metro Boys Swimming & Diving Athlete of the Year. He has also competed in USA Swimming Sectionals since 2021. Having accepted a National Merit Scholarship package, Burgess intends to major in pre-law at the University of Tulsa. 

Academic All-State Sponsor: Donald W. Reynolds Foundation

Brietta Chen

Classen School of Advanced Studies at Northeast

A National Merit finalist, Brietta Chen is a summa cum laude graduate, International Baccalaureate Diploma Candidate and Advanced Placement Scholar with Distinction. She is president of Student Council and has been a member for seven years. She is also president of Asian Club, a math tutor with Mu Alpha Theta and the historian for her school’s National Honor Society chapter. She has been a girls varsity golf player for three years and was a Class 4A state qualifier in her junior year. In her free time, Brietta loves folding origami, playing piano and running. 

Academic All-State Sponsor: Mustang Fuel Corporation

Ella Janes

Classen School of Advanced Studies at Northeast

Ella Janes is a 2022 YoungArts Finalist in film and has won a Scholastic Art and Writing Gold Medal for her film, “The First 280 Honest Words of My Life.” In 2020, Janes founded her own production company, ur girlfriend’s favorite films, which uplifts Oklahoma youth stories through film. That same year, she founded Ella’s Wicked Wardrobe, an online clothing business that uses upcycled clothing to create custom-style bundles for customers across the world. Janes also started her school’s Student Activism Club to increase local government participation. After graduating, Janes will continue to tell authentic and Oklahoman stories. She plans to attend the University of Southern California to study film and television production.

Academic All-State Sponsor: American Fidelity

Neha Kodali

Edmond Memorial High School

Neha Kodali is a National Merit semifinalist who received a perfect score of 36 on her ACT. She is captain of the academic bowl team and a Presidential Honor Award nominee. Her volunteering activities include Civil Air Patrol, which she has attended for the last two years, rising to the rank of master sergeant. She also works at a VA hospital during summer breaks as a youth volunteer serving veterans in various capacities. Kodali will attend the University of Oklahoma and plans to major in mathematics. 

Academic All-State Sponsor: Donald W. Reynolds Foundation

Mark Nguyen

Westmoore High School

A National Merit finalist and U.S. Presidential Scholar nominee, Mark Nguyen serves as class president, founding vice president of the Westmoore DECA Chapter and as a member of his school’s publication staffs. He was a part of his school’s state-champion speech and debate team, and he was a state finalist in his event. He played varsity tennis and has obtained his Eagle Scout and a black belt in Tae Kwon Do. Additionally, Nguyen serves as one of the Oklahoma City Youth City Council members. Nguyen plans to attend Cornell University CALS, where he will major in bioengineering with a computer science minor. 

Academic All-State Sponsor: Postic & Bates, PC

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