Saipanese to work as intern for Calif. rep
Ryan Cliff Dela Cruz Camacho, who hails from Saipan and has been honored as a student in California, has become the first and only one originally from the CNMI to be invited by a U.S. president to the White House.
The 18-year-old resident of Capitol Hill, Saipan is currently on island for vacation before he goes to college in the mainland, said Rep. William s. Torres who met with him yesterday at the Legislature.
During his 12th grade at the Eastlake High School in Chula Vista, California, Ryan was chosen to participate in the Presidential Classroom Scholars program.
As part of the program, he debated with top students from across the nation in the Capitol in Washington D.C. on different current issues.
In addition, he was chosen among 280 students to present the wreath from the program to the Tomb of Unknown Soldier just before graduation in Georgetown, Virginia.
Among his awards and honors included — outstanding academic achievement on the 2000 Golden State Examination in written composition; recipient of the President’s Education Awards Program for Outstanding Academic Achievement; and Presidential Academic Fitness Award.
Ryan is also in the list of Who’s Who Among American High School Students for consecutive years (1999-2000) multiple year award.
Upon graduation from Eastlake where he was a California Scholarship Foundation member, he was offered a position as an intern under the supervision of Congressman Bob Filner from 50th District of California.
He was also offered a full scholarship to the prestigious Westpoint Academy and received high recommendations to the University of California at Irvine Law School as well as various other UC campuses such as in Berkeley, Riverside, San Diego and Santa Barbara.
Born to Antonio Chargualaf and Maria Dela Cruz Camacho, Ryan attended Garapan Elementary School where he was chosen as “Student of the Week” for six consecutive years from 1st grade to 6th grade. He was also awarded as “Best Reader.”
He was inducted as member of the Junior Honor Society, Hopwood Jr. High School. He then went to Marianas High School for his 9th and 10th grade before moving to California.
