Thanh Dieu Thi Doan and Michael Aday have been named valedictorian and salutatorian for the Gulf High School class of 2004.
Thanh, the valedictorian, is the daughter of Ky Van Doan and Dang Thi Doan of New Port Richey. She attended Anclote Elementary, Tarpon Springs Elementary, and Tarpon Springs Middle School before entering Gulf High School.
She has a 4.33 GPA. She is an officer of the National Honor Society, French Honor Society, and Mathematics Honor Society. She volunteers at Community Hospital. She plans to attend the University of Florida and study pre-pharmacy.
Thanh was born in Vinh Long, Vietnam. She moved to the United States in 1992, at age 6, speaking no English. She first moved to Tarpon Springs, then to New Port Richey. She has not visited Vietnam since coming to the U. S., but will make a one-month trip this summer. Her family was able to come to the U. S. because her father fought for South Vietnam in the war. She has three brothers. The youngest one attends USF and the other two work in New Port Richey.
Michael, the salutatorian, is the son of Miguel and Rosa Aday of New Port Richey. He was born in Secaucus, New Jersey, and grew up in Union City. He attended Richey Elementary and Gulf Middle Schools before entering Gulf High School.
He has a 4.2 GPA. He plays four sports — football, wrestling, weightlifting, and track and field. He volunteers with Big Brothers/Big Sisters and Marlowe Mentors. He is a member of the National Honor Society and the Mathematics Honor Society.
He plans to attend Florida State University and study political philosophy.
Both of Michael’s parents were born in Cuba. He has visited the island four times and hopes someday to be involved in the transition of Cuba from a Communist dictatorship to a democracy.
