There are so many words that can be used to describe this year’s salutatorian: passionate, diligent, adaptable, resilient and confident being just a few. Earning the second highest grade point average in the class of 2025, achieving the highly sought after title was no easy feat. Despite the challenge, as he wraps up his time at UC High and moves toward higher education, Senior Jared Ashman is proving that he fits the title of salutatorian perfectly.
Most students discover their class ranks while in a private meeting with their counselor, but Ashman’s experience was much less typical. “I first learned that I was this year’s salutatorian when I walked into my statistics class, and my good friend David said, ‘Hey, my friend salutatorian.’ He had learned from his counselor that he was valedictorian and I was salutatorian, and that was a solid two months before the counselors told me; he was ahead of the curve,” said Ashman. Despite the surprise from an otherwise typical day, it’s fitting that such big news came from someone who’s shared the journey with him.
To achieve the role of salutatorian, Ashman maintained a 4.0 grade point average throughout high school, ending the year with a cumulative weighted score of 4.89. He said, “What’s the secret to a high GPA? I feel like it’s really important to find classes you enjoy. Spend more time on the articulation form than you would think necessary, and it makes your next year much easier. Additionally, I’d definitely take a pathway, and a weighted class or two during freshman year to see if you like them or not.” Throughout high school, his schedule has been filled with challenging coursework, including two honors classes, eleven APs, and six college-level courses. He even managed to skip the majority of the engineering pathway, jumping straight into honors engineering in his senior year.
Alongside maintaining flawless grades, Ashman built friendships that will last a lifetime. Senior Jason Weistrop said, “Jared is an inspiration. In addition to being a great friend, he lives a balanced, well-rounded life filled with an impressive mix of academics, athletics, and friendships. Having worked with Jared on projects involving computer engineering, one thing that stands out is his initiative and excitement, coming up with creative ideas and ambitious goals, and then diving in, not being stopped by uncertainty or challenges he faces.” Ashman’s impact extends past his test scores, with his passion, creativity and friendship leaving a lasting impression on anyone who meets him.
Good grades aren’t the only thing that Ashman has worked towards, as he spends much of his time on his extracurriculars. “I am part of two clubs at UC High. I am co-president of the Chess Club with David; it’s actually pretty fun. He and I play sometimes and he’s really good. I am also co-founder of a nonprofit, Minim, with my friends Kailey Shim and Jason Weistrop. On Fridays, we have music lessons for kids that can’t afford them. I played tennis on the varsity team; I’ve been playing for about ten years. As a senior, I’m co-captain of the team, and I also play some pickleball.” Extending his prowess past academics, Ashman has set himself up for success far into the future.
Senior Kailey Shim said, “Jared is one of the most hardworking people I know. His work ethic is unlike anyone else’s. We’ll be sitting with our friends and he’ll isolate himself to finish up his work which he does at impressive speed. He is definitely not a procrastinator. Jared always has things done way ahead of time and prioritizes his assignments and even creates engineering projects for himself.” Ashman has proved himself time and time again in his academics, but all of his hard work doesn’t limit him socially.
Shim added, “He’s friendly and liked by everyone, not just because they want to know how to do the difficult assignments no one else knows how to do, but also because he’s really hilarious and fun to talk to. The underclassmen in Minim and on the Tennis Team also look up to him. He’s a leader, an academic powerhouse, an athlete, and a hard worker but most importantly a friend to all. I don’t know a better person more deserving of salutatorian.” Acting as an inspiration and role model for those around him, Ashman’s hard work shines within his activities and academics.
Ashman’s personality shines in spaces where he connects with others. “As a cofounder and key member of Minim, Jared adds his own fun spin while contributing to a good cause. Take his meeting reminders for example, consisting of an unpredictable and often hilariously random claim like ‘COME TO MINIM AND GET ONE TURKEY.’ And if this small picture of Jared wasn’t enough, on top of his hard work, achievements, and personality, Jared has added much to my own life and the lives of many others,” said Weistrop. Whether communicating through his nonprofit work or sharing a moment with a friend, Ashman brings a humorous and unique energy to every interaction he’s part of.
A salutatorian has more to do than just graduate high school. Due to his recent admission into the University of California, Los Angeles, Ashman plans to spend his next four years there studying computer engineering. “After completing my undergraduate studies at UCLA, I will either be working some job building computers of some sort here in California, or I will be in another country like Scotland,” said Ashman. The dedication to his academics, extracurricular activities, friendships and future shows how Ashman will grow into success, proving his worth as the class of 2025’s salutatorian.