ALI THANAWALLA - [X]PRESS 2.0 MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Bay Area Multicultural Media Academy Class of 2010.

Tony Lau
Age: 15
School: Lick-Wilmerding High School

As a boy scout in San Francisco's Troop 3, Tony Lau enjoys how being a part of one of the oldest troops in America allows him to try new things. The 15-year-old said he enjoys swimming for Lick-Wilmerding High School's varsity boy's swim team, woodcarving, shooting and photography. "I like taking pictures because pictures convey a clearer message than words sometimes," Lau said. With no prior journalism experience, he said he wants to learn more about the field. Lau said he enjoys listening to the news on radio stations such as National Public Radio and KQED.
-- Tiffany Do

Pearl Khuu
Age: 14
School: Lowell High School

Pearl Khuu lives in San Francisco and has many interests, including dancing and writing. Her energetic personality prefers the upbeat and fast rhythm of hip-hop but she also likes to dance ballet to develop discipline. She is involved in College Track San Francisco, which helps high school students look into various colleges and help them attend summer programs like BAMMA. This summer at College Track, she volunteers at a summer school for incoming freshmen. Khuu has only begun her journalism career here at BAMMA and said, "I like writing and taking pictures of nature, and I also want to see if journalism is the thing for me."
-- Tony Lau

Beatrice Esteban
17
School: James Logan High School

If Beatrice Esteban is not talking, she is constantly flipping her pen in her hand or bouncing her legs. Esteban is very outgoing, likes living a fast-paced life, and is usually not found at home. "I don't want to be one of those people who lives their life going through the motions," Esteban said. Aside from enjoying hands-on activities, Esteban loves keeping up with politics and literature. Her love for literature led her to pursue journalism, and next year she will be the editor-in-chief for her high school's online publication, The James Logan Courier, in Union City.
-- Hannah Kim

Hannah Kim
Age: 16
School: Palo Alto High School

Hannah Kim's bright backpack is a reflection of herself: quirky and bold. Although she gained journalism experience at Voice, the online publication at her school, Kim wants more experience in a different arena through BAMMA. She and her classmates accompanied adviser Paul Kandell to a journalism convention at Columbia University in New York this spring. The small group environment of BAMMA appeals to her since she "can form closer relationships with people," she said. A junior at Palo Alto High, Kim does community service projects with Interact Club and runs cross-country. She hopes to attend Dartmouth College as a journalism major.
-- Beatrice Esteban

Emma Chiang
Age: 15
School: Balboa High School

Emma Chiang is co-captain of Balboa High School's soccer team, runs on the cross-country team and participates in Forever Rely On God, a Christian club. She never stops asking questions and takes interest in talking to people about their stories; it helps give her a perspective on life and how to treat others. She thinks that journalism is becoming a lost art, but needs to continue to be told. "The media is not giving people the truthful story," Chiang said. "I believe that the voiceless should be heard. Journalism is the key."
-- Anita Tam

Xavier Corena
Age: 16
School: Metwest High School

Xavier Corena is a passionate Salvadorean who wants to take over the world with his music and writing. A photographer and reporter for Metwest High School's newspaper, he writes songs and poetry in his free time. The 16-year-old Oakland resident is fascinated with different cultures and can speak Spanish, English, French and Italian. Corena joined BAMMA to learn more about journalism. He accomplishes everything that he sets his mind to. "A person is not what they are born, nor what they wish, but what they discover and accommplish," Corena said.
-- Valeria Carias

Tiffany Do
Age: 17
School: Abraham Lincoln High School

Tiffany Do is a determined and fearless 17-year-old senior at Abraham Lincoln High School in San Francisco. She is a unique girl who holds a passion for writing. In her spare time, Do loves to blog about her inner thoughts and feelings and shares jokes with her friends. She cooks traditional food from Hong Kong, where she was born, such as fried rice and eggs but she also loves to experiment. "If I fail, I can just try again," Do said. She has been interested in journalism since middle school and in her junior year of high school, she was the opinion page editor with her own column.
-- Pearl Khuu

Valeria Carias
Age: 16
School: Woodside High School

Valeria Carias may seem like a normal girl, but after words escape her lips, new facets of her personality begin to show. She likes writing stories about witches and vampire, as well as reading vampire novels. Born in El Salvador, Carias came to the U.S. at the age of 2. Now 16 and not knowing where her adventures or wonders would take her, she took a daring attempt to experience Journalism through BAMMA. "I want to understand what a journalist is," she said.
-- Xavier Corena

Anita Tam
Age: 15
School: Galileo High School

Anita Tam, a San Francisco native, is pursing her dreams as she encourages others with theirs. She attends Galileo High School and will be a junior next year. In her free time she reads about politics in the local newspaper. "Reading the newspaper helps me feel connected to events around me, it helps me learn more about society," Tam said. She has an interest in journalism and next year she plans to be an announcer for her school's G-House T.V. show. Her advice to others is: "Even if your interests change, keep working hard and you will succeed."
-- Emma Chiang