Davis grads have lofty goals

YAKIMA, Wash. — Their paths crossed in fourth-period chemistry class, where both cultivated a passion for compounds and a desire to become doctors.

One is a transfer student and the oldest of three siblings who's poised to become the first in his immediate family to go to university. The other is an ambitious youth who has lived with her grandmother since age 10. Neither has to worry about paying for college, thanks to a combination of grants and scholarships and their own merit.

Davis High School seniors Octavio Gómez and Jessica Sachara are International Baccalaureate students with the hope of someday helping people through careers in medicine. Meantime, they have current grade-point averages of 3.9 and 3.8, respectively.

"I'm pretty sure he has the better (chemistry) grade," says Sachara, a go-getter who serves as editor of the yearbook, a cheerleader, and member of the tennis team.

She's also involved with the youth group at Yakima's St. Joseph Parish as well as several lprograms for foster youths, among other activities.

"I'm always busy," she says.

Gómez, 17, transferred from Highland High School at the end of his sophomore year. He still lives in Cowiche, serves as treasurer of the Davis chapter of the National Honor Society and works after school as a tutor in the Davis library.

After their Wednesday graduation, the classmates' paths will diverge. Both want to become doctors. He, possibly a surgeon. She, maybe a pediatrician.

But they're taking different routes to achieve their similar dreams.

Gómez is going from Cowiche to Cornell University, moving across the country to an Ivy League school in Ithaca, N.Y. Sachara is moving across the state, from Yakima to Seattle, where she will attend the University of Washington.

Both are looking forward to new beginnings.

"I'm so excited for graduation," Sachara says. "I can't wait for the last day of school. But at the same time, I'm going to miss it."

Gómez, too, has mixed feelings about leaving the Yakima Valley. He says he'll especially miss his family and his mom's cooking, particularly her homemade ceviche and sopes gordos.

In college, he plans to major in chemistry. Sachara is considering a pre-med track or biochemistry.

Without her grandmother, she says, "I don't know where I'd be."

Still, Sachara's looking forward to her independence, and is already making plans for medical school. She's interested in the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine or continuing her education at the UW School of Medicine.

She's not sure where her life will take her after that. But she says she plans to somehow give back to the Yakima community.

So does Gómez. He wants to attend the UW School of Medicine, then return to the Valley to practice medicine.

"It's because of the need for Hispanic workers," particularly in the medical field, he says. "A lot of the nurses have to translate for the doctors. I think that takes away from the doctor-patient relationship. I think it's better (to have) no barriers in between."

Name: Octavio Gómez

Age: 17

School: Davis High School

Notable: Gómez takes some International Baccalaureate classes, maintains a 3.9 grade-point average, and plans to become a doctor.

What's next? Gómez plans to attend Cornell University. After that, he hopes to go to medical school.

Name: Jessica Sachara

Age: 18

School: Davis High School

Notable: Sachara takes a full International Baccalaureate course load, maintains a 3.8 grade-point average, and plans to become a doctor.

What's next? Sachara plans to attend the University of Washington. After that, she hopes to go to medical school.

When Davis graduates: 7 p.m., Wednesday at the Yakima Valley SunDome.