Capitola-Soquel Times is pleased to recognize the eight Soquel High School valedictorians and the two salutatorians for their hard work that put them at the top of the Class of 2025.
At Soquel High, salutatorians are students with only one B during their four years.
Soquel High School hosted the Senior Awards Ceremony on May 22, presenting awards and scholarships to the top graduating seniors, the multicultural celebration May 23 and the graduation ceremony May 30. One valedictorian was camera-shy.
Some of the valedictorians shared their future plans:
Matthew Hofmann
Parents: Sophia Lee and Ralf Hofmann
What will you do after you graduate? College?
I am going to Georgia Tech
Do you have a major in mind?
I am going to pursue Material Science Engineering
What activities did you participate in at Soquel High?
I did AP classes and was a teacher assistant for the library
What will you remember most about Soquel High?
Mr. Matt Bruner is the best teacher.
Oliver Santana
Parents: Leonardo and Patricia Santana
What will you do after you graduate? College? Do you have a major in mind?
I will be attending the NYU Tandon School of Engineering in NYC to swim NCAA Division 3 and study Computer Science.
What activities did you participate in at Soquel High?
At Soquel High School, I participated in swimming as the team captain for the past two years, representing SHS at CCS Championships all 4 years, and CIF State Championships this year, setting the 100 breast school record.
What will you remember most about Soquel High?
I will remember the community and the atmosphere at Soquel the most. Our town is very special and I wouldn’t trade my experience growing up here for anything.
Hailey Vicar
Parents: Lisa and Jay Vicar
What will you do after you graduate? College?
Next year I will attend UC Santa Barbara!
Do you have a major in mind?
I will be majoring in Communication and planning to go to law school.
What activities did you participate in at Soquel High?
Tennis, Mock Trial, Red Cross, Leadership, Lacrosse, AP classes
What will you remember most about Soquel High?
I will remember the community of Soquel more than anything: the wonderful staff, teachers, and students that make the school safe and close-knit.
Reilly Kerko
Parents: Tara Long and Bryan Kerko
What will you do after you graduate? College?
I plan on attending Cal Berkeley.
Do you have a major in mind?
Microbial biology
What activities did you participate in at Soquel High?
Varsity soccer, varsity tennis, varsity basketball, varsity girls lacrosse, varsity boys lacrosse. First team All League lacrosse.
What will you remember most about Soquel High?
The connections I made with my classmates, teammates and teachers.
Neely Pfeiffer
Parents: Nehal and Stephen Pfeiffer
What will you do after you graduate? College?
I will be attending UC Berkeley in the fall!
Do you have a major in mind?
I will be majoring in Bioengineering with a minor in Electronic Intelligent Systems.
What activities did you participate in at Soquel High?
I was involved in basketball, volleyball, and swimming, as well as Ethics Bowl, Foreign Language Club, Asian Student Union, Soquel’s Knight, after school tutoring, and Link Crew. I also represented the student body on Site Council.
What will you remember most about Soquel High?
I’ll remember the small moments—laughing with friends between classes (sometimes during classes), late nights before finals, and the teachers who genuinely cared.
Awards: Randy Peck Most Inspirational Athlete; Soquel High Fund Student Scholar Award; BioTech hoors; Science Department Achievement Award; Superintendent’s award for highest grade-point average, 4.76.
Antonio Plaza
Parents: Lisa Homesley, German Plaza
What will you do after you graduate? College?
After graduating high school I’m going to attend Brown University.
Do you have a major in mind?
I plan on majoring in Neuroscience mainly and also likely double majoring in Philosophy as well.
What activities did you participate in at Soquel High?
At Soquel High School I played lead trombone in both the Jazz and Varsity Bands, I played Varsity Soccer, I ran Varsity Track, I was in Interact and Model UN clubs, and I was on School Site Council for 2 years.
What will you remember most about Soquel High?
What I will remember most about Soquel is the vibrant and accepting community who made me feel welcomed and valued despite coming from a middle school that the vast majority of my peers did not attend.
Ruben Marcus
Parents: Carolyn Freedman, Daniel Marcus
What will you do after you graduate? College? Do you have a major in mind?
After I graduate, I plan to attend Duke University, where I plan to major in mathematics, with potential double-majors/minors in computer science or economics.
What activities did you participate in at Soquel High?
At Soquel High School, I am part of the Jazz Ensemble and Varsity Band, I am the co-founder and president of Soquel’s Computer Science and Philosophy clubs, and I have completed the Soquel’s unique Biotech CTE pathway.
What will you remember most about Soquel High?
I will most remember the welcoming and unified community of Soquel High, defined by its particularly collaborative, kind, and spirited nature.
I have very much enjoyed my past four years here.
•••
Salutatorians
Nathan Hofmann
Parents: Sophia Lee and Ralf Hofmann
I will be attending UCLA
Do you have a major in mind?
Electrical Engineering
What activities did you participate in at Soquel High?
Disc golf club, Computer Science club, Teachers assistant, Science Department Achievement Award
What will you remember most about Soquel High?
Definitely my teachers, they really encouraged my success and made attending my classes enjoyable.
Also my teacher Ms. Shaw, she set me up on the engineering pathway and helped me take various dual enrollment courses.
~~~
Jade Haskins: Social Studies Department Achievement Award, Louise & Henry Parker Scholarship
•••
TOP PHOTO: From left: Oliver Santana, Hailey Vicar, Neely Pfeiffer, and Matthew Hofmann. • Inset (from top): Reilly Kerko, Ruben Marcus, and Antonio Plaza.