View from the Class of 2011

The world may seem like a place with a multitude of problems, but the graduates from the class of 2011 are more than ready to step out into it.

The leaders of this year's senior class are acutely aware of the challenges facing society, but they are eager to take them on and are confident their generation can solve at least some of these issues.

"I feel good about the future and how we will approach whatever problems we have," said Joon Joung, the student body president at Castro Valley High School.

Patch interviewed four graduates from Union City, Castro Valley and Newark—three of them in person and one by email.

They all see some basic deficiences in the way society has been tackling issues. Joung, for one, thinks a major problem is how resources are distributed.

"It's frustrating because we spend so little money on education, and that is the future," said Joung, who will be attending UCLA  to study psychology and business. "We have to re-evaluate our priorities."

Vinit Nayak, the student body president at , says it's a simple matter of people getting involved.

"It is apparent that more and more problems have been developing over time that there are not solutions to," wrote Nayak, who will attend UC Berkeley in the fall to study computer science. "The more important thing worth noting is that we as a people have the potential to fight all of these inequalities in our world, but not enough people have the desire to."

Ly Ho, the board of education representative for James Logan High School in Union City, would also like to see more participation.

"We're getting there, but it seems (people) don't take things seriously until it affects them," said Ho, who is headed to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo to study political science.

Kasha Flojo, one of the faculty's choices to represent the students at in Newark, agrees involvement is needed. She points to the problems in her town with teens and violence.

"No one really takes action until something happens," she said.

They all agree their generation needs to step up and tackle these issues sooner rather than later.

"Any generation had the potential to solve these problems," wrote Nayak. "It's only that our generation will see the need to now so more than ever before."

This generation has seen a lot so far, between the 2001 terrorist attacks, the economic meltdown and natural disasters such as the tsunami in Japan. They say, however, the problems are motivating their generation to get a good education and to get involved.

"It makes us more aware that maybe we aren't doing the right thing," said Joung. "We have to step back and think what we are doing and how we can do it right."

"The things that we have seen," adds Ho, "will teach us better in the future not to make the same mistakes."

One of the immediate issues this generation will have to face is the economy. All the students admit to being uncertain about the job market when they graduate from college.

Flojo is headed to UC San Diego, where she hopes to eventually get a degree in optometry. She doesn't know if there will be jobs in that field, but it's something she's always wanted to do.

"Ever since I was little I wanted to be somewhere in the medical field," she said.

Joung isn't sure yet what he wants to do, but he also plans to pick a career he enjoys. That doesn't keep him from worrying, though.

"I do fear the competitiveness of the job market," he said.

Nayak feels there isn't a lot he can do about the economy, so he plans to do things to make himself stand out and hope for the best.

"I am optimistic that (the economy) will turn around by the time people entering college will graduate," he wrote.

The environment is another concern for these students. They say their generation has already taken action by forming clubs on campus and educating themselves on issues such as climate change.

"Educating our age group and younger about the environment will be the biggest change we can make," said Joung.

"I have a feeling," wrote Nayak, "that our generation will be able to make great strides and progress in developing things such as alternative fuels and energy that will help better the environment."

As for the war in Afghanistan, all the graduates agreed it is time to start bringing U.S. soldiers home, although that process should be done slowly.

"Too many people are dying and we're spending too much money," said Ho.

"We're worrying about (the war)," added Flojo, "and we need to focus on our economy and everything else."

The graduates see themselves being successful, but they know it will be hard work.

"I know what I have to do to have a successful future, so it's just my job to do it," wrote Nayak.

Don't be surprised if one of these students is in charge of a company or city in the near future.

"It's been one of my dreams," said Ho, "to come back to Union City and run for mayor."