More than 30 years ago, a Greenwood Community High School student’s father traveled thousands of miles to provide a better life for his family.
The importance of that journey is imprinted on Stacey Tam, along with her two older siblings, all who finished in the top 10 of their high school classes.
“Just seeing my parents work really hard. They came over here just to start a new life. It’s not really an opportunity that I want to waste,” she said.
Tam, who boasts a 4.61 grade-point average, has been named salutatorian of her class. Her sister, Anna, gave the salutatorian speech at Greenwood’s 2012 commencement; her brother, Michael, finished his senior year ranked fourth in the school’s Class of 2016.
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“My siblings have always been high academic achievers, and so seeing them stay on top of their homework and try to get As in every single class, that was a model that I saw and that I wanted to do,” Tam said.
At age 18, Tam is now the same age as her father Jeff was when he left the southern Chinese province of Guangdong and ventured to the United States. Two years later, he returned to marry his girlfriend, Heidi, before the couple came to live in Indianapolis with his brother and his wife.
“Just thinking about what they sacrificed has motivated me to do well in school and outside of school,” Tam said. “Just imagining if I had to go back to China today, I don’t think I could do it. When I was little, I didn’t understand it, but as I got older I did.”
Jeff Tam owns and manages Lotus Garden Restaurant in Greenwood, while Heidi works as an accountant for a business in Fishers.
Stacey Tam will attend Indiana University and major in biochemistry.
At Greenwood, Stacey is captain of the math academic team and treasurer of the Key Club and Interactive Club at school. Both work to benefit the Greenwood community and help raise money for charities abroad.
“Stacey is just fantastic. She has a great sense of humor, is a hard worker and she’s always interested in the things she’s learning,” guidance counselor and senior class sponsor Lisa Laug said. “Stacey truly loves to learn. It’s just kind of innate for her.”
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Name: Stacey Tam
Age: 18
Parents: Jeff and Heidi Tam
Residence: Greenwood
GPA: 4.61
College: Indiana
Major: Biochemistry
Career goals: “I would like to get through med school and become a doctor. I’m not sure what specialization yet, but hopefully I’ll figure that out in college.”
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