Ever since she was exposed to the regiment of the Naval SeaCadets program as an impressionable 11-year-old, Vietnamese teen Hanh Phan—now a senior at Live Oak High School—had a feeling it was for her.
But once she hit the water for her first scuba diving lesson a few years later, the 17-year-old scholar-athlete was hooked for good.
“When I first joined, I really liked the leadership aspect, the discipline, the respectful manner everyone behaved and what we learned. I really took that to heart,” said Phan, whose unparalleled commitment to the SeaCadets earned her a full scholarship to UCLA through the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps.
“After I went to scuba diving training and earned my sailing license, I was just completely intrigued by the program,” the Petty Officer 2nd Class added. “Where else can a 14-year-old go out into the ocean and sail a boat by myself or go scuba diving in 100-foot deep water by myself.”
That can-do, fearless attitude made Phan—who received full tuition, books stipend, educational fees and other financial benefits as the scholarship recipient—the perfect candidate.
“It’s just a mind blowing opportunity for me,” added the centered and driven young lady who must also serve in the Navy, active or reserve, for six years. Upon graduation, midshipmen are commissioned as Ensigns in the Navy or Second Lieutenants if they choose the Marine Corps.
While maintaining a 4.83 grade point average at LOHS—where she competed on the tennis and badminton teams, participated in student government and was president of the Kiwanis Key Club and the Gay Straight Alliance—Phan still managed enough time to fulfill her SeaCadet duties. The group meets twice a month during the summer and also has training sessions for up to 16 days at a time throughout the year.
After going through basic training and continuing daily physical activities while attending various camps over the years, Phan studied Naval SeaCadets coursework, which included learning the military ship names and parts. She delved into other types of technical training in aviation and piloting, the culinary arts, mechanics and maintenance, marksmanship and, her favorite, scuba diving and boating. She plans to follow the pathway to become a rescue scuba diver for the Coast Guard.
Last summer, Phan was one of only two Cadets in the country selected to represent the United States at the International SeaCadets Summit in Bermuda, where she bunked with other SeaCadets from around the world for more than a week. She enjoyed interacting with the other cadets from different cultures on similar life paths. As ambassadors in Bermuda, the SeaCadets immersed themselves in the culture throughout their stay and also met with the country’s premier and deputy governor.
“That’s the pinnacle of SeaCadets,” said the Tae Kwon Do competitor who also plays the marimba (a large wood keyboard).
Earlier this month, Phan received a medal for her patriotism and military and academic achievement from the Daughters of the American Revolution, who issue the award to one local cadet each year during a ceremony in Santa Cruz.
Once she graduates from high school, Phan—whose parents came to the U.S. as refugees from Vietnam—plans to study political science and human biology in society at UCLA. The Gilroy resident, who was also accepted to UC Berkeley but could not resist the culture, music and art scene in L.A.—wants to go into public policy and pre-law.
“My parents, as minorities, they had a lot of scattered opportunities but made it work and eventually gave me this opportunity that I have now,” Phan said. “I want to focus on creating more opportunities for other children and make changes for the greater good.”
