Kiwanis Student of the Month February 2024: Cindy Ngo

Cindy Ngo has high ambitions for her future. The Ferndale High School senior (and Kiwanis Student of the Month for February 2024) hopes to eventually earn a master’s or doctorate in biology at the University of Washington. Ngo’s eventual goal is to be a researcher in the dentistry or dermatology fields.

“I’d like to help make groundbreaking discoveries that improve people’s lives,” she said.

At the moment, Ngo is a honor roll student at FHS, earning a 4.0 grade point average while taking a rigorous course schedule. She’s also been on the Golden Eagles’ cheer squad for two years and has participated in student leadership for three years. In both of those groups, Ngo has led many community events, from toy drives to youth cheer camps.

This summer, at the National Cheerleaders’ Association summer camp, Ngo received All American honors (along with fellow FHS cheerleader Giana Thompson) out of hundreds of girls. She said she was very proud of this accomplishment.

“Receiving All American gave me a sense of excitement and accomplishment,” Ngo said. “The support from my teammates was incredible.”

Outside of school, Ngo is a host at Packers Kitchen + Bar at the Semiahmoo Resort. She is responsible for a variety of tasks there, including greeting customers, managing waitlists and reservations, and occasionally bussing tables.

Ngo said she continually tries to make FHS an inclusive place for students. One of her ideas is to promote student groups and clubs that don't receive as much attention, so students who don't typically participate in FHS activities feel less intimidated to join.

“It’s hard to find a place to belong when one doesn’t play sports or isn’t interested in the major clubs,” Ngo said.

The most influential person in Ngo’s life is her dad, she said. He has encouraged her to focus on her goals and work hard.

“He taught me the importance of quality education, which my parents didn’t have the access to,” Ngo said of her dad. “He conditioned me to do my best and take every opportunity.”