Senior Giang Duong attended Christ the King middle school and “everyone was talking about [La Salle],” Duong said. “It was very prevalent.” 

This year at La Salle, Duong is enjoying AP Government and Honors French 4. Despite AP Government being his most difficult class, Duong enjoys “the community that we have,” he said.

The dedication of La Salle’s staff members does not go unnoticed by Duong, as he said his favorite part about La Salle is the teachers. “Teachers do a lot of things to make us successful,” Duong said. “I feel like not many students take this into consideration.”

A teacher that Duong especially appreciates is Mr. Tom McLaughlin, who is better known at La Salle as Mr. Mac. “Mr. Mac is someone who I look up to very much,” Duong said. “He’s very understanding of what’s going on in your life.”

Even though he is taking academically rigorous courses, “if a teacher shows they care, it makes the class easier,” Duong said. “They’ve definitely encouraged me.”

An obstacle that Duong has overcome in his life is self-doubt. “What helped me overcome that was to pursue something that I wanted,” he said. “No matter what, there is always something to spark that motivation for you as a person.”

In addition to his teachers, Duong’s older brothers Tung and Lam provide constant encouragement and support. As he was growing up, Duong’s brothers “stressed how important it is to do well at school,” he said. As well as making sure he was doing well in school, Tung and Lam introduced Duong to video games. 

Duong plays “Dragon Ball FighterZ,” and started getting involved in local tournaments before the pandemic. He won his first tournament at the age of 15. 

“Gaming has had such an impact on my life,” Duong said. Having gaming as a hobby has helped Duong escape from stress. 

Although it is common speculation that video games cause people to lose focus and become less motivated to do well at school, Duong found otherwise. “Since I got into competitive gaming, it helped me grasp what needs to be done,” Duong said. “Essentially it helped me set boundaries for myself.” 

Duong discovered his passion for gaming through his brothers, and encourages others to find something they truly want to do. “Do it because you want to better yourself, don’t do it for other people’s validation,” Duong said.

Duong said he is a very determined student. “I tend to find my motivation in my work very easily,” he said. Having something to look forward to helps him push through. 

Duong lives by the fact that “you have to treat everyone equally.”