Who they are Who they are (August 17, 2005)

The students
Name, age: Noa Bruhis, 16 School, grade: Gunn High school, senior Interests: Diving and auto mechanics One sentence on high school: "It doesn't last forever so make the best of it."
Name, age: Garrett Morton, 14 School, grade: Palo Alto High School, freshman Interests: Music, art and math One sentence on high school: "It always seemed so far away, and now it's here."
The parents
Noa's parents Name, age: Ofer Bruhis, 50 High school alma mater, graduation year: Tschernichovsky High School, Israel, 1972 Profession: Engineer One sentence on high school: "Life was good."
Name, age: Tali Hardonag , 47 High school alma mater, graduation year: Ben Zvi High School, Israel 1975 Profession: Architect One sentence on high school: "It is the last time we are encouraged to spread out -- after that, all studying becomes focused toward a goal."
Garrett's parents Name, age: Erwin Morton, 60 High school alma mater, graduation year: Horace Mann School, Riverdale, N.Y., 1962 Profession: Semi-retired from software industry. Currently involved in volunteer work and education advocacy, among other things. One sentence on high school: "The world was an orderly place; we knew what was expected of us, and we did it."
Name, age: Kathy Morton, 56. High school alma mater, graduation year: Amherst Central Senior High School, Amherst, N.Y., 1967 Profession: Former teacher. One sentence on high school: "High school was a contained world, an oasis of security based in friends, fun and hard work."

E-mail a friend a link to this story.