By: Arnav Singhal and Atharava Pandey

Sports Editors

Athletic and adventurous mountaineer sophomore Justin Buran is kicking off his second year at Los Gatos High School with energy, focus, and determination. Skillfully balancing academics and extracurriculars, Buran is committed to making the most of his high school experience. Buran manages to excel in the classroom maintaining an impressive 4.0 unweighted GPA despite playing two physically demanding sports.

This year, Buran is taking six rigorous courses, including Spanish 3, Manufacturing Technology 2, AP European History, Algebra 2 Accelerated, English Honors, and Chemistry. Among these, Buran says his favorite is Manufacturing Technology 2. He has particularly enjoyed projects such as creating a Pagoda Box, a traditional East Asian decorative object inspired by religious architecture. Reflecting on the class, Buran said it provides him with the opportunity to “do so many different, diverse projects, which makes the class very fun.” Beyond academics, Buran is also an active participant in the school’s Fellowship of Christian Athletes Club (FCA), attending weekly meetings to connect with his peers and strengthen his faith.

In addition to his academics, Buran is heavily involved in school athletics. Last year, he played for the LGHS JV Water Polo Team and the LGHS Varsity Lacrosse Team and plans to continue this year. Buran wants to go all in on lacrosse this coming season and is looking to go Division One, having had a passion for the sport for four years due to the amount of fun he has playing with his teammates. Beyond the field, Buran loves being  outdoors, commenting, “I spend a majority of my summers out hiking with my family on local trails and other mountains. In the winter, I love to ski in Tahoe with my dad and sister. Nature is a beautiful example of God and his omnipotence.”

Buran’s ambitious personality shines through his inherent ability to spark and win an argument with just about anyone. From a young age, Buran’s love for speech and debate has developed into his desire to become a lawyer. He noted his greatest inspiration is his family: “I have a lot of family friends who are lawyers. My dad’s a teacher, and he’s always talked about the way our country works and how laws are made. So it’s always been interesting to me.”

Overall, Buran exemplifies the model student, taking every opportunity he has at LGHS while laying the foundation for a successful future, and taking his own advice to “not be embarrassed. Just look forward to your high school years, and you’ll find something that you love to do.” With his determination and drive for success, it is clear that Buran gives his best, whether that be in a challenging class or a tightly contested sports game.