Her parents, Edwin and Evyan Cord-Cruz, moved from the Philippines to the U.S. in the 1990s. “They didn’t have the same education as we do in America,” she said. “So when they came here, they always pushed for me to do my best. They inspired and motivated me.” Edwin is an engineer for American Airlines and Eyvan is a doctor working in clinical research. Gabriells's a younger sister, Mia, a sophomore at Clarke.

Ramesh’s father, Ramesh Krishnam, is a software engineer, and his mother, Padma Ramesh, is a reading teacher in the Westbury School District. His younger brother, Srinesh, is a fifth-grader at Bowling Green Elementary.

Speaking with the Herald during their second-to-last day of school last Thursday, the students said it was just beginning to sink in that they’ll be leaving Clarke for good. But Cord-Cruz offered a few words of encouragement to future graduates. “Don’t let any opportunity pass by. Second chances are really rare,” she said. “High school offers so many things. It’s really important not to go by without taking any chances.”