Considering his roots, Caleb Ashbrook's plan to enlist in medical school and then the Navy makes good sense: One grandfather served with the Marines in Vietnam, and the other was a Medical Corps veteran and ophthalmologist who started a nonprofit to provide eye surgeries for the poor around the world.

As one of this year's most accomplished seniors, Ashbrook, 18, will take the stage as salutatorian next week to welcome thousands of people to Fallbrook High School's 2012 commencement.

I sat down with Ashbrook in the bleachers at Warriors Stadium on Monday as he explained that his 4.5 grade-point average has been the result of a lifelong dream and more than a little competitiveness.

"I've known that I wanted to go into the medical field from a really young age, so I kind of knew that if I wanted to get into a (good) university, that's what I needed to do," he said, adding with a grin: "I also like being able to say I'm number one or two" in the grade books.

At every high school, each class of graduates delivers a few shining examples of academic and athletic accomplishment, and Ashbrook certainly fits the bill.

As an athlete, he played on the soccer, golf and cross-country teams, overcoming a recent knee surgery to repair a torn meniscus.

His academic record is spotless ---- expect nothing less from a kid whose mother runs her own kindergarten ---- and he is wrapping up a term as the student representative to the school board.

Recalling a few late-night board meetings, I asked Ashbrook if he had fallen asleep yet, and he laughed knowingly.

"During the financials, it gets pretty bad, I'm not gonna lie," he said.

But it has been an interesting year to be sitting at the table, he added: "There's been some interesting stuff going on with all the cuts. They had to make, like, $2 million in cuts ---- I'd never wrapped my head around how much money this school has to deal with. I didn't even know how much we cost."

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PFINGSTEN: Class of 2012 salutatorian has big plans