STOCKTON, Calif. —
Walking the halls of Patterson High School, 18-year old Shaan Chowdaury has not missed a single day of school since kindergarten.
"I had no clue that I would go thirteen years without missing one day. I could have never imagined it," said Chowdaury.
Having a great attendance record actually runs in in the family.
His 23-year-old brother Shahil never missed a day when he was in school and their 20-year-old sister Shaila only missed one day.
How did they do it?
"My children have great immune systems. They don't get sick very often. They're not ones to complain," said Shaan's mother, Vikashni Prasad.
During the pandemic, she got COVID. The family says the kids were able to avoid getting it by strategically placing food and anything she needed outside her bedroom door.
"I think with Shaan, he was like 'stay away from me. You're not getting me sick. I'm going to school everyday to get my award,'" said Prasad.
And get his award he did.
He was recognized with a certificate at a school district board meeting.
"So, for us we're honored to have him in our district and to be an example of what we would like all of our students to be," said Reyes Gauna, Patterson Joint Unified School District Superintendent.
Shaawn is sometimes found outside demonstrating how to use a forklift to younger students during his logistics class.
His teacher Larry Garcia says he's a can't miss student.
"He's been there for me anytime I've needed him. He's very trainable. He's become very knowledgeable of the equipment," Garcia.
Shaan still has just shy of two weeks left of the school year to keep his prefect attendance intact.
He says these last few weeks are not a time to be absentminded.
"Take all the knowledge you can. Be successful in life, come to school. You can start by coming to school," said Shaan.
He plans on going to Modesto Junior College and then transfer to California State University East Bay.
He also plans to take an internship learning about logistics with the U.S. Department of Defense.
His major is Business Administration with a concentration in Operations and Supply Chain Management.
