ART

AILEEN ZEIGEN

UNIVERSITY SCHOOL AT NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY

Aileen's legacy of service started with her grandparents in Poland, who were the first in her family to join the Maccabi Tzair youth movement. In Colombia, her father took up their work, followed by her uncles in Venezuela and now her. After a year of training, she became a Madrich -- the Hebrew word for leader -- and last year took charge of teaching 48 third-graders about Jewish culture every Saturday.

Aileen is also a gifted artist. She won three Gold Key Awards at this year's Scholastic Art Regional Competition.

She also received her school's Director's Art Award and was elected president of the Art Honor Society.

• Honorable Mentions:

Juan Pablo Ruiz, Saint Thomas Aquinas High

Daniel Glass, Pine Crest School

Sonika Raashi Data, Deerfield Beach High

ATHLETICS

SARAH BENCKENSTEIN

CORAL SPRINGS HIGH SCHOOL

To bring attention to juvenile diabetes, a disease that afflicted her older sister, Sarah staged not one but two rock concerts. When thunderstorms canceled her first Battle of the Bands performance, Sarah regrouped and soldiered on, organizing a second concert that attracted even more bands. Ultimately, she raised $6,200 for juvenile diabetes.

Sarah has also lettered in track and soccer and helped her school's cross country team to the state championship for the last three years. She placed fifth out of 55 cross country runners at last year's Taravella Invitational meet, won her city's Soccer Bowl and been an honorable mention on the Miami Herald's cross country and track teams.

• Honorable Mentions:

Scott Venkataraman, Fort Lauderdale High

Michael Ryan Lickstein, Cypress Bay High

Danielle Lyons, Dillard High

BUSINESS

JAY ADAM SHECHTMAN

CYPRESS BAY HIGH SCHOOL

When school administrators rejected his suggestion for a new service club because his school -- the nation's largest at 5,500 students -- already had too many clubs, Jay collected hundreds of signatures and successfully won its approval. His psychology club eventually recruited more than 150 members and staged events that, among other things, helped educate fellow students about the plight of children in Uganda, suicide and the importance of seat belts.

In addition, Jay created an online tutoring business, was named Best in County at the Broward World Language competition and served as president of his school's Spanish Honor Society.

• Honorable Mentions:

Alec Rubenstein, North Broward Preparatory

Cristina Maria Andres, Charles W. Flanagan High

Steven Ira Lerner, Coral Springs Charter School

DRAMA

LAUREN ALLISON

WESTERN HIGH SCHOOL

Inspired by a longtime interest in helping the deaf, Lauren staged a production bringing together deaf students and high school drama classmates.

Lauren, who had volunteered for a literacy camp for the deaf , hit up family and friends for money for props and costumes, translated for deaf students and convinced her principal to loan her the school bus for transportation. By show day, her well-rehearsed cast pulled off three performances that raised more than $1,200 for the camp.

Lauren also was named overall best actress at a district competition. She earned a Critic's Choice for ensemble musical at the Florida State Thespian competition, has been nominated for a Cappie, was her drama club president and her school's honorary thespian of the year.

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