Dade Public Schools honor best and brightest at annual Scholar-Athlete event
On Tuesday morning, it was once again time to salute the best and brightest from Miami-Dade County Public Schools.
The MDCPS held its annual Scholar-Athlete Awards ceremony at the Doubletree by Hilton Airport hotel, recognizing student-athletes from nearly 40 schools for their combination of athletic and academic achievement.
Several of those student-athletes were rewarded with scholarship money from various organizations including the Orange Bowl and Miami Dolphins Foundation.
In addition, two students received special recognition for their academic excellence and leadership on their respective teams.
Braddock cross-country and track standout Andre Santos was presented with the first ever G. Holmes Braddock Courage Award in honor of the late founder of the school. Santos has a 5.21 grade point average, took 17 advanced placement classes and was on the Principal’s Honor roll at Braddock for all four years of high school.
Hialeah Gardens track and flag football standout Isabella Quinones was presented with the Roberta Stokes Leadership Award. Quinones has a 5.4 GPA and is headed to either Florida or Michigan.
The Orange Bowl presented its Platinum scholarships to Miami High’s Javorie Wilson and Northwestern’s Jaiel Langston. It presented its Gold scholarships to Norland’s Demonte Oliver and Alanah Charles. Its Silver awards went to Cutler Bay’s Santino Rodriguez and Victoria Bermudez from Bio Tech at Richmond Heights. And its Bronze awards went to Edison’s Larry Spring and Coral Park’s Melaine Acosta.
The Miami Dolphins Foundation presented its Gold awards to Killian’s Adam Tait and Coral Gables’ Avril Donner. Its Silver awards went to American’s Andrew White and TERRA’s Isabella Giordano. Its Bronze awards went to Varela’s Aaron Reyes, Goleman’s Alexander Brito, Hialeah’s Lissandra Gutierrez and Homestead’s Jalonnie Marshall.
Herff Jones presented scholarship awards to Edison’s Marie Bastien and Hialeah-Miami Lakes Zachary Webb.
The Kiwanis Club of Miami presented scholarship awards to Goleman’s Branley Borrego, Booker T. Washington’s Dannell Wesby, Mourning’s Mia Jacobi and Palmetto’s Alexis Moore.
BSN Sports presented scholarship awards to North Miami Beach’s Rachel Isma and Coral Reef’s Adrian Nunez.
Quick Feet 22 Enterprise presented its award to Southridge’s Zaria Evans.
Former Miami Hurricanes football player and radio personality Don Bailey Jr. hosted the ceremony and WSVN sports anchor Donovan Campbell was the keynote speaker, and was recognized for his coverage of high school sports.
NOMINEES
American: Andrew White, Allison Pena; Bio Tech at Richmond Heights: Sebastian Guzman, Victoria Bermudez; Booker T. Washington: Dannell Wesby, Kiara Walden; Braddock: Andre Santos, Anaise Ruiz; Carol City: Ethan Beck, Dontaysia Nelms; Central: Roderick Mathieu, Charlondra Victor; Coral Park: Johan Lara, Melaine Acosta; Coral Reef: Brianna Fields, Adrian Nunez; Edison: Larry Spring, Marie Bastien; Ferguson: Alain Marquez, Laura Sardina; Goleman: Branley Borrego, Kiersten Giraldo; Hialeah: Charles Matos, Lissandra Gutierrez; Hialeah-Miami Lakes: Zachary Webb, Maribel Perez; Homestead: Vencin Charles, Jalonnie Marshall; Jackson: Jermain Anderson, Ashley Inestroza; JC Bermudez: Julian Kaufman, Mariana Martinez; Killian: Adam Tait, Elizabeth Valdes; Krop: Omar Gan-El, Isabella Valderrama; MAST: Julen Goris, Calla Kelble; Miami Beach: Benjamin Warner, Rebecca Baldi; Miami High: Javorie Wilson, Alicia Nunez; Miami Springs: Josue Torres, Isaura Larios; Mourning: Connor Vega, Mia Jacobi; Norland: Demonte Oliver, Alanah Charles; North Miami: Ferlens Frederic, Lineshka Joseph; North Miami Beach: Jephte Noel, Rachel Isma; Northwestern: Calvin Russell III, Jaiel Langston; Palmetto: Alexis Moore; Reagan: Jordan Cabrera, Samantha Hernandez; South Dade: Cash Briand, Christella Joseph; South Miami: Lyan Escobar-Rodriguez, Sashiah Brizuela; Southridge: Daniel Sanchez, Zaria Evans; Southwest: Sean Simpson, Camila Rafael; Sunset: Nicholas Roca, Gleidy Flores; TERRA: Luca de Armas, Isabella Giordano; Varela: Aaron Reyes, Nevaeh Huffman; Westland Hialeah: Cesar Gonzalez, Adriana Lorente.
