Polk County Public Schools
More than 300 graduating high school seniors were honored at the 18th Annual Superintendent’s Minority Achievement Awards for high-achieving minority students. Minority seniors were honored at the event for achieving a 3.5 point average and above in regular education classes.
The event included naming of minority graduates with the highest grade point averages by each school and naming of each school’s “most improved” minority graduate. Most improved minority graduates were named for making significant academic improvements from their freshman to senior years.
Daniel Jenkins Academy in Haines City won the Vivien Lillian Postell Award for having the largest percentage of high achieving minority graduates among its student enrollment.
The event was organized and coordinated by the Minority Achievement Program committee of the Polk Public Schools.
Honorees with a 3.5 grade point average are listed alphabetically by school. Most improved graduates are listed separately.
Auburndale High: James Nguyen (highest GPA), Janine Richardson, Ryan Smith, Catherine Uzhca. Auburndale High Most Improved- Jermalle Parrish.
Bartow High: Amrita Balkissoon, Jennifer Berrios (highest GPA), Natalia Brown, Darrin Gobble, Ty Perez, Antonio Sanchez. Bartow High Most Improved – Symone Alexander.
Bartow International Baccalaureate: Monica Bhutiana (highest GPA), Cyrelle Bustamante, Phillip Gonzalez, Hanh Huynh, Nancy Jimenez, Rohan Khurana, Dean Mercado, Chandni Patel, Jessica Ren, Moises Rivero, Priyanka Surio, Tatiana White.
Chain of Lakes High (Winter Haven): Rose Cambron, Matthew Delvalle (highest GPA), Lucita Judie Fabien, Zeshan Jiwani, Thomas Johnson, Florence Lewis, Margaret Manthey, Almalinda Moctezuma, Tanisha Thomas, Jorge Torres. Chain of Lakes High Most Improved –Vonkrisha Lawrence.
Daniel Jenkins Academy (Haines City): Jade Gillespie (highest GPA), Randy Hanooman.
Fort Meade Senior: Martha Armijo, Greneisha Dunlap, Laura Escobar, Oscar Espinosa, Monay Felton, Edlin Garcia (highest GPA), Rekeria McCall, Genrri Navarro. Fort Meade Senior Most Improved – Perlita Cortez.
Frostproof Senior: Adilene Alvarez, Michael Garcia (highest GPA), Esmeralda Gauzin, Santos Gonzalez, Ivan Guerrero, Norma Ojeda, Erika Ortega, Luis Rivera, Orvanel Valdez, Rondell Walsh. Frostproof Senior Most Improved – Courtney Everson
George Jenkins High (Lakeland): Acsah Abraham, Jobin Abraham, Jonathan Abraham, Xochil Aguilar, Norberto Arroyo, Krystal Bedell, Ramonda Brunson, Jennifer Cunningham, Raiana Dyanand, Erick Graubard, Arielle Guasp, Sarina Jose, Crystal Joseph, Jabari Link, Nancy Murillo, Whitney Murillo, Anthony Naranjo, Han Nguyen, Toan Nguyen, Aisha Patel, Bhumika Patel, Nina Patel, Jelinna-Mari Rances, Joshua Reyes, Christian Santana, Lucia Sawh Martinez, Courtney Spence, Tenille Templeman, Melvin Thomas (highest GPA), Hardam Tripathi, Kaitlin Tucker, Justene Viera. George Jenkins High Most Improved – Luis Ruiz.
Haines City High: Mariela Arroyo, Everson Auguste, Natalie Barron, Cynthia Canales, Mathurine Cenevil, Francisco Coyt, Gabrielle Cruz, Raul Figueroa, Kierra Golden, Francisco Gomes, Tomas Gonzalez, Jaleesa Jackson, Jadallah Jadallah, Karen Jimenez (highest GPA), Rosemarie Larriuz, Amanda Lassalle, Carion Marcelin, Simul Martin, Edgar Medina, Christina Mejia, Luis Montanez, Jheanel Morrison, Jeimiliz Olivo, David Ortega, Guadalupe Ramirez, Carlos Recinos, Mercedes Rivera, Lacharles Roberson, Derrick Seymour, Jesse Solomon, Nathaniel Solomon, Jacques Werleigh, Christen Williams. Haines City High Most Improved – Lajerrika Twillie.
Harrison School For The Arts (Lakeland): Miranda Barnes, Amanda Castro, Natalie Chin, Maria DelCastillo, Michael Diaz, Jennifer Estremos, Greighton Hernandez, Micah James, Maria Knight, Laura Llompart, Sylvester Miller, Nancy Panin, Janae Roberts, Sabrina Smith, Clare Solorzano, Danica Sun, Courtney Thomas, Shantay Thomas, Annie Clare Yano, Elizabeth Young (highest GPA). Harrison Most Improved – Michael Diaz.
Kathleen High (Lakeland): Priscilla Anzualda, David Barco, Sai Chang, Iris Cruz, Neena Decarish, Corey Dipiazza, Leez Dorce, Kimberly Garita, Jazmine Glasper, Leslee Highsmith, Natalie Leslie, Desiree Montgomery (highest GPA), Chanterelle Simmons, Michael Thomas, Jasmine Turner, Antwon Wilson, Nancy Xiong. Kathleen High Most Improved – Margarita Carmona.
Lake Gibson High (Lakeland): Diomaris Almonte, Melissa Ayala, Faye Bantayan, Alejandra Cardoze, Diana Chen (highest GPA), Felecia Ewing, Keishla Figueroa, Mariana Franco, Tiffany Frank, Maria Garcia, Dontae Hicks, Miriam Landin, Karelis Lopez, Annie Maokhamphiou, Stephan Mercado, Johnny Ramirez, Anwar Rashid, Trecia Reynolds, Cynthia Serrano. Lake Gibson High Most Improved – James Bull.
Lake Region High (Eagle Lake): Arnaldo Beltran, Kanesha Bouie, Norma Caballero, Aylin Chang, Tram Do, Christina Exilus, Beatrice Georges, Anthony Guevara, Menaka Harjani, Alberto Hernandez, Alicia Hernandez, Adonijah Lee, Alexandra Lee, Martina Lopez, Marisa Loya, Vernon Meigs, Tamarra Michel, Marbella Mojica, Jesse Monreal, Tuyet Nguyen, Tejas Patel, Trishna Patel, Satvika Ponnavolu (highest GPA), Jeanee Robinson, Cesar Serrato, Xiu Shi, Kimyta Smith, Rafael Valim, Eunise Zamora. Lake Region High Most Improved – Santos Garcia.
Lake Wales High: Christina Arbona, Porscha Holton, Nickenia Josecite, Portia Lawson, Leslie Rodarte, Bianca Silfa (highest GPA). Lake Wales High Most Improved – Zachary Bell.
Lakeland High: Brandon Bejacmar, Janeisha Brown, Phillip Bryant, William Chong (highest GPA), Whitney Cruz, Nancy Gonzalez, Kierston Hodges, Vuthy Khem, Ciara Latimer, Hope Limansah, Chen Ly, Chhai Ly, Danielle McFarquhar, Kyaw Swa Myint, Neil Patel, Eleana Rivera, Maurice Roberts, Alexander Salazar, Alicia Self, Ratna Suthar, Devoanna Timmons, Shameka Turpin, Jeffrey Vazquez, Donya Windham. Lakeland High Most Improved – Love Williams.
McKeel Academy (Lakeland): Alexa Atwell, Jesselle English (highest GPA), Stephanie Gardeazabal, Victoria Hargrove, Jessica Hernandez, Melina Santos, Tiffany Simmons, Ben Tan, Raquel White. McKeel Academy Most Improved – Jerry Hundley.
Mulberry High: Wilyne Belizaire, Nicol Brito-Salaberrios, Leonaldo Burgos-Casiano, Jazmine Davis, Perla Espinosa, Celinda Flores, Diego Gomez, Jerrica Shealey, Melanie Walker (highest GPA). Mulberry High Most Improved – Emmanuel Fagin.
Polk Community College High (Lakeland): Luis Campaneria, Barbara Dinkins (highest GPA), Amanda Grace, Harmeet Kaur, Kiera McMillan, Stephanie Rambali, Donnie-Allen Reynolds, Alesha Smith, Keith Wright. PCC High Most Improved – Shekeyal Brown.
Ridge Community High (Davenport): Amanda Alvear-Benabe, Roberto Aponte, Michelle Barreto, Maria Colon, Carlos Contreras-Lopez, Nicksel Cruz, Otto Cruz, Valeria De Jesus Brugman, Francisco Diaz, Rebecca Diez, Letisia Flores, Maria Hernandez, Jaccar Howard, Juan Lopera, Ayana Michael, Ashley Mobley, Marissia Nichols, Karin Pagan, Zeidy Pena, Shayla Pryer, Lisette Ramirez, Katherin Ramos, Isabel Rojas, Michael Soler, Jara Torres, Christine Wong (highest GPA), Jasmine Young. Ridge Community High Most Improved – Kendra Chang.
Winter Haven High: Marisol Aguirre, Veronica Beltran, Althea Blake, Markus Brisker, Hanna Castano, Sophonie Celiscar, Albert Curry, Austin Dollison, Kanisha Everett, Kiara Francisco, Chelesa James, Ralphe Jean Poix, Aldrich Ladia, Enrique Lara, Ivan Leon, Samuel Louis, Jasmine Luxama, Justinano Marquez III, Mai Thao Nguyen, Ross Nunez, Amanda Quiros (highest GPA), John Ruiz, Roodlyne Torchon, Marie-France Toussaint, Christine Vazquez, Jinchun Wang, Amanda Woodside, Brittany Youngs. Winter Haven High Most Improved – Brittany Snow.