Cecilia has a 4.0 GPA and ranks 6/500 in her class. She is a National Hispanic Recognition Program Scholar, a Commended National Merit Scholar, and a Scholastic Achievement Foundation Scholar. Cecilia competed in girls weightlifting at the varsity level her junior and senior year. She is a district bronze medalist, a two time regional competitor, and helped win her school’s first district trophy. Cecilia has done martial arts for 4 years and currently ranks as a senior brown belt. She’s earned 600 community service hours and served on the executive board of her school’s Education Rocks club, including as current President, helping to raise over $14,000 in 3 years to support the education of impoverished students in Indonesia, Guatemala, and Haiti. Cecilia is an avid reader, enjoys writing poetry, and loves music. She’ll be double majoring in Applied Biology and Anthropology at the University of Florida this fall.

I’m Alexa Bishop and I go to Spanish River High School. I’m in the Biotechnology and Entrepreneurship Academies at my school, and plan to pursue my passion for science and business, majoring in Industrial and Systems Engineering at UF. I am the President of Spanish River’s HOSA Chapter, Science Olympiad, and SECME Club. I’m also in DECA, a business competition organization, and am a 4 year International qualifier. I am a 4 year Varsity Cross Country runner and the Vice President of National Athletic Honors Society. Outside of school, I enjoy working with children and volunteering. I am a Welcome Volunteer and Sunday School Teacher at my church, as well as the founding Vice President and current President of STEMinist, a club and organization, where we perform STEM-related experiments with young foster girls and encourage the girls to pursue a future in STEM. I’m excited to start at the University of Florida this Fall!

Katie Chen is graduating in the top 2% of her class from Park Vista Community high school. She has a 3.9 GPA and a 5.1 HPA. Katie has earned the Cambridge AICE diploma with merit and is both an AP and AICE Scholar. In high school, Miss Chen has participated in various clubs and organizations she is dedicated to, including Key Club, Best Buddies, HOSA, Habitat for Humanity, Mpower, Feeding South Florida, Art Club, Band, and Class Council. This year, Katie is the President of Science National Honor Society, Vice President of Key Club, Best Buddies, & Mpower, Liaison for Habitat for Humanity, and Historian for Art Club and National Art Honor Society. She is also part of seven different honor societies including, the National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta, Science National Honor Society, Rho Kappa, National English Honor Society, National Art Honor Society, and Psi Alpha. Katie enjoys volunteering in her community and often participates in walks, beach clean-ups, and events held at local institutions. Miss Chen is currently a Pathfinder semifinalist for Community Involvement and is proud to represent her school. She is excited to study Biology at the University of Florida in Gainesville later this fall. Go Gators!

Jessica DeBold is graduating from Suncoast High School in the top 10% of her class with a 3.98 GPA/5.27 HPA in the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme. She lettered in three varsity sports, softball, swimming and lacrosse, and was the 2022 Honorable Mention for the All County Softball team. For the past three years, Jessica has worked for the City of Palm Beach Gardens aquatics department in many different facets. As an aquatic specialist she teaches swim lessons, trains staff, as well as lifeguards. In addition, Jessica volunteered at Busch Wildlife Sanctuary with over 150 hours, assisting with shows and educating the public on native Florida wildlife. Jessica is graduating with honors from Palm Beach State College this summer with her Associates Degree. She is looking forward to attending the University of Florida where she will be majoring in finance with a minor in sports management. Jessica aspires to become a sports statistician for a professional sports team.

My name is Eric Decker and I will be attending the University of Florida. I will be pursuing my goals in pre med with goals to one day to become a doctor. I love to do martial arts, Chinese lion dance, play piano, and exercise. Overall I find my future to be very bright and I will work hard to make it rewarding.

Olympic Heights High School

Alexa Hanssen owns a 3.96 GPA and ranks in the top 10% of her class. The Advanced Placement Scholar with distinction lettered in five sports (cross country, swimming, track, water polo, and JROTC raiders) for all four years and was captain of cross country and track for 2 years. Alexa went to States for cross country her freshman and senior year. During her sophomore year, both the cross country and swim team won the Tri-County championships. She was the Battalion Commander of her JROTC class, elected into the House of Representatives at Girls State, and Homecoming Queen her senior year. Alexa has over 500 community service hours from volunteering her time with the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse as a docent and cleaning up trash on local beaches. She is excited to study history on a pre-law track at the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida this fall.

Wellington High School

Boca Raton High School

Abigail Lofstead is a highly accomplished student-athlete with an impressive leadership, academic, and athletic track record. Lofstead carries an unweighted GPA of 4.0 and a weighted GPA of 5.27. She ranks fifth in her senior class of 665 students and graduates with her Cambridge AICE Diploma with Distinction. She plans to study biology at the University of Florida in Gainesville with the goal of becoming a leading pediatrician.

Maya will be attending the University of Florida to major in Communication Sciences and Disorders. Maya wants to become a speech therapist specializing in pediatrics to help kids from underserved communities speak up from themselves. After getting her license she plans to work in a school setting and eventually open her own speech practice in the South Florida area. She is currently head of five clubs at Atlantic High and earned over 1000 community service hours! Maya will be the the first in her family to go to college. She is is excited to learn new ways to give back to the that community that has helped her grow into the person she is now.

Jupiter High School