Congratulations To The Top Seniors At Every Wesley Chapel High School! 


Congratulations to the graduating classes of 2025! For those in our community graduating from college, high school, or even kindergarten or preschool, it’s an exciting time to look forward and chase your dreams. At Wesley Chapel’s four public high schools, hundreds of students are anticipating tossing their caps and moving on to the next phase of life, whether it’s further education or starting their careers. This includes the first-ever graduating class at the Kirkland Ranch Academy of Innovation, which opened for the 2022-23 school year with just freshman and sophomores. We salute these top students at each of our Wesley Chapel public high schools and say congratulations to you and all of the graduates! 


Cypress Creek High 

1. Anastasia Herzek 

GPA: 4.7143 

Clubs/Activities: National Honor Society (NHS), American Sign Language Honor Society, National Science Honor Society, Clemson Summer Scholars, Game Master at Arcanum Escape Room 

College planning to attend: University of Florida 

Planned major or future career: Chemistry 

Best thing about high school: Making connections with friends and staff at Cypress Creek. 

2. Daniel Garcia 

GPA: 4.7000 

Clubs/Activities: Science National Honor Society, NHS, Custodial Service with Robotics team, Volunteer at pharmacy, Work at Kohls & Publix 

College planning to attend: University of Central Florida 

Planned major or future career: Mechanical Engineering 

Best thing about high school: Being able to see my friends! 

3. Nico Gust 

GPA: 4.6780 

Clubs/Activities: NHS, McDonald’s, Raising Cane’s, Martial Arts (black belt), Model UN, Crochet Club, National Merit Scholarship Finalist 

College planning to attend: University of North Florida 

Planned major or future career: Marine Biology 

Best thing about high school: Being done! 

4. Keira Lefebvre 

GPA: 4.6885 

Clubs/Activities: Track, Cross Country, NHS, Science National Honor Society, Volunteer at AdventHealth, Insurance Marketing Associate, Crochet Club, Chick-Fil-A Leadership Academy 

College planning to attend: University of Florida 

Planned major or future career: Chemistry 

Best thing about high school: Hanging out with my friends. 

5. Marisa Morales 

GPA: 4.6275 

Clubs/Activities: Volunteered at Pasco County Animal shelter, Volunteer at Pasco Schools, Clemson summer scholar, NHS, NSHS, HOSA 

College planning to attend: University of Florida 

Planned major or future career: Biochemistry 

Best thing about high school: My friends 

6. Cristina Dima 

GPA: 4.6146 

Clubs/Activities: Author & illustrator of a children’s book, Elem. school volunteer at library, Bioengineering research program (Clemson Summer Scholars), NHS, HOSA, Hillsborough State Park Halloween Event Volunteer 

College planning to Attend: Univ. of Florida 

Planned major or future career: Biological Sci. 

Best thing about high school: My friends 

7. Hannah Hershey 

GPA: 4.6019 

Clubs/Activities: Student Government, Treasurer of Spirit Club, Chick-Fil-A Leadership Academy, National Honor Society, Volleyball, Job at Chicken Salad Chick & Pack Leader 

College planning to attend: Univ. of Central Florida 

Planned major or future career: Accounting 

Best thing about high school: Meeting new people and making connections. 

8. Diana Le 

GPA: 4.5673 

Clubs/Activities: Lady Coyote Engineering, Vietnamese language tutor, part-time retail job 

College planning to attend: University of Florida 

Planned major or future career: Accounting 

Best thing about high school: The community. 

9. Camryn Paradise 

GPA: 4.5600 

Clubs/Activities: NHS, National English Honor Society, spirit club, Science NHS, Spanish NHS, Club volleyball, Volleyball 

College planning to attend: Clemson University 

Planned major or future career: Business; minor in Biology 

Best thing about high school: Being involved with clubs and organizations and putting events together especially (my favorite) pep rallies! 

10. Jacob Sheldon 

GPA: 4.5510 

Clubs/Activities: National English Honor Society, Book Club, Art Club, Reading/Writing, Poetry, Volleyball, Soccer, Basketball, Weightlifting 

College planning to attend: University of Central Florida 

Planned major or future career: Neuroscience 

Best thing about high school: The unique personalities and people that I got to know over the years. My friends mean so much to me. 

Kirkland Ranch Academy of Innovation

1. Diana Bisekeeva 

GPA: 4.59 

Clubs/Activities: GPS Robotics (VEX & FIRST Team), Founder & Pres. of ResuPrep, Co-Founder & Chief Technology Officer, GPS Connect Outreach Founder & Pres., R:ED Robotics Education Software Engineer Intern, Mediacube UI/UX Designer Intern, The TCK Times Founder & Editor-in-Chief, NHS President, Science NHS, Women of Tomorrow, Math Peer Tutor, Varsity Tennis 

College planning to attend: Univ. of Florida 

Planned major or future career: Industrial & Systems Engineering 

Best thing about high school: The connections you build with your peers. 

2. Sarah Streeter 

GPA: 4.34 

Clubs/Activities: Editor-in-Chief of yearbook, Officer of FFA, SGA representative, Dual Enrollment Student 

College planning to attend: Georgia State University 

Planned major or future career: Neurology (pre-med) 

Best thing about high school: The opportunity to connect with your peers and enjoy your youth together in one place. 

3. Nolan Correa 

GPA: 4.46 

Clubs/Activities: Volunteer at Star Academy 

College planning to attend: Pasco Hernando State College 

Planned major or future career: Radiology 

Best thing about high school: The overall freedom that you have. 

4. Rudra Patel 

GPA: 4.40 

Clubs/Activities: Chess Club, math tutor, Kirkland Ranch Academy of Innovation News 

College planning to attend: Florida Polytechnic University 

Planned major or future career: Computer or Cybersecurity Engineering 

Best thing about high school: The people you meet. 

5. Giovanni Ventilato

GPA: 4.40 

Clubs/Activities: Health & Fitness Club, Church activities 

College planning to attend: University of South Florida 

Planned major or future career: Aerospace engineering 

Best thing about high school: Having a good amount of freedom. 

6. Donovan Arteaga 

GPA: 4.55 

Clubs/Activities: National Honor Society member, Flower power club member 

College planning to attend: University of South Florida 

Planned major or future career: Chemical engineering 

Best thing about high school: The friends you make and the people you meet. 

7. Alexi Sanchez 

GPA: 4.49 

Clubs/Activities: NHS, Volunteer at Marine Corps League & Special Olympics, initiated a program to promote oral health to underprivileged children, participated in World Stride Educational Travel-STEM & Cultural Immersion program, dual enrollment student at Pasco Hernando State College, Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society 

College planning to attend: Univ. of Florida 

Planned major or future career: Biology (pre-med) 

Best thing about high school: Hanging out with friends. 

8. Jansen Warren 

GPA: 4.34 

Clubs/Activities: Volunteering at Kirkland Ranch K-8 

College planning to attend: Pasco Hernando State College 

Planned major or future career: Computer Science 

Best thing about high school: Spending time with friends. 

9. Camden Chase 

GPA: 4.42 

Clubs/Activities: Soccer, Student Government Vice President, NHS Officer, Health and Fitness Club Member, Dual Enrollment Student 

College planning to attend: University of Florida 

Planned major or future career: Finance 

Best thing about high school: Figuring out what you want to do in the future. 

10. Emersyn Mullis 

GPA: 4.46 

Clubs/Activities: Dual Enrollment student, Employed student 

College planning to attend: Pasco Hernando State College 

Planned major or future career: Business 

Best thing about high school: The ability to branch off and learn more about yourself. 

11. Dalyn Brown 

GPA: 4.54 

Clubs/Activities: Dual Enrollment Student at Pasco Hernando State College, earned Associate of Arts, Track & Field Athlete, Volunteer: AdventHealth, Employed Student, National Future Medical Leaders Conference, National Society of High Scholars 

College planning to attend: Univ. of Florida 

Planned major or future career: Pre-Med/ Biomedical Sciences 

Best thing about high school: The friendships and company you keep, along with the memories you make, define your journey through these four years. 

12. Alessa Gonzalez 

GPA: 4.42 

Clubs/Activities: Dual Enrollment Student, Tennis, Soccer, Johns Hopkins Summer Program Participant, Pepin Family USF Summer Nursing Pathway Program, HERricane Summer Camp Participant, NHS Member, Navigating Our Community, Employed Student 

College planning to attend: University of South Florida 

Planned major or future career: Biomedical science/neuroscience Pre-Health USF 

Best thing about high school: All the friends I made and the labs I participated in at KRAI’s Biomedical Science program.

13. Tessa Mast 

GPA: 3.92 (unweighted) 

Clubs/Activities: Bowling 

College planning to attend: University of Central Florida 

Planned major or future career: Business (pre-accounting) 

Best thing about high school: Getting real-world experiences and skills through the programs at Kirkland Ranch Academy of Innovation.  


Wesley Chapel High School 
Wesley Chapel High’s Top-10 Graduating Seniors are (l.-r.) Caique Santos-Silva, Sean Donahue, Luiza Guryeva, Maya Almodovar, Pierre-Etienne Boisvert, Erin McDermott, Filipp Ramsey, Nikki Watson and Ming Yang. Not pictured here: Luanna Mineiro De Souza. (Group photo provided by Wesley Chapel High) 

1. Sean Donahue, Valedictorian 

GPA: 4.7213 

Clubs/Activities: Eagle Scout, Debate Club Co-founder, IPPF Policy Debate, Lacrosse, SAT & Elementary Tutor, NHS Vice President, AP Capstone Diploma 

College planning to attend: Yale University 

Planned major or future career: Computer Sci. 

Best thing about high school: Away games with the lacrosse team 

2. Pierre-Etienne Boisvert, Salutatorian 

GPA: 4.71 

Clubs/Activities: Taught myself how to program and make video games, AP Capstone Diploma 

College planning to attend: Univ. of Florida 

Planned major or future career: Physics 

Best thing about high school: How much I was able to test my own skills and limits, pushing myself further and further every day to accomplish goals. 

3. Luanna Mineiro De Souza 

GPA: 4.68 

Clubs/Activities: Associate of Arts degree at PHSC through Dual Enrollment 

College planning to attend: Pasco Hernando State College’s Nursing Program 

Planned major/future career: Nurse Anesthetist 

Best thing about high school: Going to volleyball and football games with my friends and enjoying the school spirit! 

4. Filipp Ramsey 

GPA: 4.67 

Clubs/Activities: Programming/Game development, AP Capstone Diploma 

College planning to attend: USF 

Planned major or future career: Computer sci. 

Best thing about high school: Opportunity to learn alongside some of the smartest and hardest-working students I have met. 

5. Caique Santos-Silva 

GPA: 4.65 

Clubs/Activities: VP of WCHS Business & Finance Club, Secretary of NHS, Secretary of Science NHS, FCA Member, Varsity Lacrosse, AP Capstone Diploma, Associate of Arts degree at PHSC through Dual Enrollment 

College planning to attend: University of Florida Honors 

Planned major or future career: Business Administration or Accounting 

Best thing about high school: Meeting all my friends and the staff. I continuously grew as a person, and so did those around me. I found people who pushed me to improve and held me accountable in all the things I do. I doubt that I would be who I am now without all those who kept me laughing, smiling and working hard. 

6. Maya Almodovar 

GPA: 4.63 

Clubs/Activities: Dance teacher, tutor, receptionist, barista, Rho Kappa (president), NEHS (vice president) & NEHS (member), Earned my Associate of Arts degree at PHSC through Dual Enrollment 

College planning to attend: University of Florida 

Planned major or future career: Civil Rights Lawyer 

Best thing about high school: Having the opportunity to attend USF my senior year. 

7. Nikki Watson 

GPA: 4.62 

Clubs/Activities: Golf (First Tee team and players club), Band, including marching band as drum major and playing flute, wind ensemble playing flute and piccolo, and concert band playing trumpet, NHS, Associate of Arts degree at PHSC through Dual Enrollment 

College planning to attend: Univ. of Florida 

Planned major or future career: Biology with a specialization in Biotechnology 

Best thing about high school: Finding a ‘family’ in the band and also finding who I really am through all of my experiences. Making it as drum major in my senior year, and making friends with everyone. Everyone is growing in life just like you, so you can always find people that you connect with. 

8. Ming Yang 

GPA: 4.62 

Clubs/Activities: Clean Earth Club, National Honors Society, Tennis AP Capstone Diploma 

College planning to attend: University of Pennsylvania or Brown University 

Planned major or future career: Physics 

Best Thing About High School: The amazing people I met, both peers and teachers, that made school enjoyable. 

9. Erin McDermott 

GPA: 4.608 

Clubs/Activities: Club Gymnastics, NHS, Wesley Chapel Dance Program, AP Capstone Diploma, Anne Frank Humanitarian Award 

College planning to attend: United States Air Force Academy 

Planned major or future career: Biology/Pre- Health Professions. I plan to become a Flight Surgeon. 

Best thing about high school: Meeting all of my best friends. 

10. Luiza Guryeva 

GPA: UW: 3.98/ W: 4.56 

Clubs/Activities: ResuPrep Startup Founder & CEO, Florida Founder & Executive of Active Hearts Association, GPS Robotics Business Lead for FIRST Competition, author of Comparative Case Study on Immigrant Entrepreneurship, Market Research Website & Analysis Report Creator, Founder and President of Business & Finance Club, Team Leader & Strategy Coordinator for Wharton Global Investment Competition, Calaton Systems Business Development Manager Trainee, Varsity Tennis, AP Capstone Diploma 

College planning to attend: Georgetown University 

Planned major or future career: Finance 

Best thing about high school: Hospital visits with the Active Hearts Association club. 


Wiregrass Ranch High School 
Wiregrass Ranch High’s High’s Top-16 Graduating Seniors are (l.-r.) L to R: Vedanti Patel, Sydney Ficks, Nicholas Kovacs, Vishnu Araveeti, Daniel Cheng, Rohit Naras, Tristan Pasquale, Ian Kim, Austin McCallister, Jack Flanary, Aubrey McKeon, Nicollette Watson, Brenden Brewer, Vera Zheng, Darren Lin & Hunter Paladio. (Group photo provided by Wiregrass Ranch 

1. Austin McCallister, Valedictorian 

GPA: 4.75 

Clubs/Activities: Science Olympiad 

College planning to attend: Georgia Institute of Technology 

Planned major or future career: Computer Engineering 

Best thing about high school: Mr. Cuviello’s and Mr. Cordero’s science labs. 

2. Nicholas Kovacs, Salutatorian 

GPA: 4.7302 

Clubs/Activities: Studying, focusing on academics 

College planning to attend: USF 

Planned major or future career: Mechanical Engineering 

Best thing about high school: Meeting people. If I hadn’t attended high school, I wouldn’t have met all these other bright students. I am hoping we can all stay in contact. 

3. Ian Kim 

GPA: 4.69 

Clubs/Activities: Science Fair, Science Olympiad, Orchestra, Mu Alpha Theta, FBLA, Tri-M, Science National Honor Society 

College planning to attend: California Institute of Technology (Caltech) 

Planned major or future career: Electrical Engineering 

Best thing about high school: Hanging out with friends and Mr. Cordero in AP Physics every day. 

4. Daniel Cheng 

GPA: 4.6897 

Clubs/Activities: Future Business Leaders of America, Cybersecurity Club, Mu Alpha Theta, National Honor Society, Students Against Destructive Decisions, Piano, Volunteer at MD Oriental Market 

College Planning to Attend: Univ. of Florida 

Planned major or future career: Computer Science or Computer Engineering 

Best Thing about High School: Collecting memories, not just homework. 

5. Vishnu Araveeti 

GPA: 4.6639 

Clubs/Activities: FBLA, Science Olympiad; I also ran a commerce business. 

College planning to attend: Univ. of Florida 

Planned major or future career: Data science/ Computer Science 

Best thing about high school: Having great teachers to learn from and creating many friends. 

6. Aubrey McKeon 

GPA: 4.6591 

Clubs/Activities: Tutored for math & science honors societies, leadership in music honors society, 9 years of choir, FMEA’s All-State Chorus, member of the Science Olympiad team 

College planning to attend: University of Central Florida 

Planned major or future career: Aerospace Engineering 

Best thing about high school: Friends and relationships you create along the way. 

7. Rohit Naras 

GPA: 4.6604 

Clubs/Activities: FBLA, Science Olympiad, Varsity Tennis, Research 

College planning to attend: Georgia Institute of Technology 

Planned major or future career: Computer engineering, hopes to start my own tech company 

Best thing about high school: Having genuine fun with my friends inside & outside of the classroom. 

8. Darren Lin 

GPA: 4.6346 

Clubs/Activities: Mu Alpha Theta, Key Club, FBLA, Asian Association &Allies, Amnesty Int’l. 

College planning to attend: Univ. of Florida 

Planned major or future career: Mechanical Engineering 

Best thing about high school: It’s a great place to meet good people who share your values 

9. Vera Zheng 

GPA: 4.6296 

Clubs/Activities: Mu Alpha Theta, Key Club, FBLA, Asian Association & Allies, Amnesty Int’l. 

College planning to attend: Univ. of Florida 

Planned major or future career: Computer Science 

Best thing about high school: Getting to find new friends and hanging out with them. 

10. Krish Patel 

GPA: 4.6207 

Clubs/Activities: SHNS tutoring, FBLA, HOSA & Key Club, Passion project to showcase the benefits of vegetarianism for the body & the environment, helped coordinate the first-ever fire ritual for youths to honor the largest Hindu temple outside of India. 

College planning to attend: University of Florida 

Planned major or future career: Microbiology and Cell Science (Medical Career) 

Best thing about high school: All the friends and memories that you can make before heading to college. 


Editor’s Note – We appreciate that all four local high schools provided us with the photos and information you see on these pages. We have no idea why some schools provided more than their top-10 graduating seniors, why some of the students’ photos were not provided nor why the students’ GPAs at Kirkland Ranch appear to be out of order. All we’ve done is provide an outlet for each school to provide their photos & information. 

Congratulations To Wesley Chapel’s Top Of The Class Of 2024! 

It’s that time of year when parents and students count the days remaining until graduations, from pre-kindergarten to college. At our local public high schools, hundreds of graduates are moving on to a new phase of their lives, whether it’s starting a career, joining the military, going to a distant university, attending a local college, or taking some time to find themselves. The students below are the top-10 graduating seniors of the Class of 2024 at each of Wesley Chapel’s three public high schools by grade point average (GPA). Congratulations to everyone listed on these pages for their extraordinary achievements — and to all of their peers and classmates moving on to the next phase, too. Note — One school did not disclose student GPAs or other info to protect the students’ privacy and another didn’t include pictures other than for the Valedictorian & Salutatorian. We apologize but we can only show here what we’ve been provided. — Celeste McLaughlin 

Cypress Creek High

1. Brandon Adams (Valedictorian) 

GPA: 4.7391 

Clubs/Activities: Published research in Journal of Student Research, co-founded standardized testing support program, President of National Honor Society (NHS), Author of “On Questions of Transformations,” cross country, volunteer at PetSmart, Spanish NHS, VP of English NHS. 

College planning to attend: Undecided 

Planned Major or Future Career: Pre-Med 

Best thing about high school: Extra-curricular activities 

2. Jordan Fulop, Salutatorian 

GPA: 4.6154 

Clubs/Activities: NHS parliamentarian, Spirit Club Secretary, FBLA Historian, First Priority co-founder and leader, Best Buddies, Soccer, Tennis, Cross Country 

College planning to attend: Florida State University 

Planned Major or Future Career: Business Management 

Best thing about High School: Football games 

3. Jerry Phan

GPA: 4.6053 

Clubs/Activities: NHS, Science NHS, Robotics club, volunteer at PetSmart 

College planning to attend: University of Florida 

Planned major or future career: Pre-Med 

Best thing about high school: Peers that I met along the way 

4. Jayna Katanani 

GPA: 4.6 

Clubs/Activities: NHS, Science NHS, Fiction Addiction book club 

College planning to attend: University of South Florida 

Planned major or future career: Pre-Med 

Best thing about high school: It’s a trial for real life. 

5. Jack Niemann 

GPA: 4.5778 

Clubs/Activities: Football captain/quarterback, track, volunteer at Tampa General Hospital 

College planning to attend: University of Florida 

Planned Major: Health Sciences 

Best thing about high school: Football games 

6. Abby Outtrim

GPA: 4.566 

Clubs/Activities: President of HOSA (Future Health Professionals), VP of NHS, public relations officer of English NHS, member of American Sign Language HS, member of Interact Club, intern at USF College of Nursing. I did most of my volunteering at my local church, PetSmart, Feeding Tampa Bay & Metropolitan Ministries 

College planning to attend: University of Florida 

Planned major or future career: Nursing 

Best thing about high school: You meet so many new friends, teachers and mentors. You will make lifelong connections and can form a network! I’ve learned about so many opportunities available to me through my teachers (especially Ms. Adley!) 

7. Roman Sercu 

GPA: 4.5625 

Clubs/Activities: NHS, founding president of Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA), Student Government (SGA) Senator, Creekin Crazies spirit club, Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), Interact Club, S4TL (Seminar for Tomorrow’s Leaders), Chik-Fil-A Leadership Academy, Best Buddies, Special Olympics basketball buddy 

College planning to attend: University of Florida 

Planned major or future career: Business Management & Finance 

Best thing about high school: Times spent with friends and watching people who I have known since Elementary School change over the years and achieve their goals. 

8. Miguel Rosario 

GPA: 4.5538 

Clubs/Activities: NHS, SGA Treasurer, Creekin Crazies Ambassador 

College planning to attend: University of Florida 

Planned major or future career: Computer Eng. 

Best thing about high school: Football games 

9. Addison Hellwig 

GPA: 4.5463 

Clubs/Activities: Varsity lacrosse Captain, NHS 

College planning to attend: Mars Hill University 

Planned major or future career: Biomed. Sci. 

Best thing about high school: Leading the team to Pasco County’s first women’s Lacrosse team regional appearance and completing full time dual enrollment and receiving my AA 

10. Ramiro Salazar 

GPA: 4.5426 

Clubs/Activities: NHS, volunteer at Pasco County Animal Shelte 

College planning to attend: University of South Florida 

Planned major or future career: Computer Science 

Best thing about high school: Students, friends. 

Wesley Chapel High 

 

1.Taylor Himmelberger, 

Valedictorian

College planning to attend: University of South Florida 

2. Nayana (Ninny) Chennupati, Co-Salutatorian 

College planning to attend: University of Florida 

2. Syed Yasir, Co-Salutatorian 

College planning to attend: University of Florida 

In alphabetical order, here are the rest of the top-10 graduates by GPA at WCH: 

Jendayah Cajuste 

College planning to attend: University of South Florida 

Dylan Dorr 

College planning to attend: University of Florida 

Sophia Herrera 

College planning to attend: University of Florida 

Courtney Marks 

College planning to attend: Western Carolina University 

Sayuri Ranatunga 

College planning to attend: Florida State University 

Joshua Vasquez 

College planning to attend: University of Florida

Erick Zayas Ramos 

College planning to attend: University of Florida 

Wiregrass Ranch High

1. Aniah Florise Mathurin, Valedictorian 

Clubs/Activities: National Merit Commended Scholar, FSU Young Scholars Program, Pasco County All-Star, All-American, Varsity Cheerleader, Class of 2024 Student Government Senator, Student Council, VP of NHS, VP of Haraya, Director of Fundraising of Junior Statesmen of America, Outreach Officer of MEDLIFE, FBLA, HOSA, Relay for Life, NEHS, Mu Alpha Theta Math Honor Society, Rho Kappa History Honor Society, Science NHS, FCA, Key Club, SADD 

College planning to attend: Duke University 

Planned major or future career: Biology (Pre-Med) 

Best thing about high school: Memories I’ve made with my friends during Friday Night Lights 

2. Meghna Manjith, Salutatorian 

3. Sydnie Maher Alagal 

Clubs/Activities: Varsity cross country, varsity track, SADD club & leadership, NHS, NEHS, Key Club, NSHSS 

College planning to attend: Florida State University 

Planned Major/Future Career: Psychology/ Criminology 

Best thing about high school: The people I met 

4. Kylie Ryan Bennington 

Clubs/Activities: Varsity soccer, club soccer, NHA, Mu Alpha Theta, Key Club 

College planning to attend: North Carolina State Univerrsity 

Major/career: Environmental Engineering 

Best thing about High School: The people you meet. 

5. Haley Brooke Strawser 

Clubs/Activities: Varsity volleyball, club volleyball, Phi Theta Kappa, Sigma Kappa Delta, Psi Beta 

College planning to attend: University of Alabama (Huntsville) 

Planned major or future career: Mechanical Engineering or Math 

Best thing about high school: I loved my teachers and loved being a student at Wiregrass, (which) gave me the opportunity to challenge myself both academically and personally. 

6. Abdullah (No last name provided) 

Clubs/Activities: FBLA, Science NHS 

College planning to attend: University of Florida 

Planned major or future career: Electrical & Computer Engineering 

Best thing about High School: Some really good and caring teachers and made a really good friend. 

7. Meghan E. Childers 

Clubs/Activities: Odyssey of the Mind, Tri-M, NHS, PTA, Swim & dive team 

College planning to attend: University of Florida 

Planned major or future career: Animal Science, Veterinary Doctorate 

Best thing about high school: Getting to hang out with friends while participating in different clubs. 

8. Taylor Monique Blythe 

Clubs/Activities: NHS, English NHS, Black History Committee 

College planning to attend: University of Florida 

Major: Political Science & History; Pre-law track 

Best thing about high school: Spending time with my close friends at school spirit events and growing into my interests in the past four years. 

9. Isabell Barrios 

Clubs/Activities: Varsity softball, National Honor Society, Key Club, Student Council 

College planning to attend: Florida Southern College 

Planned major or future career: Physician Assistant 

Best thing about high school: Discovering my true passion for the medical field 

10. Omari Redmond (No info provided)

Special Needs Kids & Young Adults Have Special Skills 

When I notified the winners of our annual “Big Game Squares” Contest to find out what restaurants they wanted gift cards to, it turned out that one of the winners was John Sousa, the On the Job Training (OJT) Exceptional Student Education (ESE) teacher at Cypress Creek High that we had featured in a previous issue. 

You may recall that one of John’s ESE kids needed a tray for her wheelchair and he enlisted the help of two of the school’s young engineering students to create one for their schoolmate’s chair. 

I therefore should not have been surprised when John asked me if, instead of just meeting him somewhere to give him his $75 Bonefish gift card, if I would instead give it to him in person in front of his class. He also asked if I would be willing to talk to his class (photo) of 14 young adults between the ages of 18-22, who participate in his class, which is funded by Florida’s “Every Student Succeeds Act” (ESSA, which was signed into law in 2015) to prepare these young people to join the workforce. 

“Basically, at age 22,” Sousa told me, “they’re no longer eligible for this program and there are very limited opportunities for them to be employed when they finish here.” 

He thought I could give his students — who are on the autism spectrum and/or have other physical, mental, emotional and speech disabilities — some pointers about writing resumes, about the advertising and publishing business and the workforce in general. But for me, it became more about the kids themselves and what their interests were. 

One young lady named Artia said she really wants to be a baker and would love to work at Publix, which offers work opportunities for a lot of differently-abled young adults. 

A shy young man named Tyler, whom Sousa said loves to look inside machines and is fascinated by trains, rail yards, airplanes and rockets, gave me his full attention when I described how the presses that print the Neighborhood News work. 

But, the young man who most intrigued me was Craig Moore, who said he really wants to be a songwriter but also has written a large number of poems. Craig said that what he does is listen to songs on the radio and then write his own lyrics to those songs. I explained that although I have no direct contact with the music business, that I would be happy to publish one of Craig’s excellent poems on this page, to see if anyone would be interested enough in his poetry to publish a book of his unique perspectives on a variety of topics. 

While I hoped that I was able to reach his students, the best part for me was that John sent me a text afterwards and said that not only did the kids really appreciate my hour with them, but that Craig told both his counselor at school and his parents how excited he was to have his poem published in the Neighborhood News.

John, who has been teaching ESE kids for 38 years — the first 20 in his native Illinois and the last 18 in the Pasco School District — said that he is looking for more local professionals who would be willing to talk to his class (photo). 

Cypress Creek principal Karen Hetzler-Nettles says, “Mr. Sousa is a special person who works hard to keep his students from falling through the cracks.” 

John, who also thanks his instructional assistant Keith Reiley for all the help he provides, also told me that one reason he cares so much for his students is because, “I was basically a special needs kid myself. I came to the U.S. from Portugal when I was eight and neither of my parents spoke English. I had to learn English quickly to help them buy their home and do their taxes and I did that by watching cartoons. I wish they had an English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) back then. It would have really helped me.” 

If you would like to speak with his class, please email jsousa@pasco.k12.fl.us. 

These Seniors At Wesley Chapel’s High Schools Were Voted As Outstanding! 

It’s that time of year again, when high school seniors approach the finish line, reflecting on all that they’ve accomplished in high school and getting ready for graduation. Valedictorians at each school will be named and will receive accolades for having their school’s highest grade point average. 

Wesley Chapel’s public high schools also each honor an overall outstanding senior, recognized for being well-rounded leaders on campus, while also maintaining excellence academics. At each school, students vote for who they think should represent their class as their school’s most outstanding senior, and then the faculty votes to choose the winner. 

Please note that one of Wesley Chapel’s high schools — the Kirkland Ranch Academy of Innovation — doesn’t have a senior class this year, so no Kirkland student is featured below. Even so, we offer our congratulations to the outstanding seniors at each of the other three high schools in Wesley Chapel. 

Cypress Creek High 
Katya La Costa 

Katya La Costa maintains a 4.4 GPA, is an athlete who captains the varsity volleyball team and was a track & field Regional qualifier. She also leads key events and clubs, and is her school’s go-to videographer. 

She started a spirit club to organize dress up days, decorates for games and even started away game buses for students, explains Cassie Adley, Cypress Creek High’s college and career specialist. 

Katya also started a brunch for new students, where they are invited to share a meal and make connections. 

“She advertises everything on social media with clever posts and phenomenal videography,” Cassie explains. “At the start of the brunch, Katya plays her video which introduces key people at the school, clubs, school spirit, online platforms and more.” 

Katya plans to pursue nursing and participated in a pilot internship program at the University of South Florida while still a student at Cypress Creek. While maintaining impressive grades, extracurricular leadership, sports and an internship, she also worked part-time at Ice Dreammm Shop. 

“Katya is one of a kind,” says Cassie. “She is intelligent…motivated….respectful… hard- working…kind-hearted…and diligent.” 

Wesley Chapel High 
Joshua Moua 

Joshua Moua is an Advanced Placement Capstone Diploma candidate, which means he not only took rigorous AP classes, but went above and beyond to earn the Capstone designation by taking designated AP classes that develop skills in research, analysis, evidence-based arguments, collaboration, writing and presenting. 

Beyond the classroom, Joshua is president of Wesley Chapel High’s Student Government, National Spanish, National English and National Honor Societies, and secretary of the school’s National Social Studies Honor Society. He is a graduate of Youth Leadership Pasco County, founded and serves as president of the school’s GSA (Gay Straight Alliance) club and is the co-founder and co-president of the school’s first ever Asian Student Association. 

“We are so pleased to have Joshua represent our class,” says Kelly Faysash, Wesley Chapel High’s college and career specialist. “He is a dynamic, motivated young man who truly recognizes the importance of education. He is a model for our students in perseverance, responsibility, initiative and creativity.” 

His nomination letter calls him “a friend to everyone,” saying he “sets the standard” for other students to look up to as an example of good citizenship. 

“Joshua has a very bright future ahead of him and we are thrilled to call him a Wildcat,” adds Kelly. 

Wiregrass Ranch High 
Tanmay Patil 

Tanmay Patil’s rigorous academic classes have included many Advanced Placement courses, and despite the challenge, he has maintained a perfect, unweighted 4.0 grade point average. 

“Throughout his high school career, he has taken honors, dual enrollment and AP level coursework,” explains Diamela Vergne, assistant principal at Wiregrass Ranch High. “For this school year, Tanmay was the only student at the school who qualified as a National Merit Scholar semifinalist.” 

He did that by scoring an impressive 1480 on his PSAT exam, a score he later topped by earning a near-perfect 1560 on the SATs. 

While his academic record is impressive, Tanmay also serves as president of one of the largest clubs in the school, the service-oriented Key Club, with 115 members. He also is his school’s ambassador for the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life. In addition, Tanmay also volunteers at AdventHealth Wesley Chapel hospital as part of his school’s Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) program. 

“Tanmay embodies exemplary scholarship, leadership, citizenship, and service,” says Diamela. 

Cypress Creek High Students Engineer A Life-Changing Gift For “Pily” 

(l.-r.) Cypress Creek High students Liam Dzanan, Liz Velisse Bermudez-Ortiz (aka “Pily”) and Gabriel Linck show off the new wheelchair tray Liam and Gabriel engineered for Pily. (Photos were provided to the Neighborhood News) 

“Pily” has some really strong arms. 

They’ve gotten that way because the 20-year-old has always used them to push her manual wheelchair wherever she needed to go. 

But one thing those arms can’t do is be useful for a separate task while she’s pushing the wheelchair. 

Pily is a student in Cypress Creek High’s on-the-job training (OJT) program for students with disabilities who have deferred their high school diploma and not yet graduated, although they are between 18 and 21 years old. They are learning skills and tasks that will prepare them for opportunities in the workforce when they turn 22 and public school is no longer an option. 

John Sousa is the OJT educator who teaches Pily, whose real name is Liz Velisse Bermudez-Ortiz. 

John says OJT, “is a transition program where we help to answer the question for parents, ‘What am I going to do with my child when there is no longer free public school for them?’” 

The 12 students currently in his class work in the cafeterias at Cypress Creek High and Middle School, and some of them travel to Publix. Without a tray, and while pushing her wheelchair with her arms, Pily was unable to participate in the work that the other students were doing. 

“I looked at this problem I have,” says John, “and I realized that I have engineering students next door. So I walked in and said, ‘Mr. Baker, can you give me two hotshots who are really into figuring out solutions to problems?’” 

“Oh, I’ve got lots of those,” John says Nathan Baker, the engineering instructor, told him. John says he gladly accepted help from seniors Liam Dzanan and Gabriel Linck. They are part of Cypress Creek High’s “pack leader” program and, in the engineering department, which means they have the opportunity to work on special projects. 

“I have a refrigerator with snacks,” John says he told them. “And you guys could give this young lady arms. You could give her the ability to pick things up and hold things.” 

John says they took the task to heart. 

Liam and Gabriel set out to fabricate a tray that would fit on Pily’s wheelchair, allowing her to carry trays in the cafeteria, boxes and other items, helping her to contribute to the work she and her peers are assigned to do. 

They came up with a thick acrylic tray and the idea to trim it with a lip, so things wouldn’t roll off it. They also had to take precautions so it wouldn’t crack during fabrication or while Pily is using it. 

Liam and Gabriel previously had plenty of opportunities to learn engineering skills in the classroom, but this project was the first time that their work was not just hypothetical. 

A previous project, for example, was to create a boot that would help someone with cerebral palsy to walk. The students came up with a great solution, but it didn’t actually help a real person. 

The fact that Pily would be counting on them to solve her problem made this project exceptionally different. 

“We felt like we couldn’t mess this up,” Liam said. “And like all of our prior practice and hypotheticals all led up to this. Only a real engineer could finish the project to help Pily.” 

Gabriel agrees. 

“It’s kind of intimidating because if we make mistakes, they’re expensive,” he says. “We only had one chance to make it. If we messed it up, we would have to buy another sheet for $150, so it’s a lot of pressure.” 

So they sketched and re-sketched on paper until they were sure they had the right design, then made cardboard models to try it out in real life. 

They learned how important it is to look at things from Pily’s perspective, instead of from theirs. 

This led them to learn to countersink screws to make them perfectly flush so they couldn’t scratch, for example. They did a lot of sanding. They even make changes after they thought they were finally done, adding neoprene to make points of contact more comfortable. 

It was all worth it when they got to present the new tray to Pily. 

“She was ecstatic when we gave it to her,” said Liam. 

John says he is so proud of Liam and Gabriel. “They were able to put that tray on her chair, and even added Velcro straps so it can slide into a new chair if she gets one,” John explains. 

Not only does the new tray allow Pily to complete work tasks she couldn’t do before, it’s also essential to helping her feel included as a part of the OJT group. 

“Independence is a huge thing in life for everyone,” he says. “Here’s a 20-year-old girl who can now carry things from point A to point B, be included in the group, and perform simple job tasks because of the help she got from these kids.” 

John thinks this is just the beginning of many more projects to come. In fact, he said, engineering students also have come up with a 3D-printed tool that helps his students who lack the dexterity to open a soda can get the leverage they need. 

“The engineering students at this school are amazing,” he says. “It’s amazing what kids are doing to help other kids.”