2012 Hispanic Student of the Year Awards Bio portion of the script:
The Academics Award recipient for Kent County is just a sophomore at Lake Forest High School, but has already made great strides towards a career in Engineering. An impeccable academic record is supplemented by her role as a leader in school, at church, and in the MERIT (Minority Engineering Regional Training) Program, for which she has received formal recognition. This student is not only an accomplished musician, but also a dedicated volunteer, taking to heart the adage, “cuando se da, se recibe.” With expectations of attaining a doctorate degree, this young lady from Puerto Rico has enrolled in numerous honors courses that will, no doubt, aid in achieving her goals for the future. This year’s winner of the award in Academics for Kent County is SARA HERNANDEZ.
This year’s recipient of the Academics Award for New Castle County is a junior at Alexis I. Dupont High School who demonstrates merit, not only in her impressive academic record across an array of advanced placement courses, but also in her role as representative for the Math League and member of Chemistry Club. Of Costa Rican descent, this young lady is inspired by the warmth of her Latino heritage to embrace others, and, in her position as teacher’s aide, provides academic advice to incoming freshmen as well as support for her struggling classmates. Also a talented writer and athlete, the award recipient for Academics in New Castle County is ANA GABRIELA JACKSON CHAVES.
This year’s winner of the Academics Award for Sussex County is a junior at Seaford Senior High School who truly understands the value of hard work. This exceptional student’s Hispanic (Mexican) heritage pushes him to maintain an outstanding academic record despite a challenging course load and involvement in multiple extracurricular activities, which include Key Club, Student Government, the Science Olympiad, Upward Bound, Jazz Band, and Varsity Soccer. Also a member of the National Honor Society, this impressive young man plans for continued success throughout his educational career, never wasting his potential to better his future. The award recipient in Academics for Sussex County is BRENTDY CHAVEZ.
CATEGORY: ART
This year’s recipient of the Arts Award for New Castle County is an eleventh grader of Mexican descent at Cab Calloway School of the Arts. Our winner is not only a gifted writer with the school’s literary magazine, but is a talented visual artist, taking advanced art courses at Cab Calloway, as well as a college level course at Delaware Tech. As the first in his family to graduate high school, this driven, accountable, and ruthlessly determined young man will stop at nothing to make his parents proud, knowing that only through hard work can one achieve the American Dream. The winner in the Arts for New Castle County is JUAN MANUEL AVILA.
The winner in the Arts for Sussex County this year is a senior at Sussex Central High School. This accomplished multi-media artist pursues her passion, not only at school while excelling in her advanced placement art courses, but also privately, using art as a source of positivity amidst times of personal struggle. To quote her directly, “I learned to see the beauty in disaster. [Life’s hardships] gave me a voice and redefined art as, not only my outlet for expression, but also as the water that sustains me.” This year’s recipient of the Arts Award for Sussex County is ALLISON BAMACA.
CATEGORY: ATHLETICS
This year’s recipient of the award in Athletics for New Castle County is a tenth grader from McKean High School. For this young lady, participating in sports has played a significant role in her personal development. As a member of six different soccer teams, including boys’ and men’s competitive teams, “queen” elect of the men’s soccer team for 2012, and the third Hispanic female ever elected to a Kirkwood Soccer Travel Team, this year’s winner feels that through sports she has become a less selfish and more caring person. The recipient of the Athletics Award for New Castle County is VIRGINIA R. FLORES.
The winner of the Athletics Award for Sussex County this year is a senior of Guatemalan descent from Seaford Senior High School. This young man is a superb role model for all student athletes, demonstrating academic excellence as a member of the National Honor Society and consistently making honor roll. Despite a rigorous course load including several advanced placement classes, this student is a key player on numerous sports teams. As a member of the varsity tennis team, varsity soccer team, for which he was named Second Team All-Conference, Henlopen Conference Champs wrestling team, and captain of his school’s varsity wrestling squad, our winner has become a leader and a source of hope for his teammates. This year’s recipient of the award in Athletics for Sussex County is JULIO CESAR RAMIREZ.
CATEGORY: LIVE UNITED
This year’s recipient of the Live United Community Service and Volunteerism Award for Kent County is a senior at Polytech High School who demonstrates his care for others through his involvement in the Healthcare and Rehabilitation field and as a volunteer with the Special Olympics and throughout his community. A (peer) mentor since the age of 12, this compassionate young man of Dominican and Puerto Rican descent believes that, in life, it is crucial to remember where you come from and the importance of giving back to your community; these opportunities to use his abilities to help others make him the man he is and the type of man he hopes to be in the future. The winner of the Live United Community Service and Volunteerism Award for Kent County is JEREMY REYNOSO.
The winner of the Live United Community Service and Volunteerism Award for New Castle County this year is an eleventh grader of Puerto Rican descent from Alexis I. Dupont High School who has made it a priority to give back to her community. Key Club, St. Paul’s Church, the Latin American Community Center, Student Council, Academic Bowl, Family Career and Community Leaders of America, A.I. Dupont’s community day, Harvest Moon Festival, Spring Cleanup Day, and an upcoming blood drive are all activities and organizations for which this exceptional young lady has volunteered. She strongly believes that it is our responsibility as members of our communities to take care of and give back to those communities that helped us grow. With plans to attend college and double major in Political Science and Early Childhood Education, this year’s recipient of the Live United Community Service and Volunteerism Award for New Castle County is JACKELINE SAEZ-ROSARIO.
This year’s recipient of the Live United Community Service and Volunteerism Award for Sussex County is a junior from Seaford Senior High School. As a member of the National Honor Society and Academic All-State Second Team in wrestling, this student excels in athletics and academics yet finds his true passion in helping others. In his dedication to community service through the NJROTC, this student has served as the bell ringer for the Salvation Army, volunteering numerous hours during the Christmas season to help those most in need. Also a leader and coach for the Little Wrestling Program, the winner of the Live United Community Service and Volunteerism Award for Sussex County is JOSE A. SANTOS.
CATEGORY: SCIENCE, MATH & TECHNOLOGY
This year’s recipient of the Science and/or Technology Award for New Castle County is a senior at Delcastle Technical High School who has demonstrated outstanding ability. This young lady of Mexican descent excels academically in all of her classes, including advanced placement science courses, and is regarded as a highly talented student in the Chemistry Laboratory career area at her school. Additionally, she participates in Science Olympiad, in which she and her teammate have won first place in the state in the field of forensics two years in a row. She is also president of her student body class and has interned in a research laboratory at the University of Delaware. With hopes of becoming a chemical engineer, the winner of the award in Science and/or Technology for New Castle County is JACQUELYN GOMEZ.
This year’s recipient of the Science and/or Technology Award for Sussex County is a senior at Seaford Senior High School. This individual has maintained a distinguished honor roll ranking for each of his high school years, is a teacher’s aide, and proudly serves as a member of the highly selective Upward Bound Math and Science program. He is a proven student with an impeccable record. When describing the biggest influence on his decision to pursue a degree in science, this young man states, “I know that the world needs new medicine or new substances that can better the world as a whole…. I love to create things that will help people.” He plans to accomplish this by earning a degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Delaware. The award recipient for Science and/or Technology in Sussex County is OSBALDO CRUZ ALCANTARA.
CATEGORY: STUDENT OF THE YEAR
This year’s winner of the Outstanding Hispanic Middle School Female Student of the Year award enjoys traveling, horseback riding, hang-gliding, kayaking, and gymnastics. In school, she is active in Math League, Business Professionals of America, and is one of the Editors of the School Yearbook, all while maintaining Straight A’s. Please join me in congratulating Jordan Montalvo.
This year’s winner of the Outstanding Hispanic Middle School Male Student of the Year award is involved in Boy Scouts and Baseball while maintaining straight A’s in school. He has even presented to ESL teachers about how to improve their teaching methods toward Hispanic students. Please join me in congratulating Jose Chacon .
This year’s winner of the Outstanding Hispanic High School Female Student of the Year award dedicates a majority of her free time to others, participating in the Best Buddies Program and organizing after-school art workshops for middle schoolers and underclassmen. On top of being an extremely talented artist, she is a member of the National Honor Society and President of the National Art Honor society. Please join me in congratulating Claudia Gonzalez.
AnaCe: This year’s winner of the Outstanding Hispanic High School Male Student of the Year award has done well over 100 hours of community service, is involved in marching and concert band and participates in numerous clubs and three varsity sports. He even placed 4th in the Delaware’s State Wrestling Championship Tournament. Please join me in congratulating Reinaldo Reina.
