2020 Best & Brightest Awards Winners

May 14, 2020

The 15th Annual Best & Brightest Awards Ceremony took place on Wednesday, May 13, 2020, at the Leon County School’s Aquilina Howell Building to award scholarships to well-deserved high school graduates for their leadership skills, academic accomplishments and community-service involvement.  To abide by public safety protocols, the Ceremony was held remotely and viewed live on Comcast Channel 23 and Facebook. The exciting announcements in real-time still offered an experience of surprise for the students, families, and school administration and teachers.

The awards have expanded since their first year in 2006. About 80 students were given scholarships during the program’s inaugural year. This anniversary year 152 seniors were selected from local public and private high schools to be finalists in each of the 15 categories.

Laura Rogers, Program Director of the Best & Brightest said, “The schools select their most qualified students to go through a rigorous application and interview process by a panel of local professionals with years of experience in the field. Out of all the finalists, three are chosen to be the winners of each category, for a total of 45 winners.  Each winner receives a $1,500 scholarship and a trophy. Runners-up and honorable mentions receive scholarships of $750 and $500, respectively, and trophies.  All other finalists receive a $100 scholarship in recognition of their superlative accomplishments.”

Envision Credit Union has underwritten the scholarships for this program since its inception, gifting over half a million dollars in scholarships to these commendable students. Dr. Jim Croteau, Chair of the Board of Envision Credit Union, said “Supporting this program is at the core of who we are as a credit union. Our philosophy of ‘people helping people’ is achieved by funding important programs like the Best & Brightest, which directly impacts the lives of these well-deserving students.”

Ron Sachs, President and CEO of Sachs Media Group and creator of the Best & Brightest Awards, said since its launch in 2006, the program has recognized 2,566 students for their contributions to the Tallahassee community and given over $739,000 in scholarships.

“This program exists to recognize, respect, and reward outstanding high school senior leaders for their academic success and earnest commitment to service,” said Sachs. “The other mission of the program is to inspire younger students to embrace the example of every year’s group of ‘Best & Brightest’ leaders and to make service a part of their own ethics and culture for life.”

The 8th Grade Essay contest honored 45 students who were the top three ranking essayist from their middle schools.  Three students’ essays were selected as the top winners who wrote about their experiences on helping others in the community. Those top winners received $100 to $500 and all essayists receive a certificate of recognition.

During the event a special award was given – The Spirit of the Best & Brightest Award.  Maxance Ngnepeiba, a Rickards High School student and the Honorable Mention recipient for the Public Speaking category was awarded The Spirit Award this year which included an additional $2,500 in scholarship funds.

“At such a young age, Max is already an accomplished servant leader and thoughtful person in his local community,” said Clay Ingram, CEO of Volunteer Florida. “We strive to cultivate and celebrate that kind of engagement at Volunteer Florida, and therefore, we are proud to present him with the Excellence in Volunteerism Award.”

The Excellence in Volunteerism Award is the only statewide volunteer recognition award; it is awarded to volunteers and organizations who go above and beyond in service to their community.

Posted In: News

“Best & Brightest” Scholarship Awards Will Honor 2020 Winners in Virtual Program

April 14, 2020

In the interest of the safety and well-being of the community, the 15th annual “Best & Brightest” scholarship awards program will be conducted in a virtual presentation – LIVE – on Wednesday, May 13, 2020, rather than its usual in-person program at Ruby Diamond Concert Hall. In light of the recent progression of COVID-19, Governor Ron DeSantis’ directive to avoid mass gatherings and to “Stay-at-Home,” the decision to convert the awards presentation to a virtual program abides by public safety protocols while still enabling the community to honor the region’s top high school seniors. The exciting announcements about the winners will take place remotely from the meeting chambers of the Leon County Schools Aquilina Howell Center – carried live on LCS/Comcast Channel 23. The ceremony will showcase all 152 school-based winners and will unveil the top winners in each category, as well as the 8th grade Essay Contest winners.

While it is incredibly disappointing to be compelled to forego the live event so well attended by hundreds of the students, parents, friends and school administrators in the audience, the health and safety of our students, volunteers, sponsors, and the community remain our priority.  We will stream the ceremony in real time and with each recognition and honor we will build an even better experience of surprise for these dedicated scholars and student leaders.

The generous sponsors who have donated scholarship funds for The Best & Brightest Awards are proud to support the students and recognize the connection that they share with this special event.  No matter what is happening in the world, these young people have made a profound positive impact in Leon County and we look forward to appropriately honoring their many good works.

We encourage you to set aside the time on Wednesday May 13, 2020 at 6:30pm to watch the 15th Anniversary of the Best & Brightest Awards and support our incredible students during this time as they find out the top scholarship winners and learn how they have excelled academically in school and in meaningful service to our community.

More information will be provided with links on streaming The Best & Brightest Awards and please do not hesitate to reach out to us with any questions.

We are grateful for your support of The Best & Brightest Awards program and no matter what format we announce the top students, we will honor them throughout the year on YouTube, televised viewing, the Tallahassee Democrat online and through social media and websites.

Posted In: News

Academic Achievement and Community Service Define Top Seniors at Leon County High Schools

March 30, 2020

Leon County’s most outstanding high school seniors were selected this year as the 152 finalists in 2020 for the 15th Anniversary of the Best & Brightest Awards, which recognize and honor public and private school students who excel both academically and in service to school and community. The finalists from each school underwent an interview process culminating in the Best & Brightest Awards Ceremony to be held May 13th in which countywide winners will be announced.

“Once again we are thrilled to honor 152 accomplished students who are truly the best and the brightest in their schools and in our community,” said Laura Rogers, Program Director of World Class Schools and coordinator of the project.” They follow in the legacy of so many young leaders and are establishing themselves as their generation of influential leaders in academics and service to others.”

The Best & Brightest Awards program, now in its fifteenth year, has recognized almost 2,000 exceptional public and private high school seniors and awarded more than $678,000 in scholarships since its inception. The Best & Brightest Awards program is sponsored by Envision Credit Union, in partnership with Leon County Schools, World Class Schools of Leon County, The Tallahassee Democrat, Sachs Media Group, Rogers Gunter Vaughn Insurance, Legacy Toyota, Sperry & Associates and Young Fulford Funeral Home and Crematory.

“We are proud long-time partners of the Best and Brightest program that offers scholarships to these exceptional Tallahassee students,” said Darryl Worrell, Envision’s CEO. “One of our driving forces at Envision Credit Union is community support through education. So, we are honored to be able to help this generation of talented young leaders in their future endeavors. The impact that they have made in their community is worthy of recognition and praise.”

On February 29th, panels of select community leaders interviewed the 2020 finalists on topics such as world language, technology, and drama, to determine the winners of the countywide awards. This year, 152 finalists will be evaluated on their academic
achievement, leadership, and community service. A winner, runner-up, and honorable mention recipient will be named from each category.
“All of these wonderful ‘Best & Brightest’ high school seniors have distinguished themselves through their significant academic achievements and dedicated, selfless service,” said Ron Sachs, Founder of the Best & Brightest Awards. “Their good works, individually and collectively, reflect a generation that is cultivating a culture and an ethic of service as a meaningful part of their lives. That upbeat reality should comfort all of us about the future in which they will lead in every key sphere of influence.”

To reach this point, finalists have demonstrated a solid record of academic achievement and expertise in one of 15 competitive categories in addition to school and community service. First-place winners in each category will receive scholarships of $1,500; runners-up will be awarded $750; and honorable mention recipients will receive $500. All other finalists will receive a $100 scholarship in recognition of their superlative accomplishments.

In addition to celebrating high school students, the Best & Brightest Awards program reaches out to younger Leon County students. The program conducts an Eighth Grade Essay Contest, and three students from across the county will win awards ranging from $100 to $500. The contest provides middle school students with much-needed positive reinforcement and helps encourage them to reflect on the importance of community involvement and academic achievement as they enter their high school careers.

Another feature of the program, first introduced eight years ago, is the Spirit of the Best & Brightest Award, presented to the Best & Brightest winner who best exhibits a deep commitment to civic duty and service. That student will receive a $2,500 scholarship commemorating the late Brooks Rogers, in addition to his or her Best & Brightest scholarship award winnings.

This year’s finalists for the 15th Anniversary of The Best & Brightest Awards are:

Art: Rachel Abbott (Maclay), Ethan Bonham-Reed (SAIL), Caroline Hamon (FSUS), Essence Nobles (Godby), Marquelle Ogletree (Rickards), Julia Pagan (Chiles), Manna Robertson (Leon), Madison Wolfe (Lincoln)

Athletics: Shania Cromartie (Leon), Taylor Hall (CCS), David Keen (NFC), Mary Kelley (Lincoln), Saige Kemeny (Home School), Martin Methellus (Rickards), Talia Miller (Chiles), Keyon Norton (SAIL), A’Kyrah O’Banner (Godby), Janae Scott (FSUS), Avery Smith (Maclay)

Business: Jeremy Bayiha (Godby), Enrie Gan (Chiles), Gabriela Garcia (SAIL), Taryn Henry (Lincoln), Jake Moore (Leon), William Pfeiffer (FSUS), Conqualla Scott (Rickards), Rachael Stockel (Maclay)

Career/Technical: Dakota Davis-Jenkins (SAIL), Hannah Diehl (Leon), Victoria Garcia (FSUS), William Grant (Maclay), Kamiya Kendrick (Godby), Sarah Owen (Chiles), Colin Papania (NCF), Kenyadric Smith (FAMU DRS), Aarushi Walia (Rickards), Ariana White (SJPII), Sarah Wnuk (Lincoln)

Drama & Performing Arts: Chokwe Bennett (Godby), Mary Casteel (Maclay), Ria Chadha (Rickards), Ethan Dhanarajan (SAIL), Haven Fauble (Lincoln), John Malley (Leon), Bentley Mercer (Chiles), Katie Mulrooney (CCS)

English & Language Arts: Hailey Bauer (FSUS), Mara Chasar (SAIL), D’Aundra Coley (Lincoln), Emily Gaines (CCS), Angel Hailemariam (Leon), Julia Hernandez (Chiles), Tessa Jones (Rickards), Timothy O’Connor (SJPII), Nicole Schneggenburger (Godby), Lilly Simons (Maclay)

Journalism & Media Production: Cassidy Bonn (FSUS), Sarah Crandall (Lincoln), Jacqueline Cruz (Leon), Jaleya Henderson (Godby), Corren Mahone (Chiles), Anagha Mundrathi (Rickards), Madelyn Stout (Maclay), Alexsis Thomas (NCF), Kaylen Vincent (CCS), Cooper Wright (SAIL)

Leadership: Victor Andrew (Godby), Samia Batchelor (Leon), Sarah Bowman (NCF), Elizabeth Coats (FSUS), Jude Countryman (SAIL), Katherine Evans (SJPII), Jason Gao (Rickards), Ha-eun Kim (Lincoln), Timothy Mayfield (CCS), Kennedi Mercer (FAMU DRS), Gracie Miller (Chiles), Michelena O’Rourke (Maclay)

Mathematics: Asim Baral (Lincoln), Simon Corpuz (Maclay), Dario D’Errico (SAIL), Rayyan Darji (Rickards), Matthew Jones (Godby), Jacob Maas (NCF), Axel Maysonet (FSUS), Antonio Nunez (Leon), Abby Thompson (Chiles)

Music: Hali Alex (FSUS), Frank Carson (Maclay), Mikayla Drose (NCF), Taylor Haworth (Leon), Jacob Jackson (SAIL), Torin Keeney (Godby), Isaiah Lee (Rickards), India McCary (FAMU DRS), Carter Nelson (Lincoln), Bella Stoddart (CCS), James Wi (Chiles)

Public Speaking: Victor Clark (NCF), Madeline Feiock (Leon), Shaw Horton (CCS), Ayonna Johnson (FAMU DRS), Joey Jung (Lincoln), Madison King (Godby), Maxance Ngnepieba (Rickards), Moriah Oliff (SAIL), Jack Scott (Home School), Ansley Topchik (Chiles), Iyshwary Vigneswaran Warren (FSUS), Austin Wilbourn (Maclay)

Science & Health: Tanvi Haldiya (Rickards), Nicholas Homann (SAIL), Hannah Hosay (Maclay), Neha Iyer (Chiles), Scott Lindsey (CCS), Amaya Maxwell (FAMU DRS), Mateah McIntosh (NCF), Marisa McNulty (Lincoln), Pamela Nance (Godby), Wen-Chi Pierson (FSUS), Lily Rogers (Leon)

Social Science: Kylin Byles (Godby), Max Cannard (SJPII), Connor Couch (Chiles), Gavin Dunsby (SAIL), Bryson Gonzalez (Leon), Adelyn Hanlon (Home School), Courtney Maxwell (FSUS), Madeleine Roberts (Maclay), Apurva Srivastava (Rickards), Janecia Thomas (FAMU DRS), Rylee Vaughan (Lincoln)

Technology: Logan Chenicek (Leon), Sanjita Choudhary (Rickards), Andy Jiang (Chiles), Ayden Larson (FSUS), Katherine Lyons (Maclay), Chase Merrick (Lincoln), Georgia Piper (SAIL), Rhonda Smith (Godby), Trent Walker (SJPII)

World Languages: Keagan Barrett (Lincoln), Adriana Dorn (NCF), Emily Dudley (Maclay), Niccolo Gaviola (Godby), Emma Hanley (Rickards), Morgan Hardenburg (Leon), Kathryn Mann (Chiles), Nicholas Petty (SAIL), Ashley Sawyer (FSUS), Emma Smith (SJPII), Ashleigh Witherington (Home School)

Posted In: Media

Academic Achievement and Community Service Define Top Seniors at Leon County High Schools

March 5, 2020

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Leon County’s most outstanding high school seniors were selected this month as the 152 finalists in 2020 for the 15th Anniversary of the Best & Brightest Awards, which recognize and honor public and private school students who excel both academically and in service to school and community. The finalists from each school will next undergo an interview process culminating in the Best & Brightest Awards Ceremony, to be held May 13, 2020 at Ruby Diamond Concert Hall, at which countywide winners will be announced.

“Once again we are thrilled to honor 152 accomplished students who are truly the best and the brightest in their schools and in our community,” said Laura Rogers, Program Director of World Class Schools and coordinator of the project. “They follow in the legacy of so many young leaders and are establishing themselves as their generation of influential leaders in academics and service to others.”

The Best & Brightest Awards program, now in its fifteenth year, has recognized almost 2,000 exceptional public and private high school seniors and awarded more than $678,000 in scholarships since its inception. The Best & Brightest Awards program is sponsored by Envision Credit Union, in partnership with Leon County Schools, World Class Schools of Leon County, The Tallahassee Democrat, Sachs Media Group, Rogers Gunter Vaughn Insurance, NAI Talcor, Sperry & Associates and Young Fulford Funeral Home and Crematory.

“We are proud, long-time partners of the Best & Brightest program that offers scholarships to these exceptional Tallahassee students,” said Darryl Worrell, Envision’s CEO. “One of our driving forces at Envision Credit Union is community support through education. So, we are honored to be able to help this generation of talented young leaders in their future endeavors. The impact that they have made in their community is worthy of recognition and praise.”

On February 29, 2020, panels of select community leaders will interview the 2020 finalists on topics such as world language, technology and drama, to determine the winners of the countywide awards. This year, 152 finalists will be evaluated on their academic achievement, leadership and community service. A winner, runner-up and honorable mention recipient will be named from each category.

“All of these wonderful ‘Best & Brightest’ high school seniors have distinguished themselves through their significant academic achievements and dedicated, selfless service,” said Ron Sachs, Founder of the Best & Brightest Awards. “Their good works, individually and collectively, reflect a generation that is cultivating a culture and an ethic of service as a meaningful part of their lives. That upbeat reality should comfort all of us about the future in which they will lead in every key sphere of influence.”

To reach this point, finalists have demonstrated a solid record of academic achievement and expertise in one of 15 competitive categories in addition to school and community service. First-place winners in each category will receive scholarships of $1,500; runners-up will be awarded $750; and honorable mention recipients will receive $500. All other finalists will receive a $100 scholarship in recognition of their superlative accomplishments.

In addition to celebrating high school students, the Best & Brightest Awards program reaches out to younger Leon County students. The program conducts an Eighth Grade Essay Contest and three students from across the county will win awards ranging from $100 to $500. The contest provides middle school students with much-needed positive reinforcement and helps encourage them to reflect on the importance of community involvement and academic achievement as they enter their high school careers.

Another feature of the program, first introduced eight years ago, is the Spirit of the Best & Brightest Award, presented to the Best & Brightest winner who best exhibits a deep commitment to civic duty and service. That student will receive a $2,500 scholarship commemorating the late Brooks Rogers, in addition to his or her Best & Brightest scholarship award winnings.

This year’s finalists for the 15th Anniversary of The Best & Brightest Awards are:

Art: Rachel Abbott (Maclay), Ethan Bonham-Reed (SAIL), Caroline Hamon (FSUS), Essence Nobles (Godby), Marquelle Ogletree (Rickards), Julia Pagan (Chiles), Manna Robertson (Leon), Madison Wolfe (Lincoln)

Athletics: Shania Cromartie (Leon), Taylor Hall (CCS), David Keen (NFC), Mary Kelley (Lincoln), Saige Kemeny (Home School), Martin Methellus (Rickards), Talia Miller (Chiles), Keyon Norton (SAIL), A’Kyrah O’Banner (Godby), Janae Scott (FSUS), Avery Smith (Maclay)

Business: Jeremy Bayiha (Godby), Enrie Gan (Chiles), Gabriela Garcia (SAIL), Taryn Henry (Lincoln), Jake Moore (Leon), William Pfeiffer (FSUS), Conqualla Scott (Rickards), Rachael Stockel (Maclay)

Career/Technical: Dakota Davis-Jenkins (SAIL), Hannah Diehl (Leon), Victoria Garcia (FSUS), William Grant (Maclay), Kamiya Kendrick (Godby), Sarah Owen (Chiles), Colin Papania (NCF), Kenyadric Smith (FAMU DRS), Aarushi Walia (Rickards), Ariana White (SJPII), Sarah Wnuk (Lincoln)

Drama & Performing Arts: Chokwe Bennett (Godby), Mary Casteel (Maclay), Ria Chadha (Rickards), Ethan Dhanarajan (SAIL), Haven Fauble (Lincoln), John Malley (Leon), Bentley Mercer (Chiles), Katie Mulrooney (CCS)

English & Language Arts: Hailey Bauer (FSUS), Mara Chasar (SAIL), D’Aundra Coley (Lincoln), Emily Gaines (CCS), Angel Hailemariam (Leon), Julia Hernandez (Chiles), Tessa Jones (Rickards), Timothy O’Connor (SJPII), Nicole Schneggenburger (Godby), Lilly Simons (Maclay)

Journalism & Media Production: Cassidy Bonn (FSUS), Sarah Crandall (Lincoln), Jacqueline Cruz (Leon), Jaleya Henderson (Godby), Corren Mahone (Chiles), Anagha Mundrathi (Rickards), Madelyn Stout (Maclay), Alexsis Thomas (NCF), Kaylen Vincent (CCS), Cooper Wright (SAIL)

Leadership: Victor Andrew (Godby), Samia Batchelor (Leon), Sarah Bowman (NCF), Elizabeth Coats (FSUS), Jude Countryman (SAIL), Katherine Evans (SJPII), Jason Gao (Rickards), Ha-eun Kim (Lincoln), Timothy Mayfield (CCS), Kennedi Mercer (FAMU DRS), Gracie Miller (Chiles), Michelena O’Rourke (Maclay)

Mathematics: Asim Baral (Lincoln), Simon Corpuz (Maclay), Dario D’Errico (SAIL), Rayyan Darji (Rickards), Matthew Jones (Godby), Jacob Maas (NCF), Axel Maysonet (FSUS), Antonio Nunez (Leon), Abby Thompson (Chiles)

Music: Hali Alex (FSUS), Frank Carson (Maclay), Mikayla Drose (NCF), Taylor Haworth (Leon), Jacob Jackson (SAIL), Torin Keeney (Godby), Isaiah Lee (Rickards), India McCary (FAMU DRS), Carter Nelson (Lincoln), Bella Stoddart (CCS), James Wi (Chiles)

Public Speaking: Victor Clark (NCF), Madeline Feiock (Leon), Shaw Horton (CCS), Ayonna Johnson (FAMU DRS), Joey Jung (Lincoln), Madison King (Godby), Maxance Ngnepieba (Rickards), Moriah Oliff (SAIL), Jack Scott (Home School), Ansley Topchik (Chiles), Iyshwary Vigneswaran Warren (FSUS), Austin Wilbourn (Maclay)

Science & Health: Tanvi Haldiya (Rickards), Nicholas Homann (SAIL), Hannah Hosay (Maclay), Neha Iyer (Chiles), Scott Lindsey (CCS), Amaya Maxwell (FAMU DRS), Mateah McIntosh (NCF), Marisa McNulty (Lincoln), Pamela Nance (Godby), Wen-Chi Pierson (FSUS), Lily Rogers (Leon)

Social Science: Kylin Byles (Godby), Max Cannard (SJPII), Connor Couch (Chiles), Gavin Dunsby (SAIL), Bryson Gonzalez (Leon), Adelyn Hanlon (Home School), Courtney Maxwell (FSUS), Madeleine Roberts (Maclay), Apurva Srivastava (Rickards), Janecia Thomas (FAMU DRS), Rylee Vaughan (Lincoln)

Technology: Logan Chenicek (Leon), Sanjita Choudhary (Rickards), Andy Jiang (Chiles), Ayden Larson (FSUS), Katherine Lyons (Maclay), Chase Merrick (Lincoln), Georgia Piper (SAIL), Rhonda Smith (Godby), Trent Walker (SJPII)

World Languages: Keagan Barrett (Lincoln), Adriana Dorn (NCF), Emily Dudley (Maclay), Niccolo Gaviola (Godby), Emma Hanley (Rickards), Morgan Hardenburg (Leon), Kathryn Mann (Chiles), Nicholas Petty (SAIL), Ashley Sawyer (FSUS), Emma Smith (SJPII), Ashleigh Witherington (Home School)

Posted In: Media

Our best and brightest young people ignite hope | Opinion

March 5, 2020

From the Tallahassee Democrat

This past weekend I had the privilege of serving as a judge in the music category of the Best & Brightest Awards, which recognize and honor Leon County’s excelling high school seniors. The awards take into consideration not only grade point average, but also community service and civic duty.

I have been honored to serve as judge for this outstanding program many times, and our community should be proud of the incredible young people we are growing through our schools and their mentors.

In a time when we all seek hope, it is inspiring to see these students committed to a better future for our community, our nation and the world. Over the years I have encountered students who have fed and clothed the homeless, raised thousands of dollars for sick children, started nonprofits, tutored children and adults in need, regularly played music in nursing homes and worked tirelessly on environmental issues.

Those activities are in addition to serving as school leaders: class presidents, band presidents, LGBTQ society presidents, National Honor Society presidents and founders of school music clubs.

These students ignite hope with their optimism, intelligence and creative ideas about the future that awaits us. They are engaged, educated and connected to Tallahassee and our world — indeed, they are global citizens.

My lens has been through the music category and is only a taste of the talent within our community. Some participants aspire to change individual students’ lives as music educators; others hope to change the world with big aspirations to become industry producers.

The drive in these young people to make a difference is awe-inspiring. Their passion to be agents of change is humbling. I thank Laura Rogers, Ron Sachs, the Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce and Envision Credit Union for illuminating our best and brightest. They elevate us all as a community.

Amanda Stringer is the CEO of the Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra, adjunct professor of Arts Administration at FSU and parent of two teenage children.

Posted In: Media