Seminole Ridge High School juniors Katya Kameka and Laura Louberti were honored April 8 at the Palm Beach Fellowship of Christians and Jews annual essay contest awards ceremony. Students from nearly 40 schools throughout Palm Beach County submitted more than 300 essays on the theme of courage, related to the fellowship’s mission. Kameka and Louberti each received a watch and $100 from contest sponsor Tourneau of Palm Beach.
• Dukharan Nominated for Yale Book Award — SRHS junior Victoria Dukharan has been chosen as the Yale Club of the Palm Beaches’ Secondary School Book Award Program nominee. Last year, more than 750 Yale Book Awards were given nationwide, with 14 awards given in the Palm Beach County area. The criteria for nomination include outstanding personal character and intellectual promise. As a symbol of the award, each recipient will be able to choose a book with a special Yale Book Award bookplate.
• Tri-M Announces New Officers — Seminole Ridge’s Tri-M Music Honor Society has chosen its officers for the 2014–15 school year. Congratulations to President Gianna Cannestro, Vice President Sarah Al-Buhaisi, Secretary Mairéad O’Rourke, Treasurer Sarah Persson and Historian Rowan Pelfrey.
• NHS Elects Officers — The SRHS chapter of the National Honor Society is proud to announce its newly elected officers for 2014-15: President Austin Taylor, Vice President Jordan Suarez, Secretary Daisia Grafton, Editors Sabrina Kirmani and Julissa Valiente, Treasurer Brandon Phan, Historian Bailee Machado, Parliamentarian Kaitlyn Bolander and Social Directors Gabi Garcia and Carolina Pereira.
• Choral Groups Earn State Honors — The Seminole Ridge choral department participated in the 2014 Florida Vocal Association South State Solo & Ensemble Assessments at Palm Beach Atlantic University on April 5.
Mairead O’Rourke received not only a Superior on her vocal solo, but also a Superior with Distinction, allowing her to perform at the state honors recital that same afternoon. The Philammonus men’s ensemble also received a Superior with Distinction, allowing them a similar honor. Congratulations to Jemaul Cole, Mateo Garcia, Alex Grafton, Cody Jenkins, Scott Kuczynski, Richie Laurent, Sean Lewis, Cemi Rivera, Cristian Soto, Elijah Spate, Aubrey Talton, Maxx Weinstein, Brandon Wilson, Daniel Wood, Joel Zayas and Samuel Zayas.
The Fly Boyz barbershop quartet, the Thamyris concert women’s ensemble and the Musagetes men’s show choir, the mixed show choir and the Silver Madrigal ensemble all received an Excellent rating.
• Hawk Battalion Holds Annual Ball — Seminole Ridge’s Army JROTC Hawk Battalion hosted its fifth annual Military Ball the evening of April 4 at the Binks Forest Golf Club. The ball serves as a formal military ceremony for members of a unit. It includes a dinner and events to foster camaraderie.
The theme of this year’s ball, American Heroes, was reflected in the words of guest speaker Emily McClimans, a sophomore at Wellington High School, who spoke of her father, Capt. Joshua McClimans, an Army nurse killed in action in Afghanistan three years ago. Her emotional address to the corps of cadets brought home the realities of war.
The battalion took time to honor its graduating seniors, many of whom served throughout high school, and presented them with certificates and coins.
ABOVE: (L-R) Katya Kameka, SRHS English teacher Mrs. Melissa Long and Laura Louberti.
