25 seniors named region's Best & Brightest

April 20, 2009 9:48 AM

THE GAZETTE

Twenty-five high school seniors from the Pikes Peak region have been named The Gazette's Best & Brightest Class of 2009. Judged by a panel of 16 from the community, the seniors were recognized for their academic achievements and contributions to their communities and schools. Best & Brightest is in its 18th year.

Best & Brightest winners will be featured in The Gazette and at gazette.com daily starting Tuesday. The winners will be honored at a community reception May 17 at the Olympic Training Center.

♦ Laurel Goycoolea, Mesa Ridge

· National Hispanic Recognition Program Scholar
· National Forensic League Academic All American and Degree
   of Outstanding Distinction
· Academic Letters, Forensics and Renaissance
· Principal's Honor Roll
· Double-qualified for Colorado High School Activities
   Association State Competition in Forensics

♦ Skylar Anderson, Palmer

· Pikes Peak Regional Science and Engineering Fair, 3rd place
· Association for Communications, Electronics, Intelligence and
   Information System Professionals Award
· Academic Letter
· National Honor Society
· Front Range Music Teachers Association Festival Winners
   Concert - piano
· Front Range Music Teachers Association Festival Composer
   Showcase Winners Recital - piano

♦ Alex Ambard, Liberty

· Academic All-State First Team, Cross Country
· Academic Letter
· World Languages Award for Academic Excellence in French
· Outstanding Achievement Award in French
· Highest Honor Roll
· Liberty High School's Order of the Crest for academic, athletic
   and club lettering

♦ Jason Goins, Air Academy

· Academic All-State First Team, Varsity Football and
   Basketball
· Principal's Honor Roll
· National Honor Society
· Spanish Honor Society
· National Society of High School Scholars
· Boettcher Scholarship Nominee
· Outstanding Introduction to Engineering Design Student
· Most Outstanding Achieving Student Award in Honor's
   Pre-calculus
· Rocky Mountain Youth
· Leadership Conference Honor Graduate

♦ Rebecca Howsam, Fountain Valley School

· Fountain Valley School Dean's List
· Froelicher Society
· AP Scholar
· Select Choir member
· Day Student Proctor

♦ Travis Henry, Woodland Park

· Boettcher Scholar
· Bill and Melinda Gates Interdisciplinary Scholarship Finalist
· National Coca-Cola Semi-Finalist
· Pikes Peak Outstanding Science Student
· Daughters of the American Revolution Excellence in Advanced Placement U.S. History Award
· National Honor Society
· Senior Beta Club

♦ Amanda Kesting, Pine Creek

· Boettcher Scholarship Semi-Finalist
· DECA National Qualifier
· DECA - Invitational and State 1st place awards
· Salutatorian
· Lacrosse Spirit Award
· AP Scholar

♦ Claire Qubain, Fountain Valley School

· Froelicher Honor Society
· Summit Merit Scholarship
· Hispanic Honor Society
· Fountain Valley School of Colorado Dean's List

♦ Sophia Nuñez, Fountain Valley School

· National Merit Scholarship - Finalist
· Boettcher Scholarship Finalist
· AP Scholar with Distinction
· Cum Laude Society
· National Society of High School Scholars
· Froelicher Society
· Fountain Valley School of Colorado Dean's List

♦ Levi Schmeiler, Colorado Springs School

· National Merit Scholarship Commended Student
· Colorado Springs School High Honor Roll
· Colorado Mathematics League Competition Co-Champion

♦ Rebecca Siegel, Palmer

· National Honor Society
· National Society of High School Scholars
· Palmer High School High Honors
· Pikes Peak Regional Science Fair, Second Place
· Colorado State Science Fair, Fourth Place
· RICOH Sustainable Development Award
· National Youth Leadership Conference
· Colorado All-State Orchestra
· Western States Honor Orchestra
· Bee Vradenburg Scholar of Excellence Award

♦ Christopher Schuch, Rampart

· National Merit Scholarship Winner
· Academic All-State First Team, Swimming
· Rensselaer Medalist Scholarship Winner
· Honor Roll

♦ Yunchang Zhang, Pine Creek

· Boettcher Scholar
· Mayor's 100 Teens
· DECA International Written Event Finalist and State Champion
· National Forensics League National Quarter-Finalist and District Champion
· Future Business Leaders of America National Qualifier and State Champion
· National Youth Leadership Conference Presiding Officer Finalist

♦ Stuti Das, Rampart

· Straight A Honor Roll
· Colorado College Junior Recognition Award
· Dottie Lamm Award finalist
· Published in Society for Free Radical Biology and Medicine Journal

♦ Jeremy Besmer, Rampart

· National Merit Scholarship Program - Commended Student
· Science Olympiad Southern Regional, 1st Place in Environmental Chemistry; 2nd Place in Forensics
· DECA Restaurant and Food Service Management Series Event, 1st Place state competition
· Academic Letter with bars
· Eagle Scout

♦ Michael Hamamoto, Cheyenne Mountain

· Colorado Semifinalist and Finalist - Boys and Girls Club Youth of the Year
· Mayor's 100 Teens
· DECA State Semifinalist
· National Society of High School Scholars
· National Honor Roll for Academic Achievement
· National Honor Society
· Principal's Honor Roll
· Academic and Sports Letters

♦ Aparna Kailasam, Rampart

· Boettcher Scholar
· National Merit Scholarship Program - Commended Student
· Co-Valedictorian
· National Honor Society
· Future Business Leaders of America - State First Place award

♦ Anna Kahkoska, Rampart

· National Merit Scholarship Program - Commended Student
· Academic Individual All-State, First Team
· National Honor Society
· Straight A Honor Roll
· Outstanding Academic Athlete Award

♦ Paulina Mikolajczyk, Cheyenne Mountain

· Boettcher Scholar
· AP Scholar
· National Merit Scholarship - Commended Student
· National Honor Society
· Colorado Delegate, National Youth Science Forum

♦ Hunter Sceats, Cheyenne Mountain

· National Merit Scholarship Finalist
· Invitational, Regional and State Science Olympiad Competition awards
· National Chemistry Olympiad Examination Qualified
· National AP Scholar
· Colorado Mathematical Olympiad Honorable Mention
· Ayn Rand Anthem Essay Contest Finalist

♦ Riley Russell, Cheyenne Mountain

· National Merit Scholarship - Commended Student
· Academic Letters with Bars
· Principal's Honor Roll
· AP Scholar
· Academic All-State

♦ Allison Slamkowski, Air Academy

· Principal's Honor Roll
· Academic Letters
· National Honor Society
· Spanish Honor Society
· National Society for High School Scholars
· Boettcher Scholarship Nominee
· Academic All-State First Team, Volleyball, Basketball, Golf, Student Council and Cross-Country
· Rocky Mountain Youth Leadership Conference Honor Graduate

♦ Madison Stuart, Fountain Valley School

· Fountain Valley School of Colorado Dean's List
· Froelicher Society
· National Spanish Honor Society
· Colorado All-State Choir - Mixed Choir
· Senior Proctor - Day Student Leader

♦ Alex Tonsing, Fountain Valley School

· AP Scholar with Honor
· Cum Laude Society
· Eagle Scout
· Hispanic Honor Society
· Froelicher Society
· Technology Proctor
· Proctor - Day Student Leader

♦ Robyn Winz, Liberty

· National Merit Scholarship Commended Student
· Academic All-State First Team and Team Champion
· AP Scholar
· California Scholar Athlete
· Athletic Letter, Varsity Basketball, Junior Varsity Basketball, Tennis and Track
· Activity Letter, Music

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