FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 27, 1999


FHSAA announces 1998-99 Academic All-State Team

GAINESVILLE – The Florida High School Activities Association has announced the 1998-99 FHSAA Academic All-State Team. The Academic All-State program is sponsored by Gatorade.

Twenty-four student-athletes – 12 boys and 12 girls – were chosen from among 175 qualified nominees from the Association’s 534 member high schools. To be eligible for selection to the team, a student must be a graduating senior, must have a cumulative unweighted grade point average of 3.5 or better, and must have earned a varsity letter in at least two different sports during their junior and senior years.

Each of the honorees will receive a $500 scholarship, as well as a commemorative medallion, from the FHSAA for being selected to the team. From among the 24 honorees, two Scholar Athletes-of-the-Year, one boy and one girl, will be announced at the Fifth Annual FHSAA Academic All-State Awards Banquet to be held Friday, June 18 in Tampa. The Scholar Athletes-of-the-Year, the most prestigious honors conferred by the Association, will receive an additional $2,500 each in scholarship funds, as well as trophies.

Here are the members of the Fifth Annual FHSAA Academic All-State Team:

Girls

• Georgianna Elizabeth Gaines, Palatka High School, Palatka – Georgianna is the daughter of Dr. and Mrs. John L. Gaines, Jr. She has a 4.0 grade point average and is the salutatorian in a class of 287 students. Georgianna earned varsity letters in cross country and swimming in her junior and senior years, as well as basketball and track & field her junior year, and weightlifting her senior year. She plans to attend either Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire, or Georgetown university in Washington, D.C., and will study foreign services.

• Erin Giesa, Northside Christian School, St. Petersburg – Erin is the daughter of David K. and Patricia M. Giesa. She has a 3.918 grade point average and is the valedictorian of her 58umember senior class. Erin earned varsity letters in cross country and track & field in her junior and senior years, while also lettering in soccer her senior year. She plans to attend Auburn university in Auburn, AL, and will study accounting and finance.

• Candice Florence Gonzalez, Choctawhatchee High School, Fort Walton Beach – Candice is the daughter of George and Joyce Tymowczak. She has a 4.0 grade point average and is ranked 11th in her 388umember senior class. Candice earned varsity letters in basketball, track & field and weightlifting in her junior and senior years, as well as volleyball in her junior year. Candice will attend either the university of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Louisiana State university in Baton Rouge, or the university of Florida in Gainesville, and plans to study physical therapy in preparation for preumedicine.

• Jessica Lane, Cape Coral High School, Cape Coral – Jessica has a 4.0 grade point average and is the valedictorian of her 353umember senior class. She earned varsity letters in track & field and cross country during her junior and senior years, as well as in swimming & diving and soccer her junior year. Jessica plans to attend the university of Miami in Coral Gables and will pursue a degree in preumedicine.

• Kathleen Elizabeth Lepper, Lafayette High School, Mayo – Kathleen is the daughter of Max and Rhonda Lepper. She has a 3.927 grade point average and is the salutatorian in a class of 78 students. Kathleen earned varsity letters in volleyball, basketball and track & field in her junior and senior years. She plans to attend either Huntingdon College in Montgomery, AL, or the university of West Florida in Pensacola, and will study marine biology.

• Nicole J. Paulson, Okeechobee High School, Okeechobee – Nicole is the daughter of Randy and Mary Paulson. She has a 4.0 grade point average and is the salutatorian in a senior class of 311 students. Nicole earned varsity letters in volleyball and basketball her junior and senior years. She plans to attend the university of Florida in Gainesville and will pursue a degree in preumedicine.

• Jenny Lynn Sanchez, Our Lady of Lourdes Academy, Miami – Jenny is the daughter of Julio and Margarita Sanchez. She has a 3.958 grade point average and ranks ninth in a senior class of 204 students. Jenny earned varsity letters in basketball and softball during her junior and senior years. She plans to attend Florida International university in Miami and will study physical therapy.

• Ronetta M. Stalker, Interlachen High School, Interlachen – Ronetta is the daughter of Arlene Stalker. She has a 4.0 grade point average and is the valedictorian in a class of 180 students. Ronetta earned varsity letters in basketball and tennis her junior and senior years, as well as softball her senior year. She will attend the university of Central Florida in Orlando and plans to study engineering.

• Jennifer Lorraine Stiner, Astronaut High School, Titusville – Jennifer is the daughter of John and Edie Stiner. She has a 4.0 grade point average and is the valedictorian in a senior class of 293 students. Jennifer earned varsity letters in softball and swimming & diving during her junior and senior years. She will attend either Erskine College in Due West, SC, or Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, and plans to study biology.

• Hilary Jordan Taylor, Holmes County High School, Bonifay – Hilary is the daughter of Cody and Brenda Taylor. She has a 4.0 grade point average and is the valedictorian of a class of 118 students. Hilary earned varsity letters in three sports - basketball, volleyball and softball - in both her junior and senior years. She plans to attend Chipola Junior College in Marianna and the university of Florida in Gainesville, where she will pursue a degree in preudentistry.

• Ashlea Dean Thomas, River Ridge High School, New Port Richey – Ashlea is the daughter of Jeffrey and Marcia Thomas. She has a 3.829 grade point average and ranks 12th in her 391umember senior class. Ashlea earned varsity letters in three sports - volleyball, basketball and track & field - in her junior and senior years. While her college of choice remains undecided, she plans to study international business.

• Tiffany Anne Walker, Naples High School, Naples – Tiffany is the daughter of David and Diane Walker. She has a 4.0 grade point average and is the valedictorian in a senior class of 369 students. Tiffany earned varsity letters in basketball and track & field during her junior and senior years. While she remains undecided on her choice of college, she plans to pursue a degree in preumedicine.


Boys

• Robert Jared Day, Liberty County High School, Bristol – Jared is the son of John Day and Melissa Muza. He has a 4.0 grade point average and is the valedictorian in his 77umember senior class. Jared earned varsity letters in four sports - football, basketball, baseball and track & field - during his junior and senior years. He plans to attend the university of Florida in Gainesville and will study medicine.

• Woodroe Blake Fugate, Williston High School, Williston – Blake is the son of Judy Marino and Norm Fugate. He has a 3.671 grade point average and is ranked sixth in his senior class of 111 students. Blake earned varsity letters in football and baseball his junior and senior years, as well as in basketball his junior year. He will attend the university of Florida in Gainesville and plans to study medicine.

• Kyle Michael Jones, Coral Springs High School, Coral Springs – Kyle is the son of Bill and Fay Jones. He has a 3.554 grade point average and is ranked 48th in his senior class of 562 students. Kyle earned varsity letters in football and baseball during his junior and senior years. He plans to attend Princeton, NJ, and will study political science.

• Joseph Curtis Ketterer, Milton High School, Milton – Joseph is the son of Albert and Brenda Ketterer. He has a 4.0 grade point average and is the salutatorian of his senior class of 313 students. Joseph earned varsity letters in football, track & field and weightlifting during his junior and senior years, as well as in soccer his junior year. He plans to attend the university of Florida in Gainesville and will pursue a degree in preumedicine.

• Joshua F. LaRoche, Rockledge High School, Rocklegde – Joshua is the son of Sandra and Franklin LaRoche. He has a 3.98 grade point average and is the salutatorian in his 291umember senior class. Joshua earned varsity letters in swimming & diving and tennis during his junior and senior years. He plans to attend the university of Florida in Gainesville and will study enginerring.

• Stuart Sean Laval, Edgewater High School, Orlando – Stuart is the son of Rodney and Carolyn Laval. He has a 4.0 grade point average and is the valedictorian of his 473umember senior class. Stuart earned letters in cross country and track & field during his junior and senior years, while also lettering in basketball his junior year. He will attend Davidson College in Davidson, NC, and plans to study mathematics.

• Brett Chambers Mueller, Plant City High School, Plant City – Brett is the son of Andy and Sherrie Mueller. He has a 3.9272 grade point average and ranks 16th in his 432umember senior class. Brett earned varsity letters in football and wrestling during his junior and senior years, as well as in baseball his junior year and track & field his senior year. He plans to attend the university of Florida in Gainesville and will pursue a degree in pre-law.

• Edward Quary Jr., Lake Gibson High School, Lakeland – Edward is the son of Edward Sr. and Dell Quary. He has a 3.851 grade point average and is ranked sixth in his senior class of 321 members. Edward earned varsity letters football and basketball during his junior and senior years, as well as track & field his senior year. He plans to attend Florida A&M university and will study pharmacy.

• Allen Shirley, South Sumter, Bushnell – Allen is the son of Richard and Denise Shirley. He has a 3.98 grade point average and is ranked third in his senior class of 180 students. Allen earned varsity letters in football and baseball during his junior and senior years, as well as in basketball his junior year. He will attend the university of South Florida in Tampa and plans to study physical therapy.

• Daniel Allen Stewart, Estero High School, Estero – Daniel is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Gary Stewart. He has a 3.95 grade point average and is the valedictorian of his senior class. Daniel earned varsity letters in basketball and track & field during his junior and senior years. He plans to attend either Eckerd College in St. Petersburg or the university of Florida in Gainesville, and will study dentistry.

• Roberto David Sutton, St. Thomas Aquinas High School, Fort Lauderdale – David is the son of Ricardo and Sandra Sutton. He has a 3.75 grade point average and is ranked in the top four percent in his senior class of 422 students. David earned varsity letters in cross country and track & field during his junior and senior years. While he remains undecided on his choice of college, he plans to study engineering.

• Joshua Zachariah, Episcopal High School, Jacksonville – Joshua is the son of Prince and Sibil Zachariah. He has a 4.0 grade point average and is ranked 12th in his senior class of 92 students. Joshua earned varsity letters in track & field and cross country his junior and senior years, while also lettering in soccer his senior year. Joshua will attend Duke university in Durham, NC, and plans to pursue a degree in preumedicine.


Contact:
Robert Hernberger
Assistant Director of Communications, FHSAA
(352) 372-9551 ext. 190
roberth@fhsaa.org