FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 16, 2001


10 valedictorians, twins head up 2001 FHSAA Academic All-State Team

GAINESVILLE – The Florida High School Activities Association has announced the 2001 FHSAA Academic All-State Team, which features 10 valedictorians, 17 three-sport athletes – including one four-sport and one five-sport athlete – and four future Ivy Leaguers. The list of honorees also includes a set of fraternal twins – the first time a brother and sister have been named to the FHSAA Academic All-State Team.

Twenty-four student-athletes – 12 boys and 12 girls – were chosen from the more than 200 qualified nominees from the Association’s 562 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 his or her junior and senior years.

Each honoree will receive a $500 award, as well as a commemorative medallion, from the FHSAA for being selected to the team. From among the 24 recipients, two Scholar-Athletes of the Year, one boy and one girl, will be announced at the Seventh Annual FHSAA Academic All-State Awards Banquet to be held Friday, June 15 in Tampa. The Scholar-Athletes of the Year, the most prestigious honors conferred on a student-athlete by the Association, will receive an additional $2,500 each in scholarship funds, as well as a trophy.

Girls

• Bonnie Margaret Belin, Port St. Joe High School, Port St. Joe – Bonnie is the daughter of Jim and Cindy Belin. She has a 4.0 grade point average and is the valedictorian in a senior class of 108 students. Bonnie earned varsity letters in volleyball, basketball and softball her junior and senior years. She plans to attend Troy State University in Troy, Alabama, where she will play softball and study pre-medicine.

• Nicole S. Belkin, Centennial High School, Port St. Lucie – Nicole is the daughter of Ronald and Susan Belkin. She has a 4.0 grade point average and is the valedictorian in a senior class of 254 students. Nicole earned varsity letters in golf, soccer and softball her junior and senior years. She plans to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville and will study pre-medicine and microbiology.

• Amy Elizabeth Carlsen, Boone High School, Orlando – Amy is the daughter of Tom and Chris Carlsen. She has a 3.74 grade point average and is ranked 26th in a senior class of 574 students. Amy earned varsity letters in volleyball and track & field her junior and senior years. While her choice of college is currently undecided, she plans on studying architecture.

• Jessica Marie Czervionke, The Bolles School, Jacksonville – Jessica is the daughter of Leo and Jeanne Czervionke. She has a 3.62 grade point average and ranks in the top decile in a senior class of 190 students. Jessica earned varsity letters in cross country and track & field in her junior and senior years, as well as soccer her junior year. She will attend Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., and plans to study biology and psychology.

• Erin Colleen Doud, Titusville High School, Titusville – Erin is the daughter of Charles and Mary Beth Doud. She has a 4.0 grade point average and is the salutatorian in a senior class of 386 students. Erin earned varsity letters in cross country and soccer her junior and senior years, as well as swimming & diving and track & field her senior year. She plans to attend Troy State University in Troy, Alabama, and will pre-medicine and biological engineering.

• Aimee Ninette Jones, Hallandale High School, Hallandale – Aimee is the daughter of Harold and Lydia Jones. She has a 4.0 grade point average and is the valedictorian in a senior class of 301 students. Aimee earned varsity letters in cross country, soccer and track & field her junior and senior years. She plans to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville and will study veterinary medicine.

• Colleen Marie McCaffrey, Cardinal Newman High School, West Palm Beach – Colleen is the daughter of Thomas and Kerry McCaffrey. She has a 3.92 grade point average and is the valedictorian in a senior class of 230 students. Colleen earned varsity letters in cross country, soccer and track & field her junior and senior years. While she will attend Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire, her course of study remains undecided.

• Amber Lynn Prange, Lely High School, Naples – Amber is the daughter of Brian & Sheryl Bell and Jim & Mellisa Prange. She has a 3.875 grade point average and is ranked fifth in a senior class of 331 students. Amber earned varsity letters in volleyball, basketball and softball her junior and senior years. While she will attend Rollins College in Winter Park, her course of study remains undecided.

• Kylie Elizabeth Quave, Hernando High School, Brooksville – Kylie is the daughter of Sybil Quave. She has a 4.0 grade point average and is the valedictorian in a senior class of 259 students. Kylie earned varsity letters in soccer her junior and senior years, as well as cross country and track & field her junior year and swimming & diving her senior year. She will attend Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, and plans to study art history.

• Jennifer Ross Smith, Jay High School, Jay – Jenny is the daughter of Greg and Sherry Smith. She has a 3.78 grade point average and ranks fifth in a senior class of 51 students. Jenny earned varsity letters in cross country, basketball and track & field her junior and senior years. She plans to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville and will study elementary education.

• Rebecca Lynn Tapp, St. Petersburg Catholic, St. Petersburg – Rebecca is the daughter of William and Carrie Tapp. She has a 4.0 grade point average and is the valedictorian in a senior class of 145 students. Rebecca earned varsity letters in volleyball, basketball and track & field her junior and senior years. She will attend the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana, and plans to study engineering.

• Claudia Jane Walden, St. John Lutheran, Ocala – C.J. is the daughter of William and Meta Reese. She has a 3.76 grade point average and ranks fifth in a senior class of 58 students. C.J. earned varsity letters in volleyball, basketball and softball her junior and senior years. She will attend the University of Florida in Gainesville and plans to study pre-medicine.


Boys

• Michael John Burns, Leesburg High School, Leesburg – Mike is the son of Frank and Diane Burns. He has a 4.0 grade point average and is the valedictorian in a senior class of 288 students. Mike earned varsity letters in cross country and soccer his junior and senior years, as well as track & field his junior year and tennis his senior year. He will attend the University of Florida in Gainesville and will study engineering.

• Jeremy Shawn Buxton, Osceola High School, Kissimmee – Jeremy is the son of Victor and Dani Buxton. He has a 3.95 grade point average and is ranked sixth in a senior class of 376 students. Jeremy earned varsity letters in football and weightlifting his junior and senior years. He will attend the United States Merchant Marine Academy in King's Point, New York, and will study logistics and intermodal transportation.

• Eric Michael Czervionke, The Bolles School, Jacksonville – Eric is the son of Leo and Jeanne Czervionke. He has a 3.98 grade point average and ranks in the top decile in a senior class of 192 students. Eric earned varsity letters in cross country and track & field his junior and senior years, as well as soccer his junior year. He will attend Princeton University in Princeton, New Jersey, and plans to study physics and computer science.

• Billy Grams, Father Lopez High School, Daytona Beach – Billy is the son of Bill and Anne Grams. He has a 3.98 grade point average and is the valedictorian in a senior class of 70 students. Billy earned varsity letters in swimming & diving and basketball his junior and senior years, as well as track & field his junior year. While he plans to attend Furman University Greenville, South Carolina, his course of study remains undecided.

• John James Hoffman, St. Johns Country Day School, Orange Park – John is the son of Dr. and Mrs. James Hoffman. He has a 3.972 grade point average and is the valedictorian in a senior class of 59 students. John earned varsity letters in cross country and track & field his junior and senior years. He plans to attend the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Georgia, and will study engineering.

• Michael Emanuel Joanos, Leon High School, Tallahassee – Michael is the son of Emanuel and Laura Joanos. He has a 3.98 grade point average and ranks 12th in a senior class of 425 students. Michael earned varsity letters in cross country and track & field his junior and senior years. He plans to attend the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and will study aeronautical engineering.

• Matthew John Lesniak, Spanish River High School, Boca Raton – Matt is the son of Dr. James and Rhonda Lesniak. He has a 3.96 grade point average and ranks ninth in a senior class of 615 students. Matthew earned varsity letters in football and track & field his junior and senior years, as well as wrestling his junior year. He will attend Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, and plans to study political science.

• Peter Bradley Manzoli, Crystal River High School, Crystal River – Peter is the son of Michael and Lynn Manzoli. He has a 3.61 grade point average and is ranked 23rd in a senior class of 250 students. Peter earned varsity letters in swimming & diving, soccer and track & field his junior and senior years, as well as cross country and tennis his senior year. He plans to attend the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, and will study engineering.

• Philip Nodhturft III, Jesuit High School, Tampa – Phil is the son of Philip and Virginia Nodhturft. He has a 3.95 grade point average and ranks in the top five percent in a senior class of 143 students. Phil earned varsity letters in basketball and track & field his junior and senior years. He plans to attend Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire, and will study classics.

• George Frederick Pfaffendorf II, Lemon Bay High School, Englewood – Rick is the son of Rick and Gayle Pfaffendorf. He has a 3.86 grade point average and ranks ninth in a senior class of 283 students. Rick earned varsity letters in soccer and baseball his junior and senior years, as well as golf his junior year and football his senior year. He will attend the University of Florida in Gainesville and plans to study business.

• Robert James Ross, Rockledge High School, Rockledge – Bob is the son of James and Pamela Ross. He has a 4.0 grade point average and is the valedictorian in a senior class of 314 students. Bob earned a varsity letter in swimming & diving his junior and senior years, as well as cross country his junior year and track & field his senior year. He will attend Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, and plans to study bioinformatics.

• Daniel Nathan Sturman, Miami Country Day School, Miami – Daniel is the son of Max and Sharon Sturman. He has a 3.75 grade point average and ranks fourth in a senior class of 74 students. Daniel earned varsity letters in football, basketball and baseball his junior and senior years. He plans to attend Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, and will study engineering or pre-medicine.


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