FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 28, 2008


Eight valedictorians, 11 three-sport athletes top 2008 FHSAA Academic All-State Team

GAINESVILLE – The Florida High School Athletic Association is pleased to announce the 2008 FHSAA Academic All-State Team, which features eight valedictorians and 11 three-sport athletes, including one four-sport athlete.

This year, 24 student-athletes are being honored from the more than 70 qualified nominees from the Association’s 650 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 at least 3.5 on a 4.0 scale, and must have earned a varsity letter in at least two different sports during each of his or her junior and senior years.

Each honoree will receive a $1,000 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 14th Annual FHSAA Academic All-State Awards Banquet to be held Thursday, June 12 at the One Ocean Resort in Atlantic Beach. The Scholar-Athletes of the Year, the most prestigious honors conferred on an active student-athlete by the Association, will receive an additional $3,000 each, as well as a trophy.

The members of the 14th Annual FHSAA Academic All-State Team are:

Girls

• Brett Benzio, Jensen Beach – Brett is the daughter of Ed and Barb Benzio. She has a 3.95 grade point average and is ranked 24th in a senior class of 321 students. Brett earned varsity letters in basketball and volleyball all four years of high school. She plans to attend Tulane University in New Orleans, LA, and is undecided on her choice of major.

• Alison Burnham, East Lake (Tarpon Springs) – Alison is the daughter of Ken and Nancy Burnham. She has a 4.0 grade point average and is ranked fifth in a senior class of 539 students. Alison earned a varsity letter in soccer all four years of high school, and also earned three letters each in flag football and golf. She plans to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville and study engineering.

• Kylee Clyatt, Rutherford (Springfield) – Kylee is the daughter of Rhonda Clyatt. She has a 4.0 grade point average and ranks first in a senior class of 320 students. Kylee earned a varsity letter in soccer all four years of high school, as well as three letters in volleyball. She plans to attend Princeton University in Princeton, NJ, and study molecular biology.

• Elina Goldenberg, St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale) – Elina is the daughter of Michael and Irina Goldenberg. She has a 3.82 grade point average and ranks in the top five percent of a senior class of 535 students. Elina earned varsity letters in swimming and water polo all four years of high school. She plans to attend the University of Maryland in College Park, MD, where she will study pre-law and business.

• Alison James, Lake Mary – Alison is the daughter of Mike and Dale James. She has a 4.0 grade point average and ranks second in a senior class of 617 students. Alison earned three varsity letters each in track & field and weightlifting. She plans to attend Yale University in New Haven, CT, and study music and mathematics.

• Kelsey McGregor, St. John Neumann (Naples) – Kelsey is the daughter of James and Mari-Lynn McGregor. She has a 3.50 grade point average and ranks 13th in a senior class of 54 students. Kelsey earned varsity letters in basketball, golf and track & field all four years of high school, as well as tennis in her senior year. She plans to attend the University of South Florida in Tampa and study education.

• Brittany Rainbow, Melbourne Central Catholic – Brittany is the daughter of Gordon and Donna Rainbow. She has a 3.96 grade point average and ranks eighth in a senior class of 128 students. Brittany earned varsity letters in cross country, soccer and track & field all four years of high school. She plans to attend the Florida Institute of Technology in Melbourne and study general sciences.

• Korie Schaeffler, Rocky Bayou (Niceville) – Korie is the daughter of Scott and Sue Schaeffler. She has a 3.95 grade point average and ranks first in a senior class of 50 students. Korie earned varsity letters in cross country and soccer all four years of high school, as well as track & field her junior and senior years. She plans to attend Samford University in Birmingham, AL, and study pre-physical therapy.

• Stephanie Socias, Holy Names (Tampa) – Stephanie is the daughter of Alex and Luly Socias. She has a 3.99 grade point average and ranks second in a senior class of 87 students. Stephanie earned two varsity letters each in basketball, cross country and track & field. She plans to attend the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, IN, and study pre-medicine.

• Katherine Tucker, Bishop Kenny (Jacksonville) – Katherine is the daughter of John and Julie Tucker. She has a 4.0 grade point average and ranks third in a senior class of 292 students. Katherine earned varsity letters in basketball and track & field all four years of high school, as well as two letters in volleyball. She is undecided on her choice of college and plans to study chemistry.

• Jamie Van Den Berg, Lake Worth Christian (Boynton Beach) – Jamie is the daughter of David and Amy Van Den Berg. She has a 3.95 grade point average and ranks second in a senior class of 47 students. Jamie earned varsity letters in basketball and volleyball all four years of high school. She plans to attend the University of Miami and study pre-medicine.

• Victoria Wood, Suwannee (Live Oak) – Victoria is the daughter of Jon and Kathy Wood. She has a 4.0 grade point average and ranks first in a senior class of 258. Victoria earned varsity letters in soccer and swimming all four years of high school, as well as two letters in tennis. She plans to attend Florida State University in Tallahassee and study finance.

Boys

• Michael Battista, Melbourne Central Catholic – Michael is the son of Gerry and Amina Battista. He has a 4.0 grade point average and ranks first in a senior class of 128 students. Michael earned varsity letters in soccer and tennis his junior and senior years. He plans to attend the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, MA, and study physics or electrical engineering.

• Solomon Braun, Posnack Jewish (Plantation) – Solomon is the son of Joshua and Robin Braun. He has a 4.0 grade point average and ranks first in a senior class of 42 students. Solomon earned varsity letters in cross country and soccer all four years of high school, and also earned two letters in baseball and one in basketball. He plans to attend either Harvard University or Princeton University, and is undecided on his choice of major.

• Zachary Drum, All Saints' (Winter Haven) – Zachary is the son of Jerry and Eva Drum. He has a 3.97 grade point average and ranks fifth in a senior class of 65 students. Zachary earned varsity letters in soccer and swimming all four years of high school. He plans to attend the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD, and study political science and economics.

• Luke Grant, North Florida Christian (Tallahassee) – Luke is the son of Scott and Hope Grant. He has a 4.0 grade point average and ranks first in a senior class of 79 students. Luke earned a varsity letter in track & field all four years of high school and three letters in football. He plans to attend the United States Military Academy at West Point in West Point, NY, and study engineering.

• Thomas Heekin, Bishop Kenny (Jacksonville) – Thomas is the son of Robert and Mary Lynn Heekin. He has a 3.98 grade point average and ranks sixth in a senior class of 292 students. Thomas earned a varsity letter in track & field all four years of high school, as well as three in cross country and two in wrestling. He plans to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville and study construction.

• Joseph Masterman, Palmer Trinity (Miami) – Joseph is the son of Vicki O'Meara. He has a 3.99 grade point average and ranks first in a senior class of 87 students. Joseph earned a varsity letter in football all four years of high school, as well as three letters in lacrosse. He plans to attend Yale University in New Haven, CT, and study writing and political science.

• Kenneth Palmer, Fort Myers – Kenneth is the son of Carl and Gail Palmer. He has a 4.0 grade point average. Kenneth earned three varsity letters in soccer and tennis. His college options include the University of Florida in Gainesville, the University of South Florida in Tampa, and Florida Gulf Coast University in Fort Myers, and he plans to study civil engineering.

• Cameron Porter, Osceola (Seminole) – Cameron is the son of Patreese Reynolds. He has a 3.96 grade point average and ranks fifth in a senior class of 362 students. Cameron earned a varsity letter in track & field all four years of high school, as well as three letters in wrestling and one in football. He plans to attend the University of South Florida in Tampa and study pre-medicine.

• Kory Pugh, Pine Castle Christian (Orlando) – Kory is the son of Terry and Monica Pugh. He has a 3.95 grade point average and ranks third in a class of 51 students. Kory earned a varsity letter in basketball all four years of high school, as well as three letters in football and two in track & field. He plans to attend the University of Central Florida in Orlando and study sports medicine.

• Brian Riemer, Miami Country Day – Brian is the son of Steve and Laurie Riemer. He has a 4.0 grade point average. Brian earned a varsity letter in lacrosse all four years of high school, as well as three letters each in basketball and football. He is undecided on his choice of college and plans to study international business.

• Okeefe Simmons, Tampa Bay Tech – Okeefe is the son of Lauchland and Beverly Simmons. He has a 3.9 grade point average and ranks second in a senior class of 149 students. Okeefe earned varsity letters in cross country, soccer and track & field all four years of high school, as well as one letter in tennis. He will attend the University of Florida in Gainesville and study athletic training and pre-medicine.

• Thomas Weaver, St. Johns Country Day (Orange Park) – Thomas is the son of Tom and Amy Weaver. He has a 4.0 grade point average and ranks first in a senior class of 48 students. Thomas earned varsity letters in soccer and track & field all four years of high school, as well as two letters in football and one in swimming. He plans to attend the University of Miami in Coral Gables, FL, and study history, Spanish, and pre-law.

About the FHSAA
The Florida High School Athletic Association is the governing body for interscholastic athletic competition in Florida. It has a membership of more than 750 middle, junior and senior high schools.

Contact:
Laurel Ring
Director of Special Programs, FHSAA
(352) 372-9551 ext. 170
lring@fhsaa.org