Tower Winter 2022-23

FEATURE ARTICLES 

Diversity Fest pg. 20 

Middle School Enrichments pg. 28 

Community Service pgs. 10 and 50 

WINTER 2022

HEAD OF SCHOOL 

Mr. Jon Hopman 

2022-23 BOARD OF TRUSTEES 

Mr. Tim J. Bach 

Mr. Sean Parks 

Mr. Jon Frere 

Mr. T. Scott Ohmstede 

Mrs. S. Renee Lundy ’79 Mrs. Lori Specht ’84 

Mr. Michael Mason ’84 Mrs. Sandra O. Stephens 

Dr. Sydney McPhee Dr. Walter L. Stephens, 

Mr. Gregory L. Nelson Trustee Emeritus, 1999-2020 

STAFF 

Michele Kanikovsky 

Ginny Holm 

Nichole Smith 

Kimberly Braden 

Creative Director 

Creative Editor 

Editor 

Photographer 

Contributors include faculty, staff, students, and 

parents of Montverde Academy. 

ADDRESS CHANGES AND 

CORRESPONDENCE 

Montverde Academy 

The Tower Magazine 

17235 Seventh Street 

Montverde, FL 34756 

PRINTER 

Cromer International Press 

Above: The cast of “December Songs” 

On the cover: Performer at Diversity Fest 

The Tower Magazine is published exclusively for the alumni, parents, students, friends, 

faculty, and staff of Montverde Academy. It is intended to bring the latest news and 

information about the Academy’s growth and ongoing events. 

Every attempt has been made to present the information and listings in The Tower 

magazine as accurately as possible. We apologize if there are any discrepancies and 

would ask that you forward any amendments to our office. It is our policy to correct 

significant errors of fact in a timely fashion. 

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2 THE TOWER | WINTER 2022

WINTER 2022 | VOLUME 7, ISSUE 1 

Winterfest 2022 

IN THIS ISSUE 

10 Culture of Giving 

20 

28 

50 

Diversity Fest 

Middle School Enrichments 

Upper School Makes an Impact 

CONTENTS 

Will Moss, Cobi Wu, Jayden CHan, Regina Torres, Osmond Chan 

Parents’ Perspective........................................... 6 

Message from the Head of School...................... 4 

Costume Parade................................................. 8 

Employee Spotlight........................................... 14 

Student Spotlights............................................. 16 

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.......................... 26 

Sports Wrap-Up................................................. 34 

College Signing Day.......................................... 38 

Coach Boyle Wins 800...................................... 40 

Eighth Grade Visits D.C..................................... 41 

Pahris Cotterell, Jayvian Greene, Arima Turner, Miguel Gomez 

Fine Arts: Behind the Scenes............................ 42 

Making Art......................................................... 46 

Alumni Relations............................................... 52 

Alumni Miami Reunion...................................... 54 

Notable Alumni.................................................. 56 

Where Are They Now?...................................... 62 

Class Notes....................................................... 64 

Golf Tournament................................................ 66 

Felipe Kimura, Barbara De Jesus, Isabela Ferreira 

THE TOWER | WINTER 2022 3

MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL 

HOW DO WE 

NURTURE 

CHARACTER? 

By Mr. Jon Hopman, Head of School 

I am often asked about what we can do as parents and 

educators to prepare our children for success in the 

future. How do we define success? There are as many 

educational philosophies and definitions of success 

as there are teachers or parents. I am not necessarily 

speaking about the use of technology or the debate over 

content and skills; in this case, I’m thinking more about 

character. What do parents and educators do to nurture, 

or in some cases diminish, character traits that will benefit 

our children in the long run? 

As a child, I grew up fishing with my father on the Indian 

Ocean. My father was a tough kind of guy who ran away 

from home and joined the military, put himself through 

college after starting a family, and did things the hard way 

because “that builds character.” As his son, I was given 

the “privilege” of scrubbing decks, carrying fuel drums, 

cutting bait, organizing tackle, and rigging gear for our 

fishing excursions. At the time, I simply accepted the rank 

of youngest child and “crew.” 

I am currently the parent of two adult children, and I can 

now appreciate that my father was not the relentless 

taskmaster thriving on child labor I once thought he was, 

but rather a well-intended father. I came to this realization 

with my own children through fishing excursions and life 

in general. 

We were blessed to live on the coast when my children 

were younger. We moved into a community that had a 

beautiful creek with deep water access only steps away 

from our house. On one particular morning, Hunter and 

I were set up to fish the perfect low tide at sunrise. I sat 

in my chair and enjoyed the crisp morning air; a fresh 

cup of coffee warmed my hands as I listened to the birds 

chirping. It was awesome father-son time! 

Not long into our morning of awesomeness, just when 

I thought things could not get any better, my daughter 

Haylee came walking down the dock. True to form, she 

simply walked up and snuggled right into my lap. At that 

point in time, my attention was easily diverted from diehard 

fishing to snuggles. 

Haylee generally grabs my fishing pole whenever she 

decides to meet us at the dock. That morning, as we sat 

there talking and soaking in the natural splendor, we were 

joined by some neighbors who regularly walked their 

dogs and watched the sunrise. 

It was not long before Haylee became alert. She sat up 

quickly and gave me the “shush!” Her rod tip twitched, 

and she patiently waited to set the hook. She reared back 

at just the right moment, not too hard but with just enough 

force to set the hook….FISH ON! It was obviously a good 

size fish as I saw the line come tight, the rod doubled 

over, and I could hear the sweet sound of drag screaming 

from the reel. Haylee knew what to do and let the fish 

run, keeping steady pressure and knowing not to reel 

against the drag. The fish started going toward the oyster 

bar, and Haylee, in a counter move, changed her position 

and angled the rod away, causing the fish to turn. As the 

fish tired, Haylee began to pull back on the rod gently 

and retrieved the line in a downward motion, eventually 

bringing the large redfish parallel to the dock where I was 

able to take hold and lift it out of the water. 

One of our neighbors yelled down, “Now that’s how 

it’s done! That girl knows what she is doing! What a 

fisherwoman.” I’m pretty sure my relentlessly competitive 

son, Hunter, grumbled under his breath, “Whatever,” and 

to be honest, I was thinking to myself, “That was my fish!” 

In all seriousness, I was proud and took the opportunity to 

give Haylee a high-five and say, “That’s my girl.” She did 

everything perfectly. 

Not long after that glorious morning, I was reflecting on 

the comments made by my neighbor. I was proud at first 


ut then began to realize what Haylee had done was only 

a fraction of being a fisherwoman. There is no doubt that 

she is a closer! She knows what to do from hook set to 

landing, but could I send her out there on her own and 

expect the same success? 

If you recall, I mentioned that Hunter and I were “all set 

up” before Haylee arrived. That seems like a simple 

statement, but what did that mean? 

In reality, a great deal of work went into our fishing trip 

before we ever threw our first line in the water. My sense 

of being a proud dad started to diminish as I realized my 

daughter had only a fraction of the discipline, knowledge, 

and skill needed to be a good fisherwoman. Even more 

depressing was the realization that I had allowed her to 

skip or neglect everything of value, the foundation of what 

ultimately brought success in the form of a captured fish 

that morning. 

Self-discipline and work ethic, united with foundational 

knowledge, leads to success. As parents, we cannot 

remove the building blocks, steps, and even the hurdles 

and still expect our children to reach the summit someday 

on their own. Is it not our primary responsibility as parents 

to teach our children how to function successfully on 

their own? 

Culturally, it is becoming increasingly common for parents 

to remove adversity to make life easier for our children. 

After all, that makes us better parents, doesn’t it? No, in 

fact, it doesn’t make us better parents. As with anything, 

we must find the balance. Critical parts of character are 

built on overcoming adversity, and true success comes 

after hard work. 

I did not encourage enough self-discipline for her to 

get out of bed early and join her brother and me as we 

prepared. I did not bring her along and teach her how to 

throw the cast net so we would have bait. It’s a dirty, wet, 

heavy job that no one wants to do, but it is essential. I 

did not teach her to carry her own weight and help us lug 

fishing gear, drinks, chairs, and of course, the bait bucket 

the hundred yards to our fishing spot. 

I never took the time to encourage Haylee to learn how 

to tie fishing knots. We tied three different intricate knots 

from line to weight, weight to leader, and leader to hook. 

Maybe I didn’t trust she could tie them well enough. You 

see, each knot is critical, and an imperfect knot is a sure 

recipe for failure and heartbreak. 

Of course, you can forget about grabbing that live mullet 

or shrimp out of the bait bucket and actually baiting 

her own hook. I also realized that I never even showed 

Haylee how to cast the line herself. 

To my shock and embarrassment, I handicapped 

my daughter because I sheltered her from the less 

glamorous, dirty, hard parts of fishing. I made it easy 

for her. To a bystander who walked up at the climax of 

fishing, Haylee looked like a professional. In reality, she 

could have never accomplished that feat on her own 

because I had failed her as a father and teacher. 

I made it easy for her by removing the work part of 

fishing, the foundation by which you actually catch 

fish successfully. 

Hunter and Haylee Hopman 

Parents and schools must encourage students to fight 

through difficult times, take on challenges, build the 

foundation, do the dirty work, stand up for themselves, 

and take ownership and responsibility for themselves and 

their actions. Our job as parents and educators is to help 

adolescents build the social and educational foundation 

needed to stand on their own two feet. Without this 

foundation, everything else is simply a show at the end. 

Holding true to my father’s legacy, I can assure you that 

Haylee can now throw a cast net better than I can. She 

can tie fishing knots with the best of them, and grabbing a 

bait fish out of the live well is second nature to her. 

Now, if I could only get her to clean the fish that she 

catches… 


By Mrs. Nichole Smith, Communications Coordinator 

Carlos and Belynda Pinto have been a part of the Montverde Academy community 

since their daughter, Tatiana, started kindergarten 12 years ago. Their original plan 

was for Tatiana to start at MVA in the Middle School, but their friends, whose children 

already attended MVA, had so many wonderful things to say about the school that they 

knew they shouldn’t wait. After starting kindergarten at MVA, Tatiana said to her mom, 

“Why did we wait so long?” 

The Pinto Family 


One of the things that Mrs. Pinto loves about the Lower 

School is the vast number of extracurricular activities that 

are available to students after school. When Tatiana was 

in the Lower School, she was involved with soccer, choir, 

violin, softball, and K-Kids. “We exposed her to all kinds of 

things in order to figure out what would be the right fit for 

her,” said Mrs. Pinto. 

Before enrolling Tatiana in the Lower School, Mrs. Pinto 

knew that the school was strong academically, but what 

surprised her was Ms. Shackelford herself, the Dean 

of the Lower School. Every week, Ms. Shackelford 

addressed the students at assembly. “Ms. Shackelford 

could truly be a professional motivational speaker,” said 

Mrs. Pinto. “For kids to get the opportunity to hear an 

adult who is so accomplished and who is so poised was 

truly amazing.” Mrs. Pinto used to work for Scholastic 

and McGraw Hill and has been to every elementary 

school from Tampa to Key West. “I know what makes a 

great school,” she said. “Montverde Academy had the 

academics and the discipline, but having that motivational 

piece, for me, was exceptional.” 

When Tatiana transitioned from the Lower School to the 

Middle School, there was no question in her parents’ 

minds that she was prepared. “I’ve always heard that the 

transition from elementary to middle school is difficult, 

but it wasn’t difficult for Tatiana. She was ready for the 

Middle School because of the foundation she had in the 

Lower School.” At the Middle School, Tatiana discovered 

volleyball and played through tenth grade. She also 

continued to learn violin and eventually joined the 

Advanced Orchestra. 

This year, Tatiana and her friend Brianna Monahan started 

a club at MVA to support a local nonprofit organization, 

Eight Waves. This organization serves underserved 

communities with a focus on children and families. In 

addition to supporting the overall organization with 

the club, the two of them are also co-directors of the 

Blessings to Go hygiene program connected to Eight 

Waves. To date, this project has delivered over 50,000 

dollars’ worth of hygiene projects to local children in Lake 

and Orange County. 

Tatiana is now a junior in the Upper School. “I have been 

unbelievably impressed with the leadership at the Upper 

School,” said Mrs. Pinto. “The quality of teachers that 

she is getting is at such a high level. They care, and they 

challenge her. The leadership has done a really nice job 

bringing in a group of committed teachers, and really, 

at the end of the day, that’s what it’s about.” She also 

commented on how students in the Upper School are 

prepared to be global thinkers and are taught how to think 

critically and analyze information. 

“I want my daughter to be comfortable navigating the 

world,” she said, “so the ability for her to go to school 

with students from all of these countries at the Academy 

was really important to me.” One of the things Mrs. Pinto 

loves the most at Montverde Academy is the annual 

Diversity Fest. She feels that Diversity Fest brings the 

MVA community together, with so much participation 

from the parents and the representation from around the 

world. “What students get exposed to at Diversity Fest is 

like a mini trip around the world. I love the flags; how it 

represents the school’s values; and how students can see 

African drummers and Brazilian, Chinese, and Colombian 

dancers, as well as food and music from around the world. 

It is just unbelievable,” she said. “They’re seeing music, 

they’re seeing art, and they’re participating. It’s interactive. 

They’re seeing each other in a different light. The students 

are enthusiastic and so involved that they crowd around 

the stage. The parents are happy and committed to be a 

part of this experience that the school has provided.” 

Tatiana is grateful for the academic opportunities that she 

has found in the Upper School. “I like how MVA has many 

AP opportunities in the Upper School. They help students 

become more prepared for college,” Tatiana said. She 

loves that she can take advantage of the Upper School’s 

31 AP course offerings. 

What Tatiana’s father enjoys most at Montverde Academy 

is watching his daughter perform with the orchestra. He 

also loves the soccer games, and he loved watching 

her when she played volleyball in previous years. They 

enjoy watching all of the talented students, from the plays 

to the concerts to the choir. They feel that it’s possible 

to come to Montverde Academy every single week and 

find something to do that is of high quality. Like Mrs. 

Pinto, Mr. Pinto had no question that this was the school 

for their daughter. Mr. Pinto said, “Academics is one 

part of a complete life. The other things, in addition to 

the academics, are what I think makes a well-rounded 

individual, and these are the things that I was looking for 

in a school. I’m so happy that Tatiana has been able to 

experience all of this. She has been able to try so 

many things.” 

The Pintos are honored to be a part of the MVA 

community and are grateful for the opportunity for Tatiana 

to go to MVA and be exposed to big ideas and the vision 

of what education can be. They love how MVA meets 

the needs of the whole person and are thankful for the 

teachers and the commitment of all the staff. “It’s the 

teachers, but it’s also everyone else that contributes like 

Mrs. Margaret Price; it’s people like Ms. Kalena Meyers,” 

said Mrs. Pinto. “It’s all the people that are so committed 

to making sure they help these kids have the best tools 

that they need to go out into the world and to conquer it.” 


Costume Parade 


The annual Costume Parade has been a Montverde 

Academy family favorite for the past 20 years. At the 

beginning of the school day on Monday, October 31, 

Lower School students, teachers, and administrators 

proudly circled the courtyard, adorned in their delightful 

costumes, as they waved at the crowd of parents, 

students from the Middle and Upper School, faculty, 

and staff. 

As usual, teachers in the Lower School joined in on the 

costume fun. This year, teachers dressed as Minions, 

dalmatians, pirates, and Pac-Man. The administration’s 

food truck costumes definitely turned some heads as Mrs. 

Beucher was dressed as a Mr. Taco Food Truck while 

Ms. Shackelford, Mr. Robinson, and Mrs. Varnado were 

dressed as the delectable taco trio! 

The creative interests of the children were on full display 

as they portrayed princesses, Harry Potter characters, 

inflatable aliens and animals, superheroes, wizards, 

fairies, Power Rangers, video game characters, and more. 

Laughter and smiles were the themes of the day, and MVA 

parents are already looking forward to next year’s parade. 

1 2 3 

4 

5 


6 7 8 9 

10 

11 12 

13 

14 

15 

16 

17 

1. Lena Monk 

2. Anaisha McDowell, Olivia Coughenour 

3. Ms. Meristell Shackelford, Mr. Yordin 

Robinson, Mrs. Allison Varnado, 

Mrs.Jayne Beucher 

4. Pre-K4 students and teachers 

5. Nana Yaw Frempong, Micah Llamas, 

Caelyn Clarke 

6. Leo Jackson 

7. Isabella Oliver, Piper Rose 

8. Kayson Phiri, Mrs. Audrey Maisonave 

9. Thierno Diallo, Sam Hajjar 

10. Leo Ulman, Rishi Rudraraju 

11. Madeline Stalma, Peyton Bruner 

12. Conner Bostocky, Edosa Yisa-Salami 

13. Ava Taylor, Jaxon Tubbs, Ketan Voit, 

Tess Zegan 

14. Cristiano Martinez 

15. Jason Montemayor, Christian Huynh 

16. Alon Scelfo, Lucia Provenzano, Ana 

Sofia De Acevedo, Alyssa Gil 

17. Liliana Parker, Alafair Scelfo 


Culture of Giving 


Sophia ʼ37 and Gabby ʼ33 Siegler 


Montverde Academy strives to instill in students a desire to help those in need and 

give back to the community. This effort begins when the students are young. Ms. 

Shackelford, Dean of the Lower School, said, “Empathy is something you have to 

teach.” This is why the Lower School provides several opportunities throughout the 

schoolyear for students to participate in various community service projects: 

Change Challenge 

The Lower School Change Challenge has been an annual 

fundraiser that benefits the Faith Neighborhood Center, 

located in Groveland, which is primarily a food pantry that 

serves those in need in the community. The Lower School 

places a change bucket in every classroom. Whichever 

classroom brings in the most change is recognized with 

a special treat. This year, the Lower School’s goal was to 

raise $2,000. In the last few years, Faith Neighborhood 

Center has taken the money that Montverde Academy has 

raised for them and made holiday food baskets so families 

in need can have a holiday meal with all the trimmings. 

They also include a gift card to Publix so families can pick 

up a turkey. This year, the Lower School raised $3,119.99, 

and some students even took the initiative to raise extra 

money for the cause. Gabby and Sophia Siegler (second 

grade and Pre-K3) raised $366.21 for the Change 

Challenge. To raise the money, these sisters ran their own 

lemonade stand in their neighborhood and they asked 

their aunts and uncles to make a donation to the Change 

Challenge in lieu of Christmas gifts. 

community in need. We gave supplies to the Clermont 

Rehabilitation Center last year around the holidays to 

allow the clients materials to make crafts and do activities. 

The students put all the supplies into packs for the 

specific activity, so the clients had what they needed. 

We also threw a birthday party at a gymnastics center. 

The students loved participating in the party and seeing 

firsthand the joy of the child who had never had a birthday 

party with pizza, cake, balloons, presents, friends, and 

family! They went to the birthday and celebrated along 

with the child and his family at the venue. It is a great way 

to teach kindness, leadership, and a sense of pride in 

community. I like being a part of that.” 

Daniel-Martin Cantave, Kade Daan Mpia Bosenzo 

receiving Boo Bags 

K-Kids 

K-Kids, the Lower School equivalent of Kiwanis Club for 

adults or Key Club in the Upper School, participates in 

several community service projects throughout the year. 

Ms. Kim Schield, a fourth-grade teacher and K-Kids 

sponsor, said, “We are currently collecting toys for the 

needy in Lake County, along with the Montverde Library, 

the Builder’s Club in the Middle School, and the Key Club 

in the Upper School. We made ‘Boo Bags’ for the dorm 

students for Halloween. Our plans for the spring are to 

work with Eight Waves out of Winter Garden to give a 

birthday celebration for a needy child. We also have plans 

to help with an animal shelter in some way - for example, 

towels, food, blankets, etc. Last year we had a Kiwanis 

activity where all the clubs came together with the other 

Kiwanis Clubs at MVA to socialize and meet others that 

are working for service in the community. We played 

‘minute to win it’ games and shared time together to get 

to know each other and the Kiwanis of Clermont. It was 

enjoyable, and the kids loved the interaction! 

“I love being involved in this type of club in the Lower 

School. It is so rewarding to see how interested the third, 

fourth, and fifth graders are to help those in our own 

One, Two, Buckle My Shoe Drive 

The One, Two, Buckle My Shoe Drive is an annual drive 

where the Lower School collects new shoes donated 

by MVA families and gives them to Lake County Public 

Schools to donate to migrant and homeless children 

in the community. “We like the shoe drive because it’s 

serving the local community with something tangible 

that our kids can relate to,” said Ms. Shackelford. “We 

always encourage parents to include their children in the 

purchase of the shoes so that it’s meaningful and we can 

educate them. I spend a lot of time in assembly programs 

educating on that.” The adults that work in the program 

share stories with the Lower School children so they have 


an understanding of the cause, stories of teachers having 

to put tape on a student’s shoes to hold them together and 

stories of parents cutting out the toes of the shoes for the 

child to be able to wear them longer. This year, the Lower 

School partnered with the Middle School Builders Club to 

lead this effort. 

February MVA Community Members 

For the past couple of years in February, the Pre-K3 

through first-grade teachers have each adopted a different 

department or a group here on campus. To celebrate 

the fact that we are a community, the students will adopt 

the technology office staff, custodial staff, maintenance 

staff, or different people who work hard to keep things 

going and do a great deal of behind-the-scenes work. 

Each class will surprise their respective groups with a gift 

basket, to which they have contributed a candy bar or 

some other type of snack. 

Blankets of Love 

It’s become a tradition for students in second through 

fifth grade to make fleece tie blankets. Parents donate 

the fleece, and students sit around together and help 

each other make their blankets. The blankets are then 

donated to an organization called Love Extension that 

serves the elderly of Lake County. Whether it’s somebody 

going through chemo, somebody who is financially having 

a difficult time heating their home, or somebody going 

through a rough time, Love Extension will offer them a 

fleece tie blanket made by MVA students to help put a 

smile on their face. 

April Food Drive 

Every April, the Lower School does a food drive for the 

Faith Neighborhood Center. We do this every year in the 

spring because the fall is typically a popular collection 

time for food and spring is not. Collecting these food 

items in the spring helps to offset that difference. We have 

hundreds of pounds of food donated every year. 

Book Fair 

Every year, the Lower School does a special shirt day in 

celebration of the theme of the book fair, along with a twodollar 

donation or more. The book fair is called the UCF 

Reading Camp, which is run primarily by UCF students 

who are pursuing their master’s degree in reading or 

literacy. These volunteers give their time on Saturdays to 

help kids who do not have access to books, and they use 

the money that MVA has raised to buy books and snacks 

for the reading camp. 

We are thankful 

Lower School students enjoyed the Thanksgiving 

feast with their families. The Pre-K3 through firstgrade 

turkey hats stole the show! 


AROUND CAMPUS 

and the 

COMMUNITY 

Lower School 

Celebrates the 

Holidays 

MVA’s Lower School student actors shared the 

sentiments of the season with performances 

December 1 and 8. On December 1, Mrs. Sinopoli’s 

Kindergarten class sparkled in “Twinkle and Shine,” 

Mrs. Cook’s first-grade class saw dreams come true 

in “A Holiday Moosical,” and Mrs. Crawford’s thirdgrade 

class reminded us it all begins at “Home for 

the Holidays.” 

On December 8, the positive power of holiday cheer 

was shared by Mrs. Tomlinson’s third graders in “One 

Day in December” and Mr. Hand’s fourth grade class 

in “Twas One Crazy Night Before Christmas!” Mrs. 

Meder’s fifth graders put a spin on familiar favorites in 

“Jingle Bell Jukebox.” 

Mr. Ben Gulley and Ms. Callie Day 

DECEMBER 3, 2022 

The annual service of Lessons & Carols was held on 

Saturday, December 3, at the Clermont Performing 

Arts Center. Guest soloists Ben Gulley and Callie Day 

joined a wonderful group of instrumentalists, along with 

the talent of the Montverde Academy Choir to present 

an evening filled with holiday magic and meaningful 

reflection on the season. Through the offering collected 

at the event, we were able to continue to spread the 

blessings of the evening by donating almost $1,200 to 

the Second Harvest Food Bank. 


Mr. Jon Hopman 

Employee Spotlight 


John, Mindy, Haylee, and Hunter Hopman 

As Mr. Jon Hopman stepped foot on Montverde Academy’s campus as the new Head 

of School in July of 2022 and felt the warm Florida sun on his face, he looked across 

the lush, freshly-cut grass that we all admire and breathed in the familiar feelings of 

pride, excitement, and comfort. He was home. Of course, when you return home, you 

discover that some things never change, from the welcoming faces that you remember 

fondly, to the buildings themselves. But some things, for Mr. Hopman, had changed. 

Right away, he took an inventory of the changes since he’d lived in Montverde eight 

years prior. 

The Upper School building, which was being built before 

he left, was now complete, and Lindor Hall now stood 

proudly in an area that was once a swimming pool and 

maintenance building. These new constructions served as 

a reminder to Mr. Hopman of how impressively Montverde 

Academy responded to its exponential growth over the 

years. “The amount of love and attention that has gone 

into our campus to provide what we have is phenomenal,” 

said Mr. Hopman. The team of people has also grown, 

and he finds it exciting to continue building a school 

that has such a rich tradition. “That’s the responsibility 

that’s fallen on my shoulders now, to press forward while 

honoring all that has come before us.” 

Mr. Hopman is no stranger to change or growth. As a 

Diplomat's child, he spent many years of his childhood 

in various countries throughout Africa, from Tanzania to 

Sudan to the Congo, among other countries. When he 

returned to the United States, he and his family lived in 

Northern Virginia. He can particularly relate to MVA’s 

boarding students because when he started high school, 

his parents moved to Sudan while he enrolled in St. 

James School, a boarding school outside of Hagerstown, 

Maryland. Mr. Hopman reflects on his experience at Saint 

James as a pivotal time in his life where he was afforded 

opportunities to mature and develop into a young adult. 

It is interesting to know that St. James School developed 


and molded a great number of educators over the 

years who eventually found their way to MVA. Another 

lifechanging moment for Mr. Hopman took place during 

his first summer home from boarding school. Working as 

a lifeguard, he met a young lady named Mindy, who would 

eventually become his wife. 

Upon graduating from high school, Mr. Hopman went on 

to pursue a bachelor’s degree in business management 

from George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. He 

then went into corporate sales in the Washington, D.C., 

area where he and Mindy would get married. They 

quickly discovered how much they did not like the hustle 

and bustle of the Beltway or the hectic city life, and Mr. 

Hopman found his job to be unfulfilling. As he and Mindy 

were getting ready to have their first child, he started 

looking for a better lifestyle, a better environment in 

which to raise their son, Hunter, and start a family, so 

he reflected on his time at St. James. He recalled how 

the teachers and administrators worked really hard but 

that they did so with their families right by their side. He 

recalled how they sat down and had family-style dinners 

with the students and how the coaches sometimes had 

their kids on the sideline while they were coaching a team. 

He then realized that was the type of environment he 

wanted for his own family. 

He learned through his connections to various people from 

St. James of a position at MVA to start the Development 

and Alumni Relations Office, a position that he would 

assume in July of 2001. He knew that Montverde 

Academy would be a wonderful place to raise a family, 

and he and his wife would welcome their second child, 

Haylee, while living in Montverde. At the end of his 

first year, he was asked to transition into a new role as 

the school’s Business and Finance Director where he 

managed every aspect of daily operations to include 

facilities, HR, finance, and capital projects. It was at 

this time that Mr. Hopman decided to pursue a master’s 

degree in educational leadership at Stetson University in 

DeLand, Florida. After working for eight years behind the 

scenes, he transitioned to the role of Assistant Head of 

School, Dean of Students and Residential Life. Several 

years later, a need arose in the Admissions Office, so 

he became the Assistant Head of School and Director of 

Admissions. Over his initial 13 years at MVA, Mr. Hopman 

also taught Middle School math and Upper School 

accounting and finance classes and he coached golf 

and lacrosse. 

As life would have it, just as you get comfortable, things 

change and an opportunity to be Head of School at Hilton 

Head Prep in South Carolina presented itself. After making 

a very difficult decision to leave MVA, Mr. Hopman and his 

family moved to Hilton Head, South Carolina, where he 

served as Hilton Head Prep’s Head of School for the next 

eight years. “I love it up there,” said Mr. Hopman. “I grew 

to love the people there, and my family truly enjoyed the 

low country lifestyle. It was a good growth experience for 

me personally, and now I realize that my kids know two 

things in their life—they know Montverde, and they know 

Hilton Head. So that was special.” 

He was very happy at Hilton Head Prep and probably 

would not have made a change to any other school 

unless it was Montverde Academy. “To come back here 

is refreshing. There are a lot of people I still know, a lot 

of people who have been here for a while. It was an easy 

transition, straight back into the day-to-day routine here, 

obviously a little bit bigger than when I left. But all things 

considered, still very much the same kind of school with 

regard to our commitment to excellence in all facets of 

what we do,” said Mr. Hopman. 

Both of his children are now in college. He quips that he 

raised two beach bums. His son is 21 years old and is a 

senior at Palm Beach Atlantic where he plays lacrosse. 

He will likely be transitioning from pre-physical therapy 

to a more PA/pre-med route. His daughter is 18 and 

is a freshman at the University of Tampa where she is 

majoring in educational psychology and playing beach 

volleyball. She hopes one day to perform evaluations for 

children who might require special accommodations in 

school. “We are now experiencing the whole empty nest 

situation,” said Mr. Hopman. “It is just as awesome as it is 

sad.” His children know how special Montverde Academy 

is to him and his wife and how good of a place it is. “We 

just hope, as college students, that they come home once 

in a while.” 

What excites Mr. Hopman the most is envisioning where 

he wants to go from here and how to continue to develop 

MVA as a college preparatory school. One thing that 

he has learned over the course of his career is that 

he’s never finished. He fully understands the pressure 

to continually improve in every way, and he routinely 

asks himself the tough questions: “What can we do 

better? What do we need to do to adapt to our changing 

environment and prepare our students for the realities that 

face them? How can I better support our students and 

faculty? That’s really the exciting stuff that gets me going. 

My transition back has been so welcoming from so many 

people that it seems almost seamless and simple. I hope 

to get to know more of the new faces. I also know that I 

have to earn their trust and their understanding of who I 

am and what I do. And I’ll do that with time.” 


STUDENT 

SPOTLIGHTS 

Student Spotlights written by Mrs.Nichole Smith, Communications Coordinator 

BRAYDEN LONG 

Brayden Long has been playing soccer since he was three years 

old and has been attending Montverde Academy since Pre-K3. 

When he was in Lower School, he took advantage of the many 

after-school activities, such as basketball, soccer, lacrosse, 

baseball, swimming, and golf. 

When Brayden entered Middle School, he began focusing more 

on soccer, and in the eighth grade, he joined the Soccer Institute 

at Montverde Academy (SIMA) and became a goalkeeper. “When 

I play soccer, it makes everything else go away. When I’m playing, 

it’s about winning and helping my team.” Brayden helps his team 

by joining Coach Christian Neira in assisting the other players 

with warmups. He also volunteers with his soccer team every 

year at Dreamplex, a nonprofit organization that gives athletic 

opportunities to kids regardless of ability. “I love seeing the kids 

having fun,” said Brayden. 

Coach Neira said, “Brayden is really involved with the SIMA 

program, and whenever possible, he offers his help for the 

warmups for the other SIMA teams. He helps me set up the field 

for the goalkeepers and assists with the drills. He is a selfless 

person, always willing to help, and is an incredible teammate. 

Although he could seem quiet at times, his good behavior 

speaks loudly.” 

Brayden has a heart for serving others, both on and off the soccer 

field. After Hurricane Ian, he helped his dad move mattresses out 

of the dorms and then back into the dorms. He also helped with 

one of the dinners and with some of the cleanup. 

His favorite class is biology because he enjoys learning about 

animals. Whatever he decides to do after he graduates, whether 

it’s becoming a professional soccer player or working with animals, 

his desire to help others will certainly shine through. 


LUCIA PROVENZANO 

Every year, fifth graders in the Lower School compete in Ms. Lori Pollock’s 

art class for their painting to be featured on the cover of the Lower School 

yearbook. This year’s theme was Under the Sea, and the winner was 

Lucia Provenzano. “Lucia is an amazing student with so much talent and 

an incredible work ethic!” said Ms. Pollock. “She always goes above and 

beyond and keeps on working until she gets it exactly the way she wants. 

She works hard and never gives up. She takes her work home and comes 

in every day for recess.” 

The focal point of Lucia’s winning painting is an eagle. Its talons are 

pulling a green fish out of the water. “Drawing the fish was kind of hard 

because I had to measure the talons first to make sure they fit into the 

fish,” she recalls. In the background is a sea of bubbles, and underneath 

the water is the Montverde Academy Bell Tower surrounded by seaweed. 

During the early months of the pandemic, Lucia spent quite a bit of time 

reading about eagles. “I used to study eagles,” said Lucia, “so I knew 

how they caught fish, that they would dive down into the water and catch 

fish with their talons and then come up.” She decided to incorporate her 

interest in eagles into the Under the Sea theme, along with MVA’s Bell 

Tower to tie in the school. 

Lower School Yearbook Cover Winner 

When Lucia found out she won the contest, she was thrilled. “I felt really 

excited because whenever I would come in during recess, all my friends 

would come in and say, ‘Lucia, yours is really good,’ and I would say, 

‘Thank you.’ It was really exciting,” Lucia said. In the second grade, Lucia 

won the Montverde Day poster contest, and then this year, she won Best 

in Show for the Montverde Day poster contest. 

Lucia has learned a great deal about art by watching YouTube videos, 

and Ms. Pollock has truly helped her to grow as an artist. “She’s given 

me tips on how to blend and make things more realistic,” Lucia said. “She 

gave me tips about doing the feathers on the wings for the eagle.I got a 

reference picture of the eagle coming in. I tried to match it, but not exactly. 

The head was kind of a struggle, but I got through it.” What’s impressive 

about Lucia is her incredible work ethic. Ms. Pollock said, “Lucia will 

accomplish great things in her life. She has it all going on! Great attitude, 

impressive work ethic, and talent. I am very happy for her and extremely 

proud of her! Way to go, Lucia!” 

Lucia also gives much credit to her success to Mrs. Bridget Schreiner, 

the Lower School Learning Support Services teacher. “Mrs. Schreiner 

is so nice to me,” Lucia said. “Every time I get stressed at a project or 

something like that, she helps me study for things.” 

“Lucia and I have so much fun working together!” said Mrs. Schreiner. “I 

love watching her set goals and achieve them. She always perseveres 

when faced with difficulty and is determined to grow stronger in all areas 

of life. Lucia is committed to doing her best! I have the blessing of 

spending time with this incredible student each day. I have no doubt she 

will continue making her impact at Montverde Academy and beyond!” 

Lucia with her award winning posters 


SEBASTIAN OROZCO 

Sebastian Orozco has an unwavering drive to help and lead 

others, and he has been playing soccer since he was six years 

old. When he reached a level in his playing where he no longer 

felt challenged, he decided to enroll in Montverde Academy in 

the fifth grade. 

The following year, Sebastian entered Middle School at MVA and 

began playing soccer for Soccer Institute at Montverde Academy 

(SIMA.) “I was kind of scared to go to the Middle School,” said 

Sebastian, “but it wasn’t as hard as I expected it to be.” The first 

day of Middle School, he remembers being confused, but after 

the first week, everything was much smoother. “SIMA was also 

hard,” he said. “I wasn’t as good, so I had to improve a lot.” 

What Sebastian grew to appreciate about SIMA was all the 

research that went into the instruction, including the various 

movements that he would learn. “The coaches have experience, 

and they create an atmosphere of competitiveness,” he said. 

“So many people from SIMA go on to play Major League Soccer. 

The students know that if they want to go there, too, they have to 

push themselves.” 

Every year, SIMA players have the opportunity to get involved 

with Dreamplex, a nonprofit organization that gives athletic 

opportunities to children with physical and/or developmental 

disabilities. His favorite thing about being a part of this 

organization is “making the kids happy and seeing how much fun 

they have playing soccer.” 

Not only is Sebastian involved with SIMA, but he is also involved 

in several clubs on campus. “The opportunities with clubs have 

been the greatest benefit to me, and you get to know people 

more because it’s a smaller school,” he said. He recently gave 

a presentation for the Honor Counsel at the Middle School 

assembly about following the rules, maintaining academic 

integrity, and staying on the right path. He is also involved with 

National Junior Honor Society and Builder’s Club, both of which 

give him many service and leadership opportunities. 

Sebastian hopes one day to play professional soccer. “If it 

works out, I’ll go professional and keep training.” When asked 

how SIMA has benefited him the most, he said, “Consistency. 

You keep training hard every day. Sometimes we do things like 

working on muscles that you don’t usually work on to prevent 

injuries. Or you do certain movements to open the hips, and 

that can help you get faster. Consistency, injury prevention, and 

increasing my range of motion have benefited me the most.” 


MIA HORNBERGER 

Mia Hornberger was born and raised in the quaint New England town of Turner, Maine. It was there that she developed her love 

for golf and where she started playing in golf tournaments during the summer when she was nine years old. 

But there were not many girls who played golf in her area. The only girls who played in the state, to her knowledge, were the 

other two girls who played at the golf course where she played, so she oftentimes played against boys, which was okay with her 

at the time. But since she did not have the privilege to compete with girls who were serious golfers, it was difficult for her to up 

her game. 

Because of Turner’s commonly harsh winters, Mia’s mother wanted the family 

to move to Florida. Mia was excited because she knew she would have more 

opportunities to play golf competitively. “There’s a ton of competition here,” said 

Mia. “The best golfers in the world are right here in Florida, so it’s been fun, and I 

get a lot of experience.” 

After moving to Florida, Mia enrolled at Montverde Academy and joined the 

golf team where she is given the opportunity to practice for about an hour and 

a half each day. “Coach Kelly Golden has been great,” Mia said. “She’s really 

supported me over the four years that I’ve been here.” 

Mia went on to win a district championship her freshman year, the Hurricane 

Junior Golf Tour tournament her sophomore year, and the Buffalo Invitational her 

junior year. 

After she graduates, Mia would like to play club golf, but she wants to pursue a 

degree in the medical field and focus primarily on her studies when she goes to 

college. “I volunteered at the hospital this summer, and spending time there was 

when I decided that I wanted to go into the medical field,” said Mia. 

Mia’s AP Chemistry class at MVA is what first piqued her interest in the medical field, 

and during her junior year, her college counselor advised her to reach out to South 

Lake Hospital to inquire about volunteer opportunities. She then applied for the South 

Lake TeenAge Volunteer Program and was placed in several different departments at 

the hospital, wherever her help was needed the most. 

In the ER, she primarily stocked carts. “It’s kind of cool in the ER,” said Mia, “because the 

shifts are four hours at a time. You get to see a lot while you’re there, even if you’re just 

stocking, because you’re around it. I would put towels into the rooms, or I would take IV carts 

and bring them into the stockroom.” 

She was also paired with a nursing assistant and had the opportunity to shadow them and 

watch what they were doing. “I watched a surgery while I was there, a knee replacement. They 

were telling me, ‘It’s better than a hip replacement. At least you can actually see the bone.’ I was 

talking to the guy that sells medical equipment. He knew every step of the surgery. It was fun 

talking to him because he actually explained the surgery to me.” 

Mia is also the co-vice president of the investment club and the pep band event coordinator. 

A young person of many interests and talents, Mia is certain to score a hole-in-one in the game 

of life. 


By Mrs. Nichole Smith, Communication Coordinator 

When I first started working at Montverde Academy this past July, one of 

the first events I remember hearing about was our annual Diversity Fest. 

Everyone who mentioned it talked about what a great event it always is, so 

I was prepared for the size and scope of the event at least. But what truly 

surprised me was the depth of its emotional impact. 


Since one of the facets of my job as the Communications Coordinator is 

to distribute pictures, videos, and written content across our social media 

platforms, I am typically one of the first people to see the pictures and videos 

that are taken by our incredibly talented photographer and videographer, 

Kimberly Braden and Alex Menendez, respectively. On Thursday during 

Diversity Week, students were encouraged to wear clothing that was 

representative of their cultures. That afternoon, I received pictures that were 

taken across campus. As I clicked through picture after picture of students 

from the Lower School, Middle School, and Upper School alike, I realized in 

those moments that Diversity Fest was something bigger than what I had in 

mind, that it was something that boldly and intentionally aimed to define and 

demonstrate our values as a school in a unique and tangible way. 

At the end of that day as I approached the lobby of the administration building, 

I could hear a buzz of excitement coming from outside, and on the other side 

of the glass door, a long line of flags passed by. Students were practicing for 

the flag processional that would be the next evening. I already knew that there 

would be 97 countries represented, but I had not yet formed a picture in my 

head of what that many flags at one time would actually look like. A modest 

smile swept across my face, but when I walked out of the building, I heard the 

flags whipping in the wind and was overwhelmed by the vastness of the 97 

flags. A wave of emotions hit me, and I held my eyes as wide open as I could 

because I didn’t want people to think I was cheesy for having to hold back 

tears. My efforts were in vain as I swallowed a large lump in my throat and 

couldn’t hold it all in any longer. I immediately knew the next night’s Diversity 

Fest would deliver all it had promised. 

Akylah and Demari Shirley, Bridgette Robbins, 

Aria Anderson, Josiah Howard 

Oliver Vidal, Anna de Fabrique 

Taken by Student Photographer Gabby Palanti 


My favorite part of the Diversity 

Fest is the flag ceremony. I enjoy 

seeing how excited and proud the 

students feel about representing 

their country and carrying the flag. 

Sanvhi Gandhi, Krishna Patel 

Mrs. Tricia Robbins, MVA parent 

When I arrived at Diversity Fest that Friday evening with my 

family, I was amazed to see bounce houses; face painting; 

approximately 30 food tents, all donated and run by MVA 

families; four food trucks, The Crepe Company, The Big 

Cheese, and Sea Dog Cantina; and a cart from Orange 

Blossom Candies & Creamery. 

Mouhamed Pouye, Malang Mandiang, Pape Mar Boye, 

Seydou Diop 

Before the flag processional, Mr. Jon Hopman, MVA’s Head 

of School, welcomed everyone and thanked the committee 

for organizing the event. He was quite proud of the fact 

that we were able to recognize so many different countries. 

Mrs. Tricia Robbins, an MVA parent who has volunteered 

at Diversity Fest for several years, said, “My favorite part 

of Diversity Fest is the flag ceremony. I enjoy seeing how 

excited and proud the students feel about representing their 

country and carrying the flag. The growth of the event is 

what stood out to me this year. Seeing the parents who were 

representing their countries raised the bar with the tents. 

Everyone brought their A game, and I’m looking forward to 

seeing what 2023 brings.” 

Leslie Thomas, Loraine Peters, Roma Peters 

22 THE TOWER | WINTER 2022 

Julius Kimani 

Erica Hagi, Kathy Dang

Brazilian Dancer at Diversity Fest 

Years ago, MVA had a formal flag 

ceremony in the Nest that was called 

Convocation. Mrs. Margaret Price, 

MVA’s Assistant Dean of Students 

for Multiculturalism, Leadership, and 

Student Programs, said, “Changing it 

from a formal ceremony in the Nest to 

the processional we have now near the 

Bell Tower brought Diversity Fest to 

a new level. Groups of kids were just 

begging me to carry a flag and be a part 

of it. They were writing me reasons why 

they should be the one to carry the flag. 

They are very proud of their families, 

their heritage, and their flag.” 

Diversity Fest really is about our 

families and the life they bring 

to campus... it didn't come to 

life until all the families were 

there. They were smiling, they 

were applauding, and they were 

enjoying each other. 

Mrs. Margaret Price 

Mrs. Nyoshie Higgins, our Alumni Relations Coordinator, said, “I love the growth of the festival over 

the years. We started with just a few tents, and now we have a signature event that brings the whole 

MVA community together and something that celebrates the diversity of our campus.” 

As I stood with my family waiting for one of the jesters standing on stilts to finish making my 

daughter’s balloon animal, the evening’s performances began. The first performance was MVA’s 

combined choir that consisted of students from the Lower, Middle, and Upper School. They sang 

MVA’s alma mater, and then they sang “We Are One.” 

THE TOWER | WINTER 2022 23

Students enjoying the Lion Dance 

Mrs. Price said, “Every year, we try to expand the entertainment. We have always had the 

professional performers, but this year we wanted to give a few students and their families a chance 

to showcase their talents from the perspective of their unique cultures. Leading the way in this effort 

was MVA’s Got Talent, along with three students and two parents, who all represented their cultures 

proudly. Adding these segments certainly enhanced the impact of the festival.” 

One of my favorite acts of the night was the Phoebe Samba Team. These performers danced to a 

variety of songs that were familiar to the crowd. Students in the audience danced and sang loudly 

along in unison, and the emotion of that unity was priceless. Ms. Kalena Meyers, the Director of 

Events, said, “My favorite part of the event is watching our students and families of all ages and 

cultures dance and sing together with the performers throughout the night.” 

Next, we watched the Lion Dance, performed by Wah Lum Kung Fu Temple. I could feel the vigor of 

the drums as the audience focused its attention on the two dancers manipulating the lion costume. 

When the sun began to set, my daughter and I sat on the ground and watched Kasa Panzu perform 

with the Kasasaka, an African folk group. Although the sun was setting, the vibe was alive as Kasa 

Panzu and the crowd echoed each other back and forth, shouting, “Africa!” 

The night concluded with a fire dancer from Uso’s Polynesian Entertainment, a perfect cherry on the 

top to a sublime evening. Although the entertainment was top-notch, what served as the true heart 

of the festival were the families who gathered to celebrate not only our diversity but also the things 

we have in common – a common love of good food, good music, laughter, community, and family. “It 

really is about our families and the life they bring to campus,” said Mrs. Price. “We had all the tents 

and the bounce houses, but it didn’t come to life until all the families were there. They were smiling, 

they were applauding, and they were enjoying each other.” 


Photos from L to R: Wiljeanne Marc Estime, Akylah Shirley Leahnny 

Mena; Luiza Manata, Isadora Borba, Thalita Marangoni, Maria Eduarda 

Mendes, Taina De Lima; April Sayer, Lindsay Holt; Ukraine’s Booth; 

Nun (Thasanunth) Khamkhokgruad Zeer Vittadanont Nutt (Nutthachai) 

Khamkhokgruad; Polynesian Dancer; Islay Smith, Natalie Grausam 


DIVERSITY 

people 

EQUITY advancement 

All the ways in which 

differ. 

Fair treatment, access, 

opportunity, and 

for all people. 

INCLUSION 

A variety of people have 

power, a voice, and 

decision-making authority. 

AT MONTVERDE ACADEMY 


Montverde Academy has a long-standing history and commitment to diversity, equity, 

and inclusion as acknowledged in the Niche rankings identifying MVA as the most 

diverse private high school in Florida. To formalize this commitment to diversity, MVA 

created its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee in 2020. MVA has increased 

its strategy and commitment to building awareness and incorporating plans to affirm 

that all constituents prosper at MVA. As chairperson of the committee, Mrs. Margaret 

Price concludes that “Diversity, equity, and inclusion work doesn’t have a finish line – 

it’s ongoing.” 

The committee began by drafting a DEI mission 

statement: “Building and supporting a vibrant community 

is essential to the Montverde Academy mission to inspire 

students to become leaders with a passion for knowledge, 

global vision and innovation while developing character 

in a nurturing and diverse community. Recognizing that 

differences are a source of strength and a means of 

growth for our school community, we are committed to 

creating and sustaining an educational environment that 

fosters respect, justice, integrity, and empathy. We value 

and welcome individuals of diverse race, ethnicity, sexual 

orientation, socioeconomic status, physical abilities, 

gender, religious practice, learning styles, and family 

structure. Our community is an inclusive environment 

where people can share their stories and contribute 

their ideas freely. We seek to maintain a professional 


staff that reflects the make-up of our student body, and 

we encourage our school community members to be 

authentic, to learn from those different from them, and 

to celebrate our multiculturalism. Diversity, equity, and 

inclusion are essential to Montverde Academy in ensuring 

that all members of our community thrive.” 

A hiring committee was then formed, including the 

members of the DEI Committee, so that when individuals 

are interviewing for faculty positions, they are also 

interviewed by committee members. The primary purpose 

of including the committee within the hiring process 

is to inform candidates of the MVA diversity, equity, 

and inclusion work and DEI mission as they consider 

employment at MVA. The committee asks the candidate, 

“What is your definition of diversity, equity, and inclusion?” 

to initiate a dialogue about these issues. 

The committee has also held professional development 

trainings. The first one was led by the Peace and Justice 

Institute at Valencia College. The first session was based 

on the Principles of How We Treat Each Other, which is 

referred to as Our Practice of Respect and Community 

Building. These 13 principles are on display in every 

classroom and serve as a reminder that when you have 

dialogue, it is not most important to walk away feeling right 

– but rather to walk away feeling educated and heard, 

as well. 

Last year, MVA implemented the Assessment of Inclusivity 

and Multiculturalism created by the National Association 

of Independent Schools. After receiving the school’s 

results, the DEI Committee developed two focus groups 

to discuss the results and set some goals for the year. 

One of the focus groups was comprised roughly of 25 

students from the Middle and Upper Schools, and they 

were invited to join in a dialogue with the DEI Committee. 

“We thought that we would have to spend some time 

Overall, it’s been an elevation 

of conversation...the committee 

wants to be intentional and 

have a place for people to come 

and say, ‘Have you thought 

about this?’ 

Mrs. Margaret Price, DEI Chairperson 

getting the students to open up,” said Mrs. Price, “but 

they had no problem communicating their thoughts and 

recommendations.” The other focus group included 

approximately 25 faculty, staff, coaches, and parents. 

“Students will often come to me, and they’ll talk about 

some changes that they want to see in the handbook,” 

said Mrs. Price, “and when I tell them that we talked about 

it at the administration level, they’re happy that we’re even 

talking about their concerns. Change really takes place 

when people start listening to each other, dialoguing, 

and trying to appreciate each other’s experience and 

perspective. We move forward from there. 

“Overall, it’s been an elevation of conversations,” said 

Mrs. Price. “Some of us took minority hiring training; 

others have become certified in workplace diversity, 

equity, and inclusion; and some growth has happened 

organically. The committee wants to be intentional and 

have a place for people to come and say, ‘Have you 

thought about this?’” 


MIDDLE SCHOOL ENRICHMENTS: 

Where Interests Are Discovered and Skills Are Refined 


At the beginning of last school year, the Middle School introduced a new enrichments 

program, which consists of a variety of classes that students can take just for fun, that 

engages them creatively and intellectually, and that serves as a break from some of 

the rigor of their academic classes. Mrs. Allison Varnado, the Lower and Middle School 

Counselor, noted that these enrichment classes offer “dedicated time each week for 

playful learning or guided play, which allows for the autonomy of discovery and can 

help with problem-solving skills. Guided play has been shown to help with emotional 

regulation, all while cultivating a love for learning and strengthening social skills.” 

Pictured above: Left to Right Torr Scelfo, Ian Negron, Kinsley Sayer, Cara Babington, 

Eli Boutaj, Cooper Stebbins, and Caleb Coffman 


The classes also helped students to build a strong 

relationship with their teachers. “Students who have 

strong relationships in the school setting show an increase 

in motivation, are more academically engaged, have 

stronger social skills, and demonstrate more positive 

behavior,” continued Mrs. Varnado. The enrichments 

proved to be such a great success last year that they were 

offered again this year, much to the delight of the Middle 

School students. 

One of the many enrichments offered to students every 

quarter is Mrs. Parets’ Magnificent Microwave Mug Meals. 

Mrs. Parets is an English teacher in the Middle School, 

and her class was immediately popular because students 

were eager to make their own TikTok microwave 

mug meals. 

“The mug meals enrichment teaches us how to cook, 

follow directions, and put different things together to 

get different outcomes like chemistry; and the taste is 

somewhat of a surprise,” said Eli Boutaj, a seventh grader 

at MVA. “This program has helped me by showing that 

different things mixed together have different outcomes - 

like a sentence.” 

In the first class, Mrs. Parets goes over basic food 

safety, such as the importance of cooking the flour and 

handwashing. Each week, students try a brand-new 

recipe that Mrs. Parets first tests out at home. The 

class has a wide range of experience levels. Some 

students have a good bit of experience, so they will 

measure the ingredients out themselves. But others 

may need help identifying what measuring spoons to 

use or understanding why the dry ingredients should be 

measured before the wet ingredients. 

Students who have strong 

relationships in the school 

setting show an increase 

in motivation, are more 

academically engaged, 

have stronger social skills 

and demonstrate more 

positive behavior. 

Mrs. Allison Varnado, Counselor 

to build their own rockets. These rockets do not contain 

store-bought engines. Instead, students manufacture their 

own engines using a combination of cat litter, rocket fuel, 

sugar, and potassium nitrate. “We learn what works best 

for the rocket so it can go higher,” said Noor Cheema, an 

eighth grader at MVA. 

Carson Crutchfield and Henrique Cunha 

At a certain point in the quarter, Mrs. Parets gives her 

students a challenge day where they can pick out any 

recipe they want to cook, whether sweet or savory. 

Last year, one student made lasagna in a mug. He 

precooked the noodles at home and then brought in all the 

ingredients. She loves giving her students the opportunity 

to be creative, and she feels proud when they tell her that 

they researched their own recipes and cooked them at 

home for their families. 

The basic skills that students learn in her class will 

continue to benefit them beyond high school. “When 

they’re in college and they don’t have anything but a 

microwave,” Mrs. Parets said, “they can take this skill set 

with them.” 

Another popular enrichment is Mr. Scott Werner’s rockets 

enrichment. Mr. Werner teaches science in the Middle 

School, and in his rockets enrichment, students use paper 


Mr. Werner's class launches rockets 

“All it takes is fire to ignite the rocket fuel and then 

whoomph, you have fire shooting out of the back, which 

launches the rocket,” said Mr. Werner. 

At the end of the quarter when the rockets are completed, 

Mr. Werner takes his class outside to attempt to launch 

them. The failure rate of these launches is quite 

high. “That’s the way of science. That’s the way of 

engineering,” said Mr. Werner. “You learn from failures 

more than successes.” 

During the first quarter last year, even Mr. Werner’s rocket 

launch failed, but he saw all of the failures as a good thing 

because by the end of the year, he had his rocket building 

skills fine-tuned, and his rocket disappeared from sight on 

launch day. 

“I enjoy watching the rocket soar in the sky and come 

back down,” said Adam Hymore, a seventh grader at 

MVA. “This program has benefited me in many ways – 

first, learning about rockets and how they operate, in a 

way that makes it fun but educational at the same time. 

This also benefited me in a way that taught me and others 

to work together as a team.” 

Mr. Steven Graham, the Middle School Athletic Director, 

leads the Ambassador to Sports enrichment. In this 

enrichment, he focuses on the pros and cons of being 

an athlete, and he covers the EAGLES core values: 

Excellence, Accountability, Growth, Leadership, 

Education, and Sportsmanship. Each week, he covers 

a different letter and discusses the theme based on his 

The program has benefited 

me by teaching me how I 

can improve my skills by 

involving all aspects of my 

life, from my mindset to my 

training, so that I can become 

better at my sport faster 

than I would by only going 

to practices. 

Shunie Curtis, eighth-grade student 

experience as an athlete and as a coach, attempting to 

give students the full spectrum of what to expect if they 

want to go to the next level as an athlete. Coach Graham 

hopes that his advice will help students conquer the 

pitfalls that he’s experienced in the industry. 

The class also covers health topics, such as eating 

healthy foods and getting enough sleep. He tells his 

students, “Don’t expect the coach to have all the answers. 

Get accustomed to researching it and learning more 

about it.” 


Lola Rey, an eighth-grade soccer player for MIFC, said, 

“This program has benefited me because I now know how 

important it is to make not just myself better but my team 

better, as well, because if my team isn’t good, then neither 

we nor I would succeed. I also learned that in order to 

perform your best, sometimes you have to sacrifice the 

foods you eat to improve your performance. Something 

that I learned was how to do sumo squats and how 

beneficial it is to walk backwards while pulling something 

because you’re building up the muscles you normally 

don’t use.” 

Coach Graham coaches JV girls’ volleyball, and the 

message that he hopes to get across to his students in the 

Ambassador to Sports enrichment is the same message 

he instills into the girls’ volleyball team: “Train as hard as 

you can for each other’s success.” He wants his students 

to understand the importance of teamwork. He discusses 

how sometimes teams that do not even necessarily 

have the best individual players can still win because 

they embrace the game and have the time of their lives 

supporting each other. Sometimes a 

team is winning, and then all of a sudden, 

there’s a shift in the game, they’re no 

longer winning, and they stop cheering 

each other on. They’re uneasy. They 

go from having control to not having 

control. What Coach Graham likes to 

focus on in the class is developing a 

mental toughness beyond the physical 

toughness that will help them maintain 

control of the game. 

By building these relationships and acquiring essential 

life skills in the enrichments, the Middle School students 

move one step closer to preparing their minds for the 

challenges of the future, a future that is brimming with 

excitement and variety. 

Left to right: Sophia Riccardo, Julius Kimani, Coach Steven Graham, 

Journey Jones, Sky Martin, Michael Frasure, Megan Busby, Maria 

Pereira, Ella Pompeo, and Jaxson Broecker 

Shunie Curtis, an eighth-grade volleyball 

player, said, “The program has benefited 

me by teaching me how I can improve my 

skills by involving all aspects of my life, 

from my mindset to my training, so that 

I can become better at my sport faster 

than I would by only going to practices.” 

“While our curriculum includes a wide 

range of elective courses for students,” 

said Mr. Urquhart Dean of the Middle 

School, “we knew that our teachers have 

a wide range of interests and expertise, 

and we wanted students to have the 

chance to explore different areas during 

their Middle School years. Not only do 

these enrichments give students and 

teachers the opportunity to explore a 

range of interests beyond our standard 

curriculum, but they also give students 

the opportunity to build relationships with 

each other and with their teachers around 

these shared interests.” 

Mr. Graham and the Ambassador to Sports class 


BOYS BASKETBALL 

MONTVERDE ACADEMY 

Montverde, FL 

DURANGO HIGH SCHOOL 

Las Vegas, NV 

OWYHEE HIGH SCHOOL 

Meridian, ID 

GIRLS BASKETBALL 


Montverde, FL 

RIVERVIEW HIGH SCHOOL 

Riverview, FL 

32 THE TOWER | SUMMER 2022 

JANUARY 26-28 

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THE TOWER | SUMMER 2022 33

Sports 

Wrap 

WINTER & SPRING 

Up 

By Mr. Michael Damon, Sports Information Manager 

GIRLSʼ VOLLEYBALL 

The girls’ volleyball team went 17-9 this season, finished 

in the runner-up spot in the 2022 Florida High School 

Athletic Association (FHSAA) 3A District 4 championship, 

and received an at-large bid into the Region 2 postseason 

tournament. 

Thalita Marangon led MVA with 216 kills and 52 service 

aces. She also finished second on the team in digs with 

207. Teammate Ana Julia (Naju) Peixoto was second on 

the roster in kills with 214, and led the team in kills per set 

with 2.85. Luiza Manata led the Eagles in digs with 428. 

The Eagles won eight of their nine home games this 

season, and seven of those wins were by 3-0 scores. 

Overall, MVA had 14 shutout wins, including 11 by 3-0 

scores and three by 2-0 scores. 

Thalita Marangon 

GIRLSʼ WEIGHTLIFTING 

The girls’ weightlifting team is off to a solid start for its 

2022-23 season. The Eagles have competed against 

highly-skilled teams throughout the months of November 

and December, and many roster members have achieved 

their personal bests so far this season. 

In the Eagles’ most recent match against Orangewood 

Christian, the Eagles set a total of 14 personal best lifts 

between all three disciplines of snatch, bench and clean, 

and jerk. 

The team has been led by Gabriella Palenti, who has 

finished in first place in her weight class in each match 

this season. 

Gabriella Palanti 


BOYSʼ GOLF 

The boys’ golf team went 3-3 in dual meets this fall and competed in nine 

matches overall. MVA earned two wins over East Ridge High School and 

had a victory over First Academy of Leesburg this season. The Eagles 

also competed in three invitationals, including the Lake County Cup where 

they finished in second place, Citrus League Championship where they 

finished fifth, and the FHSAA 1A District 6 Championship where they 

finished fourth. 

Sixth-grader Michael Frasure came from out of the pack to lead the team. 

He was the Eagles’ top scorer in four matches and was the lone Eagle to 

qualify as an individual for the FHSAA regional match. Divan Eksteen also 

had a great season and was the team’s top scorer in four matches. 

GIRLSʼ GOLF 

The girls’ golf team went undefeated this season, going a perfect 3-0 in 

dual meets. The Eagles defeated South Lake High School, Lake Minneola 

High School, and Bishop Moore High School. MVA also earned a firstplace 

finish at the Lake County Cup this season. 

Michael Frasure 

The team was led by Mia Hornberger, who earned the team’s top score 

seven times during the regular season, and Michelle Jing Su, who had the 

best team score three times during the season. Hornberger shot under par 

six times while Su shot under par twice. Both shot under par at the FHSAA 

1A Region 6 championship meet. Hornberger shot a 70 (-2) to tie for the 

regional championship while Su shot a 71 (-1) to tie for fifth at the regional 

meet. Both qualified as individuals for the state championship meet where 

Hornberger shot a 76 (+4), and Jing Su a 78 (+6). 

Michelle Jing Su 

BOYSʼ CROSS COUNTRY 

The MVA boys’ cross country team competed in eight invitationals 

this season and qualified for the Florida High School Athletic 

Association (FHSAA) 2A state championship meet, where they 

finished seventh out of 32 teams. 

As a team, the Eagles finished as high as second place at three 

different invitationals, including a second place showing in the 

Zak Lukas Invitational, the Citrus League Championship, and the 

FHSAA District Meet. 

Riley Novack was MVA’s top finisher in each of the six races he 

was entered in, and he was the top overall finisher in three of 

those races, including first-place finishes in the Citrus League 

Championship (10/12), FHSAA District Championship meet 

(10/22), and FHSAA Regional Championship meet (10/28). His 

personal best time was 15:31 when finishing third overall at the 

state championship meet. Meanwhile, Colton Cardwell was the top 

finisher in one race, the Katie Caples Invitational (9/24). 

Riley Novack 


GIRLSʼ CROSS COUNTRY 

The MVA girls’ cross country team qualified for the state 

championship meet and earned a top-15 team finish at the Florida 

High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) Championship meet 

in Tallahassee. 

The Eagles finished as high as third place three times this season. 

They came in third place at the Zak Lukas Invitational (9/1), second 

place at the Citrus League Championship (10/12), and second 

place at the FHSAA District Championship (10/22). 

Carly McNatt was the Eagles’ top finisher in five of the eight races, 

while Michelle Smith was the first Eagle to fly across the finish line 

three times. As an individual, McNatt had three top-five finishes, 

including third-place finishes at the Zak Lukas Invitational and 

FHSAA District Championship meet. She finished fifth overall at 

the FHSAA Regional Championship. Smith, meanwhile, finished 

four times in the top 10. She was fifth overall at the Lake Regional 

Twilight meet (9/20), second at the Citrus League Championship 

meet (10/12), seventh at the FHSAA District Championship meet, 

and ninth at the FHSAA Regional Championship meet. 

Michelle Smith 

GIRLSʼ SOCCER 

The girls’ soccer team is competing in the Florida High 

School Athletic Association (FHSAA) state series for the 

first time since their state championship season in 2019, 

and it appears they have picked up where they left off. 

The Eagles have gone undefeated so far through the first 

five games, earning four shutout wins and one tie. They 

have outscored teams by a combined 18-2 in 

the process. 

Antonella Mazziotto, Vanessa Manoil, and Elsa Stedman 

share the team lead with three goals each while Genesis 

Perez Watson has a 0.571 goals allowed average. 

Vanessa Manoil 

GIRLSʼ BASKETBALL 

The girls’ basketball team is off to a hot start, winning 

all nine games to start the season at 9-0. The defending 

GEICO High School Nationals champions won three 

home games to start the season before earning wins on 

the road against highly-skilled teams before returning 

home and winning both of their games during the 

Sunshine Classic weekend at Montverde Academy the 

first weekend of December. 

The Eagles have been led in scoring by Sahnya Jah at 

10.3 points per game, while Lety Vasconcelos leads the 

team in rebounds at 8.3 per game and blocked shots 

with 1.3 per game. Mjracle Sheppard leads the Eagles in 

assists at 3.0 per game and steals with 4.7 per game. 

Mjracle Sheppard 


Swim Team 

BOYSʼ SWIMMING 

The boys’ swimming team earned three dual wins while 

finishing first in three separate meets, including first- place 

finishes in the Citrus League Championship, the FHSAA 

district championship and the regional championship. 

Montverde Academy ended the season with a respectable 

seventh-place finish in the state championship, finishing 

seventh out of 41 schools. 

The Eagles were led by Alexander Block, who earned 

three wins in the 200-yard freestyle, one in the 100-yard 

freestyle and one in the 100-yard breaststroke. Meanwhile, 

Cobi Wu had several wins, including one in the 100-yard 

butterfly and two in the 100-yard breaststroke. 

MVA had eight wins in relay competition, including four 

victories in the 200-yard free relay, three in the 200-yard 

medley relay and one at the 400-yard free relay. 

BOYSʼ BASKETBALL 

The boys’ basketball team is off to a 4-1 start for the 2022- 

23 season. The defending GEICO High School Nationals 

champions entered the season as the No. 1 ranked team 

in the nation, and after losing the season opener to the 

No. 2 ranked team, the Eagles have scampered off four 

wins in a row to sit at 4-1 this season. 

GIRLSʼ SWIMMING 

The girls’ swimming team went undefeated in 2022 

heading into the FHSAA state championship where 

they finished a very respectable seventh out of 44 

schools. Not only did the Eagles win every individual 

dual meet this season, but the Eagles took home gold 

at every invitational, including first-place finishes in the 

FHSAA District and Regional Championships, Citrus 

League Championship, and the Florida Swimming Pool 

Association (FSPA) Invitational. The Eagles ended the 

season by finishing a respectable seventh in the state 

championship meet. 

MVA was led by Regina Torres who won nine races this 

season, including four wins in the 200-yard individual 

medley and three in the 100-yard backstroke. She also 

had a win in the 200-yard freestyle and 100-yard butterfly. 

Meanwhile, Emily Santos won five times in the 100-yard 

breaststroke. She finished third in that event at the state 

championship with a personal best time of 1:02.60. 

The Eagles also earned wins in 13 relay races, including 

five in the 200-yard medley and four each in the 200-yard 

free relay and 400-yard free relay. 

MVA has been co-led in scoring by Kwame Evans and 

Liam McNeeley at 12.6 points per game, while Cooper 

Flagg leads the team in rebounds at 5.4 per game, assists 

at 3.6 per game, steals at 2.4 per game, and blocked 

shots at 3.0 per game. 

This season has also seen a milestone in the coaching 

career of head coach Kevin Boyle who earned his 800th 

career win as a head coach after MVA’s win over Long 

Island Lutheran on December 2, becoming only the 64th 

coach in high school basketball coaching history to reach 

that milestone. 

Cooper Flagg 


COLLEGE 

SIGNING DAY 

Congratulations to our student-athletes who announced their college 

decisions during Signing Day on November 9, 2022! 

Logan Bevis 

University of South Florida 

Baseball 

Jeremy Chen 

Northwestern University 

Golf 

Anthony Cole 

Florida Gulf Coast University 

Baseball 

Kwame Evans 

University of Oregon 

Basketball 

Seth Isenhour 

Rollins College 

Lacrosse 

Sahnya Jah 

University of South Carolina 

Basketball 

Chris Johnson 

University of Kansas 

Basketball 

One Kashima 

University of North Florida 

Golf 

Eric Correa Rosado 

Rice University 

Baseball 

Mjracle Sheppard 

Mississippi State University 

Basketball 

Sean Stewart 

Duke University 

Basketball 

Jack Turner 

University of Florida 

Golf 


Hibiki Adachi 

Boston University 

Golf 

Cori Allen 

University of Illinois 

Basketball 

Marvel Allen 

Georgetown University 

Basketball 

Rusne Augustinaite 

Georgia Institute of Technology 

Basketball 

Sebastian Gamboa 

Florida Gulf Coast University 

Golf 

AJ Goytia 

University of Miami 

Baseball 

Jordy Griggs 

University of Kentucky 

Basketball 

Matthew Heyl 

Stetson University 

Baseball 

Dravyn Gibbs Lawhorn 

University of Illinois 

Basketball 

John Martinez 

University of Florida 

Baseball 

Gabriella Palanti 

Southeastern University 

Soccer 

Ryan Peterson 

Wingate University 

Lacrosse 

Letycia Vasconcelos 

Baylor University 

Basketball 

Genesis Perez Watson 

University of Central Florida 

Soccer 

Coen Woodland 

Belmont Abbey College 

Lacrosse 

Rafael Estrada Zavala 

University of North Texas 

Golf 


By Mr. Michael Damon, Sports Information Manager 

COACH KEVIN BOYLE 

Montverde Academy head boys’ basketball coach Kevin 

Boyle has won seven national championships for the 

school since taking the helm in 2011, so he is no stranger 

to celebrations. 

When the final buzzer sounded at the Nest on the evening 

of Friday, December 2, following a 56-51 win over Long 

Island Lutheran, during the National Interscholastic 

Basketball Conference (NIBC) weekend, confetti fell 

from the rafters and there was a celebration on the court. 

Congratulatory handshakes and hugs abounded. 

However, this post-game celebration had nothing to do 

with the Eagles winning a championship, or even anything 

like that. In fact, some may argue that it was for a reason 

even more substantial than a championship because of 

the longevity required to earn such an accomplishment. 

The win on December 2 marked the 800th in the coaching 

career of Coach Boyle, a milestone that has seen a 

journey of more than three decades of coaching. 

“I feel very humbled to have reached 800 wins. It’s a 

milestone that has been accomplished by a team effort. 

First rate support from my parents, my wife, my children, 

and all the coaches and administrators who have 

supported me,” Coach Boyle stated. 

Coach Boyle’s road to 800 wins began well before 

he arrived in Montverde, coming to the Academy 

after many successful years at nationally-renowned 

St. Patrick High School in Elizabeth, New Jersey. 

His resume at St. Elizabeth has included coaching 

the boys’ basketball team to five New Jersey State 

Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Tournament 

of Champions, the highest possible championship in the 

state of New Jersey, earning the state’s top prize in 1998, 

2003, 2006, 2007, and 2009. 

While winning championships are a tremendous feat, 

simple math shows that the majority of the wins are in 

games of lesser magnitude. But the championship game 

would never be possible without the wins that lead to 

the championship. 

Along the way, Coach Boyle has coached some of the 

most elite talent. To date, 13 of his former players have 

careers playing professionally in the National Basketball 

Association (NBA), and numerous others in the Gatorade 

League and various leagues overseas. 

According to the National Federation of State High School 

Associations (NFHS), only 63 other boys’ high school 

basketball coaches have ever won at least 800 games 

in their career, making Coach Boyle just the sixty-fourth 

coach ever to reach the milestone. 

Congratulations Coach Boyle! 


Eighth Grade Visits Washington, D.C. 

By Tank Chavous, Eighth-grade student, SGA Representative 

The eighth-grade Washington, D.C., 

trip was one of the most wonderful 

educational experiences I've ever 

been a part of. From the historical 

museums to the flavorful food, 

Washington, D.C., amazed my peers 

and me to unimaginable lengths. My 

friends and I also enjoyed spending 

quality time with each other while 

learning about crucial pieces of 

history. Let’s explore the details 

together and reminisce on the 

wonderful times. 

On the first day of the trip, I woke 

at 5 a.m. My parents drove me to 

the school, and I checked in with 

our chaperones and met my excited 

peers. The buses arrived, and we 

loaded our luggage and prepared for 

the airport. As we traveled through 

the lengthy process of security, 

our excitement rose more and 

more. Once we finally made it on 

the plane, I was surprised with an 

awesome birthday celebration. To 

our disappointment, there were slight 

delays, but once we took off, it was 

the first step to D.C. 

Once we arrived, it was rolling waves 

from there. Visiting various memorials 

and sites after landing made us ready 

for some grub. It was perfect timing 

that we were on our way to a famous 

restaurant called Ben’s Chili Bowl. 

They had delicious dishes, such as 

hot dogs, chili, burgers, fries, and 

milkshakes. We also got a history 

of the people who had come to the 

restaurant before for a quick bite, 

including famous President Barack 

Obama! We visited a few more sites 

and then went to the hotel to crash for 

the night. The chaperones told us that 

“lights out” occurred at 9:45 p.m. each 

night, but trust me, the students had 

plenty of other plans that included 

playing games and talking after the 

lights were out. 

Over the next two days, we visited 

many museums and memorials, 

eating various foods along the way. 

One place that stood out and really 

touched my heart was the Holocaust 

Memorial Museum. The contents 

inside were depressing beyond 

belief. There were special rooms that 

even my teachers dared not explore 

because of the graphic images that 

they showed, one of them being a 

room full of shoes of the victims who 

had been in concentration camps. It 

really made me realize how privileged 

I am to attend a wonderful school and 

even have a safe roof to live under. 

Nonetheless, I am confident that this 

museum is something that everyone 

needs to see, to make them realize 

how some people in the world suffer 

much more than you or anyone else. 

The next day, we visited George 

Washington’s estate and experienced 

the feeling of living in the 18th 

century. On the final day, we were 

sad that the trip was over so quickly 

but made the most of our experience. 

I really had fun and enjoyed learning 

many new things with my friends. 

Overall, the trip was a wonderful 

experience that my peers and I 

thoroughly enjoyed. If you are an 

upcoming student that will take the 

trip soon, I guarantee you that you 

will have an exhilarating time. For 

those who won't get to go with the 

school, I urge you to travel and feel 

the same amazements that we felt. 

Washington, D.C., was an absolutely 

amazing adventure for my peers and 

me. Thank you to the chaperones 

and school for letting us attend as 

Montverde Academy students, or 

should I say, as the proud Eagles that 

always soar high. 


Behind the Scenes 

By Mr. Dean Bell, Director of Arts 

Trinity Clarke in “Vocal Salon” 


Jaime (Jimmy) Ollivier in “Vocal Salon” 

Amelie Jaime, Sydney Barker, and Lily Downs in “9 to 5” 

When I was somewhere in the middle of my career as a public school teacher in Ohio, 

I had an opportunity to work supplementally for an educational consulting firm - Bay 

Consulting. Our specialty was to go into educational institutions over a one- to three-day 

period and guide teams of administrators and teachers in building consensus around 

creating a shared vision, mission, and goal statements. While the money I made as a 

consultant was frankly obscene, and I thought I was reasonably good at the work, I will 

be honest in telling you it never sparked a passion with me. I did, however, feel I became 

quite adept at facilitating and crafting strong and meaningful mission statements. 

A good mission statement should be the top of the 

decision-making matrix in an organization, and, if wellwritten, 

be utterly apparent in everything the organization 

does. As I contemplated this article and what to write on, it 

occurred to me that even though you have read numerous 

articles by me about the Fine Arts programs at Montverde 

Academy and their successes, very few of you would 

know our mission and the tenets that shape what we do 

each and every day and, indeed, are the very basis of our 

Conservatory programs as a whole. It would be my hope 

as you read this, you would see our mission statement 

exemplified in all that the Fine Arts Conservatories do. 

“The Mission of the Montverde Academy Fine Arts 

Conservatories is to cultivate aspiring artists in an 

atmosphere where they have the freedom and guidance 

to grow in their skills and craftsmanship in a setting which 

fosters creativity, humanity, integrity, passion, 

and success.” 

As a professional mission statement, this is a sound and 

straightforward platform which succinctly explains what 

we strive to do. The slightly fanciful side of me, however, 

enjoyed crafting this mission statement, because as I 

always explain it to the students and parents, our true 

mission is to “be all that and a bag of CHIPS”: Creativity, 

Humanity, Integrity, Passion, Success. Memorable, 

meaningful, and measurable are the three rungs I always 

espoused since my consulting days. Hopefully these are 

readily apparent in all we do in the Fine Arts programs. 

Creativity is where it all begins. Starting with the 

Creative Team, I have always been proud of the fact our 

faculty has never stopped inventing the wheel. While 

our programming provides some standard and muchanticipated 

events, we have never felt anything couldn’t 

be changed or improved upon. Never was this tenet 

more evident than during COVID-19 when we completely 

redesigned seasons to include virtual performances, 

social distancing options, new and unique venues, and a 


Scarlett Gunasekera in “Vocal Salon” 

Cast of “9 to 5: The Musical” 

host of other innovations to continue to present our Arts 

even when the vast majority of organizations around us 

did not. Creativity is not the sole property of the faculty, 

however. Our students are encouraged to bring this every 

day to the rehearsal spaces, classrooms, and stages. As 

each batch of graduates moves on to pursue their studies 

at the next level, our next cohort always finds a way to 

step up and match or better the previous one’s creativity, 

thereby preventing the programs and performances from 

ever getting stale. 

Humanity is evident on several different fronts. In the 

theatre we use the phrase “One Troupe, One Fam’ly,” 

which is an ever-present way of putting our humanity first. 

We are a family as artists, we connect to our fellow artists 

locally and globally, and even moreso we connect to the 

community at large. It is through our shared humanity 

we are able to bring to life the messages our songs and 

plays desire to tell. It is, indeed, with an eye to social 

consciousness and responsibility that we choose the 

messages we seek to deliver. Humanity is evident in the 

process we seek to instill in our students, where “love and 

care of self” are practiced and where safety and trust are 

a part of every rehearsal and performance we undertake. 

When all of these are met, our students indeed feel free 

to imbue their Art with the humanity it needs to create the 

impact we all desire. 

Integrity on the surface is easy: honesty and transparency, 

respect and dignity, and exemplarity. In short, ethics and 

morals. The business of the Arts can be a place where 

morals and ethics are tested often. Because we live in a 

rather “gray” world in the Arts and are asked to redefine 

ourselves and what we believe on an almost daily (if 

not less) basis, it becomes very important to know your 

“fences” and your “gates” as we learned in a recent 

Master class. We spend a great deal of time making 

certain our students are prepared for these challenges 

and are always representing themselves (and the 

Academy) in a light which shines favorably on all. This 

hopefully is clear in every concert, every show, and every 

interaction with a member of our Conservatories. We 

always work to hold ourselves to a higher standard, and 

that is the reputation we have cultivated with other schools 

and Arts organizations. 

Passion is where we live. I hope this one is self-evident 

in everything you see our students – and our faculty – 

do. Everyone here has a true, driven desire to perform, 

and we strive along the way to fan those flames into a 

conflagration. I tell the students regularly if this is in your 

blood, “you simply can’t not do it.” Providing the space 

where students can grow and explore their passion is 

the most rewarding part of what we do. It was always 

the model behind the creation of the Conservatories and 

remains the reason they and our Academies continue to 

send the most talented students out from MVA. 

Lastly, success. And, yes, it is last for a reason. If you 

start with the idea that success is your measure, you are 

destined to fail. Success is what comes when you have 

set a course through and attained the other tenets. Do 

we love success? Yes. Are we successful? Our awards, 

rankings, and performances would certainly suggest 


Tatriana Hinds, Madison Poston, Kaya Granakos in “The Wolves” 

Luke Walker, Elana Young, Braelin Berry, Beckett Lee, Jade Boochee, 

and AJ Jackson in “The Nephew's/Son's Revenge” 

so (see inset box of our most recent Applause Award 

nominations). Our true success, though, is measured in 

the lives we have touched: our students, our families, our 

community, and society at large. We like to say if we are 

going to do something, it needs to be meaningful. And 

when it is, it will also be successful. 

So, this is our bag of “CHIPS”, and as an Academy we 

are very proud of each of the ones that have been in our 

bag. We will continue to strive to live up to our mission 

statement; and we hope the next time you see our 

students, our programs, or our names in the paper you 

will remember these principles and agree that they are 

clearly evident in what you see. As always, we look 

forward to seeing you at our full slate of performances 

over the season. 

Opera Orlando presents “All Is Calm” 

“9 to 5: The Musical” 

Applause Award Nominations 

Outstanding Ensemble 

Outstanding Director – David Ian Lee 

Outstanding Musical Director – Dean Bell 

Outstanding Choreographer – Jessica Birt 

Outstanding Set Design – John Stark 

Outstanding Technical Achievement – Michael 

Citrinite 

Outstanding Lighting Design – Natalie-Paige Estes 

Outstanding Costume Design – Kat Henwood 

Outstanding Sound Design – Phoenix Connick 

Outstanding Stage Manager – Madison Poston 

Outstanding Lead Performers – Sydney Barker, 

Lily Downs, Amelie Jaime, Alec Lipscomb, Elianys 

Negron, Javier Collazo Lopez 

Outstanding Supporting Performers – Elizabeth 

Crosley, Arianna Parrilla, Kaya Granakos, Jade 

Harvey 

Outstanding Actors – Sydney Barker, Amelie 

Jaime, Alec Lipscomb, Javier Collazo Lopez, Sydney 

Francis 

Outstanding Singers – Sydney Barker, Lily Downs 


Making Art 


Students in the Fine Arts Conservatory are engaged in a variety of projects outside of 

Montverde Academy that are helping them to hone their skills as performers and artists. 

These music, theatre, and community outreach projects certainly have an impact on 

their performances here at MVA as these projects provide the students with a unique 

perspective that translates as a well-seasoned performance on the stage. 

SYDNEY FRANCIS, a tenth-grade Theatre 

Conservatory student, is participating in Theatre South 

Playhouse’s production of “The Sound of Music.” She feels it is 

a new and fun experience to branch out and explore new places 

and environments outside of Montverde Academy’s Theatre 

Conservatory. It gives her a chance to meet new, amazing 

people and experience different ideas and perspectives in the 

theatre community. 

Amelie Jaime, seated 

Sydney Francis, 2nd from far left 

AMELIE JAIME, an eleventh-grade Theatre Conservatory student, is 

currently involved in the winter production of “A Christmas Carol” at Orlando 

Shakes. This is her second time working at The Shakes as last year she read 

for the role of Luz in the Playfest Reading of “En Las Sombras,” a mythical play 

dealing with themes of immigration, love, and family. This year’s production of “A 

Christmas Carol,” the timeless tale by Charles Dickens, tells the story of a pennypinching 

man who, on Christmas Eve, learns the importance of kindness and 

giving back to his community. Amelie plays four different roles in this production, 

as do most members of the cast, her favorite being Belinda Cratchit. She is 

completely thrilled to share the Orlando Shakes stage with such a wonderful 

ensemble, some of whom have graced the Montverde Academy stage, as well. 

Roberta Emerson, a former MVA theatre director and acting teacher, plays roles 

including Mrs. Cratchit and Mrs. Fezziwig. Mateo Paris, a second grader in the 

MVA Lower School, plays Tiny Tim, among many other roles. Amelie is thankful for 

the opportunity to perform in such a lovely show with such lovely people during the 

month of December. 

TYLER PRICE, a ninth-grade Theatre Conservatory student, 

has filmed two short films, one for the University of Central Florida 

and another one for a new independent filmmaker with whom he has 

previously worked. He also goes to an acting coach every week to work 

on upcoming auditions for mostly film and television, but more recently 

he has auditioned for programs and scholarships for next summer. 

Tyler Price 


Daphne Gunasekera, Hanan Geda, 

Olivia Fontana, Scarlett Gunasekera 

SCARLETT AND DAPHNE GUNASEKERA, 

both Music Conservatory students, are members of Harmony 

Incorporated, an all-women’s barbershop organization. They sing 

with two chapters (choirs), Sisters of Sound and Unaccompanied 

Minors, and a quartet named Daphodyls. Sisters of Sound meets 

weekly as an education choir while Unaccompanied Minors meets 

once a month as an all-youth competition choir. Both are under the 

direction of Tiana Sandh. The additional members of Daphodyls 

are Hanan Geda and Olivia Fontana. They originally started singing 

barbershop when Daphne was six years old and Scarlett was 

eight, and they have been doing it ever since with their mother and 

grandmother. It’s been a part of their life for as long as they can 

remember, and they are grateful for all the experiences it’s offered. 

MADISON POSTON, a twelfthgrade 

Theatre Conservatory student, 

is currently working outside of her 

school under the William Daniel Mills 

Apprenticeship program. The program 

allows her to workshop in a wide variety of 

theatrical mediums and meet more people 

within the theatre community of Orlando. 

She is also working at Pipeline Collective, 

a virtual Emmy Nominee theatre company 

that focuses on highlighting new works 

across the globe. 

When JADE HARVEY, a tenthgrade 

Theatre Conservatory student, 

was younger, she worked at professional 

theaters, such as the Orlando REP and 

Theater South Playhouse in some of 

their seasonal shows. She also did some 

extra work in a Disney ® commercial and 

a TV show. A few years later, she was 

in a couple of short films at Valencia 

College and Full Sail. She also did some 

independent films and competed in 

festivals. From one of those films, she met 

someone who knew an up-and-coming 

artist, so she got to be in his music video, 

which she thought was really fun. More 

recently, she has recently done some 

extra work in a couple of TV shows, 

“Blackish” and “Cobra,” and the movie 

“The Black Phone.” For her, it’s been nice 

because she gets to work on professional 

sets with people who have an incredible 

work ethic, and she thinks it’s good to 

learn the expectations of how to work in 

the industry. She has learned a great deal 

by watching different crew members do 

their respective jobs. 

ALEC LIPSCOMB, a twelfth-grade Theatre Conservatory 

student, spent the summer in the NYU Tisch summer high school 

program, which gave him so many great experiences. Being a student 

in the city of art was truly inspiring for him, and it pushed him into a 

direction of wanting to make it on his own. He worked on a 10-minute 

short film called “Writer's Block,” which takes away the romance 

behind art and explores the “badness” and dedication it takes to 

become great. To be there in the city filming was a dream come true 

for Alec. “But at the end of it, I think I became the crazy artist myself,” 

he said. Another recent project was his work in a commercial for the 

MVA Campus Store's holiday sale. He said, “Working on the Campus 

Store’s 15 percent off project was a very special experience, not 

exactly the production of it, which was really fun, but the outcome 

and result.” When he walked back into the Campus Store a couple of 

days after shooting the commercial, the store managers walked up to 

him and started talking about how well the commercial did and how 

many more sales they were getting. “They had huge smiles on their 

faces. It was really a beautiful moment, and I was happy to be a part 

of something beneficial.” 

IMEN NASSER, a twelfth-grade Music Conservatory student, 

has been playing the violin since she was three years old. She played 

for the National Youth Orchestra in Venezuela from age seven to 

age 12 and has even had the opportunity to play with Emmy-winning 

composer Mark Wood. Playing violin is second nature to her, but what 

makes her incredibly unique on 

the stage is that not only does 

she play the violin, but she 

has also begun incorporating 

the violin into her emerging 

modeling career, having recently 

walked the runway and played 

the violin at New York Fashion 

Week. Imen is scheduled to go 

to Fashion Week in Paris, Milan, 

London, and New York next year! 

She is grateful for Montverde 

Academy giving her a place to 

work on music for five hours a 

day and for all the doors it has 

opened for her. 

Imen Nasser 


UPPER SCHOOL 

MAKES AN IMPACT 

IN THE COMMUNITY 


Anyalis Otero, Alaska Dorvil 

Students in the Upper School have many 

opportunities to participate in community service at 

Montverde Academy. Many of these projects are 

conducted off campus, and for those projects, the 

school provides transportation and chaperones 

for both day students and boarding students. The 

chaperones model servant leadership, and they 

serve right alongside the students. If students 

are washing cars, the chaperones are washing 

cars with them. The community service efforts 

discussed below are just some of the many projects 

in which students at MVA can get involved. Mrs. 

Margaret Price, Assistant Dean of Students for 

Multiculturalism, Leadership, and Student Programs, 

said, “I really enjoy all these projects because of 

the impact we are making on the community and 

because service urges students to think of others 

and work outside of their comfort zone. Community 

service aligns with the MVA mission as it builds 

character and promotes civic responsibility.” 


The Youth Impact Division of Habitat 

for Humanity 

Many people are familiar with Habitat for Humanity and 

how they build and renovate homes for those in need. 

They also sponsor a Jingle Playhouse Build to provide 

a playhouse for children in need. Montverde Academy 

students were invited to build a playhouse for a threeyear-old 

boy named Jordan. The students accepted the 

challenge and finished the playhouse, sponsored by Kalos 

Services located in Clermont, in just under six hours. 

Habitat also sponsors Youth Impact builds, which are 

projects specifically designed for high school students. 

This fall, Upper School students went to the home of an 

elderly man in Groveland, and they painted the outside 

of his house and did some other exterior repairs to his 

home. A site manager from Habitat for Humanity first 

gave the students a lesson on ladder safety and using 

the minimal tools for a youth build. For a youth build, 

there must be a certain number of people over the age of 

18. Anyone under the age of 18 must adhere to certain 

restrictions that might not apply to someone who is over 

the age of 18. For example, a person who is under 18 can 

only climb to the second step of a ladder. The gentleman 

whose home the students painted was so grateful, and 

he brought the students chips and soda to show his 

appreciation. Divan Eksteen, a sophomore and golfer, 

stated, “The first time Mr. Wilson stepped out of his house, 

he looked very happy that we were there to help paint his 

house, and the look on his face when we finished painting 

the house was nice to see because of how happy he was. 

He even provided us with snacks and drinks for the time 

that we were painting, and you could see that the students 

enjoyed the time there.” 

Benevolence Center at the Christian 

Care Center 

The Benevolence Center at the Christian Care Center 

gives food, clothing, toiletries, and housing to families in 

need. The student volunteers organized the food, helped 

bring the food out to families’ cars, packed toiletry bags, 

and sorted hangers for the clothing closet. This year, the 

students also decorated the children’s area for Christmas 

and created the decorations for the Benevolence Center 

float. For the first time ever, the Benevolence Center will 

be featured in a holiday parade to promote awareness 

regarding their location, services, and areas of need. 

Community Club. All the activities that they do are in 

support of Eight Waves. Our K-Kids in the Lower School 

hosted a party at Gymnastics USA in Winter Garden and 

provided pizza and brought toys for the kids that were 

being honored. Our community club here on campus, led 

by Tatiana Pinto and Brianna Monahan, along with the 

club’s 50+ members, has taken the initiative to keep the 

Eight Waves hygiene closet replenished. They are making 

quite an impact this year. 

Sleep in Heavenly Peace 

Sleep in Heavenly Peace is a program based out of 

Mosaic Church that builds beds for those in need. The 

program’s online video shows where some kids must 

sleep, whether it’s on a mattress on the floor or on the 

floor itself. For the Sleep in Heavenly Peace community 

Students volunteering with Habitat for Humanity 

Eight Waves Tutoring and Mentor Program 

Eight Waves is a tutoring and mentor program located 

in East Winter Garden that offers eight opportunities to 

serve families in need: reading intervention, mentorship, 

life experiences, birthday parties, single moms support, 

family stability, books for babies, and healthy child 

hygiene. Students in the Upper School go there often, so 

they created a club here on campus called Eight Waves 

Students volunteering with Habitat for Humanity 

Dillon Mitchell 


uilds, they have one day where they’re building 

headboards, one day where they’re building frames, and 

then another day where they load up the pieces of the bed 

and deliver them to someone’s home. The Upper School 

students have done both building and delivering, and it’s 

always a joy for them to see how happy the families are 

when the beds are delivered. Anayalis Otero, a junior and 

Fellowship of Christian Athletes student leader, shared 

that delivering those beds brought tears to her eyes and 

that she prays for those families every night. 

United Against Poverty 

United Against Poverty provides a grocery store 

experience for families in need at a deep discount based 

on income. The facility is set up like a grocery store with 

shelves of food and refrigerated areas. Upper School 

volunteers stock the shelves and arrange the food items 

like you would in a grocery store, organized in categories, 

so people can walk through with a shopping cart and 

pick up what they need. Mrs. Price said, “We express 

to the kids that there is a dignity and satisfaction in the 

grocery store experience that many of us take for granted. 

There’s nothing wrong with just getting a bag of food if you 

need help, but this grocery store experience gives a mom 

or dad a different feeling when walking through the aisles 

with their children. I really like what United Against 

Poverty does.” 

Orlando Union Rescue Mission 

The Orlando Union Rescue Mission (OURM) helps the 

homeless with immediate needs and helps guide them 

to independence. OURM helps families get into homes, 

find jobs, and get back on their feet. The Upper School 

hosts fundraisers for them, including No Shave November, 

to benefit their men’s shelter. Mrs. Price took a group 

of students there to do yardwork. Some of the students 

had never mowed grass before, so the workers there 

showed them how to mow. Mrs. Price said, “The kids were 

enjoying it. We were breaking tree limbs, so we were dirty. 

When we got back in the van, I said, ‘Do you guys know 

what you just did?’ And they said, ‘Yeah, we cut grass. We 

picked up branches.’ And I said, ‘Well, you did more than 

that.’ There were about 20 of us, and the job had taken us 

several hours. I said, ‘Those three men who were here, 

you allowed them to go home and be with their families. 

You allowed them to go and have some rest because it 

would have been fully their job to do all the work that 

we did.’” 

Santiago Alonso Mendez Sanchez, Ricardo Alejandro 

Mendez Sanchez, Christopher Clark 

Students at the Benevolence Center 

Alexa Cazenave, Estelle Bobblin, Sophie Ressler 


AROUND CAMPUS 

and the 

COMMUNITY 

ROBOTICS! 

Congratulations to the Upper School robotics 

team! Montverde Academy was tournament 

champion at the Spin Up at AORE Qualifier 

tournament in Gainesville, FL. After final scores 

were input, our 19122C team is currently ranked 

sixth in the nation. 

MONTVERDE ACADEMY MODEL UN TEAM 

The Montverde Academy Model UN team traveled to the 

University of Central Florida on November 4-6 to attend the 

annual KnightMUN Conference. With a significant growth in the 

number of Eagle-MUN delegates, 27 MVA students participated 

in KnightMUN and represented 12 nations, such as Spain, Egypt, 

Saudi Arabia, etc. in four different committees, which included the 

UN Office for Disaster Relief, the Counter-Terrorism Committee, 

the Social Humanitarian and Cultural Committee, and the UN 

Commission on the Status of Women. 

HOLIDAY GIFT 

COLLECTION 

In partnership with the Helen 

Lehmann Memorial Library, 

Montverde Academy employees, 

K-Kids, Builders Club, Key Club, 

and National Honors Society 

collected hundreds of unwrapped 

holiday gifts for children in the 

guardian ad litem program. 


RELATIONS 

By Mrs. Nyoshie Higgins, Alumni Relations and Engagement Officer 

Can you believe it is the end of 2022? It has been a 

whirlwind here at MVA, a great year with lots of MVA 

Alumni visits, a new event on the calendar, and, of 

course, the highly anticipated MAIT homecoming! 

By the time this article is published, we will have had 

our first Holiday Happy Hour, which we hope will be a 

tradition for years to come. 

In the next few months, we will be speaking a lot about 

legacy, and it is you, the alumni, who have helped to 

build the history of this school and hopefully spread the 

spirit of community, diversity, and character throughout 

the world. In the fall of 2023, we will be celebrating this 

legacy with a formal gala that will honor the heritage of 

Montverde Academy. We will also honor distinguished 

alumni who have left their mark here on campus and in 

society. Please check your emails and our social media 

over the next few months as there will be a weekend of 

events planned and it will be a great opportunity to hold 

reunions and meetups with former classmates. 

Would you like to be featured 

as a Notable Alumn or know 

someone that should? 

Contact Nyoshie Higgins 

Alumni Relations Coordinator 

nyoshie.higgins@montverde.org 

IN MEMORIAM 

The alumni office will also be traveling a bit more, so let 

us know if we can help facilitate any meet-and-greets 

or reunions. 

Lastly, we hope to see you at MAIT 2023 for Alumni 

Homecoming. The alumni tent will be open Friday and 

Saturday night and we will have free access for all 

alumni and one guest on each night of MAIT. 

We look forward to connecting with you in 2023! 

Mark Thornton 

Class of 1970 

Mauricio 

Montanari Nappi 

Class of 1985 


Join Montverde Academy for 

Alumni Homecoming 

Join us at the NEST and the Alumni Lounge 

• Alumni and one guest receive complimentary entry into MAIT all three nights. 

• The Alumni Lounge will be open on Friday and Saturday night with music and 

TV broadcasting of all the action inside MAIT. 

• Enjoy complimentary drinks (21+ for adult beverages) and appetizers. 

• Reunion Celebration for class years ending in 3 and 8. 

MONTVERDE 

ACADEMY 

KNOWLEDGE • CHARACTER • COMMUNITY

MIAMI AREA 

REUNION 


Valeria Botto, Maria Dalmau, Gaston Botto, Kees de Wijs, 

Ana Maria Cubas, Martha Gutierrez, David Julie, Matthew Marks, 

Jorge Kong, Diana Norniella, Julia Goodwin Huard, 

Gustavo Rohrscheib, Sylvia Fernandez 

“Many of us are chosen family, and 

we continue to choose one another 

after all these years! Our bond can 

only be understood by others who 

lived together in boarding school 

during the formative years,” said 

Jorge Kong ’86. 

A few months ago, I had the pleasure 

of being introduced to Mr. Jorge Kong 

’86 through Facebook, which led to 

my meeting up with a vibrant group 

of 80’s alumni who have managed 

to remain close friends decades 

after leaving Montverde Academy. 

You can call Jorge Kong ’86 and 

Julia Huard ’86 (formerly Goodwin) 

the unofficial class agents of the 

1980’s Montverde Academy Alumni. 

Jorge’s fondest memories of MVA are 

centered around these connections. 

He reflects, “The beautiful, life-lasting 

friendships and everything related 

to those friendships are my fondest 

memories…One of my two closest 

friends (still today) was my first 

roommate at Montverde…” 

From Islamorada Island in 1994, 

to the Fontainebleau in 2009, this 

group of MVA grads has been getting 

together for decades. From large 

reunions to small, intimate gatherings, 

they have found a way to remain 

connected despite great distances. 

This past summer I had the pleasure 

of attending one of their events in 

Miami hosted by Jorge and Julia. 

The “mini reunion” was held at LUR 

Basque Cuisine in the Time out 

Market in the heart of South Beach. 

The July event was organized 

around the travel dates of several 

“Montverdians” visiting Miami from 

abroad, including Kees De Wijs ’86, 

originally from Curaçao but now living 

in Dubai. The timing was perfect 

and the evening delightful! The food, 

atmosphere, and, most of all, the 

people in attendance made for a very 

memorable time. 

Lots of funny stories were shared, 

and we looked at old yearbooks as 

the 80s Montverde Academy campus 

was very different from the one 

today. But what I observed was that 

the spirit of the bonds that had been 


Want to plan a reunion for your class or 

for those in your city? 

Contact Nyoshie Higgins, Alumni Relations Coordinator, at 

alumni@montverde.org to get started. 

created on campus is the same one 

that our kids possess today. I was 

able to chat with the nearly 25 alumni 

and spouses in attendance and 

shared how much the campus has 

grown and changed since they left. I 

encouraged them to come back, and 

I left an open invitation to visit and 

experience MVA today. 

I want to say a special thank you to 

Jorge and Julia for inviting me to this 

event. This group of alumni have set 

an example of how it only takes a 

few dedicated class members to help 

stay connected. 

out to our office if you want to plan a 

reunion, big or small, and we would 

be happy to help! The legacy of the 

80s is strong, especially with these 

alumni at the helm! 

If there are any other 80s alumni who 

are interested in connecting with this 

group, please reach out to alumni@ 

montverde.org as there are plans to 

have another big reunion in 

the future! 

The alumni office at Montverde 

Academy would love to help facilitate 

more events like this. Please reach 


NOTABLE ALUMNI 


Bella Ramirez ’21 

Bella Ramirez 

When alumna and former Montverde International Futbol 

Club (MIFC) player Bella Ramirez ’21 started Nova 

Southeastern University, she was prepared to pursue 

a degree in business management and play right wing 

position for her college soccer team, but a hobby in social 

media has catapulted her into a new and unexpected 

space that has opened her world in more ways than she 

could have imagined. 

With just over 500,000 followers on TikTok, 100,000 on 

Instagram, and 20 million likes on some of her popular 

posts, Bella has become a bonified beauty and lifestyle 

influencer. She says her popularity began to skyrocket 

at the beginning of 2022 as she put more focus into her 

content, which led her to partner with some major beauty 

brands on her social media pages. Earlier this year one of 

the brands she represents, Milani Cosmetics, invited her 

to be their “new face” for an upcoming ad campaign that 

would feature her in stores across the US. She was flown 

out to Los Angeles, with the support of her parents, to 

shoot the ad and meet with the executive team of Milani 

cosmetics. She had an amazing experience and feels 

fortunate to have had this opportunity, which is all due to 

her social media presence. “I am overwhelmed and also 

excited for all that is happening from something I love 

doing, posting videos and connecting with people on and 

off TikTok,” said Bella. 

In a separate but equally incredible opportunity, Bella 

also shared that a chance encounter with a scout in Fort 

Lauderdale led her to sign a contract with FREEDOM 

modeling agency. “Initially I thought it was a scam, but 

my sisters helped me realize that this was a legitimate 

agency and they wanted to work with me. The staff from 

Milani also helped me when I was signing my contract 

and were super supportive of this opportunity.” 

Recently, Bella started to use her social pages to 

showcase her life as a college-level soccer player. “I 

have been trying to mix soccer and beauty. I often get 


questions about training, and even about my beauty 

routine before and after games.” She has tried to merge 

her life on the field with beauty. She hopes that she can 

be an inspiration to up-and-coming female players who 

may struggle to balance playing sports, but also want to 

explore beauty and fashion. 

Coach Aristodemo of MIFC has been extremely supportive 

of Bella and has been a source of encouragement, 

especially when he saw how successful she could be. 

She spoke about how she and other alumni have often 

reflected on their time on the soccer team at MVA. 

Although he was tough, she absolutely believes he is 

the best soccer coach, hands down. “He is tough but 

passionate about the game and always wanted us to do 

our best, which still helps me today!” 

When asked about her future, she said, “Ultimately, I 

would like to work with more brands and expand my 

channel and see where it can take me.” Bella also 

expressed that her jump into the social media world has 

persuaded her to change majors and she would like to 

focus more on marketing. As far as her studies go, she 

said, “Finding a way to balance time and adjust to living in 

a big city compared to Clermont was a lot more work than 

I realized.” 

Now that she has had a year under her belt, she feels like 

she has a better handle on how to get her schedule done 

once she learned better time management. She also had 

Bella Ramirez 

success on the field and kicked her first college goal in 

the spring semester. She admits her coaches in college 

were a bit nervous about her new modeling career, but 

she absolutely feels she can manage both areas and will 

be able to find success on and off the field. 

Bella is bridging the world of beauty and athletics on her 

social platforms, and she is a voice and inspiration to 

other young people. She is excited about the possibilities 

of this new path. Bella also finds the time to work for 

soccer camps held at MVA during the summer and plays 

with the MIFC post-grad team. 

I have been trying to mix soccer 

and beauty. I often get questions 

about training, and even about 

my beauty routine before and 

after games... Ultimately, I would 

like to expand my channel and see 

where it can take me. 

Bella Ramirez 

Bella Ramirez 


Virginia Quellmalz-Zallocco ’91 

Virginia Quellmalz-Zallocco graduated from Montverde 

Academy in 1991. She came to MVA in pursuit of a place 

where she could train year-round in track and field as her 

family lived in Michigan at the time. “I can remember my 

coach getting out the hurdles and a large chunk of ice 

dropped off,” Virginia said, “and it was at that moment I 

knew I needed to be in a different place.” It was Virginia 

who researched and found the school in Florida called 

Montverde Academy, and she went on a mission to 

convince her parents that this was where she needed to 

be. This is the type of spirit that Virginia has had to have 

her entire life. 

Born legally blind, she grew up in a world where the 

technology to help give her sight had not yet been 

invented. A mix of vision therapy, corrective lenses – which 

helped to make this impairment less debilitating – and 

pure grit enabled Virginia to beat the odds. She entered 

school at a time when educational accommodations were 

not as commonplace for disabilities, so her early school 

years were a challenge until she entered a new program 

to assist her with her needs. She even had a seeing eye 

horse that she attributes to helping her become a hurdler. 

After beating so many odds, Virginia convinced her 

parents that Montverde Academy was where she needed 

to be! 

Virginia thrived in athletics and became an even more 

successful hurdler. She was a star athlete and still has 

many fond memories of lifelong friends she met while 

here. “People like Jewel Bridgeman I will never forget 

and the encouragement I received from Paul Ingrassia, 

Jackie Carroll, or the Simpson Family will always be in my 

heart,” she said. Virginia also remembers being featured 

in the Orlando Sentinel. “I was thrilled with the press and 

encouragement, often with full-page color pictures of 

my running successes – I have no idea how they made 

that happen.” The athletic prowess that she honed at 

MVA helped to provide her with exposure to Division I 

colleges, and she received scholarships to the University 

of Tennessee and transferred to Clemson University for 

a full-ride scholarship. “I attribute so much of my success 

to Coach Ingrassia and Coach Boyd, who were great 

coaches. They helped take me to the finish line when I 

struggled or thought I would not make it. The collective 

spirit of the teachers at MVA really helped to propel me to 

success for which I am so grateful.” 

She graduated with a B.A. in psychology in ’96 from 

Clemson after running competitively in hurdles, and she 

even nearly qualified for the Olympics, overachieving 

in an arena where she was often underestimated. The 

Virginia Quellmalz-Zallocco 

track and field world was challenging at the time, and 

although it was a dream, there were many experiences 

that often caused her to second-guess her longevity in 

the field. Unfortunately, a terrible injury ended her athletic 

career, but it did not take away her ambitions. Being an 

athlete can sometimes be limiting, and the loss of her 

athletic career was a pivotal moment for her as a semiprofessional 

athlete. Knowing where to turn next can be 

a daunting and crippling task, yet Virginia was able to 

overcome again by moving forward. She did not allow that 

loss to stop her from achieving, and it allowed her to fully 

explore other parts of herself. 

She went on from college and hurdles to a master’s 

degree from Furman University in physical health and 

exercise science and completed a teaching certificate in 

1999. “It’s taken a long time for me to formally challenge 

the limiting effects of social perspectives, adjusting any 

monocular views of my capacities. At most, classmates 

may have hoped for me to hurdle fast and go to the ’96 

Olympics, which almost happened. However, I have 

learned to use being underestimated to my advantage, 

silently overshooting my personal goals.” 

Virginia went on to marry, and she stayed home for a time 

to raise her kids who also had special educational needs, 


which she was uniquely equipped to handle after her 

experiences as a child. She assisted in a family business, 

as well, and in 2015 she went back to teaching after her 

first marriage ended. Although it was yet another setback, 

it created an opening for her to earn an associate’s 

degree from Durham Technical Community College where 

she graduated magna cum laude as an occupational 

therapy assistant (OTA), which was ultimately her true 

calling. While in school, Virginia entered a contest for 

best adaptive technology through the North Carolina 

Occupational Therapy Association and won a cash prize 

for engineering a communication device for children with 

cerebral palsy! 

The device she created and her subsequent award 

were precursors for her pursuit of a PhD in occupational 

therapy and theology at Duke University, which will 

begin a whole new phase for her. She muses, “To begin 

a PhD now at nearly 50, I think it is ironic that things in 

my life have come full circle because I used to compete 

in Division I universities, essentially running in a circle, 

and then I stayed home to run in circles after the kids. To 

be back at school again for my academic achievements 

is just amazing to me. I am not sure it would have been 

predicted during my time at MVA that I would be getting 

my doctoral degree from the top-ranking medical school 

at Duke University, or be heavily recruited as a top 

candidate, or engineer an electronic device. Born legally 

blind, I had to wait for technology to remove visual barriers 

because I eventually was able to have super specialized 

Lasik surgery to correct my eyes, but that experience 

allowed me to have empathy, which has been an asset in 

my field.” 

Her personal life mirrors the success she is having in her 

professional life, and this past May, she married Mauro 

Zallocco (originally from Australia). She is also looking 

forward to her last child beginning college this year. Her 

daughter Eva is planning to pursue a degree in chemical 

engineering and is being recruited by Ivy League schools. 

Her son Wyatt is also currently studying motorsports 

engineering at UNC Charlotte with an emphasis 

in NASCAR. 

“I am a first-generation college student and will become 

the first doctor in my family. Montverde Academy 

introduced me to an Ivy League education by providing 

me with a mentor from Yale University and introduced 

me to a world I knew little about. I named my beloved 

dog after her to honor the influence she had in my 

life, because my dog is always leading the way and 

encourages me to go further just like she did.” 

When asked if she had any words for current MVA 

students, Virginia said, “I would say to embrace the 

global perspectives of cultural inclusion and diversity that 

are offered at MVA and not to undervalue the long-term 

impact of a unique formal education. Also, I would advise 

not to underestimate the power of being underestimated 

because it is one of the biggest competitive advantages 

you can have. Your real worth depends on what you 

think of yourself, not what others think. Write poetry and 

read Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life by 

Marshal B. Rosenburg. There is no long-term upside to 

showing off wealth, so consider living well below 

your means.” 

Virginia and her husband 

Virginia’s life is a story of overcoming the odds, and 

Montverde Academy was one chapter that helped lead her 

to the success she has worked hard to achieve. “In the 

future, I hope to get all three additional medical certificates 

offered at Duke in theology and healthcare, vision, and 

entrepreneurship with a focus in product design. I would 

also like to return to serve the population of Southwest 

Florida with Hurricane Ian relief as a capstone project. 

I am honored and fulfilled by creating the next generation 

of technology for those who want more autonomy by 

enabling participation in their own chosen meaningful 

activities. When I am not at school, I work in a maximum 

load steal hyperbaric chamber facility (the type used 

to treat the bends, carbon monoxide poisoning, and 

cardiovascular accident/traumatic brain injuries in 

hospitals) in Durham, North Carolina.” She was recently 

hired by the Duke Center for Hyperbaric Medicine to work 

while on campus. 

Additionally, she runs a family business assisting her new 

husband, who is a mathematician, in asset allocation for 

stock market accounts. Virginia would like to thank Coach 

Ingrassia and Coach Boyd again, along with Dr. Barker 

and Patricia Croker, who all pushed her beyond her selfimposed 

limits and helped her to graduate from MVA. She 

has taken that same spirit throughout her life to support 

and encourage her students and patients alike. 


Christopher Egi ’14 

Christopher Egi is the embodiment of 

academics and athletics. He grew up 

in Canada, and basketball was his love 

and passion. Montverde Academy was 

on his radar because he wanted to play 

at a collegiate level, and he heard about 

the great team, Coach Boyle, and all the 

amazing things that were happening in 

the program. Christopher said, “I thought 

going to Montverde Academy would be a 

great opportunity for my basketball career, 

but I also knew it was a school that values 

academics, and that was really important 

to me. The diversity of the campus was 

also a great plus.” 

Although Christopher was only at Montverde Academy 

for a year, he felt that it had a big impact on his life. After 

graduating from MVA, he attended Harvard University 

where he played basketball and majored in economics 

with a minor in African and African American Studies. 

He was a little anxious when he began, but he said his 

first semester was his best academically and that MVA 

had prepared him for the rigors of Harvard. He is grateful 

for his economics teacher, Mrs. Urquhart, whose class 

opened for him the possibilities of a career in economics. 

He also remembers Mr. Urquhart’s AP English class, 

which he reflects was one of his favorite classes. 

He had a very successful time at Harvard not only from 

a basketball perspective but also from an academic 

perspective. Upon graduation, he was selected to give the 

valedictory speech for his graduating class. Christopher 

reflects, “I will not lie. I was very nervous, but it was a 

great experience and a moment that culminated in an 

amazing experience at Harvard. I spoke about what I felt 

was important to me as Harvard prides itself on educating 

the citizen leader, and I felt it was important at that 

moment to talk about equality, equal access to education, 

and resources for everyone. I spoke about knowing what 

a privilege it was for me to be on the stage, but it was luck 

and opportunity because if my parents had not left Nigeria 

and immigrated to Canada to get good jobs that afforded 

me an education and exposure, would I still be on a stage 

at Harvard? I understood my privilege and wanted to use 

Christopher Egi 

that platform to shed light on inequality for minorities, 

especially men of color.” 

He is currently working on a dual master’s degree in 

business and law and will graduate in 2026. He dabbled 

in the work world for a bit, working in private equity at 

Goldman Sachs in New York. “It was a great experience, 

and I definitely enjoyed working and living in New York. 

But I knew I wanted more, and that’s why I went back to 

school,” he said. 

Christopher feels like MVA really prepared him for life in 

America. He felt that as an international student he was 

so much more prepared for college having started out 

at MVA. “It was great being here because it's such a big 

difference from Canada. I went to an independent school 

in Canada, and those guys I went to school with got 

into great colleges. But getting an American experience, 

especially from an athletics perspective, was beneficial 

when applying for and attending college,” he said. 

It was not all basketball, though. He also participated 

in clubs like FCA, and he remembers being “recruited” 

by Mr. Ahern to play Shrek with his friend Nick Dupont. 

Christopher also wanted to mention how happy his 

family was with their decision to have him attend MVA. 

“My mother was especially happy with MVA and the 


Christopher Egi playing for MVA 

Christopher Egi giving the valedictory speech at Harvard 

supportiveness of Coach Boyle, Coach Miller, and all the 

teachers. She just loves what the school has done for me. 

She is truly grateful.” 

When asked what words of encouragement he would like 

to share with current students, he said, “Do stuff that you 

enjoy. Don’t be afraid! When I was at MVA, I wrote poetry 

and got better at basketball. I even did a children’s theater 

class, and it was amazing. I got to play Aladdin, and it was 

a great experience that I still talk about today. Take some 

risks and think outside of the box.” 

While pursuing his master's degree, he is also working 

on a startup called Waiv Campus. The goal is to bring 

the value of a Harvard MBA – connections, community, 

education, career progression, and support – to young 

professionals of color for a fraction of the time and money 

commitment. By doing that, he and the cofounders 

believe they have an opportunity to connect, support, and 

empower the next generation of corporate, political, and 

societal leaders to build a more colorful, imaginative future 

that’s inclusive of everyone. He is working on this with a 

few colleagues from Goldman Sachs on a part-time basis 

and looking to officially launch in the new year. 

My mother was very happy with 

MVA and the supportiveness of 

Coach Boyle, Coach Miller, and 

all the coaches. She just loves 

what the school has done for 

me. She is truly grateful. 

Christopher Egi 


1 

WHERE ARE 

THEY NOW? 

Class of 2012 

CELELBRATING 10 YEARS 

2 

Itʼs been 10 years since the class of 2012 left Montverde 

Academy. We tracked down a few of the students from this 

class and the Senior Superlatives. The graduation date was 

May 19, 2012. We are proud of all of you! 

JIAQI (STEPHANIE) ZHANG (1) 

Valedictorian and Academic Teams 

She received a bachelor’s degree 

from Georgia Institute of Technology 

and is currently pursuing an MBA from 

University of Michigan Stephen M. 

Ross School of Business, Santa Clara, 

CA, campus. She is the Operations 

Manager at UM International Investment 

Fund and lives in the Bay Area of San 

Francisco. 

CLAIRE XIONG (2) 

Salutatorian, Academic Teams, Editor 

Claire graduated with her MBA from 

Rice University this past summer. She is 

currently a senior strategist for Google 

Ads in China where she supports app 

developers in marketing campaign 

optimization and geo-expansion 

strategies. On a part-time basis, she 

is also a venture partner for a tech VC 

fund in Mainland China. Claire was the 

Director of Business and Strategy at 

Zhuiyi Technology. Her work involved 

digital growth strategy for AI solutions in 

various geographical markets. Prior to 

Zhuiyi, Claire was Director of Corporate 

Innovation at Plug and Play Tech Center 

where she helped corporations scout 

for disruptive technology. She was also 

involved with two fast-growing startups 

where she led marketing and business 

development initiatives. 

TYLER GEHR (3) 

Male Scholar-Athlete Award, Prefect, 

Honor Council, Voted Best School 

Spirit and Head of School Award 

Tyler has been in the Navy for six years 

and was stationed in Yokosuka, Japan. 

He is now serving as a Lieutenant in 

San Diego. He completed his fiveyear 

service obligation from the Naval 

Academy and is doing an additional 

three years for the GI Bill benefits with 

the goal of pursuing an MBA. He is 

studying for the GRE and will be leaving 

the military in the fall of 2024 to begin 

graduate school. He recently started 

surfing and photography and in his 

downtime takes road trips to national 

parks in the area with his girlfriend. 

BRIAN WOULFE (4) 

Class President, Soccer Team 

Captain, Student Body President 

Brian went to Catawaba College 

where he majored in Philosophy. 

Since graduating from college, he 

has held many positions in restaurant 

management, including staff training, 

menu creation, operations, and even 

mixology. He currently works and lives in 

Ireland and Charlotte, NC, with his wife, 

Katerina (Thompson) Woulfe. 

TAYLOR WOOSLEY (5) 

Prefect, Senior Speech Award 

After graduating from MVA, she attended 

Arizona State University on scholarship 

to water ski for their collegiate team. She 

stayed for a semester before deciding 

that she preferred the international 

aspect of skiing on the professional tour 

and decided to transfer to the University 

of Central Florida to complete her 

degree and rejoin the tour. She taught 

and competed in waterskiing around 

the globe while getting her bachelor’s 

degree in marketing with minors in 

international business and Spanish at 

the University of Central Florida. After 

graduating, she retired from water skiing 

for a “once in a lifetime position” to 

work at Fintech in New York City. She 

traveled internationally for conferences, 

events, and meetings. On one of those 

business trips to Amsterdam, she 

reconnected with an old water skiing 

friend who is now her husband of four 

years. She lives just outside of London 

in the English countryside and winters 


3 4 5 

6 7 

8 9 

in Florida. Taylor and her husband just 

welcomed their first child, Maximilian, 

and they also have two fur babies, Bruce 

Wayne and Storm. She works as an 

Operations Director for a tech startup 

focused on sustainability. The couple 

still loves to water ski and cannot wait 

to teach their son, who will surely be the 

captain of the MVA water ski team one 

day in the future! 

DAVID GRAYDON AND EMILY 

(TERRY) GRAYDON (6) 

After graduation, David attended Saint 

Louis University to play soccer for four 

years. There he studied psychology and 

moved back to Florida in 2017 with his 

now wife Emily (Terry) Graydon ’12, who 

is an accountant, and graduated from 

FAU. He worked in the Learning Support 

Services (LSS) program at MVA for two 

years before he accepted a job at a local 

nonprofit to work with at-risk kids. Then 

he accepted the opportunity to come 

back and be a part of the SIMA program. 

David and Emily married on January 4, 

2020. 

TIANZE (CHRISTOPHER) YI (7) 

Mathlympics Champion, Voted Most 

Intelligent 

He graduated from the University of 

California, Los Angeles with a bachelor's 

degree in neuroscience with a minor in 

biomedical research in 2016. In college, 

he was very active and worked as a 

Peer Learning Facilitator, Undergraduate 

Researcher in the Global Medical 

Brigade, and was a member of Alpha 

Chi Sigma. Christopher wanted to merge 

his healthcare interests with the tech 

sector so he completed a dual master's 

in computer science and bioengineering 

from the University of Pennsylvania 

in 2020. He is currently a software 

engineer at Bloomberg in New York City, 

concurrently pursuing a certificate in 

entrepreneurship 

PATRICIO GARINO (8) 

Voted Most Likely to Succeed 

Patricio played basketball for 

Georgetown University for four seasons 

under Coach Kevin Sutton, formerly 

of MVA. He played in the NBA and 

European leagues after graduating. 

He currently plays for Club Bàsquet 

Girona, a Spanish basketball club 

based in Girona, Catalonia, that was 

founded in 2014 by NBA player Marc 

Gasol. Patricio is a member of the 

Senior Argentine National Basketball 

Team; and he participated in the 

Olympics, won the Pan American gold 

medal in Lima, and played in the 2019 

FIBA Basketball World Cup where he 

received a silver medal. 

PUJA NARAIN (9) 

Voted Best Hair 

Puja graduated magna cum laude 

from the University of Miami with a 

Bachelor of Arts in political science 

and psychology in 2016. She was very 

active on campus and was involved in 

many clubs, icluding Phi Beta Kappa, 

Student Government, Phi Alpha Delta, 

Golden Key Honor Society, Honors 

Students Association, National Society 

of Collegiate Scholars, Alpha Lambda 

Delta, Psi Chi, President’s Honor Roll, 

Provost’s Honor Roll, and Dean’s 

List; and she received a Trustee’s 

Scholarship. She continued on to the 

University of Chicago Law School where 

she received her JD with honors. She 

lives in Chicago and is an associate with 

Kirkland and Ellis. 


1 2 3 4 

5 6 7 

ALUMNI CLASS NOTES 

1995 

ALEJANDRO CASTILLO 

(1) travelled from Campeche, 

Mexico, to bring his family for 

a visit to the MVA campus. 

He was blown away by the 

growth of the campus and 

reflected fondly on his time 

here, remembering “Sunday 

dress” on Thursday night 

dinners, grad night, and 

playing on the soccer team. 

He is s still in touch with other 

alumni from Campeche and 

hopes that someday one of 

his kids can attend MVA. 

2002 

LANI BARON (2) is a divorce 

attorney and mediator. Her 

work at a small law firm that 

focused heavily on mediation 

early in her career led her 

to her life's passion. She 

studied at Pepperdine’s 

Straus Institute and pursued 

a JD and graduated from 

Whittier Law School in the 

top four percent of her class. 

Her practice is focused on 

helping families avoid long, 

drawn-out court cases. She 

is the owner of Alternative 

Divorce Solutions and 

founded the ADS Institute 

for Best Practices in Divorce 

Mediation, which is a training 

institute for lawyers in 

mediation. She also teaches 

as an adjunct professor at 

The Santa Barbara and 

Ventura Colleges of Law. 

2005 

FARID GUINDO was 

valedictorian of his class 

and won the male studentathlete 

award. He went on 

to study economics and 

finance at McGill University 

and has worked in the asset 

management industry for a 

decade. He is currently based 

out of New York. 

2009 

Congratulations to ZAKIYA 

NEWTON (3) on becoming 

a contestant on the Food 

Network’s The Great Holiday 

Baking Challenge. We are 

wishing you great success as 

the show continues through 

the holiday season. 

2011 

Congratulations to DAVID 

VELASQUEZ on becoming 

Vice president at Hodes Weill 

& Associates, which is a 

capital advisory firm located 

in New York City that deals 

with asset management. 

David graduated from Boston 

College with a Bachelor 

of Science in business 

management and economics 

in 2015. 

2013 

ZENGYANG (MICKEY) MI 

(4) graduated in 2017 from 

the University of Washington 

with a bachelor’s degree 

in economics. In 2021 

he completed a master’s 

degree in enterprise risk 

management and won a 

Top Five student award in 

enterprise risk management. 

He is currently an investment 

analyst with Shenzhen Holing 

in Guangdong, China. 

2015 

DʼANGELO RUSSELL 

(5) welcomed a baby boy 

this past fall with girlfriend 

Laura Ivaniukas. He is 

also running a basketball 

camp in his hometown of 

Louisville, KY, to improve 

the skills and development 

of youth players. D’Angelo 

is also working with schools 

in China on basketball 

development. He currently 

plays professionally with the 

Minnesota Timberwolves. 

2016 

TAHJ MALONE (6) and BEN 

SIMMONS ʼ15 (7) are part of 

a team that co-founded a new 

training app called Training 

Hub for amateur coaches and 

were recently featured in an 

article in Forbes Magazine. 

It is a directory that connects 

local coaches in a given area 


8 9 10 11 

12 

13 

SEND US YOUR CLASS NOTES! Send Class Notes submissions and a high-resolution (at least 300 dpi) photos to 

nyoshie.higgins@montverde.org or mail to Class Notes at MVA, 17235 Seventh Street, Montverde, FL 34756. 

with athletes that need 

training. Tajh attended 

Drexel University and 

graduated with a bachelor’s 

degree (cum laude) in 2021 

in sports management. Ben 

Simmons currently plays 

in the NBA with the 

Brooklyn Nets. 

CAHILL CHEN (CANLING) 

(8) attended the University 

of Connecticut and 

graduated in 2020 with 

honors in actuarial 

science. She is currently 

an actuarial analyst at 

Sun Life Financial. Cahill 

was part of the equestrian 

program at MVA and is still 

a proud horse mom today. 

She recently got engaged 

to Matthew Macejker who 

is currently studying for his 

PhD. Congratulations! 

XUCHUXUE (IRISA) 

ZHOU (9) had an excellent 

collegiate experience in 

Canada at McGill University 

and received a Bachelor of 

Arts in honors economics 

with a major concentration 

in mathematics in 2019. 

Following that, she 

earned a Master of Arts in 

economics with distinction 

from the University of 

Toronto. She is currently 

earning a PhD in 

economics at the University 

of Toronto. 

2017 

MACKENZIE NAILOS 

(10) graduated from the 

University of Florida where 

she earned a Bachelor 

of Arts in economics and 

political science and 

minored in East Asian 

languages and culture 

with an emphasis on 

Chinese studies. She 

spent a great deal of 

time learning Mandarin at 

MVA and in college and 

is now proficient. In 2018 

she was a congressional 

intern in the U.S. House 

of Representatives. 

Mackenzie is currently 

pursuing a Doctor of 

Law degree at Vanderbilt 

University and plans to 

focus on international law, 

specifically on strengthing 

communication and 

reliance in China. 

2018 

DOLLY RATH (11) 

graduated in May from 

Xavier University with a 

double major in marketing 

and international business 

and a minor in political 

economy. She is currently 

in the Disney College 

Program working as a 

children’s activity counselor 

in the Wilderness Region. 

This past summer she and 

her twin brother, WILLIAM 

RATH, traveled to more 

than nine countries in 

Europe! William is currently 

in law school at the 

University of Oregon. 

2020 

ANDREA BARROWS 

(12) earned a selection to 

Team USA for the sport of 

weightlifting. She competed 

at the Junior Pan American 

Championships in Lima, 

Peru, as one of ten U20 

lifters selected across 

the country. She will also 

graduate this spring with a 

degree in exercise science 

from the University of South 

Florida. 

2021 

Congratulations ALI 

FADAL (13) on being 

selected to play on the 

Spanish professional 

soccer team Valencia CF. 

He is enjoying himself and 

the team and has recently 

connected with another 

SIMA alum and former 

teammate, MAMADOU 

IBRA MBACKE FALL ʼ20, 

who recently relocated to 

Valencia, as well, to play 

with Villareal! 


OCTOBER 3, 2022 

Bella Collina Golf Course 

Christine Tran, Debi Provenzano, Kellie Knight, Tina DeClercq 

Kalena Meyers, Vidette Vanwyk, John Steyl 

One Rail Team 

South Lake Hospital Team 


Burton Construction Team 

Belmore Construction Team 

Jon Hopman, Dennis Woodward, Neil Barnhill, Walter Eksteen 

REAL Team 

JeBailey & Co. Construction Team 


Montverde Academy 

17235 Seventh Street 

Montverde, FL 34756 

• SAVE 

the 

DATE • 

Join us for an evening of spectacular entertainment and 

a celebration of Montverde Academy’s lasting legacy. 

SEPTEMBER 23, 2023 

Rosen Shingle Creek 

9939 Universal Blvd. 

Orlando, Florida 32819 

SPONSORSHIPS AVAILABLE 

For more information, email kalena.meyers@montverde.org

Tower Winter 2022-23

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