Class Notes 04.09.15

+ Montverde player wins Gatorade Player of the Year Award

BenSimmons, of Montverde Academy, was named the 2014-15 Gatorade National Boys Basketball Player of the Year during a presentation March 24 at the school.

Simmons was surprised with the news at school by nine-time NBA All-Star DominiqueWilkins. An award presentation took place inside the Montverde Academy Center for Sportsmanship and Wellness during a special Upper-school afternoon Assembly.

“It was exciting for me to be able to surprise Ben with the Gatorade National Basketball Player of the Year award, especially because he is such a deserving winner,” Wilkins said. “Ben is a well-rounded individual who has already accomplished so much on and off the court, so it’s an honor for me to welcome him into the prestigious Gatorade Player of the Year family.”

The award, which recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the court, distinguishes Simmons as the nation’s best high school boys basketball player. A national advisory panel comprised of sport-specific experts and sports journalists helped select Simmons from nearly 440,000 high school boys basketball players nationwide.

Simmons is now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade Male High School Athlete of the Year award, to be presented at a special ceremony prior to The ESPY Awards in July.

Simmons, a 6-foot-10, 220-pound senior forward, has led the Eagles to a 28-1 record. Also the 2015 Morgan Wootten Award winner and the Naismith Trophy Boys Basketball Player of the Year, Simmons averaged 28 points and 11.9 rebounds while shooting 70.7 percent from inside the arc through 29 games. He is rated as the nation’s No. 1 recruit in the Class of 2015 by ESPN and is a 2015 McDonald’s All-American Game selection as well as a 2015 Jordan Brand Classic game invitee. 

“Ben Simmons is an electrifying player,” said Montverde Academy head coach KevinBoyle. “He’s a great rebounder and he has the ability to help teammates get better. I think he’s the best high school player in the country, and the scary thing is, I think he can get a lot better. He’s improved each year because he recognizes he can keep getting better.”

Simmons has signed a National Letter of Intent to play basketball on scholarship at Louisiana State University this fall.

Former notable Gatorade National Players of the Year include Super Bowl MVP Peyton Manning, WNBA all-time leading scorer and rebounder Lisa Leslie, NFL all-time leading rusher Emmitt Smith, three-time beach volleyball gold medalist Kerri Walsh and four-time track-and-field gold medalist Allyson Felix.

+ Local students shine in college

• Ranbir Ahluwalia, of Orlando, was named to the dean’s list at Emory College of Arts and Sciences, in Atlanta, Georgia, for the 2014 fall semester. Students must be in the top 20% of Emory College or have a GPA of about 3.850 or higher to be named to the list.

• Andrew J. Bragg, Spencer S. Cast, Olivia R. Cole and Madeline C. Sundberg, all of Windermere, were named to the fall 2014 dean’s list at Samford University.

• Brock Drogosch, of Windermere, was among the 4,970 undergraduate students at the University of Kansas to earn honor-roll distinction for the fall 2014 semester.

• Zaina Gowani, of Orlando, was named to the Merit List of Oxford College, the two-year liberal arts division of Emory University located in Oxford, Georgia, for the 2014 fall semester. Students must earn a grade point average of 3.0 or higher during the previous semester to be named to the list.

• Alban Harp, of Winter Garden, received the Scholar Athlete award at Louisburg College during the Hurricane Scholar Athletes Awards Ceremony Feb. 18 in the Roger G. Taylor Athletic Center. Scholar athletes were recognized at the ceremony for their academic achievement during the spring 2014 and/or fall 2014 semester. 

• Sharice L. O’Neal, of Ocoee, was named to the dean’s list for the October-December 2014 and January-March 2015 sessions at Columbia College, Columbia, Missouri. To be named to the dean’s list, a student must have completed 12 semester hours in a 16-week period and achieved a minimum GPA of 3.5 on a four-point scale.

• Metron Parker, of Ocoee, and George Thomas, of Windermere, have successfully completed the requirements for graduation during Term 3 of the 2014/2015 academic year at Troy University. Term 3 includes students at TROY’s campuses in Dothan, Phenix City and Montgomery, Ala., and Global Campus, which consists of teaching sites outside of Alabama and online.

• Marina Rae Walters, of Orlando, was named to the dean’s list for the fall 2014 semester at Washington University in St. Louis. To qualify for the list, students must earn a semester GPA of 3.6 or above and be enrolled in at least 14 graded units.

+ Ocoee team competes in Battle of the Books

The Ocoee Middle School team placed sixth out of 37 schools in the Battle of the Books recently at the Winter Park Ninth Grade Center.

The Ocoee team has been meeting with sponsor MicheleHipolito weekly since October to prepare. 

+ District reschedules next Parent Academy

The OCPS Parent Academy event, titled “Great Beginnings: Transitioning to New Heights,” originally scheduled for April 4 at Windy Ridge K-8 School, has been rescheduled.

It will take place from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, April 25, at Colonial High School, 6100 Oleander Drive, Orlando.

 For more information or to register, visit parentacademy.ocps.net.

+ WOHS cheer meeting April 16

Anyone interested in trying out for cheer at West Orange High School for the upcoming school year?

There will be a pre-tryout meeting at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, April 16, in the media center, 1625 Beulah Road, Winter Garden.

Parents and students are encouraged to attend. Attendees will receive all the necessary information for tryouts and what to expect for the cheer season. Cheer tryouts will take place May 18, 20 and 21.