Students, educators honored at chamber's education awards ceremony

The West Orange Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with the West Orange Foundation, presented its 2025 awards to students and educators in a recent ceremony.

Graduating high school seniors who are recipients of a Danniel J. Petro Scholarship Fund scholarship, and fifth, eight and eleventh grade recipients of the SOAR award were honored and presented with their awards. This year, the chamber and foundation awarded nine scholarships, totaling more than $20,000, and 41 SOAR awards.

New this year was the addition of the Educator Appreciation Award, funded by Duke Energy. This award was created to celebrate and recognize a team or individual educator who goes above and beyond in the classroom with their efforts to foster excellence, creativity and a commitment to enhancing the learning experience for their students.

Twelve instructors representing Bay Meadows Elementary School, Orange Technical College-West Campus, St. Andrew Catholic School and Whispering Oak Elementary School were among the inaugural recipients of this award.

Notables on hand to help honor the award recipients were Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings, Orange County School Board Member Anne Douglas, Winter Garden Commissioner Iliana Ramos Jones and chamber chair Betsy VanderLey, along with several chamber and foundation board members.

The foundation’s Danniel J. Petro Scholarship Fund was established for eligible students from high schools in West Orange County to further their education at a college, university or trade/vocational school. The foundation funded this year’s scholarships through partners Duke Energy, Orlando Health and the Petro Family Foundation.

Administration and implementation of the program is provided by the West Orange Chamber.

WEST ORANGE FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS

Delaney Allen (Windermere High School) will attend Florida Atlantic University                

Alisha Ansari (Windermere High School) is undecided (University of Central Florida, University of Florida)         

Girmay Buck (Horizon High School) will attend FAU

Daniella DiSciullo (West Orange High School) will attend the University of Tampa             

Marina Gotay (Horizon High School) will attend UCF

Christian Josil (West Orange High School) will attend Valencia College

Emily Mickulas (West Orange High School) will attend FAU

Gianluca Pavone (Horizon High School) will attend UCF

Samantha Payton (Foundation Academy) will attend the University of South Florida        

SOAR AWARDS

• Fifth-grade winners:

Bay Meadows Elementary School - Bishr Khan

Citrus Elementary School - Faimana Hickes

Dillard Street Elementary School - Lilliana Burger

Foundation Academy (Lakeside) - Jamison Jackson

Foundation Academy (Plant Street) - Ethan Patton              

Frangus Elementary School - Nhilynne Labranche    

Hamlin Elementary School - Ethan Spelman

Keene's Crossing Elementary School - Valeria Baravikova

Lake Gem Elementary School - Judlie Aristilde                     

Lake Whitney Elementary School - Ava Daskalakis

Maxey Elementary School - Aliviya Autry                 

MetroWest Elementary School - Braydon Kavasch

Oak Hill Elementary School - Kevin Guaba Ledesma 

Palm Lake Elementary School - Isabella Delgado

Panther Lake Elementary School - Elizabeth Liburd  

Prairie Lake Elementary School - Ryan Jones

Ridgewood Park Elementary School - Ethan Fortune

Rosemont Elementary School - Ba'ron Cleveland     

Sand Lake Elementary School - Leonardo Da Silva Riera      

St. Andrew Catholic School - Loue-Sahnaa Metellus

Summerlake Elementary School - Harper Jacobson

Sunset Park Elementary School - Skye Hughes         

Thornebrooke Elementary School - Aryana Syed

West Oaks Elementary School - Christ Shael Joseph

Westbrooke Elementary School - Tyler Williams

• Eighth-grade winners:

Foundation Academy - Eleanor Oakman

Hamlin Middle School - Landon Carroll

Horizon West Middle School - Gavin Bridges

Ocoee Middle School - Yorvin Hernandez

Robinswood Middle School - Wilkamen Nephka Louis         

St. Andrew Catholic School - Keysha Diogene

Sunridge Middle School - Brooklyn Haramic

Water Spring Middle School - Santiago Angulo        

• Eleventh-grade winners:

Evans High School - Glenn Lopez

Foundation Academy - Ryan Wenzel

Horizon High School - Bryce Frazer   

Lake Buena Vista High School - Gustavo Aldaz         

Ocoee High School - Meeshmyna Clerjuste

Olympia High School - Jordyn Cox

West Orange High School - Vanessa Maloney

Windermere High School - Julia Trimble

2025 EDUCATOR APPRECIATION AWARDS

Bay Meadows Elementary School - Special Area team, Megan Buckley, Crytal Edwards, Douglas Highfield, Barbara Houser, Brent Wilmot

Orange Technical College - Kristal Powell, teacher and program coordinator of Build Your Future

St. Andrew Catholic School - Middle school team, Shirley Descopain, Roselene Hayes, Jane Jones, Erica Mesa, Christopher Williams

Whispering Oak Elementary School - Sonia Robinson, second-grade teacher

Photo by Jason Cannon