OUR YOUTH OF THE MONTH AWARD recognizes hard-working pre-high school and high school students who attain high levels of scholastic achievement, community involvement and leadership, and daily demonstrate good citizenship both at school and at home. Students recognized for the month of September were Victoria Ruiz from Sebastian Charter Junior High School, Victoria Hall from Storm Grove Middle School, Rylee Collett from Sebastian River Middle School, and Helena Kiernan and Peyton Dipietro from Sebastian River High School.
Victoria Ruiz is a student of character in every aspect. She is a valuable member of her class, is kind, thoughtful, and works well with others. She has a passion for greatness and her competitive nature pushes her on to the basketball court, the volleyball court (where she is Captain) and soccer field. She leads by example and is the Secretary of the National Junior Honor Society Executive Committee.
Victoria shows drive and determination in both academics and athletics. Her friends say she is nice and empathetic and knows when to do the right thing. She is compassionate and a good friend to all of her classmates. In accepting her award, Victoria thanked our club and her school representatives “for always being there for me. I am so grateful!”
Victoria Hall is an outstanding student who is highly motivated and strives to excel in all areas. She pays attention to detail and focuses on her work. She is a member of the National Junior Honor Society and has made straight A’s since her 1st grade year! Victoria is a respectable and responsible student and a role model for all. She accepts every challenge with hard work, treats others with kindness and sets a good example for others. She is well liked by her teachers and classmates.
Victoria is also a talented soloist and has received Excellent and Superior ratings from the Florida Vocal Association Solo and Ensemble Festival. She has been selected for the All-state Choir. Victoria dances for BADC dance company. She alter serves for her church. It didn’t take long for the Storm Grove
School Administration team to readily agree on her for the September Student of the Month! In accepting her award Victoria said, “I am very honored to be here and grateful to my teachers and parents and classmates for their support.”
Rylee Collett is a joy to know and have as a student in class. She is friendly, welcoming, and encouraging to everyone in and out of class. She goes out of her way to fully understand a concept and works hard to achieve it. She is respectful and of strong character and a great role model to her peers. She is a well-rounded and grounded student and athlete that prioritizes her education, asks questions, assists her classmates, and then takes all that to the field. She’s a great team player. She balances her extracurricular activities with her rigorous workload from her challenging schedule with ease, or at least she makes it look easy!
Rylee portrays all of the IB Learner Profile traits – but most of all, she is principled on a daily basis. Rylee is focused, honest, helpful, and studious within the classroom and outside the classroom. At her group in class, she naturally takes charge, leading her group to success, while making sure everyone is working together as a team. When working independently, she maintains her focus with a breeze, while producing clear and concise products that surpass most advanced level students. Rylee is an extraordinarily, exceptionally mature young lady who can brighten up everyone’s day! In accepting her award Rylee thanked our club, her family and her teachers for nominating her saying, “this is amazing, my main goal is to help others look forward to school.”
Helena Kiernan is an IB Diploma Candidate with a 4.548 Weighted GPA and is Ranked 12th in her Class. She is a member of the National Honor Society and is an AP Scholar. She has received the College Board National Rural & Small-Town Recognition, and is President of the GSA (Gay and Straight Alliance). She Works and Volunteers at the Vero Beach Karate Association as an instructor.
Helena has a true gift for literary analysis. She nearly always presents ideas that are not only unique, but brilliant and insightful. Her contributions in class discussions add a richness and fascinating angle which are so admirable. She also has a wonderful sardonic wit that never fails to make us laugh. In accepting her award, Helena thanked her parents for teaching her “to be my best” and her teachers for their encouragement. Helena plans to attend University of Florida and pursue a degree in mathematics.
Payton Dipietro is an IB Diploma Candidate with a 4.61 Weighted GPA and is ranked 2nd in his class. He is a member of the National Honor Society, is an AP Scholar and Interact Club member. Peyton mentors in the Peer-to-Peer program at Fellsmere Elementary. He has been Captain of the SRHS Cross Country team for 4 years and Track Team Varsity member for 4 years.
Payton’s intellect, coupled with his wonderful sense of humor, adds so much to class discussions. Likewise, Peyton’s vast knowledge of history always provides excellent points which enhance his classmates’ experience while studying various texts. In accepting his award Payton thanked his family and the SRHS staff for being supportive and instrumental. He plans to continue his study in bio-technology upon graduation.
Margie Duffell