
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 February were Tanaya Rackard from Sebastian Charter Junior High School, Jackson Summerall from Storm Grove Middle School, Aubrey Ford from Sebastian River Middle School, and Michael Hill and Paige Sharek from Sebastian River High School.
Tanaya Rackard is a tremendously successful and wonderful student in advanced classes. She is a calm person among even the most chaotic circumstances and has a laser focus to get the job done. Tanaya is a helper, a learner, a watcher, and a motivator. She is well-respected by everyone. She never gives up on her success and is a great influence on the people around her. She is dependable and wise beyond her years. When the pandemic struck us and we went virtual, her motivation did not cease and she continued to make excellent progress in her classes. Tanaya does not back down from a challenge but goes above and beyond and pushes herself to be the best version of herself. She has a unique perspective on life, quick wit, and joy for learning. In accepting her award Tanaya thanked her peers, teachers and principal for helping her grow and be a better person and her parents for helping her make the right decisions.
Jackson Summerall is a hard working student with a great attitude and positive ways. He is very outgoing and strives to do his best in classes, and has earned all A’s. He rises to challenges, is bright, bubbly and inquisitive and always helpful to peers. He clearly sees what is ahead. Jackson is a member of the school flag football team and band and also volunteers at his church. He enjoys surfing, snowboarding, and traveling with his family. He plans to attend Vero Beach High School and wants to be a pilot and pursue a career in aviation. In accepting his award Jackson thanked his parents, teachers and our club for “the privilege and honor of being here.”
Aubrey Ford is an amazing young lady with high character. She exhibits all the IB character traits in her everyday life. She is respected by her peers and she serves as a strong role model. Aubrey displays the characteristics of a model citizen every day. She is kind to others. She is an inquisitive leader, always hard at work while in class and striving to do the best that she can. She has been ambitious with her IB project and even though she has encountered some hurdles, she is still trying to push through and complete the goal she set early on. She carries herself with a demeanor of wanting to learn. Aubrey has been working incredibly hard this year to maintain an “A” average in all her classes. In accepting her award Aubrey thanked her parents, teachers, coaches and our club saying she was “honored to be nominated.”
Michael Hill is an IB Diploma Candidate with a weighted GPA of 4.357 and class rank of 29th. He is a member of the National Honor Society, Jr. ROTC, SRHS Swim Team Captain, and a member of the TCSC Swim Team. He has earned passing scores in four IB and AP classes which earn him college credit, and he is an AP Scholar. Michael has earned his FAA SUAS Safety certification and FAA Part 107 Commercial UAS license certification. In accepting his award Michael said, “It is truly an honor to be here.” He thanked our club, his family and teachers and his friends for “bringing out the inner me.” Michael plans to attend either FSU, Georgia Tech or Virginia Tech to study computer science and work in cyber security.
Paige Sharek is an IB Diploma Candidate with a weighted GPA of 4.473 and class ranking of 13th. She is a member of the student council, Secretary of the National Honor Society and National Technical Honors Society. Paige has earned passing scores in three IB and AP classes for which she earns college credit. She is a co-creator of the H.E.Y. Club (to help smaller organizations), assists the Little Birthday Angels with parties for homeless children and volunteers with the Firefighter’s Fair and at American Legion dinners. Her interests include traveling, drawing and painting, reading, singing and aerospace engineering. In accepting her award Paige thanked our club for all the work we do in the community. She plans to attend FIT or Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
Margie Duffell
