Florida Department of Education Release

Tallahassee, Fla., February 27, 2013 – Florida Panhandle’s highest-achieving science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) students joined their peers from across the state in Orlando to be honored during the 2013 Sunshine State Scholars program. The two-day awards and recruitment event celebrated the accomplishments of these elite students and provided a unique venue for Florida’s colleges and universities to recruit their talents. Each school district selected the top eleventh-grade STEM scholar to participate.

The Sunshine State Scholars program is possible because of collaboration among the Florida Education Foundation, the Division of Florida Colleges, the State University System of Florida, and the Florida Department of Education. Event sponsors of this year's program include AT&T, State Farm, Helios Education Foundation, Universal Orlando Resort, Gulf Power Company, The Florida Lottery, Florida Trend Magazine, and Capital City Bank. For more information about the event, visit Sunshine State Scholars.

A list of the Sunshine State Scholars from Florida’s Panhandle is below:

Bay
George Hamm
Bay High School

Calhoun
Blayne Cherry
Blountstown High School

Escambia
Robert Tran
Pensacola High School

FAMU Lab School
Cherrise Leon
FAMU Lab School

Franklin
Jathan Martin
Franklin County K-12 School

FSU Lab School
Alaina Branch
FSU Lab School

Gadsden
Meaghan Sapp
East Gadsden High School

Gulf
Seth Goodwin
Wewahitchka High School

Holmes
Patricia Lewis
Bethlehem High School

Jackson
Mariya Yaroshenko
Marianna High School

Jefferson
Coby Brown
Jefferson Middle/High School

Leon
Joanna Zhao
Lincoln High School

Liberty
Ashlei Yates
Liberty County High School

Madison
Alexandra Patron
Madison County High School

Okaloosa
Ciara Ordner
Niceville High School

Santa Rosa
Kandace Jernigan
Milton High School

Taylor
John Hilton
Taylor County High School

Wakulla
Emily Westmark
Wakulla High School

Walton
Luke Bauer
South Walton High School

Washington
Richard Davenport
Chipley High School

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About the Florida Department of Education: The department’s mission is to increase the proficiency of all students within one seamless, efficient education system by providing them the chance to expand their knowledge and skills through world-class learning opportunities. Serving more than 3.5 million students, 4,200 public schools, 28 colleges, 188,000 teachers, 47,000 college professors and administrators, and 318,000 individuals who work in education throughout the state, the department enhances the economic self-sufficiency of Floridians through programs and services geared toward college, workforce education, job-specific skills, and career development. Florida ranks first in the nation for teacher quality, first in the nation in advanced placement participation, and first in the southern region for graduation rate and degrees awarded by the Florida College System. For more information, visit www.fldoe.org.