Each month, Stars features exceptional students, student athletes, educators and all-around boons to the Greater Orlando area. Know a Star? Submit your nominees to Nate@OrlandoFamilyMagazine.com.

Star Student: Amber Yang

A scientist in the making, Trinity Preparatory School’s Amber Yang won the grand prize at this year’s Florida State Science Fair, as well as recognition awards from NASA and the U.S. Air Force. Her project, which reflects her passion about the possibilities of space technology, has the capability to track the orbits of space debris to help reduce the risk of it colliding with space vehicles.

Star Student: Jaliyah “Juicy” Kersten

A well-rounded freshman student at Lake Mary High School (LMHS), Jaliyah “Juicy” Kersten has more than a cool nickname going for her. Not only does she have a 4.0 grade point average, but she dances with the LMHS Marionettes and helped choreograph many of their routines over the past year. She’s also the youngest-ever assistant with the dance company Intrigue, through which she travels the country and assists top choreographers.

Star Student: Tess Marvin

The starting goalie for the girls’ lacrosse team at Oviedo’s Paul J. Haggerty High School, junior Tess Marvin is also making waves in science. In recent months, she’s conducted original microbiology research at the University of Central Florida, won 1st place in the Cellular and Molecular Biology category at Florida’s State Science and Engineering Fair, and received an $84,000 scholarship to Florida Institute of Technology, and she’ll represent Florida in the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair.

Star Student: Hannah Verma

In March, 16-year-old Hannah Verma of Longwood was the grand prize winner in Bright House Networks’ 2016 Bright Ideas STEM from Today’s Youth program. The Lake Highland Preparatory Academy student’s invention, the Verma Hygiene Mister, is designed as a better way to sanitize hospitals by reducing cost and the spread of disease. She and four other finalists were selected from 165 innovative entries from students nationwide.

Star Citizen: Dwayne Overstreet

A 2010 graduate of Dr. Phillips High School and an Orlando native, Petty Officer 2nd Class Dwayne Overstreet is now serving with the U.S. Navy’s Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 48, which is based out of Mayport and operates the Navy’s newest submarine hunter and anti-surface warfare helicopter, the MH-60R Seahawk. Overstreet serves the squadron as an aviation maintenance administrator.

Star Educator: Phillip Carman

After spending five years on international tours with Rasta Thomas’ Bad Boys of Dance production, Orlando Ballet School’s (OBS’) Phillip Carman has settled in Orlando to be close to his family and is teaching an open advanced/professional class at OBS’ South Campus. Previously, Carman was a professional dancer with the Pennsylvania Ballet and National Ballet of Canada.

Star Student: Briana Gallon

A 7th grade student at Markham Woods Middle School and a member of the school’s basketball team, Briana Gallon is also a talented singer. She recently released a professionally recorded song, “Successful,” for which she also filmed a music video that’s available on YouTube. Gallon is currently working with producers to expand the song’s reach and plans on performing at her school in the near future.

Star Student: Tyler Colson

Following a stellar high-school sports career, Boone High School Senior Tyler Colson will attend and play baseball for Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina, this fall. At Boone, Colson was the QB and captain of the freshman football team before becoming a three-year and two-year varsity letterman on the school’s basketball and baseball teams, respectively. He’s also served as captain for both teams and has received numerous accolades, including Furman’s Bell Tower scholarship.

Star Citizen: Damaris Hernandez

Orange County Fire Rescue dispatcher Damaris Hernandez was named the Southeast Regional Winner in the national Smart Telecommunicator Awards. Hernandez was nominated for her work on a call from a woman who reported her husband was experiencing a cardiac event. Despite the caller being abusive, Hernandez maintained her professionalism and guided the caller through administering CPR while simultaneously dispatching emergency services.

Star Student: Esha Ranade

Esha Ranade recently placed 3rd in the Florida State MathCounts competition, which advanced the 8th-grade student at Orlando Science Middle School to the National MathCounts, scheduled for May 7-10 in Washington D.C. In part thanks to Ranade’s accomplishments, Orlando Science’s Math Team placed 2nd among all schools in the state-level contest.

Star Student: Madison Taberham

A 4th grader at Holy Family Catholic School, Madison Taberham is already a very accomplished dancer. First, she’s scheduled to attend the American Ballet Theatre’s Young Dancer Summer Program in New York later this year. She also recently advanced to the Classical Ballet Pointe Division at Orlando Ballet School and was invited to join beginning pointe classes, which is an honor for such a young age.

Star Student: Maria Adrovet

Cypress Creek High School student Maria Adrovet won in the Sculpture category at the 2016 Southeastern Regional High School Art Competition and Exhibition with her piece Puzzle Girl, which also earned Best of Show at last year’s Maitland Art Festival. The competition accepted work from 25 high schools from five states.