Spotlighting exceptional students, student athletes, educators and all-around boons to Greater Orlando

Star Student: Shawn Coultoff 

In August, local golf phenom Shawn Coultoff traveled to Pinehurst, North Carolina, to participate in the 2017 U.S. Kids World Golf Championship. Despite facing some daunting opponents — 173 of the best 10-year old golfers from around the world representing more than 50 countries—Coultoff finished third overall at 10 under par.

Star Student: Salma Benbrahim

A student at Orlando Science Middle School, Salma Benbrahim was recently selected as a Broadcom MASTERS (Math, Applied Science, Technology and Engineering Rising Stars) nominee for her science-fair project. Only 10 percent of science-fair projects nationwide are selected for this opportunity.

Star Student: Jaelen Alexander

An upperclassman at Orlando Science High School, Jaelen Alexander was recently honored with the President’s Volunteer Service Award for his volunteer work with the City of Orlando. Alexander has worked alongside elected officials for the past five years and has completed more than 500 hours of community service.

Star Student: Ryan Kainz

The captain of Winter Park High School’s football team, incoming senior Ryan Kainz is a winner off the gridiron, too. In addition to managing a substantial course load, he’s a member of the Athletic Honor Society and an active volunteer for the Beta Club. Outside of school, he runs a successful landscaping business he started in middle school.

Star Students: The Christ School K-8 Students

The Christ School’s students participated in an online social movement, #TCSKindness, to give back to their community by demonstrating kindness to friends and strangers. The trend was initiated as a way for students of all ages to take part in bettering their community, and the world at large, through loving acts.

Star Students: Seminole Science Charter School Students

Earlier this year, Seminole Science Charter School’s Elementary Science Olympiad teams competed in the Central Florida Regional competition in Lake Nona. Out of the 64 teams that participated in the event, the teams from Seminole Science placed first, second and sixth overall, doing their school proud in the process.

Star Students: Girls Scouts of Citrus

Give Kids the World Village, a Kissimmee resort that provides free, week-long vacations to children with life-threatening illnesses and their families received a boost from Greater Orlando’s Girls Scouts of Citrus this summer. Specifically, they received 620 cases of Girl Scout cookies that were not sold during the Scouts’ annual, eight-week cookie sale.

Star Students: Windermere Prep Lower School Advanced Mathematics Students

Windermere Preparatory School’s Lower School Advanced Mathematics students recently performed admirably in two different online math competitions. In the Online Math League, three Windermere participants placed at No. 54 or higher nationally, and in the Sumdog National Math Contest, 13 Windermere students finished in the top 50 nationally.

Star Educator: Michael Miller

In May, Kissimmee Elementary School teacher Michael Miller was named a 2018 Florida Teacher of the Year finalist. Miller, who was nominated for being a great teacher who challenges and inspires his students, received a $5,000 check from the Florida Department of Education and Macy’s, as well as a $500 Macy’s gift card, and his school received a $1,000 check.

Star Organization: The HAUS Project

The HAUS Project, which is spearheaded by HAUS Real Estate founder Hollie Gondera, presented Rock Springs Elementary School with a check for $1,005 in May. The funds were made possible by a Parents’ Night Out event and marked a continuation of the HAUS Project’s outreach work throughout Central Florida.

Star Public Servant: Otto Drozd III

Earlier this year, Orange County Fire Chief Otto Drozd III was elected president of the Metropolitan “Metro” Fire Chiefs Association (MFCA), which is a section of the International Association of Fire Chiefs and National Fire Protection Association. Drozd, whose term began on April 17, was elected during the association’s convention in Orlando.

This article originally appeared in Orlando Family Magazine’s September 2017 issue.