2020 SUCCESS STORIES

Elizabeth Redmond

Athletic Achievement Award

Gabriella Pineiro

Artistic Achievement Award

I would like to thank the Charity for Champions organization for awarding me the Artistic Achievement Award, it is a tremendous honor. With this award, I will be able to fulfill my dream of becoming a pediatric psychiatrist. I have dreamed of working in the medical field since I was four years old and through Dr. Al DeSimone and his organization, my dream is slowly becoming a reality. I plan to attend Florida State University to first pursue a degree in psychology. With this award, I will be able to save my money for medical school in the future. I am so thankful that in this current time of uncertainty, Dr. DeSimone and his organization have been able to help a tremendous amount of students. I would like to thank the staff at Saint Thomas, my parents, and my friends for pushing me towards being the best version of myself both academically and personally. I couldn’t have made it through high school, especially in the ranking and position that I am in now, without any of those mentioned.

Kiara Jones

Athletic Achievement Award Honorable Mention

I am going out of state for college at the University of Alabama. Out-of-state tuition is insane and I have not received any other scholarships so this one is truly a gift. I am thankful to be recognized as an honorable mention for athletic achievement! This award will allow me to begin my studies at the university and work towards my goal of becoming a teacher. I plan to continue my athletic journey while cheering in school as well. I am extremely grateful for this award and for the Charity of Champions organization as a whole for giving this opportunity to us athletes!

Zoe Plotkin

Personal Achievement Award

I would like to thank Dr. DeSimone and the Charity for Champions staff for choosing me as a recipient of the Personal Achievement Award. I will be furthering my academic career at the University of Vermont, majoring in neuroscience and minoring in philosophy. My dream is to do research in the field of neuroscience and one day become a physician. This scholarship will help me get one step closer to achieving my goal. Thank you so much for this generous award.

Sophia Handley

Goodwill Scholarship

I am extremely honored to have received the Goodwill Scholarship. I am so grateful for all of the opportunities, both through school and sports, that have created a platform for me to earn this scholarship. The role of Captain on the Cypress Bay Varsity Girls Lacrosse Team gave me the opportunity to create a sense of comradery that benefited everyone on and off the lacrosse field. Also, my role as a Relay for Life Captain further taught me the importance of having compassion for others even when you don’t receive anything in return. These experiences have taught me lessons in life that have shaped me into the best version of myself and I hope to share these lessons with others in the future.  I am continuing my education at the University of Florida in Gainesville, FL and I plan to major in Communications. I am excited to start this new chapter of my life so that I can expand my interests and creativity to hopefully make a difference in the world around me. My coaches, parents, and the entire Cypress Bay Staff have pushed me to become the best I can possible be both in the classroom and on the lacrosse field, and I am leaving the Bay a better person because of it. Finally, I would like to thank Dr. Al DeSimone and the entire Charity for Champions organization for this opportunity and their willingness to help hardworking students and athletes, such as myself, succeed as they leap into the next stage of their life.

Mia Pacarit

Most Improved Athlete Award

I am very grateful to receive the award of being the Most Improved Athlete. It proved to me how hard I worked to earn this by playing sports in high school while having a job and going to school. I hope to continue playing sports in college and keep on improving. As I plan to start college, this award will help pay for my books to help me succeed in my studies. I plan on going to University Of Central Florida and majoring in Hospitality and Management while minoring in Finance. My long term goal in life is to own my own bakeries across the country and travel. Thank you so much!

Kelli Kleino

Academic Achievement Award

I am honored to be the recipient of the Charity for Champions Academic Achievement Award. It is particularly rewarding and meaningful to receive this recognition in the midst of the 2020 pandemic when so many other scholarship and senior recognition programs were cancelled. I am humbled and honored to receive this Academic Award as recognition as a scholar athlete for my academic accomplishments and my participation as a member and Captain of the Varsity Cheer sideline and Competition teams. I will be attending the University of Florida starting in the Summer of 2020 to pursue a dual degree with a Bachelors in Construction Management (minor in Sustainability) and Master’s degree in Information Management Systems. Receiving this scholarship will assist me in enriching my education by studying abroad and pursuing summer internships in my field of studies while attending UF. I am extremely grateful for this recognition and for the generous support of Charity for Champions. Thank you to the Charity for Champion’s committee, Dr. DeSimone and Mrs. DeSimone for this honor.

Hannah Furshman

Team Fellowship Award

Earning this scholarship has meant the world to me. Not only will it help me with my future plans of becoming a doctor with my very own chiropractic practice, but it also stands as a constant reminder to continue to display teamwork and fellowship in my everyday life. I am more than excited to start my college education at the the university of central Florida this fall. After my undergraduate program there, I am excited to go through my graduate program at a chiropractic college! The future is bright and I can’t thank Dr. DeSimone enough for believing in high school athletes like myself and assisting us in meeting our full potential! The world is lucky to have you. Thank you so much! 

Guerby Mertil Jr.

Goodwill Scholarship

I would like to thank Dr. Al DeSimone as well as Charity for Champions for awarding me the Goodwill Scholarship Award. I will be attending the University of Miami in Spring 2021 majoring in Accounting. I’ll continue to strive to do my very best throughout college as I did in high school. I’m grateful for this scholarship and being a recipient reassures me that all of my hard work didn’t go unnoticed. 

Kaitlyn Michaud

Personal Achievement Award Honorable Mention

I am truly honored to be receiving the Personal Achievement Award. I will be continuing my academic and athletic career at Elon University. This award will help to fulfill my dreams of majoring in communications and to hopefully someday be a sports broadcaster. For many years I have put in so much time, blood, sweat, and tears into making me the best version I can be. Receiving this scholarship has shown me that my hard work and dedication has finally paid off. I couldn’t be more grateful for the opportunity that Dr. DeSimone has given me. Thank you so much for all you do and giving so many students the opportunity to fulfill their dreams. 

Austin Engeler

Team Fellowship Award

I plan to continue my academic and athletic career at Florida Tech in Melbourne Florida.  Through this school I plan on majoring in Civil Engineering and competing in lacrosse at the collegiate level.  I am very stoked to shift into this new lifestyle and have non stop training to be ready.  This scholarship really meant a lot to me financially, Florida tech is a very nice technical school but is also a very expensive private school.  This money will directly assist me to help pay off and finance my schooling at this college.  I know that a lot of kids had qualified but didn’t receive this scholarship, seeing myself receive the $1000 was a very rewarding feeling for all my hard work and I would like to thank Dr. DeSimone and his organization.

Olivia Melamed

Medical Interest Award

In the future, I will be attending the University of Miami. I will be studying neuroscience on a pre med track. By winning this scholarship it puts me on step closer to achieving my dream of becoming a surgeon. I am so grateful to be given this award and I will continue to be a leader, be determined, and never give up on my dreams. 

Lauren Maykut

Team Fellowship Award

I am very honored to have received the honorable mention for the Team Fellowship Award. This scholarship/ recognition means to me, that someone not only sees the hard work I have dedicated to school and sports of the years growing up but also notices how teamwork has impacted my life. Between gymnastics and cheer, my teammates are what has shaped me into the person I am today and taught me many valuable lessons that will be significant later in life. I am so excited to continue my education at The Florida State University this fall in Tallahassee, Florida. I plan on keeping up my hard work and dedication in college and studying special education to hopefully make a difference in individual’s lives later on. Lastly, I would like to thank Dr. Al DeSimone and Charity for Champions for recognizing the work I have put in over the years and giving me such an amazing opportunity to receive this scholarship.

Diego Machado

Most Improved Athlete Award

Being recognized as the Most Improved Athlete is a great honor as I plan on continuing this path of always improving in whatever area I see myself in the future. I want to carry on this title and always seek improvement, whether it be in collegiate academics, job performance, or just waking up and being a better person that I was yesterday. I plan on graduating from the College of Engineering at University of Michigan- Ann Arbor.

Melanie Stone

Medical Interest Award

Receiving this scholarship means a lot to me because this charity recognizes success in both athletics and academics. I believe it is the balance between the two that has helped me become the person I am today, and being recognized for that is extremely validating. This scholarship will help me pursue my bachelor’s degree, which is the first step on my journey to become a doctor! I will be attending Cornell University in the fall as a student-athlete, competing for their gymnastics team. At Cornell, I will be majoring in Biological Sciences through the College of Arts and Sciences on a pre-med track. I am very excited to see what my future holds.

Eve Fatout

Goodwill Scholarship

Thank you for this opportunity! I am super excited to continue working toward my Bachelor’s Degree at Nova Southeastern University. In a couple years, I will be pursuing my Master’s Degree in Education and one day I’ll be a teacher! Thank you so much again for helping me on my journey. 

Devin Aloma

Academic Achievement Award

My future plans are to attend the University of Florida and major in statistics. My hope is to one day work in sports statistics, whether it’s with a team or as a statistician for a company that analyzes statistics in sports. This scholarship gives me a sense of accomplishment, as it has provided me with the recognition and scholarship to be able to succeed throughout college, setting me up for my future goals and career.