Vote: StarNews Student of the Week May 6-10

The latest nominations for the StarNews Student of the Week are in, and now it's time for you to pick the best of the best.

Voting is open until 11 a.m. on Thursday, May 9.

Participating high school principals, teachers and guidance counselors in New Hanover, Brunswick, and Pender counties nominated students they say have shown outstanding academic achievement and made a difference in their schools and communities.

We will announce a winner Friday, May 10.

To cast a vote, visit the poll at the bottom of this nominees list.

And the nominees for the week of May 6 are:

Sydney Cortina, Cape Fear Academy

Sydney Cortina was nominated by the faculty and staff of Cape Fear Academy for receiving recognition in the 2024 N.C. Azalea Festival Youth Art Contest. “Her artwork was selected from an impressive pool of 541 entries from elementary, middle, and high school students across the state,” the nomination read. Cortina earned first place in the high school division for "Carolina Crinoline." According to the nomination, this was Cortina’s second time receiving first-place honors in the competition. “Last year, Sydney went to the North Carolina Executive Mansion for the Official Proclamation of the Azalea Festival,” the nomination read. “She presented Governor Roy Cooper with a copy of her ‘Bygone Belle,’ to be placed in his personal art collection. Sydney Cortina has accomplished an extremely competitive curriculum, but with extra artistic talent.”

Hannah Cumbee, West Brunswick High School

Teacher Kourtney Saavedra nominated Hannah Cumbee for being “an incredibly hard-working and kind student.” “She is ALWAYS personable and engaged in class,” Saavedra wrote. In addition to being an “awesome student who challenges herself academically,” Cumbee swims and plays tennis for the school teams and volunteers to teach youth with disabilities how to swim. “Hannah is a great role model for other students,” Saavedra concluded.

Kaleb Johnson, Isaac Bear Early College High School

Principal Ronald Villines Jr. nominated Kaleb Johnson, saying that he “shows up every day ready to give 100% in his classes.” “Kaleb is a quiet leader, steering discussion and conversation in each class forward,” Villines wrote. “He works diligently to get work done in a timely and effective manner but always makes sure that he is giving his best ability to each assignment.” He added that Johnson is kind to both his teachers and classmates and is a “joy to teach.” “I am very fortunate to have Kaleb Johnson as a Student here at Isaac Bear,” Villines concluded.

Mackenzie Morton, Ashley High School

Principal Michael Perez nominated Mackenzie Morton, a senior, noting she “starred for the women's basketball team as the point guard and team leader in scoring and 3 pointers made.” He added she also scored 13 touchdowns — 9 rushing, 4 receiving — as a starting running back for the inaugural Ashley women's flag football team that went 14-0 in capturing the first ever NHCS title. “Mackenzie will continue her basketball and academics at Cape Fear Community College in the fall,” Perez wrote.

David Osinuga, Hoggard High School

David Osinuga, a freshman, was nominated by his math three teacher, Carson Piansky, who called him “a wonderful student.” “While he seems to be more on the shy side, he is still involved in the school community,” Piansky wrote. In addition to working hard in class, Osinuga is also a member of the school’s National Beta Club chapter and received the first-place award in math at the Beta Club Convention this year. “David knows that I like to do math brain teasers and has provided me with some tough ones that I look forward to sharing with the class,” Piansky wrote.

Jasiah Owens, SEA-Tech High School

Sara Toothman, Spark Lab instructor, nominated Jasiah Owens calling him a “creator at heart with the competency of a high-tech collaborator.” “This man designs his own comics, animations, and posters all using coding,” Toothman wrote, adding that throughout the year, he has “represented SEA-Tech High School and SparkNC at our first Tech Creators Summit hosted at NC State University.” “He has been an integral part to the Unbound mobile app development group, taking on the brunt of UX/UI design for a social media prototype where students would be able to communicate with school leaders more transparently,” Toothman wrote. Owens also volunteered to paint a mural, “guerilla style,” at Trask Middle School. She added that he “embodies the Sea Dragon spirit with everything he does.”

Abigail Witkowski, Wilmington Early College High School

Principal Regina Wooten nominated Abigail Witkowski for being “an exceptional student” who “strives to supports others and always strives for excellence.” Witkowski has a weighted GPA of 4.5758 and was awarded the North Carolina State Employees Credit Union’s People Helping People Scholarship. This month, she will graduate with her high school diploma and an associate’s degree from Cape Fear Community College. “Since ninth grade, Abigail has been active in the Science Olympiad,” Wooten wrote. “Her passion for science is noted through her love of the outdoors and is reflected in her poetry.” Witkowski is also a Girl Scout and has earned the highest award given by the organization. For the past three years, she has presented the colors at the school’s graduation. “Abigail is also an ambassador for WECHS and can be seen during lunch working with students and inviting them to participate in activities involving critical thinking and physical activity,” Wooten wrote. “Abigail has demonstrated that she is not only committed to her academic growth but also to the growth of her peers.”

This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Vote: StarNews Student of the Week May 6-10