Each year the Board of Education recognizes distinguished seniors from HISD high schools in recognition of their total accomplishments exemplified by their character, academic achievement, leadership, and service. Selection is made by a school committee appointed by the principal and the award is presented by the board trustee during commencement exercises. An outstanding young man and young woman are selected as well as up to five honorable mention students from each high school. This year’s recipients are:

Austin
Outstanding Young Man: Cristian Gonzalez
Outstanding Young Woman: Itzel Avila
Honorable Mention:
• Gabriela Barron
• David E. Cervantes
• Abigail Hernandez
• Jose Reyna
• Jamayka Roberts

AVA/Twilight
Outstanding Young Man: Christopher Roberts
Outstanding Young Woman: Shaneice Williams
Honorable Mention:
• Kenneth Babino
• Jose Carbajal
• Monique Lewis

Barbara Jordan
Outstanding Young Man: Antoine Duplechin-Holden
Outstanding Young Woman: Joanna Ramos
Honorable Mention:
• Emely Benedith
• Ashley Leslie
• Alejandra Ortega
• Mariel Rocha-Narvaez
• Francisco Tonche Vaquera

Bellaire
Outstanding Young Man: Aaron Van Landingham
Outstanding Young Woman: Anna Hiran
Honorable Mention:
• Andrew Alter
• Valentina Chen
• Peter Elmers
• Rainier Go
• Laura Landis

Carnegie Vanguard
Outstanding Young Man: Will Larsen
Outstanding Young Woman: Gisele Phalo
Honorable Mention:
• Sam Dietrich
• Claire Wadler
• Truce Pham
• Kevin Gu
• Jake Jares

Challenge Early College High School
Outstanding Young Man: Ovidio Henriquez
Outstanding Young Woman: Daniela Zuniga
Honorable Mention:
• Fauziah Krueng
• Gustavo Lopez
• Abril Moreno
• Amanda Sifuentes
• Maritza Vazquez-Trejo

Chavez
Outstanding Young Man: Enrique Vazquez
Outstanding Young Woman: Jennifer Pluma
Honorable Mention:
• Edgar Garcia
• Rayshondria Gray
• Zachary Miller
• Josephine Phuong Lin Nguyen
• Elia Soto

Davis
Outstanding Young Man: Jose Cabrera
Outstanding Young Woman: Faraneshia Hawkins
Honorable Mention:
• Joally Canales
• Alicia Hernandez
• Ricardo Ramirez
• Isias Lopez Romo
• Leslie Torres

DeBakey
Outstanding Young Man: Andy Tran
Outstanding Young Woman: Serene Yu
Honorable Mention:
• Michelle Chao
• Thanh Dang
• Joshua George
• Melani Lopez
• Acara Turner

East Early College
Outstanding Young Man: Raul Pineda
Outstanding Young Woman: Maria Guerra
Honorable Mention:
• Jesus Garcia
• Yessebua Jimenez
• Nancy Molina
• Oscar Ochoa
• Lauren Sosa

Eastwood
Outstanding Young Man: Andrew Michael Moreno
Outstanding Young Woman: Valeria Salas
Honorable Mention:
• Jaquelinne Elizabeth Cervantes
• Aurora Elizabeth Garcia
• Robbie Emanuel Aranjo Gutierrez
• Elias Rodriguez
• Edith Alicia Solis

Empowerment College Prep
Outstanding Young Man: Jeevin Garcia
Outstanding Young Woman: Amber Bygrave
Honorable Mention:
• Jonathan Allen
• Katrina Carter
• Shelby Davis
• Daniel Delatorre
• Qiana Law

Energized for STEM Southeast
Outstanding Young Man: Travion James Robins
Outstanding Young Woman: Keiaire Lenise Brown
Honorable Mention:
• Kiana LaShay Roberson
• Gabrielle Eden Sampson
• Christopher Trejo
• Abie Eliette Williams
• Sinise Ariel Woods

Energized for STEM West
Outstanding Young Man: Marvin Hernandez
Outstanding Young Woman: Jennifer Sanchez
Honorable Mention:
• Edith Campuzano
• Treson Cornelius
• Christhy Guerrero
• Eduardo Santana

Furr
Outstanding Young Man: Josue Adriel Galvan
Outstanding Young Woman: Jessica Flores
Honorable Mention:
• Octavia Avila
• Lisa Edge
• Reginald Johnson
• Jorge Mendoza
• Silvia Rivera

Harper Academy
Honorable Mention:
• Allison Sedrian
• David Traurig
• Stephanie Ward

Hope Academy
Outstanding Young Man: DonLeon Allen
Outstanding Young Woman: Ebony Mack
Honorable Mention:
• Angelica Beagle
• Arthur Brooks
• Mercedes Brown
• Robin Norris
• Dominique Polk

Houston Academy for International Studies
Outstanding Young Man: David Lujan
Outstanding Young Woman: Emily Jackson
Honorable Mention:
• Clare Legg
• MaryLu Lopez
• Lorenza Najera
• Kelsey Rodriguez
• Janiece York

Jones
Outstanding Young Man: Brandon Vaughn
Outstanding Young Woman: Selena Balderas
Honorable Mention:
• Jasmine Hawkins
• St. Julien Kiana
• JaHune Taylor
• Denise Winborn

Kashmere
Outstanding Young Man: Grant Ross
Outstanding Young Woman: Felicia Black
Honorable Mention:
• Jatarius Anderson
• Damion Mayes
• Kenterria Morris
• Constance Nolen
• Keva Provost

Lamar
Outstanding Young Man: Michael Portal
Outstanding Young Woman: Marlen Benitez
Honorable Mention:
• Elizabeth Campbell
• Erica Espinosa
• Alexandra Lux
• Vera Ranneft
• Austin Ruiz

Law Enforcement & Criminal Justice
Outstanding Young Man: Gregory Hudson
Outstanding Young Woman: Kristin Gerhart
Honorable Mention:
• Mario Camacho
• Denise Kenney
• Taylor Ross
• Rikki Willingham
• Olivia Zavala

Liberty
Outstanding Young Man: Jose Ortiz
Outstanding Young Woman: Makda Tekie
Honorable Mention:
• Hugo Aguiluz
• Katerin Aguiliz
• Amalia Alcaraz
• Karla Carballo
• Gerson Escobar

Lee
Outstanding Young Man: Abdul Mahmood
Outstanding Young Woman: Fatima Taqdees
Honorable Mention:
• Alfredo Boyles
• Albana Gashi
• Shukuru Makanyaga
• Roberto Martinez
• Nazaret Reyes

Madison
Outstanding Young Man: Demarcus Hopkins
Outstanding Young Woman: Sahara Acosta
Honorable Mention:
• Perla Barron
• Karla Cerna
• Jazmine Lanes
• Keilon Robinson
• Roderick Wiltz

Milby
Outstanding Young Man: Eloy Mendoza
Outstanding Young Woman: Marissa Candice Ochoa
Honorable Mention:
• Sandra Elizabeth Aldavera
• Johanna Aviles
• Andrea Noemi Cruz
• Nestor Edenilso Gonzalez
• Angelia Cristina Peres

Mount Carmel Academy
Outstanding Young Man: Joaquin Maldonado
Outstanding Young Woman: Yajaira Villareal
Honorable Mention:
• Hector Alonso
• Marc Carreon
• Isabella Castillo
• Lacey Manning
• Aaron Mateos

North Houston Early College
Outstanding Young Man: Earnest De’Andrea Davis Jr.
Outstanding Young Woman: Jessica Paola Haroldson
Honorable Mention:
• Selena Cepeda
• Victor Manuel Gutierrez
• Gissell Alexis Montoya
• Ravyn Danielle Sampson
• Efrain Christopher Segovia

Performing & Visual Arts
Outstanding Young Man: Auburn H. Lee
Outstanding Young Woman: Palmer L. Mills
Honorable Mention:
• Rebecca A. Cook
• Josef M. Lamell
• Jessica M. Lindee
• Helen A. Little
• Alexander M. Markos

R.E.A.C.H. Charter
Outstanding Young Man: Francisco Raygoza
Outstanding Young Woman: Sara Hernandez
Honorable Mention:
• Priscilla Olivia Garza
• Marcos Antonio Martinez
• Walter A. Mendoza
• Karina Rivera
• Olga Alicia Rivera

Reagan
Outstanding Young Man: Daniel Rivera
Outstanding Young Woman: Jasmine Campbell
Honorable Mention:
• Davis Avalos
• Saira Guillen
• Alexia Pena
• Gresia Perdomo
• Dante Vela

Sam Houston
Outstanding Young Man: Emilio Alvarado
Outstanding Young Woman: Lizette Flores
Honorable Mention:
• Nestor Ayala
• Jose Cruz
• Erica Cuellar
• Elias Jasso
• Debora Martinez

Scarborough
Outstanding Young Man: Jesus Del Rio
Outstanding Young Woman: Jenisha Patel
Honorable Mention:
• Alexis Cortez
• Demarre Daniels
• Isaac Hinojosa
• L’eriqua Jackson
• Edward B. Jiles

Sharpstown
Outstanding Young Man: Jefferson Sanchez
Outstanding Young Woman: Elizabeth Balogun
Honorable Mention:
• Omar Alberto
• Jeffrey Boakye
• Rosy Hernandez
• Denise O’Guin
• Paul Quinteros

Sharptown International
Outstanding Young Man: Allen Wei
Outstanding Young Woman: Edit Almazan
Honorable Mention:
• Nan Chen
• Stephanie Diaz
• Jhossept Martinez
• Annie Truong
• Jenny Truong

Sterling
Outstanding Young Man: Donta Joaquin Gibson
Outstanding Young Woman: Nidia Hernandez
Honorable Mention:
• Briony Tarlisha Allen
• Abril de la Cruz
• Don Ray Gentry II
• Eduardo A. Gutierrez
• Marsha Michelle Prince

Waltrip
Outstanding Young Man: Alexander W, Schel
Outstanding Young Woman: Daisy Gomez
Honorable Mention:
• Saul Cabanas
• Kenneth Grant
• Humberto Mendoza
• Amber Mitchell
• Odalis Saldana

Washington
Outstanding Young Man: Rashard Harris
Outstanding Young Woman: Lyndsey Thompson
Honorable Mention:
• Catrina Guillory
• Sara Lynn Jamison
• Crystal King
• Al Mascorro
• Ana Salinas

Westbury
Outstanding Young Man: Joshua Namee
Outstanding Young Woman: Emely Lopez
Honorable Mention:
• Lisa Forger
• Erin Jaroszewski
• Michael Pittman
• Bryan Puariea
• Ajack Sar

Westside
Outstanding Young Man: Lucas Bazemore
Outstanding Young Woman: Bianca Draud
Honorable Mention:
• Morgan Brochu
• Bria Okere
• Cullen Pickering
• Brian Portis
• Alex Suryapranata

Wheatley
Outstanding Young Man: Marcus Terrell Loud
Outstanding Young Woman: Vanessa Macias
Honorable Mention:
• Kaila Annais Chizer
• Cynthia Michelle Elizondo
• Deangelo Marquette Humphrey
• Juan Mendoza
• Noe Pena

Worthing
Outstanding Young Man: Brandon Jones
Outstanding Young Woman: Chon Brooks
Honorable Mention:
• Chasitee Crossley
• Le Trell Edwards
• Erick Espinoza
• Troimetrius Fields-Evans
• Amira Garrett

Yates
Outstanding Young Man: Ronald W. Guillory
Outstanding Young Woman: Cne Zandenisha Ross
Honorable Mention:
• David-Anthony M. Funchess
• Margarita-ani Hobson
• Antoinette Morris
• Savian Nugent
• Elisha R. Ray