92 honored as 2023 Secretary of Education Scholars

Ninety-two First State high schoolers have been named Secretary of Education Scholars.

Mark Holodick, secretary of education at the Delaware Department of Education, announced the 2023 honor roll.

“This is such an impressive group of young leaders,” he said. “The honorees have succeeded academically while also serving as leaders in their schools and communities.”

Holodick said the scholars’ success is a result of their own hard work, but also a reflection of the support of their families and educators. 

“As they prepare for college, the workforce and military service, I hope that wherever their next steps take them, their paths lead them to careers in Delaware,” he said. “We need them as the future leaders of our state.”

The number of scholars from each school is based on enrollment. The program dates to 1984. 

School principals nominate students based on their academic records and community service. 

The students, joined by their families and school leaders, were honored Monday during a dinner in Dover.  A video showcases the students and what inspired their success.

Here are the 2023 Secretary of Education Scholars:

Appoquinimink

Ansh Desai – Appoquinimink High School

Shivi Royal – Appoquinimink High School

Alexis Skinner – Appoquinimink High School

Allison Aquino – Middletown High School

Allison Kish – Middletown High School

Ella Trembanis – Middletown High School

Brandywine

Anand John – Brandywine High School

Jonathan Pei – Brandywine High School

Miles Bliey – Concord High School

Meera Ratnagiri – Concord High School

Eleanor Frank – Mount Pleasant High School

Zakia Zara – Mount Pleasant High School

Caesar Rodney

Abigail Cholewa – Caesar Rodney High School

Puiyee Kong – Caesar Rodney High School

Alyssa McClearly – Caesar Rodney High School

Rachel Smith – Caesar Rodney High School

Cape Henlopen

Abigail Betts – Cape Henlopen High School

Camryn Cunningham – Cape Henlopen High School

Colleen Flynn – Cape Henlopen High School

Capital

Ellisyn Arthur – Dover High School

Kylee Countryman – Dover High School

Khushdeep Kaur – Dover High School

Charter School of Wilmington

Mia Lu – Charter School of Wilmington

Nathan Zhao – Charter School of Wilmington

Christina

Olivia Agu – Christiana High School

Jayden Murphy – Christiana High School

Dante Dill-Smith – Delaware School for the Deaf

Asia N. Mitchell – Glasgow High School

Ngoc Khanh Tran – Glasgow High School

Cheyenne Brown – Newark High School

Seth Fuhr – Newark High School

Ketisa Lumiere Donfack Ouwe – Sarah Pyle Academy

Colonial 

Andrae Amponsah – William Penn High School

Evelyn Arnoth – William Penn High School

Carson Brown – William Penn High School

Lun Kong – William Penn High School

Delaware Military Academy 

Isaac DiMaio – Delaware Military Academy

Giada MacNamara – Delaware Military Academy

Delmar 

Sarah Lopatofsky – Delmar High School

Dhara Nakrani – Delmar High School

Early College School at Delaware State University

Mariana Kebaso – Early College School at Delaware State University

First State Military Academy

Natalie Hougentogler – First State Military Academy

Freire Charter School

Shi-anne Reams-Bennett – Freire Charter School

Indian River

Vicky Chan – Indian River High School

Carley Topper – Indian River High School

Eva Cullen – Sussex Central High School

Michael Fagundes-Rocha – Sussex Central High School

Olivia Fox – Sussex Central High School

Sherly Zhu – Sussex Central High School

Lake Forest

Mary Moller – Lake Forest High School 

Emilee Rau – Lake Forest High School

Laurel

Mirta Angel-Gabriel – Laurel Senior High School

Caroline Ricketts – Laurel Senior High School

Milford

Layna Reynolds – Milford Senior High School

Brendan Slonacher – Milford Senior High School

MOT Charter School

Maanvi Sarwadi – MOT Charter School

Samhitha Vallury – MOT Charter School

New Castle County Vo-Tech

Dariana Fuentes-Ortiz – Delcastle Technical High School

Rosevanny Ibarra-Sosa – Delcastle Technical High School

Sa’Niya Watson – Delcastle Technical High School

Cora Hawkins – Paul M. Hodgson Vocational Technical High School

Chloe Ramirez – Paul M. Hodgson Vocational Technical High School

Naomi Mejia – Howard High School of Technology

Brazil Munroe – Howard High School of Technology

Sierra Hammett – St. Georges Technical High School 

Jamal Stewart – St. Georges Technical High School

Newark Charter School

Alexander Barry – Newark Charter School

Lila Seiler – Newark Charter School

Odyssey Charter School

Charlotte Walder – Odyssey Charter School

Polytech

Queen Sabanayagam – Polytech High School

Armaan Zahid – Polytech High School

Positive Outcomes Charter School

Jeremiah Waid – Positive Outcomes Charter School

Red Clay

Genevieve Breen – Cab Calloway School of the Arts

Isabelle Bruening – Cab Calloway School of the Arts

Nathan Cho – Conrad Schools of Science

Valentina Feldmann – Conrad Schools of Science

Zoe Cox – John Dickinson School

Aevyn Koczera – John Dickinson School

Charlotte Pollock – A.I. du Pont High School

Alexandra Principe – A.I. du Pont High School

Alexandria Joiner – Thomas McKean High School

Ivaneli Portuguez-Valle – Thomas McKean High School

Seaford

Natalie Carter – Seaford Senior High School

Salma Oropeza-Alcantara – Seaford Senior High School

Smyrna

Abigail Pierre-Louis – Smyrna High School

Delaney Porter – Smyrna High School

Eric Ray Jr. – Smyrna High School

Sussex Academy

Brady Thompson – Sussex Academy

Sussex Technical High School

Macy Sapna – Sussex Technical High School

Zoe Zellhart – Sussex Technical High School

Woodbridge 

Payton Keeler – Woodbridge High School

Karla Saldana Hernandez – Woodbridge High School