The School District of Manatee County has selected its Sunshine State Scholars: Melisha Guillen-Arana of Southeast High School, Y (Tina) Dang of Braden River High School, and alternate Julia Vendramini of Lakewood Ranch High School.
Photo: Melisha Guillen-Arana (wearing American Flag) and Southeast High School admin / staff.
Sunshine State Scholars is a Florida Department of Education (FLDOE) program. According to FLDOE.org, “Each of Florida’s school districts selects their top 11th grade students in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM). Each scholar, along with their parents, will travel to Orlando for an extraordinary program designed to bring together scholars from around the state, connect them with employers that specialize in the STEM fields, and create a networking opportunity between the scholars and schools from Florida’s College and State University System.”
Photo: Braden River High School Principal Wendell Butler (left) and Y (Tina) Dang (right).
Students were nominated by their high schools based on requirements from the state, including a weighted GPA of 3.9 or higher, an interest in STEM-related studies and a desire to pursue post-secondary education opportunities in Florida.
Scholars were selected for their outstanding achievements and dedication to STEM studies and related extracurricular activities.
The Sunshine State Scholars event will take place April 10-11, 2025.