Excellence Awards Ceremony

“Success is never final. Failure is never fatal.

It is courage that counts.”

~W. Churchill

May 14, 2014

DPS High Schools

DETROIT PUBLIC SCHOOLS Jack Martin

Emergency Manager Fisher Building – 14th Floor Phone: (313) 870-3772 3011 W. Grand Boulevard Fax: (313) 870-3726

Detroit, MI 48202-2710 www.detroitk12.org

May 14, 2014 To our extraordinary Detroit Public Schools students, faculty and parents, welcome to the 30th Annual Excellence Awards Ceremony. Together, we are creating a strong foundation for our students that will enable sustained progress for years to come as we work to ensure all students are prepared for 21st Century careers and college. From personal experience, I know that the only chance many of our children will have to be successful in life starts with the quality of education that we provide them. As a proud DPS graduate of Cass Technical High School, I learned early that education and hard work would get me to where I wanted to be in life. This is exactly what our students here today embody – the perseverance to excel academically. As we continue to implement advanced academic and enrichment programs that improve our curriculum and create a more well-rounded educational experience for students, please know that all of you – parents, guardians, family members, neighbors, friends and community members – are essential to that transformation and play a vital role in ensuring future students succeed. When everyone works as a team, the outcomes are events such as this, where the students here today are celebrating academic excellence with the personal achievement of maintaining a 3.5 grade point average or higher throughout their high school careers. Appreciation is extended to the DPS Foundation for supporting this event, along with our community and corporate partners who have shown continuous support to our students. Their unwavering dedication and commitment to the students of Detroit Public Schools is greatly appreciated. Sincerely,

Jack Martin Emergency Manager

Division of Curriculum and Instruction Office of the Superintendent of Academics

Karen P. Ridgeway 3011 W. Grand Blvd.

Fisher Building, 14th Floor Detroit, MI 48202

Phone: 313-873-4493 – Fax: 313-873-7439

Jack Martin

Emergency Manager

Shirley Mobley-Woods

Chief of Staff

Clara Flowers

Assistant Superinten-dent

Wilma Taylor-Costen

Assistant Superinten-dent

Rebeca Luna Assistant Superinten-

dent

Bilal Tawwab Assistant Superinten-

dent

Alvin Wood

Assistant Superinten-dent

May 14, 2014 Dear Honorees, Educators, Family and Friends: It is my pleasure to welcome you to the 30th Annual Detroit Public Schools Excellence Awards Ceremony. This evening highlights the students who have achieved and main-tained academic excellence and the educators, family and friends who have supported them along the way. Tonight is indeed a joyous occasion and the memorable moment for our young people and evidence that Detroit Public Schools has a generous share of the world’s brightest students and dedicated educators. The two hundred and seventy two exceptional students honored tonight have maintained an overall 3.5 GPA or higher. This accomplishment is not easy to achieve and is indeed commendable. In addition, we will recognize students who have maintained all A’s throughout high school. These honorees recognize that education is the key to a promising future and have not only excelled academically, but have made a positive impact in their communities and in their schools. Being a student today is not simple. There are many paths that our children can take and we know their success is not entirely their own. I acknowledge their educators, families and all others who have given support, guidance and encouragement. Without you, their success would not be possible. I also would like to encourage our graduates to return to the City of Detroit once they have completed their post-secondary studies and training. Detroit unquestionably needs their expertise and talents to help rebuild and sustain this beautiful gem – “The Motor City.” Appreciation is extended to the DPS Foundation for supporting this event, along with our community and corporate partners who have supported our students during the past five years. Their unwavering dedication and commitment to the students of Detroit Public Schools is greatly appreciated. Let’s enjoy, relish and share the pride our students of excellence are experiencing tonight. Sincerely

Karen P. Ridgeway Superintendent of Academics

The end of the school year signifies a great number of ceremonies, but none is more prestigious than the Annual Excellence Awards Ceremony for Detroit Public Schools’ seniors with cumulative grade point averages of 3.5 or better. The Excellence Awards Ceremony is designed to showcase the top three percent of our graduating seniors. Virtually all of these students will enter college or another type of post-secondary institution after high school. Their college choices range from local universities like Wayne State University, Michigan State University, and the University of Michigan, to historically black colleges and universities like Morehouse and Spelman. More options include Ivy League Harvard, Yale, West Coast Stanford, University of Southern California, West Point and other universities throughout the country. The Excellence Awards Ceremony began in 1985 under the auspices of the then General Superintendent, Dr. Arthur Jefferson, the Superintendent of Area G, Mr. Joseph Miller, Assistant Superintendents Dr. Herbert Tabor, Mr. Robert Boyce, and Dr. Charles Remus. The ceremony was conducted in the Westin Hotel-Columbus Ballroom with 800 persons in attendance, 190 of whom were graduating senior honorees. The Excellence Awards Ceremony is facilitated by the Office of Guidance and Counseling. Schools and eligible students have continued to participate in this prestigious program. A total of 9,486 honored students have been celebrated during this program since 1985. We remain deeply appreciative to the Detroit Public Schools Foundation and corporate partners for their support. To our students, we know whatever your career choice may be, you will excel and be successful. Congratulations to our esteemed graduates!

Detroit Public Schools 30th Annual

Excellence Awards Ceremony

May 14, 2014

All “A” Students

CASS TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL

CODY MEDICINE AND COMMUNITY

HEALTH ACADEMY WESTERN INTERNATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL

LUIS GONZALEZ KRISTI TRADER JOSE GUZMAN

ONORIODE IGHOFOSE KIMMY NGUYEN

JANAYSHA HAMILTON

SHARAE FRANKLIN RENAISSANCE HIGH SCHOOL

AMADOR OLVERA ASSIATOU JALLOW

CANDICE WRIGHT

CASS TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL

ABDURRAHMA ABDI AMRITA DAS KAMI HUDGINS BRIANNA MOORE ABDUL SUBHAN

ALFREDO AGUIRRE AALIYA DAVISON ONORIODE IGHOFOSE NATHAN MORGAN DIAMOND THOMAS

AISHA AHMED AHSHA DAVIS BRENE INGRAM TRINAE MURRAY TAYLER THURMAN

SABBIR AHMED SAKINAH ECHOLS TAYLOR INGRAM ZAHIN NILU JAH’NAY TIPPINS

TASFIA AHMED LAUREN ELLIOTT MARNAY IRVING MOHAMMED OHID LARIEL TURNER

OLUBUKOLA AKINTOROYE SABINA EMERENINI MAJEDUL ISLAM AMADOR OLVERA SHANARRA TURNER

BONI AL-HARUNI SHARAE FRANKLIN SYDNEY JACKSON PHILLIP PARHAM FABIHA TURSHA

MASUMA ALI LEA GLENN MUMTA KADIR DIAMOND PARKER ALUMGUR UDDIN

JOWELLE ARCHIBALD LUIS GONZALEZ MICHAEL LASTER KELLY PORTER KYLAH VAUNADO

ZAHIDUR ARIF NEKEYA GRAHAM DIAMOND LEDFORD ANTONE PRICE CLARKE WALKER

RICARDO AVALOS KRISTIAN GRIER FATIMA LIMA KENEDI PRICE KALIL WALTON

NADIUM BARI ALEXUS GULLEY DESMOND MADU SHAKILA RAHMAN MALAYSIA WELCH

BRIANNA BERRY JANAYSHA HAMILTON MARIO MARTINEZ AFSANA RINKY KEIRE WELLINGTON

NICOLE BRADLEY ASHLEY HARRIS JUANDELL MATHEWS STEPHANIE ROBINSON MALAYSHA WHITE

DEWIGHT BRAXTON KEITH HARRIS NINA MCDANIEL DIONNA ROGERS-MULLEN STERLING WHITE

DAIJAH BRAZIL REBECCA HENRY CANDICE MILLER TIARA SADDLER JOHNATHAN WHORTON

TORIN CLAY ALAN HERNANDEZ NIKOLE MILLER JESSICA SANCHEZ TAYLOR WILSON

QI’SHAUN COYLE STEPHANIE HICKS ALEXIS MITCHELL ROY SOTO CANDICE WRIGHT

CODY DETROIT INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

JANELL JACKSON CHANEL PATTERSON

CODY MEDICINE AND COMMUNITY HEALTH ACADEMY

MARTEL BECKS NICOLE CANDELARIO KRISTI TRADER

CODY ACADEMY OF PUBLIC LEADERSHIP

DONNIQUA ALEXANDER SAMUEL BRAXTON DEONTAE HARDNETT DEMETRIUS HARRISON ARIEL MARSHALL

ARZANE NEELY CHARNEKA WHITFIELD

COMMUNICATION & MEDIA ARTS HIGH SCHOOL

CHRISTAL MALONE DEIJA MORTON BRIAN PETTY

AUTUMN STEVENSON

DAVIS AEROSPACE @ GOLIGHTLY CAREER & TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL

STEVIN COLEMAN LAUREN DANDRIDGE KYLIER LOVE

MINA STANSBERRY

DETROIT INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY FOR YOUNG WOMEN

POPY AZIZ TANIA BEGUM EMA CHOWDHURY BREONA MUELLER TARAYA SMITH

EBONI THOMAS KHADIJA ULLAH JANNATAUL URMI DANAICIA WESLEY

DETROIT COLLEGE PREP @ NORTHWESTERN

JASMINE CONNER SHANAJA KELLUM JASMINE PARKER

DENZEL WASHINGTON

2014 EXCELLENCE AWARDS STUDENTS

DETROIT SCHOOL OF ARTS

CESCILY BARNES ALEXIS BRUCE BREANNA BUCKNER A’LEETZIA BURNS JILLIAN CRAIGHEAD

LAKAILA DALEY MONAY DAVIS DAMARIS DOSS MICHAEL GARDNER PRECIOUS GRAY

COURTNEY GRIFFIN ALYSSA HARRIS TATIANNA HEMPHILL JADA HENDERSON SIMONE LANCASTER

KEEANA LANE ROBERT LYNCH JAZ’MYNE MOORE CHAPPELLE MUCKER BREONNA NORWOOD

SYDNY RIVERS CHRISTIAN SANDS SHAYLA SIMPSON

DOUGLASS ACADEMY FOR YOUNG MEN

DARRELL DAVIS

EAST ENGLISH VILLAGE PREPARATORY ACADEMY

D’ANGELO BRAGG JOSHUA BRYANT GENESHA BURTON SHAWNTELL COLEMAN JOSEPH FRAILEY

CHRISTINE GRIFFIN CHRISDALYIA HOWARD TONDALAYAH LANGFORD ROBERT LEE DARON MACK

SHAMIAH MENZIE TERRA PICKETT CHARLI RUSSELL

MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

TIFFANY BROOKINS LOREAL BURNETT VIRGINIA FRANKLIN MOHAMMED ISLAM DIPTHO SUTRADHAR

TOSKIR UDDIN

OSBORN COLLEGIATE ACADEMY OF MATHEMATICS, SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

QUINCY ANDERSON EDWARD CUNNINGHAM AALYSSA FORD PERRY HAZZARD LETTIE ANN MILLER

LASHONTE SMITH

OSBORN COLLEGE PREPARATORY ACADEMY

DARIUS HEMPHILL KEITHETTA HICKS DOMINQUE JORDAN JULIA LOR KENT YANG

OSBORN EVERGREEN ACADEMY OF DESIGN & ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

YEELING LOR

RENAISSANCE HIGH SCHOOL

IMARA BRIGHT-JOHNSON DOMONIQUE CALDWELL JAZLYN DIXON FREDERICK DUKHIE BRIA ELROD

TIAH GOLDEN JEREMIAH GRANT TOMMIE HENDERSON ASIA HUDSON ALAN HUNT

ASSIATOU JALLOW CRYSERICA JETER BRIA JOHNSON DASIA JOHNSON JENNIFER JONES

CHLOE KEENE KEIRA KING LONDON LEONARD MAKIYA LONG DEION LOVE

SYED MAHDI ARIANA MCCOWIN JACQUELINE MILLS TAYLOR MORGAN SAMANTHA MURRELL

REMI MURREY CHALSE OKOROM SETH PETTY AHRAYA POLLARD ARIEL RAGIN

DEZIRAE ROBINSON KARMEN RUCKER KENDALL SMITH RAYMOND SMITH-BYRD LEAH SPIVEY

WALTER Stevenson MARQUIS STIRGUS SHERELLE STREETER BREANNA SULLIVAN DOMINIQUE TAYLOR

BRIANNA TORRENCE LAUREN UDDYBACK ARIELLE WALLACE TRISTYN WALTON DAVON WHEELER

SHANTELL WILLIAMS BRANDON WILSON JASMINE WOMACK JAMES YANCY

2014 EXCELLENCE AWARDS STUDENTS

WESTERN INTERNATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL

JUAN AGUILAR DANIEL ALCALA ADALIA ALVAREZ MARISOL ANGULO LORENA AVILA

CYNTHIA BRIONES ALEXIS CASTELLANOS JOSE CERVANTES YOLANDA COLON BRENDA CRUZ

DEANDRE DAVIDSON VANESSA DELACRUZ BARBARA DURAN ISAAC ELICEA CECILIA ESQUIVEL

BELICIA FLORES VIRIDIANA GONZALEZ -NAVARRO

ADRIANA GUARDADO JUAN GUTIERREZ JOSE GUZMAN

JUSTIN HEARD BANESA HERNANDEZ COCHISE JACKSON TERRELL JOHNSON MARIELA LOPEZ

JULISSA MADRIGAL NIA MARTINEZ YESSENIA MARTINEZ ESTRELLITA MARTINEZ DIANE MOLINA

GENARO MURILLO KIMMY NGUYEN STEFANNY PEREZ CARMEN RAMIREZ GUADALUPE RODRIGUEZ

JOSEPH RUNCO ALBERTH SANCHEZ GABRIELLE SANTAVICCA KIMBERLY SANTIAGO MANUEL SAUCEDO

DANIEL VALDEZ HAYLENE VELASQUEZ VICTORIA WILLIAMS ASHLEY WILSON

2014 EXCELLENCE AWARDS STUDENTS

JAMIL ABDUN-NOOR MICHAEL ADAMISIN SARAH ADDAE ADAM ALSTER FUAD AMMARY

CAITLIN ANDERSON JOHN ANDREWS NEZETTA ARMSTRONG SHAREA AYERS RINA BANERJEE

KIANTA BANKSTON DENISE BARNES HELENE BARTON AMY BEGNENE MERISSA BENFORD

DENISE BISHOP GLORIA BLACK THOMAS BOBOVSKI ORLANDO BOGINS WILLIAM BOWLES

CYNTHIA BRIDGES DAVID BRITTEN AMANDA BROOKS BRUNISHA BROOKS LISA BROOKS

NICOLE BURRELL PATRICK BUTLER SOMMER CALDWELL-CARRUTHERS

EUGENIA CALUGAR BARRY CANNON

NICOLE CARTER APRIL CHAMBERS DONNA CHAVOUS EMIL CHESLEREAN KIRAN CHOPRA

RENEE CIACIUCH GEORGE COKER ANTHONY CRAWFORD FRANCES CURTIS-FIELDS PAMELA DANIELS-NICHOLS

DANA DAVIDSON ALISE DIAZ RICHARD DIGGS DAVID DIXON ROBERT DONOGHUE

GEORGE DUNCAN DESHEIL ECHOLS GREGORY EDWARDS SHERRY FIORE UCAL FINNEY

ANGEL M. GARCIA III NATALIE GARCIA-FOSTER TIMOTHY GORE VICKI GREEN MICHAEL GRIFFIN

MARC HAAS CHERYL HARDEN KIMBERLY HARDEN GEORGE HARDY SONYA HARLAN

JASON HARRIS KIMBERLY HARRIS JAVELLE HAWKINS SHERISE HEDGESPETH ANDREW HESTER

ROSEMARY HIGGINS GIA HOLMES LESLIE HOLSEY TITO HUFFMAN JOSEPH HUNTER

RADU IACOBAN OKEZIE IROHA DR. RICHARD T. JAMES DEBRA JOHNSON DONALD JOHNSON

ENID JOHNSON WILLIE JOHNSON ERICA JONES MELISSA JONES JENNIFER KAHLIL

LAUREN KAZIN JUANEMIA KELLEY ANDREW KEMP KAREN KENNINS KRISTA KING

DENNIS KUE BELVIN LILES JENNY MA PAUL HUDSON MACK CONNIE MALABED

RONALD MALABED CAROL MARTIN KELVIN MARTIN JOHNATHON MATTHEWS WILLIE MCALLISTER

MARILYN MCCORMICK WILLIAM MCLIN GWENDOLYN MIA HOLLIE MICK CLIFF MILLER

LEONARD MILLER RAKIBA MITCHELL ANGELA MOFFITT MYLES MORGAN BEVERLY MORRISON-GREEN

CAROLE MORRISSEAU JUANITA MOTON SHANEEL MYLES JAIME NASSAR JODI NEAL

AARON NOLAN PAMELA NORRIS SGT. GREGORY O’BRYANT

DAVID ORTEGA– LOPEZ RICHARD OSTROWSKI

RAMONA PATTON TRACEY PENICK GREGORY PETTIGREW MEGAN PIDGEON MICHAEL POLONSKI

DIANA PRECIADO LESLIE PRYPELSKI RANESA REESE KATINA RICHARDSON MARLAND ROBERTS

SHANGALEZA ROBINSON CHRISTOPHER ROGERS THOMAS ROULHAC KAVITA SADWAL RAYANA SAFAH

DR. CYNTHIA SALHI SYLVIA A. SANDERS ELYSE SCHEPANSKY JANINE SCOTT MICHELLE SHORTER

JOHN SIMON CEDRIC SMALL ANTHONY SMITH CHARLOTTE SMITH JENNIFER SMITH

KEVIN SMITH PAMELA SMITH-MOY SEAN SMITH CHICO SORRELL ONDRE STALEY

COREY STOKES VERYNDA STROUGHTER ESTER SUTGREY LAURALYN TAYLOR JUANZETTA TOLLIVER

LATONYA TORRENCE ARTINA TYUS KATHY UNDERWOOD BRETT VINCENT KIWAN WARD

ANTONIO WATTS KIM WHITE SAMUEL WHITE CICELY WILLIAMS DOROTHEA WILLIAMS

DR. ROBBYN WILLIAMS SHAR WILLIS SHAMIKA WOMBLE JOHN WOOD ALLAYNE WOODS

VICKI WOODYARD RENEE ZACHERY

2014 EXCELLENCE AWARDS IMPACT EDUCATORS

Shirley Mobley-Woods, Chief of Staff Rebeca Luna, Assistant Superintendent

High School Principals

Lisa Phillips Cass Technical High School

Robert Harvey Detroit School of Arts

Johnathon Matthews Cody-Academy of Public Leadership

Berry Greer Douglass Academy for Young Men

Belvin Liles Cody-Detroit Institute of Technology College Prep High School

Patricia Murray East English Village Preparatory Academy

Michelle Parker Cody-Medicine and Community Health Academy

Deborah Jenkins, Ed.D. King High School

Donya Odum Communication & Media Arts High School

Senta Ray-Conley Osborn-College Preparatory Academy

Nina Graves Davis Aerospace Technological High School

Tanya Bowman Osborn-Collegiate Academy of Mathematics, Science and Technology

Steven Elam Detroit Collegiate Preparatory High School

Felicia Cook Osborn-Evergreen Academy of Design

and Alternative Energy

Beverly Hibbler Detroit International Academy for Young Women

Anita Williams Renaissance High School

Rodolfo Diaz Western International High School

Office of Guidance and Counseling Barbara K. Smith, Ph.D., Director

Nona Harris Instructional Specialist

Dora Hudson Program Associate I

Marcia G. Jenkins Clerical

Jack Martin Karen P. Ridgeway Emergency Manager Superintendent of Academics

DETROIT BOARD OF EDUCATION

BOARD MEMBERS

Honorable LaMar Lemmons, At-Large, President Honorable Herman Davis, At-Large Vice President Honorable Jonathon Kinloch, At-Large Honorable Reverend David Murray, At-Large Honorable Ida Short, At-Large Honorable Tawanna Simpson, District 1 Honorable Elena M. Herrada, District 2 Honorable Annie Carter, District 3 Honorable Judy Summers, District 4 Honorable Wanda Redmond, District 6 Honorable Juvette Hawkins-Williams, District 7

Special Acknowledgements

A special thank you is extended to school counselors for their team planning efforts to create Excellence Awards Committees within their schools, inclusive of compact coordinators, college advisors,

other staff and sponsors. You are appreciated for making your event a cherished and memorable experience.