Rotary Club of Fort Myers South Announces its 28th Annual Scholar-Athlete Nominees

Rotary Club of Fort Myers South is pleased to announce the nominees to be honored at its 28th Annual Scholar-Athlete Awards banquet on May 14, 2014 at the Crowne Plaza in Fort Myers. Eighteen Lee County-area high schools nominated one top male and female varsity letter winner who maintains a minimum 3.2 GPA, is involved in school and community activities and demonstrates leadership characteristics.

The 36 nominees are: Annette Castaldo and Richard Doyle from Bishop Verot Catholic High School, Kathryn Flaharty and Alex Rabinowitz from Canterbury School, Matthew Aaron Hale and Melanie Lugo from Cape Coral High School, Samantha Damico and Jake Kilgore from Cypress Lake High School, Juan M. Benitez and Ireysha Morrison from Dunbar High School, Daniel Alvarez and Cynthia Auplant from East Lee County High School, Wesley J. Pruitt and Katie Slater from Estero High School, Sean Mazzola and Haley Pigott from Evangelical Christian School, Emily Edwards and Logan B. Samuelson from Fort Myers High School, Kelsey E. Anders and Nicholas Dunkelly-Allen from Gateway Charter School, Rebecca E. Cicoria and Trayvon Clarke from Ida S. Baker High School, Sean Gavitt and Morgan Cathleen Whitman from Island Coast High School, Bernard Edwards and Krysten Topliff from Lehigh Senior High School, Katsiaryna Khatskevich and Jomar Andres Restrepo from Mariner High School, Connor E. Black and Abigail Larson from North Fort Myers High School, Austin Tindle and Chenelle L. Walker from Riverdale High School, McKenzie Makar and Kyle E. Palmer from South Fort Myers High School, and Alexandra Hamilton and Whitman Bertram Wiggins from Southwest Florida Christian Academy.

A selection committee of Rotary South members interviews nominees and will select the two winners, who will each receive a $5,000 scholarship underwritten by The SWFL Rheem Team. This is the tenth year this philanthropic group of HVAC professionals has served as a major sponsor of the event, and the fourth year it has served as the overall Scholarship Sponsor.

In addition to sponsoring the scholarships, the Rheem Team hosts an online People’s Choice Scholar-Athlete Award, where visitors to www.swflrheemteam.com can vote for their favorite student, who then has a chance to win an iPad.

Rotary South Scholar-Athlete Awards Chairman Rob Scharlau said, “Rotary South is pleased to once again have a part in recognizing our Scholar-Athletes. These young men and women do an excellent job of representing their schools and Southwest Florida. Each and every one has a bright future ahead.”

Sponsorship opportunities are still available for the May 14 banquet, which will feature Lesley Bush as keynote speaker. The Olympic gold medalist and International Swimming Hall of Fame inductee later went on to become a middle and high school science teacher, and is sure to inspire all attendees. For more information about the 28th Annual Rotary Club of Fort Myers South’s Scholar-Athlete Awards, contact Rob Scharlau at (239) 689-7133.