Good News About Polk County Public Schools

 Lance Lebanoff                                            Logan Lebanoff

Identical twin brothers Lance and Logan Lebanoff not only share DNA, they share the title of Lake Region High School salutatorians. They graduated with weighted 4.578 GPAs. The 2012 graduating seniors are the youngest in a family with a history of producing high-achieving students. Their older sisters graduated with honors. In 2009, their sister Loni Lebanoff was named Lake Region High School valedictorian.

But the boys don’t just excel in academics. They are both musically inclined. The twins play the piano. In addition to tickling the ivories, Lance plays the tuba. Logan plays the trumpet. As a result, they were both actively involved in the school symphonic band. Both rose to the position of band section leader. For their outstanding contribution to the band, the young men received the 2011-2012 Directors Award.

Both boys also participated in honors chorus.

The twins have decided to first attend Polk State College where they will receive associate degrees before they move on to university. The twins are considering University of Florida. They applied this year, and were accepted for the 2012-2013 school year.

Erica Amanda Ortiz is this year’s Lake Region High School valedictorian.

Bartow IB

• Vien Hang Yeung, is a 2012 Gates Millennium Scholarship winner who’s consistently overcome obstacles to reach her goals. In between her academic studies, she’s found time to care for her disabled father and the rest of her family.
• Bianca Mulaney is Polk County’s only National Merit Scholar to receive the $2,500 scholarship to put toward her college tuition. She is also the state winner of the National Association of Secondary School Principals/Herff Jones Principal’s Leadership Award (PLA) and Polk County Public Schools’ 2012 Outstanding Youth Volunteer of the Year for the after-school mentoring project she started at Blake Academy.
• Joe Bacon is the recipient of the 2012 Outstanding Youth Volunteer of the Year Award for an after-school mentoring project he started at Blake Academy.
• Stephanie Munguia is admired for her outstanding environmental work and her work with teaching environmental concepts to children. She’s also done animal rehab work.

For more information on these students please contact Bartow IB Principal Edwin Vetter, 863.534.0194, edwin.vetter@polk-fl.net

Lake Gibson Senior

• Logan Wasden is a high achieving “A” student. Logan is the recipient of the 2012 Bartow Ford Mustang for good grades. He is described as hardworking, responsible, kind and courteous.
• Alexis San Javier is Lake Gibson’s Silver Garland winner for Spanish.  He has served as an advocate for immigrants for years.  He translates for them, helps them complete paperwork and even goes with them to get their drivers licenses.  
• Jessica Emerson has 1,020 community service hours. She’s done a good job of balancing her 7 AP and honors classes while maintaining a 3.8 GPA. She’s involved with UthMpact, which educates youth on the dangers of bullying, drugs, tobacco and alcohol.  She also participated in Key Club, Lionettes and National Honor Society.
• Lindsey Nunnery is an “A”  student who is always willing to volunteer for school activities-Rise of the

      Great Pumpkin, St. Jude Walk, etc.

• Tyler O’Neil is described as goal-oriented. He realizes hard work is necessary to accomplish his goals. He’s already an entrepreneur. He owns his own lawn business. He plans to use the money he earns to buy the car he hopes to take with him when he attends the University of Florida.
• Valedictorian Quang Huynh-Doan is a phenomenal student who excels in every academic entity.  He is a leader by example.  He will be attending the University of Florida’s new Innovation Academy. This group of 500 students will begin their school year in January and continue through the summer, getting the fall semester off.

This will be a small college, with special programs within the university. Eventually, the academy will accommodate 2,000 students.  These students will be doing internships, taking online classes, and studying abroad. UF officials believe the school is the first in the nation to offer this approach.