2020 Golden Herald Awards celebrate standout Manatee County high school seniors

Graduating high school can be a prospect full of uncertainty, and this year’s seniors will face the added challenge of forging the path ahead in the wake of a global pandemic.

But many have already proven that they can overcome tough obstacles and help others in the process.

On Thursday, the 2020 Golden Herald Awards honored some of those Manatee County seniors for their outstanding community service.

The nominees, 131 in total, represented a diverse showcase of talents and abilities, all of which were used to benefit others in their schools, their neighborhoods or the greater community.

Briana Irima, a Braden River High School senior, was torn away from playing a beloved sport by injuries and medical issues. Instead of walking away, Irima stepped up to support the school’s basketball program in other ways as she helped manage team and game-day operations, kept scores and statistics and provided transportation and meals to those without.

Irima did it all while working a part-time job and taking honors courses, the judges noted. She also led the boy’s basketball team in the organization of a major community event at a local elementary school that earned big hugs and admiration from the kids. Irima received the Golden Herald Award for athletics.

Sonali Vibhakar, a Manatee High School senior and the Golden Herald Award recipient for journalism, was also recognized for sharing her talents with a local elementary school. Vibhakar taught fourth graders at Miller Elementary some of the essentials of journalism, including interview technique and news photography, and led them to create the school’s first ever after-school newsletter.

Vibhakar also served as editor-in-chief of her high school’s year book, volunteered at a local library where she helped restore books and promoted literature and kept up with Advanced Placement classes and extracurricular activities.

And Foreign Language Golden Herald Award winner Juan Antonio Giraldo of Bradenton Christian School used his bilingual skills and passion for business to organize fundraisers that collected money for charities big and small, from St. Jude’s Research Hospital to SOLVE Maternity Homes and Manatee Baptist Food Pantry. In addition to founding and leading an Entrepreneurship Club at his school, Giraldo made top grades in AP and honors courses and made time for volunteer activities.

In total, Golden Herald Awards were presented in 16 categories. Each Golden Herald award winner received a cash award of $1,500, and an honorable mention recipient in each category received a $500 award.

All of the participating public and private schools in Manatee County were allowed to nominate two seniors in each of the categories, and nearly 50 community leaders served as judges.

The Golden Herald Awards, begun in 1978 by the Bradenton Herald, marked its 43rd year on Thursday. To date, over 5,200 students have been recognized for their community service through the program.

The ceremony typically takes place at the Neel Performing Arts Center at the Bradenton campus of State College of Florida, where the students’ families, friends and teachers can witness the presentation.

This year was a little bit different due to COVID-19.

Manatee Memorial Hospital CEO Kevin DiLallo instead announced the awards in a presentation televised on Manatee Educational Television’s website, TV channel and YouTube station.

“Every Golden Herald Award nominee exemplifies the unselfish use of his or her talents and abilities to help others,” DiLallo said before revealing the winners. “Each is an individual with a notable record of achievement and service to school and community. In that sense, every Golden Herald Award nominee is a winner.”

This year’s Golden Herald Awards were sponsored by the Manatee Memorial Hospital medical staff, NDC Construction Company, the Pittsburgh Pirates and Bradenton Marauders, Keiser University, Turner Construction Company, State College of Florida, The Mosaic Company, Anna Maria Oyster Bar restaurants, Brundage Group, Florida Power and Light, Manatee Educational TV, Schofield & Spencer, P.A., Air & Energy, Raymond James & Associates, Inc. and Bruce Body, Manatee Memorial Hospital, the Manatee Memorial Foundation and the Bradenton Herald.

Golden Herald Award Recipients

Art

Winner: Loriona Serani, Bayshore High School.

Honorable mention: Kea Kamiya, SCF Collegiate School.

Runners-up: Kevin Felton, Southeast High School; Noah Johnson, Bradenton Christian School; Brooke Martin, Lakewood Ranch High School; Jessica Vorbeck, Bradenton Christian School.

Athletics

Winner: Briana Irimia, Braden River High School.

Honorable Mention: Donjanique Morgan; Palmetto High School

Runners-up: Sarah Affainie, Manatee School for the Arts; Alyssa Ely, Manatee High School; Anna Freed, Bradenton Christian School; Anika Kennedy, Saint Stephen’s Episcopal School; Sarah Lowery, Southeast High School; O’marius Miller, Lakewood Ranch High School; Peyton Mullin, Lakewood Ranch High School; Russell Odell, Bayshore High School; Maxwell O’Dell, Saint Stephen’s Episcopal School; Carolyn Rozensky, Braden River High School; Ismael Saint Louis, Bayshore High School; Diana Tristan, Southeast High School; Luke Williams, Bradenton Christian School; Xavier Williams, Palmetto High School.

Business

Winner: Knox Johnson, Bradenton Christian School.

Honorable Mention: Amandine Louis-Charles, Southeast High School.

Runners-up: Cadence Bakker, SCF Collegiate School; Dylan Harazda, Palmetto High School; Geneira Jaimes, Palmetto High School; Xabier Rezola, Southeast High School; Jacob Sowards, Braden River High School; Nicolas Wigington, Braden River High School.

Citizenship

Winner: Tess Zambella, Braden River High School.

Honorable Mention: Reegan Cole, Southeast High School.

Runners-up: Megan Barrett, Bayshore High School; Usielle Destine, Bayshore High School; Benjamin French, Braden River High School; Brandon Gadeken, Lakewood Ranch High School; Carly Greene, Palmetto High School; Ngan Le, Southeast High School; Isabella Liberti, Lakewood Ranch High School; Skyler Linke, Palmetto High School; Jada Russell, Manatee High School.

Computer and Technology

Winner: Abbygale Owen, Palmetto High School.

Honorable Mention: Gaurav Garre, Southeast High School.

Runners-up: Leonel Henriquez Alfaro, Bayshore High School; David Herrera, Southeast High School; Jessica Woo, Manatee High School.

Drama

Winner: Ashley Cendere, Braden River High School.

Honorable Mention: Kyle Wampler, Braden River High School.

Runners-up: Kamryn Clayton, Southeast High School; Dylan Cunard, Bradenton Christian School; Danicar Louissaint, Bayshore High School; Jessica Thompson, Palmetto High School.

English and Literature

Winner: Kassandra Haakman, Saint Stephen’s Episcopal School.

Honorable Mention: Demi Dionela, Bradenton River High School.

Runners-up: Kendy DeHaan, Bradenton Christian School; Marina Herrera, Braden River High School; Kaylee Hodge, Southeast High School; Amy Kessler, Southeast High School; Laura Perkins, Bradenton Christian School.

Foreign Language

Winner: Juan Antonio Giraldo, Bradenton Christian School.

Honorable Mention: Cade Saalmann, Braden River High School.

Runners-up: Arlette Alanis, Palmetto High School; Augustus Bayard, Saint Stephen’s Episcopal School; Ivan Jeronimo, Southeast High School; Nicole Llorente, Bayshore High School; Isabella Macias, Braden River High School; Domenica Olvera Narvaez, Bayshore High School; David Rodriguez, Saint Stephen’s Episcopal School; Angelica Wilches, Southeast High School.

General Scholarship

Winner: Savannah Woodland, Bradenton Christian School.

Honorable Mention: Jake Whiddon, Bradenton River High School.

Runners-up: Hannah Brady, Bayshore High School; Isaac Garrott, Manatee High School; Jesenia Haslem, Braden River High School; Lindsey Hyer, Lakewood Ranch High School; Matthew Joseph, Palmetto High School; Bethany Kruger, SCF Collegiate School; Hailey Maurer, Southeast High School; Madeline Stewart, Manatee High School.

Journalism

Winner: Sonali Vibhakar, Manatee High School.

Honorable Mention: Lauren Whiddon, Braden River High School.

Runners-up: Meghan Corbran, Manatee High School; Zian Mahfuz, Lakewood Ranch High School; Lillian Tripp, Palmetto High School; Aubrey Williams, Southeast High School; Cameron Willis, Lakewood Ranch High School.

Mathematics

Winner: Akash Boggavarapu, Southeast High School.

Honorable Mention: Aidan Williams, Bradenton Christian School.

Runners-up: Caitlyn Calderon, Palmetto High School; Abigail Leahy, Bradenton Christian School.

Music

Winner: Penelope Sugg, Braden River High School.

Honorable Mention: Lily Potter, Lakewood Ranch High School.

Runners-up: Hannah Badenhorst, Braden River High School; Stefanny Carranza, Southeast High School; Jenna Hass, Manatee High School; Ethan Horn, Lakewood Ranch High School; Alexander Lopes, Palmetto High School; Bryant Reeves, Manatee High School; Takayla Spikes, Bayshore High School; Ayden Traynor, Southeast High School.

Science

Winner: Isabella Sanchez, Manatee High School.

Honorable Mention: Graham Lewis, Southeast High School.

Runners-up: Audrey Dixon, Lakewood Ranch High School; Matthew King, Braden River High School; Griffin MacRae, Southeast High School; Brianna Tutera, Palmetto High School; Dominic Westbrook, Bayshore High School.

Social Science

Winner: Anayeli Alvarado, Southeast High School.

Honorable Mention: Rebekkah Brining, Bayshore High School.

Runners-up: Bella Backenstross, Manatee High School; Emma Bittar, Lakewood Ranch High School; Wendy Castro, Palmetto High School; Benea Mays, Bayshore High School; Tayla Rosenthal, Lakewood Ranch High School; Ishvina Singh, Southeast High School; Reanna Washington, Manatee High School; Madigan Wilford, Braden River High School.

Speech

Winner: Jordyn Collis, Braden River High School.

Honorable Mention: Ximena Chafloque, Southeast High School.

Runners-up: Luke Evangelista, Bradenton Christian School; Dieuvaney Jean, Bayhsore High School; Grace Shtuka, SCF Collegiate School.

Vocational

Winner: Morgan Kirchman, Lakewood Ranch High School.

Honorable Mention: Griffin Schwarz, Southeast High School.

Runners-up: Shelbie Davis, Braden River High School; Bedline Demetrius, Manatee High School; Shatauri Flemming, Bayshore High School; Bailey McGreevy, Braden River High School; Kaithlyne Nguyen, Southeast High School; Jessica Quach, Manatee High School; Makenna Simpson, Palmetto High School.

Borsheim Scholarship Award

(This is a special scholarship funded by donations from the family of Brad Borsheim, a former Bradenton Herald employee and longtime friend of the Golden Herald Awards.)

Athletics: Russell Odell, Bayshore High School.

English and Literature: Marina Herrera, Braden River High School.

Science: Matthew King, Braden River High School.

This story was originally published May 8, 2020 at 7:48 AM.