Montverde Academy Archives | South Lake Tablet

Montverde Academy Announces the Valedictorian and Salutatorian of the Class of 2026

Michelle Delaney — Tue, 19 May 2026 13:47:16 +0000

Submitted by Montverde Academy

Montverde Academy is proud to announce the valedictorian and salutatorian of the Class of 2026. Michelle Jing Su is this year’s valedictorian, and Ting Yuk “Cobi” Wu is this year’s salutatorian.

Valedictorian Michelle Su has been a student at Montverde Academy for the past six years. She has taken 12 AP courses and spends every afternoon after school practicing golf. She is the captain of the varsity golf team that won the 2024 Florida Class 1A State Championship; athlete at the International Junior Golf Academy; member of the Chinese club, FCA, and Arts and Athletics Leadership Committee; and a National Merit Scholarship finalist.

Michelle will attend Wellesley College in the fall to double major in economics and psychology and play Division III golf.

During his five years at Montverde Academy, Salutatorian Cobi Wu’s favorite subjects have been physics, chemistry, and mathematics. Cobi has taken 12 AP courses, is part of the swim team, holds multiple school records and national-level qualifications, and is a former age group state record holder. He is also the head of the Disciplinary Committee, a Prefect, and is part of the Head of School Student Advisory Committee.

Cobi will attend the University of Waterloo in the fall to major in mechanical engineering and to participate in their varsity swimming program.

Congratulations to Michelle and Cobi on their outstanding accomplishments. We wish them the best of luck as they continue to strive for academic excellence and continue to impact the world in a positive way.

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Senior Parade Sends Class of 2026 Off In Style

Michelle Delaney — Tue, 19 May 2026 02:10:52 +0000

Submitted by Montverde Academy

Montverde Academy came together for the Senior Parade, celebrating the Class of 2026 in a way that was equal parts nostalgic and joyful.

Dressed in college tees representing their next chapters, seniors proudly paraded through campus, led by the lively beat of drums that echoed with school spirit. Each step forward felt symbolic, a celebration of how far they’ve come and a glimpse into all that lies ahead.

Parents, faculty, students, and staff gathered along the route, smiling, cheering, and capturing the moment. The Lower School students lined the sidewalks with enthusiasm, applauding and eagerly high-fiving their senior buddies. Their cheers added a heartwarming reminder of the journey that begins in those early school years and leads to this milestone moment.

It was a parade filled with joy and just a hint of bittersweet reflection; an unforgettable sendoff for a class ready to take on the world. Class of 2026, you will be missed, but remember, the best is yet to come! 

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Girls Track And Field Wins State Championship, Boys Earn Top 10 Team Finish

Michelle Delaney — Sat, 09 May 2026 00:48:02 +0000

The Eagles finished tied for first place with The Bolles School with 84 points, finishing first out of 57 teams competing at the state meet. It marks the second state championship in the last three years for the MVA girls program.

Meanwhile, the boys track & field team also earned a top-10 finish, placing ninth overall out of 66 teams.

State champions for the Eagles included:

Girls 400 meters — Nakira Hudson — 53.24
Girls 4×400 meter relay — Angelica Wolfe, Jizelle Holland, DaQuana Howell, Nakira Hudson — 3:44.69
Boys Pole Vault — Grant Williams — 4.50 meters

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Curiosity Sparks in MVA’s Upper School Chemistry Lab

Michelle Delaney — Sun, 03 May 2026 19:50:46 +0000

Submitted by Montverde Academy

Montverde Academy’s Upper School scientists in Dr. Moncada’s and Dr. Ramirez’s classes took chemistry beyond the textbook during a hands-on Types of Chemical Reactions lab, diving into real-world application.

From the intense glow of magnesium combustion to single replacement reactions with copper, zinc, and aluminum, students explored how elements interact and transform. They created vibrant precipitates like lead (II) iodide, investigated the heating and rehydration of copper sulfate crystals, and even used bromothymol blue to track how carbon dioxide changes the acidity of water.

With bubbling solutions, color changes, and glowing reactions, students sharpened their observation skills, balanced complex equations, and experienced chemistry in action.

Safe to say… the reactions were strong with this one!

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Montverde Academy Florida All-State Soccer Honors

Michelle Delaney — Sun, 03 May 2026 19:28:33 +0000

Following a historic championship season, three members of the Montverde Academy girls soccer program have earned Florida All-State honors from United Soccer Coaches for the 2025–26 season.

Brianna Burkhalter, Taylor Heaton, and Lola Rey were each recognized for their outstanding play and key roles in leading the Eagles to one of the most successful seasons in program history, which ended with MVA winning the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) state championship for the fifth time in program history.

Burkhalter, a sophomore, emerged as one of the team’s top playmakers, finishing the season with six goals and a team-high 23 assists. Her vision, composure, and ability to create scoring opportunities were instrumental in driving MVA’s high-powered attack throughout the year.

Heaton, a junior, anchored a dominant defensive unit that set the tone for the Eagles’ success. MVA held opponents scoreless in 19 of 23 matches, a testament to Heaton’s leadership, positioning, and ability to consistently shut down opposing threats.

Rey, a junior, delivered a standout season and established herself as one of the top players in the state. She led the Eagles with 27 goals, including a hat trick in the state semifinal and the game-winning goal in the state championship match. Her ability to perform in critical moments made her a constant difference-maker in MVA’s title run.

The United Soccer Coaches All-State honors recognize the top high school players across Florida, highlighting those who have demonstrated exceptional performance, leadership, and impact throughout the season.

Montverde Academy finished the season with a 21-1-1 record, a state championship, and an impressive 93-6 goal differential, further cementing its place among the elite programs in Florida.

With this recognition, Burkhalter, Heaton, and Rey continue to build on MVA’s tradition of excellence and represent the program at the highest level of girls high school soccer.

About Montverde Academy:

Montverde Academy is a private, independent college preparatory school for grades Pre-K3 through post-graduate studies, with a boarding program serving grades 7-12 representing 70+ nationalities. Our mission is to inspire students to become knowledgeable leaders with global vision and passion for learning, in a disciplined and diverse community that nurtures character development. For more information, visit us online at Montverde.org and at MVASports.com.

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MVA Middle Schoolers Turn Circuits into Music

Michelle Delaney — Wed, 22 Apr 2026 00:42:25 +0000

Submitted by Montverde Academy

Students in Mrs. Burrell’s Middle School Engineering Design class at Montverde Academy recently combined creativity, coding, and electrical engineering to build their own playable guitars using BBC micro:bits. Students designed and constructed cardboard guitars, researched songs that could be played using just three notes and programmed their micro:bits to produce those notes.

To play their instruments, students completed a simple circuit by holding the ground connection, allowing their bodies to help close the circuit and trigger the programmed chords. Through this project, students explored concepts such as basic circuitry, programming logic, prototyping, and iterative design, while also learning how engineering can intersect with music and creativity.

“This project shows students that engineering isn’t just about building machines,” said Mrs. Burrell. “It’s about solving problems, being creative, and realizing that you can design something from simple materials and turn it into a working piece of technology.”

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Jizelle Holland Earns Student-Athlete of the Week Following Dominant District Championship Performances

Michelle Delaney — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 15:00:39 +0000

GJizelle Holland of the girls track & field team has been named the Montverde Academy Student-Athlete of the Week for the week ending April 19, following standout performances at the 2026 Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) Class 2A District 6 Championship held on campus this past Friday.

Holland delivered a perfect showing, capturing first place in all three events she entered. She won the 100-meter hurdles in 14.27 seconds, the 400-meter hurdles in a personal-best time of 1:01.16, and the triple jump with a mark of 11.59 meters. Her trio of victories marks the first time in her career that she has claimed district titles in any state series event.

The senior’s breakthrough performances represent a culmination of steady progress throughout her MVA career. Last year, Holland recorded second-place finishes in both the long jump and triple jump at the district meet. Two years ago, she finished as the district runner-up in the 100-meter hurdles, 400-meter hurdles, and triple jump.

Now in her third year with the program, Holland has firmly established herself among the elite competitors while continuing to elevate her performances on biggest stages.

Beyond her athletic accomplishments, Holland is a leader on campus, serving as a Prefect at MVA. A native of Portsmouth, Virginia, she cites Piano Theory as her favorite class and values the school’s culture of dedication to both its academics and athletics programs.

Looking ahead, Holland aspires to become a leader in the engineering or finance field.

Holland also continues a strong family legacy in MVA track & field. She is the younger sister of Micayah Holland ’23, a decorated former Eagle who was named the Florida Dairy Farmers Girls Track & Field Athlete of the Year in 2022. Micayah was a state champion in the 100 and 200 meters and claimed the Adidas Indoor National title in the 60 meters that year as well.

With her recent district championship performance, Jizelle Holland has added her own chapter to that legacy—one defined by perseverance, growth, and championship success.

Holland and the rest of her qualifying teammates return to the track on Friday May 1 for the FHSAA Regional Championships at Wildwood High School in Wildwood.

**The Montverde Academy Student-Athlete of the Week award is sponsored by the 2025-26 Montverde Academy Booster Club.

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Grant McKee Named Student-Athlete of the Week

Michelle Delaney — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 20:01:21 +0000

Montverde Academy is proud to announce that boys’ weightlifting team member Grant McKee is this week’s Student-Athlete of the Week following a dominant performance at the FHSAA Class 1A District 11 Championship held at Foundation Academy.

Competing in the 183-pound weight class, McKee delivered an outstanding showing by capturing first place in both the Traditional and Olympic categories. In the Traditional format (bench press plus clean & jerk), he totaled 425 pounds, highlighted by a 200-pound bench press. In the Olympic discipline (snatch plus clean & jerk), McKee recorded a combined 375 pounds, including a 150-pound snatch.

McKee’s performance was further punctuated by a record-breaking lift in the clean & jerk, where he posted 225 pounds—setting a new Montverde Academy record in the 183-pound weight class.

With his first-place finishes, McKee has earned an automatic qualification to the upcoming Regional Championship on April 23 at Frostproof Middle – Senior High School, continuing what has been an impressive return to competition. After being part of the program last year but sidelined due to injury, the sophomore has quickly established himself as one of the team’s top performers.

Off the platform, McKee is equally engaged in the Montverde Academy community. He cites the school’s close-knit environment as his favorite aspect of being a student at MVA, and he enjoys AP European History as his favorite class.

Montverde Academy congratulates Grant McKee on his accomplishments and looks forward to his continued success at the regional championship and beyond.

**The Montverde Academy Student-Athlete of the Week award is sponsored by the 2025-26 Montverde Academy Booster Club.

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EagleMUN in Washington, D.C.

Michelle Delaney — Sat, 11 Apr 2026 02:00:10 +0000

By Mr. Robert Burke, EagleMUN Advisor at Montverde Academy

From February 11–15, the Montverde Academy Model United Nations (EagleMUN) team competed at the North American Invitational Model United Nations conference (NAIMUN), hosted by Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. NAIMUN is one of the largest student-led conferences in the world. Over 250 Georgetown students interact directly with more than 3,500 upper school delegates from over 20 countries.

Model United Nations is an academically competitive speech and debate simulation of the United Nations. Students compete as “delegates,” representing countries and individuals on specific topics assigned in a committee. Conferences are hosted by collegiate teams and private organizations around the world.

In addition to the conference, students visited the office and met with Congressman Daniel Webster, who serves Florida’s 11th Congressional District. Students were also given a private tour of the Capitol Building by members of the congressman’s staff.

Additionally, students participated in a tour of Georgetown University guided by our very own Secretary General of EagleMUN, Jacob Novis. Some even managed to find time for a snowball fight, something new for a few Florida students!

Sophomore Isabella Salgado earned a “Verbal Commendation” at the conference, an award recognizing her high-quality performance, active participation, and strong debate skills.

Here is a breakdown of students and their delegations at NAIMUN:

Representing India:

Arctic Council: Humza Bajwa and Adam Hymore

Commission on the Status of Women: Carington Helms and Noor Cheema

Group of 77: Jesiah Howard and Jeevan Mahal

High Level Political Forum: Zara Liles-Henry and Raquel Teixeira E Silva

Pacific Environmental Program: Emily Nguyen and Krisha Patel

Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia: Jacob Novis and Eisha Cheema

Disarmament and Security: Camelia Berrada Allam and Islay Smith

Specialized and Crisis Committees:

Historical Crisis: Incan Succession 1529: Laura Menossi

National Diet of Japan: Émilie Lapouble

Ad-Hoc: Andrew Bourne

Supreme Court: Isabella Salgado

White House Situation Room: Elissa Ghanem

NAIMUN marks the end of the traveling season for the EagleMUN team. As a program, EagleMUN had its largest year yet, with 50 different students participating in KnightMUN (UCF), GatorMUN (UF), and NAIMUN (D.C.).

The season is not completely over! Over Spring Break, students Camelia Berrada Allam and Islay Smith will be teaming up to represent MVA at the National High School Model United Nations conference in New York City. Good luck Camelia and Islay in New York!

On April 4, EAGLEMUN IV hosted on the MVA campus from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. Last year, 20 eighth grade students participated. This year, we expect nearly 80 students across five committees, including delegates from five visiting schools.

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String-A-Palooza Showcases The Power Of Young Musicians At Montverde Academy

Michelle Delaney — Wed, 08 Apr 2026 00:08:21 +0000

Submitted by Montverde Academy

The Montverde Academy Music Conservatory proudly presented String-A-Palooza in the Sandra O. Stephens Fine Arts Auditorium, celebrating the dedication and talent of student musicians across multiple grade levels.

Under the direction of Mr. Andres Villa, Director of Strings, and with support from Lower School music teacher Ms. Kate Zeng and accompanist Mr. Aubrey Connelly-Candelario, the evening featured a dynamic and inspiring program highlighting the growth of MVA’s young artists, from second-grade beginners to advanced orchestra performers.

The Eagle Orchestra captivated the audience with expressive and energetic selections including “Canyon Sunset” by John Caponegro, “Ancient Lore on Rocky Shore” by Chris Thomas, “Dragon Slayer” by Rob Grice, and “Frog and Toad” by Carrie Lane Gruselle. A special guitar performance of “Crow” by Steve Lim added a unique musical dimension to the evening.

The Eaglet Orchestra continued the momentum with “Colossus” by Larry Clark, “Russian Music Box” by Soon Hee Newbold, and “Impulse” by Brian Balmages, demonstrating impressive musicianship and ensemble unity.

Lower School violinists delighted the audience with foundational pieces such as “Open String Blues,” “Serenata,” and “Puppet Parade,” while third graders performed selections from Essential Elements by Michael Allen and Robert Gillespie. The concert concluded with a heartwarming combined performance of “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star,” showcasing the collaborative spirit and steady progression of our youngest string players.

String-A-Palooza reflected the strength of the music program at MVA and the passion of students who continue to grow as confident performers and musicians.

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