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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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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 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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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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 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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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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All-Area First Team

Montverde Academy had two players on the All-Area First Team: Briana Burkhalter and Kendall Seays. Burkhalter finished the season with six goals and a team-high 23 assists, serving as a key playmaker throughout the year, while Seays added three goals and four assists, contributing across the midfield in a well-balanced attack.

All-Area Second Team

Four Eagles earned Second Team honors: Taylor Heaton, Vienna Morgan, Joy Palacios and Alyssa Strasbaugh. Heaton anchored a dominant defensive unit that held opponents scoreless in 19 of the team’s 23 matches. Morgan totaled eight goals and 12 assists during the season, while Palacios contributed two goals and three assists. Goalkeeper Alyssa Strasbaugh was a steady presence, recording all 21 wins while posting 18 shutouts and a 0.261 goals allowed average in nearly 1,700 minutes of action.

Honorable Mentions

Two additional players received Honorable Mention recognition. Caroline Ritchey finished second on the team in scoring with 11 goals to go along with seven assists, and Veronica Solano added three goals and eight assists.

Montverde Academy completed the season with a 21-1-1 overall record and an impressive 93-6 goal differential, culminating in the program’s state championship.

The All-Area selections reflect the depth, talent, and consistency that defined the Eagles’ season, as Montverde Academy established itself as one of the top programs in the state.

The Orlando Sentinel is a leading Central Florida daily newspaper that annually recognizes the top high school athletes in the region through its All-Area teams.

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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 We’re taking learning to new heights in Aerospace Engineering! 

 In Ms. Chris Burrell’s Aerospace Engineering class, students are stepping into the role of real pilots, using Logitech flight joysticks and the GeoFS flight simulator to bring aviation concepts to life. 

After studying radio navigation, airport operations, flight planning, headings, airspeed, altitude, and instrument scanning, students designed a cross-country route between Central Florida airports and then executed their plan in a live simulation environment. From realistic takeoffs and smooth cruising to precise landings, they monitored instruments, followed programmed waypoints, and made in-flight corrections just like professional aviators. 

This hands-on experience transforms abstract concepts into real-world skills by building confidence, precision, and a deeper understanding of how modern air travel works. 

 The future of flight is in good hands! 

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