SUNY Orange announces that a total of 735 students in grades 6-12 attending Orange County high schools will receive 2023 Sojourner Truth Awards.
The College’s Sojourner Truth Awards Program honors students who have been nominated by school guidance counselors and principals for having demonstrated excellence in areas such as athletics, citizenship, creative arts, diversity, English language arts, foreign languages, perseverance/effort, sciences, and technology. The program aims to promote education in a positive manner and to motivate students to consider college as a viable and attainable goal.
Sojourner Truth, for whom the program is named, lived in the mid-Hudson Valley after escaping from slavery. She is hailed as one of the most distinguished and highly regarded women of the 19th Century. Born Isabella Bomefree (later spelled Baumfree) in about 1797 in Hurley, N.Y., Isabella was sold four times before she and her daughter were given their freedom in 1828. She spoke low Dutch until she was about 10 years old and never learned to read or write. In 1843 she changed her name to Sojourner Truth to reflect her chosen mission of traveling to show people their sins and telling them what is true. She is often cited as one of the most effective and powerful speech-makers of her time.
To learn more about this program, visit SUNY Orange’s Sojourner Truth website at www.sunyorange.edu/stap or call the Office of Student Services at (845) 341-4000.
Local honorees included the following:
Newburgh Enlarged City School District
Newburgh Free Academy: Fernanda Angel, Sciences; Hannah-Isabelle Azemar, Citizenship; Jillian Brand, Mathematics; Sari Bryant, Foreign Languages; Ladaliah Burrell, Foreign Languages; Alissa Cintron, Creative Arts; Semiah Clark, Perseverance/Effort; Jose Cortez, Mathematics; Julyssa De la Cruz, Foreign Languages; Justin Diaz, Citizenship; Ryan Dupper, Perseverance/Effort; Melvin Enamorado, Foreign Languages; Tomas Flaz-Abreu Jr., Citizenship; Brianna Garcia, Perseverance/Effort; Leonardo Godinez-Perez, Foreign Languages; Hector Gomez, Foreign Languages; Jose Gomez, Foreign Languages; Devon Henry, Foreign Languages; Deondre Johnson, Perseverance/Effort; Gabriela Luna, Foreign Languages; Angelly Majano Collart, Foreign Languages; Yasmin Marin, Foreign Languages; Samaria Mayshack, Perseverance/Effort; Damari McNair, Citizenship; Yadira Mendoza, Foreign Languages; Matthew Mercado, English Language Arts; Analisse Montoya, Foreign Languages; Josephine Palmer, Foreign Languages; Luis Paulino, Creative Arts; Candice Pillot, Foreign Languages; Annaliese Pisano, Perseverance/Effort; Jamari Robertson, Perseverance/Effort; Annette Saldana, Foreign Languages; Mckayla Santiago, Perseverance/Effort; Lakeya Stukes, Citizenship.
Heritage Middle School: Shalaya Brooks, Citizenship.
Meadow Hill Global Explorations School: Madison Cruz, Diversity; Mokechi Fumoto, Perseverance/Effort; Nicholas Morales, Citizenship; Celso Quiroz, Sciences; Francisco Santiago, Mathematics; Julyssa Santiago, English Language Arts; Ja’Hara Warren, Perseverance/Effort; Kaylyn Williams, Perseverance/Effort.
South Middle School: Denya Ali, Citizenship; Callum Blackington-Celentano, Citizenship; Cameron Candela, Citizenship; John Castillo, Citizenship; Daniel Ceglio, Citizenship; Julianna Clarino, Athletics; Mia Cuomo, Athletics; Jaleeya Degraffenried, Citizenship; Peter Dominguez, Perseverance/Effort; Jamie Fincher, Citizenship; Maliyah Gilchrest, Perseverance/Effort; Kenleigh Hanna, English Language Arts; Cesar Hernandez, Citizenship; Weston Kubin, Citizenship; Gabriella Lopez, Creative Arts; Giovanna Mandato, Citizenship; Isabella Martinez, Athletics; Jayden Mendez-Castelan, Citizenship; Yaira Ordonez Cruz, Perseverance/Effort; Natalie Padilla, Citizenship; Krista Pucino, Citizenship; Autumn Ramaglia, Citizenship; James Santo, Citizenship; Cooper Schmidt, Citizenship; Avery Simmons, Citizenship; Demari Waitley, Citizenship; Sean Walsh, Citizenship; Anthonia Whitted, Citizenship.
Temple Hill Academy Middle School: Yediel Alicea, Foreign Languages; Josue Cruz, Mathematics; Katherine Duran-Solis, Perseverance/Effort; Legacy Ferrell, Perseverance/Effort; Sherlyn Garcia, Perseverance/Effort; Amari Henry-Andrews, English Language Arts; Nevaeh McDaniel, Perseverance/Effort; Monserrat Perez Salgado, Foreign Languages; Henry Perez-Rodriguez, Perseverance/Effort; Lucas Soto, Foreign Languages.
Pine Bush Central School District
Pine Bush High School: Cindy Zhong, English Language Arts.
Circleville Middle School: Bianca Abreu, English Language Arts; Emmanuel Abrokwah, Perseverance/Effort; Amber Arias, Mathematics; Caylin Best, Sciences; Jayden Brown, Mathematics; Christian Bryant, Sciences; Reid Chen, Sciences; Chinedu (Justin) Chukwu, Technology; Symone Davis, Creative Arts; Melanie Duran, Citizenship; Ivanna Florez- Sepulveda, Citizenship; Robert Hernandez, Perseverance/Effort; Victoria Islam, English Language Arts; Olivia-Ziva Jones Torres, Foreign Languages; Ali Khan, Mathematics; Malaika Khan, Foreign Languages; Jaylynn Marrero, Perseverance/Effort; Genesis Martin, Perseverance/Effort; Fatima Mohamed Maksooth, Mathematics; Justin Palma, Athletics; Nariath Peralta, English Language Arts; Carla Phanor, English Language Arts; Michael Pitt, Perseverance/Effort; Lisbell Rios, Sciences; Lina Saleh, Foreign Languages; William Santana, Perseverance/Effort; Abriel Sierra, Creative Arts; Christian Smart, Perseverance/Effort; Jordan Smith, Sciences; Aaliyah Snipe, Technology; Treasure Stanley, English Language Arts; Jevon Surin, Perseverance/Effort; Alyanna Thompson, Creative Arts; Sophia Tique Daiz, English Language Arts; Thea Valdez, Creative Arts; Gavin Williams, Citizenship; Caitlyn Yao, Sciences.
Crispell Middle School: Michael Abreu, English Language Arts; Louis Jr. Almeida, Sciences; Alia Arias, English Language Arts; Liam Barbosa, Diversity; Christian Bernal Morocho, Perseverance/Effort; Kevin Brown, Technology; Carter Campos, Sciences; Xayne Chavez, Citizenship; Alison Cheng, Sciences; Hayden Conklin, Citizenship; Keisy Contreras-Martinez, English Language Arts; Julianna Cowart, Citizenship; Isabella Cruz, Mathematics; Shumare Davis, Athletics; Zoe Dodson, Athletics; Francesca Esposito, Citizenship; Genesis Gorton, Diversity; Kayli Guzman, English Language Arts; Sydney King, Mathematics; Sanaa Leacock, English Language Arts; Daniel Lin, English Language Arts; Aymee Lozano, Perseverance/Effort; Arianna Lugo, Mathematics; Lilliana Mendez-Rudecindo, English Language Arts; Mariam Mohammed, Perseverance/Effort; Madelline Monahan, Sciences; Yeilin Navas Lemus, Perseverance/Effort; Donovan Nelson, Technology; Nathaniel Odame, Citizenship; Leiani Ortiz, Creative Arts; April Owuor, Diversity; Aynon Patrick, Sciences; Jayven Quinones, Mathematics; Amara Rodgers, Perseverance/Effort; Jandell Rodriguez, Citizenship; Presleynah Silencieux, Creative Arts; Julese Smith, Sciences; Nyla Swiney, Perseverance/Effort; Tam-Ann Thai, Sciences; Layla Utter, Citizenship; Domenika Flor Valdivia Castro, Perseverance/Effort; Sebastian Vargas, Perseverance/Effort; Jaylen Veras Lopez, English Language Arts; Isaiah Williams, English Language Arts; Liana Williams, Citizenship; Benson Winfield, Sciences.
Valley Central School District
Valley Central High School: Marcus Barry, Creative Arts; Sophia Berti, Creative Arts; Darron Creighton, Mathematics; Stephanie Espinoza, Perseverance/Effort; Jesus Flores, Perseverance/Effort; Alyssa Funches, English Language Arts; Dane Gentles, Creative Arts; Jennifer Guncay, Perseverance/Effort; Harmony Gutierrez, Perseverance/Effort; Gabriel Hernandez, Athletics; Alecia Jones, Mathematics; Jesus Martinez, Perseverance/Effort; Jenna O’Connor, Athletics; Lauren Padilla, Citizenship; Damian Pascal, Citizenship; Jodanayah Pierre, Foreign Languages; Benny Radovanovich, Perseverance/Effort; Jayce Riggins, Perseverance/Effort; Danielle Saravia, Technology; Ryan Tapia, English Language Arts; Jaden Vazquez, Creative Arts; Jakai Williams, Sciences.
Valley Central Middle School: Tia Almanzar, Sciences; Genesis Boyer, Perseverance/Effort; Madison Curtis, English Language Arts; Amira Davenport, Citizenship; Hayela Gourdet, Mathematics; Elly Herrera, Citizenship; Zaviel Johnson, Perseverance/Effort; Joann Kuate, Citizenship; Deyanira Laureano, Creative Arts.