2021 Pathfinder Awards: 54 outstanding high school seniors recognized
Andrew MarraIn high school careers disrupted by virtual classes and shuttered campuses, Palm Beach County’s star high school seniors found no shortage of ways to excel.
They conducted cancer research. They performed at Carnegie Hall. They published books of poetry and magazine photos. They designed educational programs and won awards for movie shorts.
Fifty-four of the county’s brightest high school stars were recognized Thursday at the 2021 Pathfinder High School Scholarship Awards – for achievements both inside and outside the classroom.
The 38th annual event, organized by The Palm Beach Post, recognized 54 students for outstanding achievements in 18 categories, from drama and computer science to community involvement and literature.
Normally a posh affair at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts, the awards were announced online for a second year due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Photos:A look at the 2020 Pathfinder Award winners
The top award, for Academic Excellence, went to Gabriel Sun, a senior from American Heritage School.
In addition to sky-high grades and test scores, Sun is an award-winning pianist who has soloed twice at Carnegie Hall. He has won awards in competitive math tournaments and created a free financial literacy program for underprivileged students.
The Pathfinder Awards:See all the nominees and past years' winners here
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His school guidance counselor called him “the most amazing man I have met in my forty years as an educator.”
The winner in the Literature category, Tre Hands of Palm Beach Lakes High School, has had an essay published in the Do The Write Thing contest magazine, and recently published his own book of original poetry.
Also a varsity athlete and his school's valedictorian, Hands has been dubbed by school administrators as “the Poet Laureate of Lakes.”
The winner in the Art category was Angela McCall of Saint Andrew’s School.
An award-winning photographer, her images of race cars have been published in the Sports Car Club of America magazine.
Cathy Quan, winner in the Computer Engineering category, has been described by her teachers at American Heritage School as having a natural talent for coding languages.
Quan was drawn to the field of artificial intelligence and the possibilities of instilling human values in robots. But she hardly limits herself to that field.
Alongside her studies of computer science, she has researched possible links between food preservation and cancer and teaches Sunday school at her church.
The Communications award went to Shelby Hatcher of Seminole Ridge High School. The senior has won awards for her short film and public service announcements. Last year she helped the school district produce an awards show for teachers.
Overall, 516 students were nominated from 48 high schools in Palm Beach and Martin counties.
More:Watch the 2020 Pathfinder Awards ceremony
In a video announcing the winners, Palm Beach Post Executive Editor Rick Christie pointed out that just being nominated was an honor.
“These nominees are considered the most outstanding students from their schools in their category,” he said.
Each of the 18 first-place winners receives a $3,000 scholarship, while second- and third-place winners receive scholarships worth $2,000 and $1,500, respectively.
amarra@pbpost.com
@AMarranara