The Gwinnett County Public School System recognized several of their highest performing young scholars at the 2024 CTAE Student of the Year awards ceremony for the 2023-2024 school year.
The ceremony honored 27 high school students who have excelled in the fields of career, tech, agriculture and education.
Of the 27 students highlighted at the ceremony, the three top students received scholarships, provided by the Jody Reeves Scholarship Fund.
The overall winner was Amy Filippone of North Gwinnett High School, who received $2,000.
Lara Call Gómez of Grayson Technical High School was first runner-up and received $1,500.
William Susskind, who attends Paul Duke STEM High School received $1,000 as second runner up.
Gwinnett County has the largest school system in the state of Georgia. It has 140 school buildings overall, with a total of 28 high schools, making the pool of high-achieving students much larger than that of most counties.
“Nominees were required to submit a resume, a letter of recommendation from the nominating teacher, information on participation in a Career and Technical Student Organization, community service, and an essay,” a Gwinnett County Schools official said. “Then finalists were interviewed by a panel of judges consisting of business and industry leaders.”
Below is the list of the top-performing students who were given commendations for their achievements at the CTAE awards ceremony:
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Amy Filippone of North Gwinnett High School - Overall Winner
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Laura Call Gómez of Grayson High School Technical Education Program - First Runner Up
(Laura attends Duluth High School and is enrolled in Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education courses at Grayson High School Technical Education Program)
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William Susskind of Paul Duke STEM High School - Second Runner Up
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Zach Weldon of Maxwell High School of Technology - Finalist
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Skylar Strickland of Mill Creek High School - Finalist
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Aynslee Cooper of McClure Health Science High School - Finalist
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Abby Taylor of Archer High School
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Mykenea Belnavis of Berkmar High School
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Isam Alam of Brookwood High School
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Michael Abraham of Central Gwinnett High School
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Krish Saxena of Collins Hill High School
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Tristen Lowell of Dacula High School
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Taiwan Townsend of Discovery High School
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Sarakay Leatherberry of Duluth High School
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Lena Tata of Grayson High School
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Randy Diaz of Gwinnett Online Campus
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Zachary Cobb of Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science and Technology
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Marae Keniston of Lanier High School
(Zach attends Dacula High School and is enrolled in Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education courses at Maxwell High School of Technology) -
Melina Martinez Duran of Meadowcreek High School
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Austin Mutters of Mountain View High School
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Carolina Chacon of Norcross High School
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Mehrish Charania of Parkview High School
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Marina Mikhail of Peachtree Ridge High School
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Renatta Benitez of Phoenix High School
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Maxwell Orwin of Seckinger High School
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Lyric Larkins of Shiloh High School
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Afomia Giday of South Gwinnett High School
Images of all CTAE Students of the Year
