Vote: StarNews Student of the Week April 1-5

The latest nominations for the StarNews Student of the Week are in, and now it's time for you to pick the best of the best.

Voting is open until noon on Thursday, April 4.

Participating high school principals, teachers and guidance counselors in New Hanover, Brunswick, and Pender counties nominated students they say have shown outstanding academic achievement and made a difference in their schools and communities.

We will announce a winner Friday, April 5.

To cast a vote, visit the poll at the bottom of this nominees list.

And the nominees for the week of April 1 are:

Quinn Bentley, Ashley High School

Principal Michael Perez nominated Quinn Bentley, a junior, who went 6 for 6 over the two Ashley baseball games, including wins over New Hanover and Topsail where he went 3 for 3 in each game. “Coach Ben Stroehl reports that he went 3 for 3 two nights in a row,” Perez wrote. “Bentley has a single, double and triple in the game to go along 3 runs scored vs. Topsail.” Perez added Bentley also “stars” on both the offense and defense of Ashley’s football team and starts on the basketball team. “Quinn is only a junior and has already verbally committed to play baseball for N.C. State,” Perez said in the nomination. “He is also a great student with a current weighted GPA of 4.11.” He added Bentley is a great role model and is friendly, hard-working, and “represents the Eagle Way in all that he does.”

Melody Courtwright, Hoggard High School

Hope Hunt, ceramics teacher, nominated Melody Courtwright, a senior, saying “she is an amazing student that shines within our ceramics studio.” Hunt called Courtwright “attentive, kind, helpful and resilient” and praised her “exemplary” problem solving skills. “It is exciting to watch her navigate through problems in her wheel throwing and hand-building because the result is improvement in skill and craftsmanship and gives Melody the platform for helping others,” Hunt wrote. “She has an intrinsic ability to pay attention to her surroundings — noticing when a classmate may need an extra word of encouragement, even hand-over-hand assistance — where Melody actually takes the time to show someone a step-by-step solution to a problem or a setback they are experiencing in their own hand-building or wheel throwing abilities.” She added Courtwright demonstrates “great leadership and compassion,” as well as “a drive for excellence.”

Yoahna Duran, SEA-Tech High School

Sara Toothman, SPARK Lab leader, nominated Yoahna Duran who was selected for the InventXYZ program offered through the school’s SPARK Lab. Through the program, Duran will be learning how to create her own circuit boards. “She has been instrumental in our SPARK Lab pilot program throughout the year participating in our most rigorous coding units, volunteering to help with our launch day, as well as serving as a student ambassador for important visits from State Superintendent Catherine Truitt and senior staff,” the nomination read. “From coding a Raspberry Pi computer to programming AI machines, Yoahna is always up for a challenge when it comes technology.”

Alyssa Heward, North Brunswick High School

Principal Margaret Rollison nominated Alyssa Heward, a senior, for being supportive of her classmates and peers. “She is always a smiling face in the hallways, and greets everyone she comes in contact with,” Rollison wrote. “She is always a helping hand, and someone all staff can count on.”

Caroline Santo, Wilmington Early College High School

Principal Regina Wooten nominated Caroline Santo, a sophomore, noting she is actively involved in several clubs and organizations. Wooten said as an active member of the Future Business Leaders of America, Santo was recently elected as central region vice president. “Caroline strives to do her best in everything that she does,” Wooten wrote. She added Santo is also involved in a district-level student group, is a member of the National Honor Society, serves as a school ambassador, and participates in Battle of the Books.

This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: StarNews Student of the Week April 1-5