Pinellas Recognizes Student Accomplishments; Graduation In Works

PINELLAS COUNTY, FL — While Pinellas County Schools is proud of all its high school seniors, a few stand out for their personal stories.

Some seniors overcame significant challenges to reach this milestone. One student is the first in her family to go to college. Another student left her homeland as a child during political upheaval for opportunities in the United States of America.

Here are six examples of Pinellas County students who overcame the odds to graduate:

Omarii Forte-Belizaire

Omarii Forte-Belizaire, 16, is Dixie Hollins High School’s “Super Sophomore” and a member of the Class of 2020. Forte-Belizaire has been focused on going to college since middle school. He started the ninth grade with five high school credits. He took four required courses on Florida Virtual School while attending high school to earn the 24 credits needed for a standard diploma in the 10th grade. Forte-Belizaire is a Take Stock in Children recipient and a student athlete. He plans to start his college career at St. Petersburg College.

Eneda Kulla

Eneda Kulla is the valedictorian at the Lakewood High School CAT program. Kulla, her older sister and their parents left Albania when Kulla was 3 years old. The family used a lottery system to obtain a visa out of the country during a time of political chaos. Kulla says her parents immigrated to the United States so their daughters would have more opportunities and a better and safer life. Kulla is heading to Harvard University. Her message to classmates: "How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard."

Jade Marks

Jen Marks, Jade’s mother, said she’s grateful to Pinellas County Schools for giving her son the structure and resources he needed to help him meet his full potential. Marks earned a 4.6025 grade point average and is at the top of his class. He is working on a program to present to schools and law enforcement focusing on autism awareness and plans to attend St. Petersburg College. His motto is “Don’t let someone else’s problem with you be your problem with you. Love yourself.”

Treonna Johnson

Treonna Johnson from Dixie Hollins High School is the first member in her family to go to college. Since she was a child, Johnson says her mother instilled the importance of a college education and how it will help her find a good job. Johnson is continuing her education at Florida Atlantic University and plans on studying neuroscience as it relates to human behavior.

Jenna Martin

Jenna Martin from Dixie Hollins High School plans to become an animator and create her own cartoons one day. Martin hopes her cartoon characters will serve as role models for kids, inspire others, and make them laugh and smile. Her favorite cartoons are the classics, Looney Tunes and Tom and Jerry. Martin has been accepted to the prestigious art school, Ringling College of Art & Design in Sarasota.

Abby Berlin

Abby Berlin is the valedictorian at Northeast High School. Berlin accomplished what her brother and father could not when they attended Northeast High. Her brother, Ben, graduated in 2017 as the salutatorian and her father graduated third in his class in 1993. Berlin says it didn’t start out as a competition to beat her brother and father in class ranking. Then, during her junior year, she learned the title of valedictorian was within reach, so she went for it. Berlin's father is Judge Steve Berlin with the Pinellas County Court for the Sixth Judicial Circuit.

Berlin will head to the University of Florida and continue the family tradition. Judge Berlin is a UF alum and Berlin’s brother is currently at UF. Berlin is considering a degree in industrial engineering. Her motto is "If you truly want something, put in the time and effort and you can achieve anything.

"Our entire community is saddened that the current health crisis is impacting many of the rites of passage that are traditionally celebrated by graduating seniors," Superintendent Michael A. Grego said. "I want to thank our school leaders, parents and all involved who have been working hard to find ways to honor the class of 2020, through door decoration contests, yard signs and senior spirit weeks. While these may be small things, which obviously cannot replace the experiences that were planned for your senior year, I hope they demonstrate to the class of 2020 that, as a community, we see you...and we support you during this time."

Grego said he's working with the Tampa Bay Rays, the city of Clearwater and Ruth Eckerd Hall to coordinate traditional graduation ceremonies later this summer.

"The district will continue to also plan for a virtual ceremony which incorporates all portions of a traditional graduation ceremony including student speeches, the reading of each graduate’s name and a graduate address from their principal," he said. "This will ensure that if we are unable to hold an in-person ceremony due to regulations associated with the current health crisis, each graduate still has a celebration to honor their accomplishments. Our virtual ceremony planning will be done in a manner that is personalized not just for each school, but each student through submission of photos and memories that will be included within the ceremony. I ask each graduate to engage in the virtual planning as it will create a memory for your entire graduating class."

If the school district is able to arrange in-person graduation ceremonies, Grego said the district will turn the submissions for the virtual ceremony into a video keepsake for each graduate and their families. It will also ensure that any senior who is unable to attend an in-person ceremony later in the summer is recognized.

Pinellas County Schools

For information on the valedictorians and salutatorians of each Pinellas County public high school, click on the following links:

• Boca Ciega High
• Clearwater High
• Countryside High
• Dixie Hollins High
• Dunedin High
• East Lake High - Traditional
• East Lake High - Engineering
• Gibbs High
• Lakewood High - Traditional
• Lakewood High - Center for Advanced Technologies
• Largo High - Traditional
• Largo High - IB
• Northeast High
• Osceola Fundemental High
• Palm Harbor University High - Traditional
• Palm Harbor University High - IB
• Pinellas Park High
• Seminole High
• St. Petersburg Collegiate
• St. Petersburg High - IB
• St. Petersburg High - Traditional
• Tarpon Springs High

See related story: Parents Pen Touching Messages To Pinellas County Graduates