A tenth grader at the Waterford Lakes campus, Ian is a Florida native with a future goal of becoming a Zoologist, so it’s not surprising that his favorite subject is Biology!
His favorite teacher is Mrs. Rodriguez, and gives honorable mention to his principal, Mrs. DuChateau because “they both understand me.” Ian loves Center Academy’s special events and field trips. He reminisces about a fun Friday when his class watched Disney’s Coraline, complete with cotton candy.
Since starting Center Academy, Ian said that he is more comfortable making friends and talking to others. He has learned that one should not make judgments about others before getting to know them. “Give everyone a chance, and offer friendship,” he said.
Ian describes himself as funny, kind and unique. He lives with his parents, sister and their cat, Prince Ali. Their family loves to travel, and have been all over the world together, including a visit to Russia.
Because Ian’s goal is to become a Zoologist, he wishes he might have had the pleasure of meeting the late Steve Irwin. “He inspired me to love animals and respect our planet,” he said. “Steve was fearless, smart, and respectful of all creatures. I want to be like that too.”
We asked Ian to tell us about recent accomplishments or activities that he wanted to share, he provided us with these four noteworthy achievements:
- I have recently completed projects with the Boy Scouts that I am proud of. These projects were all part of leadership requirements for rank advancement. They required me to do a lot of planning and taught me a lot about myself and what I can accomplish.
- I completed a recycling project at our school. All the classrooms have recycling bins that I empty each week and take to be recycled. This will help our planet and the creatures that we share it with. I also taught the students why recycling is important and placed posters with information.
- I also created an organic garden at our school. I worked with the UCF Botanical Society to plant different kinds of herbs and vegetables. This will help the students understand the importance of eating a healthy, balanced diet and that you can create nutritious meals in your back yard.
- Most recently, I organized and supervised a project for the rank of Eagle, Boy Scout’s highest rank. We landscaped a large area at a women’s shelter. We planted several trees and plants and make a garden that will help the residents relax and heal. When we started, the area was bare and not very pretty. The new garden will be a place where the residents can go to find peace. This project was featured in the Orlando Sentinel.
Thank you, Ian, for sharing a little about yourself, and congratulations on all your amazing achievements and earning accolades in our Student Spotlight!
