Class of 2011

Jacob Byers
Parents: Joseph Byers and Annalee Ernst
School: Booker High School
College plans: Enroll in fall classes at State College of Florida and then transfer to Florida State University to study biology
Summer plans: Take a road trip with friends to California
Favorite high-school class: A.P. Music Theory
Favorite high-school memory: Placing first in the nation with his jazz group at the Berklee College Music Festival
Hobbies: Music. Byers plays the piano, clarinet, saxophone, bassoon and flute.
Extracurricular activities and community service: Vocal jazz ensemble; jazz combo group; saxophone quartet; Rotary Club
Where do you see yourself in 10 years? “Hopefully working at a major university in genetic research.”
What’s something you can’t live without? “Music. It defines everything for me.”

Gabriella Doucas
Parents: William and Elizabeth Doucas
School: St. Stephen’s Episcopal School
College plans: Attend Georgetown University, in Washington, D.C., where she will most likely study international business
Summer plans: Travel around Europe with family, and volunteer at Mote Marine, the Community Thrift Shop and Meals on Wheels
Favorite high-school class: All four years of Latin
Favorite high-school memory: A community service and language immersion trip to the Dominican Republic
Hobbies: Photography, traveling, community service, going to the beach, swimming
Extracurricular activities and community service: Photo editor of the school newspaper; varsity tennis team; community service trips to Costa Rica, Dominican Republic and Peru
Where do you see yourself in 10 years? “Probably working with my father at his company (Elutions) in the United Kingdom or France, maybe in marketing.”
What’s something you can’t live without? “My mom. We’re pretty much inseparable.”

Austin Gill
Parents: The Rev. Kenneth Gill and Carolyn Gill, stepmother Connie Buckler-Gill
School: Booker High School
College plans: University of North Florida to major in jazz studies
Summer plans: Attend his brother’s wedding June 11 and start classes two weeks later
Favorite high-school class: Jazz Combo
Favorite high-school memory: Being part of the Pops and Jazz performance
Hobbies: Playing guitar, going to the beach, listening to music
Extracurricular activities and community service: Member of Students Working Against Genocide and Student Board; performed for Jazz Juvenocracy
Where do you see yourself in 10 years? “Having established a name for myself on the jazz scene.”
What’s something you can’t live without? “Family and music.”

Katharine Klens
Parents: Paul and Mary “Missy” Klens
School: St. Stephen’s Episcopal School
College plans: Major in biology with a minor or second major in art at Eckerd College, in St. Petersburg
Summer plans: Visiting friends in her home state of Indiana and enjoying time at the beach and sleep
Favorite high-school class: Ceramics or nuclear radiation
Favorite high-school memory: A 10th-grade Quebec trip and playing competitive club soccer with Braden River Soccer Club
Hobbies: Soccer, painting, digital photography, collecting unusual glass bottles
Extracurricular activities and community service: Worked at a health clinic in Bradenton for both community service and a job; worked at Morton’s Gourmet Market; competitive club soccer; volunteered for various projects at school
Where do you see yourself in 10 years? “In 10 years, I hope to see myself as an on-the-side potter, a hobbyist filmmaker, a successful glass blower and as the love of someone’s life.”
What’s something you can’t live without? “I won’t make it without my family, my close friends, my birds (two cockatiels that she has had since age 7) and the trust they all place in me.”

Forrest Schield
Parents: Steve and Doreen Schield
School: Manatee High School
College plans: Earn associate’s degree from State College of Florida and transfer to another school
Summer plans: Work as a counselor at Wekiva Youth Camp
Favorite high-school class: Drafting
Hobbies: Playing sports and going to the beach
Where do you see yourself in 10 years? “Hopefully pretty successful, but I haven’t decided on a career.”
What’s something you can’t live without? “Probably my computer.”

Alexis Sulentic
Parents: David Sulentic and Gwen Kruse, stepfather George Kruse
School: Cardinal Mooney Catholic High School
College plans: University of Miami, in Coral Gables, or Florida State University, in Tallahassee, to take premed courses or study photojournalism
Summer plans: Travel to Rome and Africa
Favorite high-school class: Art Portfolio
Favorite high-school memory: A prayer service held by students the day that Cardinal Mooney student Joey Powers died of leukemia Nov. 20, the day before his birthday. The next day students held a birthday party in his honor.
Hobbies: Exercising, running the Ringling Bridge, anything art-related
Extracurricular activities and community service: Played four varsity sports — lacrosse, golf, swimming and tennis — and won her school’s Outstanding Academic Athlete Award; taught an art class at Emeritus Assisted Living
Where do you see yourself in 10 years? “I really want to be set on what I’m doing career-wise and living comfortably. Maybe I’ll be married by then.”
What’s something you can’t live without? “My family. There’s no way I could be where I am today without them.”

Anastasia Taylor
Parents: Blair and Mara Taylor
School: Bradenton Christian School
College plans: University of South Florida, in Tampa, to study international business
Summer plans: Get ready for college before beginning classes in June
Favorite high-school class: Art
Favorite high-school memory: Homecoming
Hobbies: Cheerleading, art
Extracurricular activities and community service: Cheerleader for all four years of high school and captain during the past year; played the flute in band for two years; member of the Key Club; volunteered at ArtCenter Manatee
Where do you see yourself in 10 years? “Hopefully working for a company and being very successful in that.”
What’s something you can’t live without? “My laptop.”

Evan Walters
Parents: Joel and Gail Walters
School: Pine View School for the Gifted
College plans: University of Florida Honors Program, in Gainesville
Summer plans: Working at Camp Barney Medintz, in Cleveland, Ga.
Favorite high-school class: AP psychology
Favorite high-school memory: Grad Bash
Extracurricular activities and community service: Captain of the varsity baseball and cross-country teams at Booker High School; principal bass player for the North Port Orchestra and Sarasota Youth Orchestra
Where do you see yourself in 10 years? “Probably attending some kind of grad school, possibly law school.”
What’s something you can’t live without? “Camp Barney Medintz.”

Kristi Wickersham
Parents: Mark and Ella Wickersham
School: Manatee High School
College plans: Attend State College of Florida and transfer to the University of Alabama
Summer plans: Work at Moore’s Stone Crab Restaurant as a hostess and spend time with friends
Favorite high-school class: Junior-year English
Favorite high-school memory: Going to football games with friends
Hobbies: Going to the beach, shopping and spending time with friends
Extracurricular activities and community service: Member of Reinaunce service club
Where do you see yourself in 10 years? “Hopefully being a dermatologist.”
What’s something you can’t live without? “My phone.”

Blake Wilson
Parents: Barry and Dia Wilson
School: Manatee High School
College plans: University of Florida, in Gainesville, to study chemical engineering
Summer plans: Spend time with friends before beginning classes at University of Florida in June
Favorite high-school class: Drafting
Favorite high-school memory: All four years of drafting class. “It was fun every day. We were always doing something different and got to build a bunch of different things.”
Hobbies: Playing guitar, recreational sports, going to the beach
Extracurricular activities and community service: President of his school’s chapter of the Science National Honor Society; member of Manatee High School Technology Students Association, Mu Alpha Theta and the Key Club
Where do you see yourself in 10 years? “Running my own company or working for a chemical engineering firm making new materials.”
What’s something you can’t live without? “Physical activity.”

COLLEGE GRADUATES

Cydni Kantor, daughter of David and Teena Kantor, of Longboat Key, graduated from Trinity College, in Hartford, Conn., with a degree in classical civilization. Kantor is a 2007 graduate of the Out-of-Door Academy.

Charles Chocallo, son of William and Christine Chocallo, of Longboat Key, graduated with a music degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music, at Case Western Reserve University. Chocallo is a graduate of Pine View School for the Gifted. He will pursue his master’s degree at the Cleveland Institute of Music.

Contact Robin Hartill at [email protected].