A member of the National Honor Society, Mahlet became a certified nursing assistant after completing the Medical Careers Program at Wheaton HS. Since birth, Mahlet has been in treatment for her cleft lip and palate, which is why becoming a pediatrician and helping children is her life’s goal.

Diego is a natural leader whose energy and
motivation were evident in his rigorous curriculum, his impact as President of the dance group Latin American Student United (LASU), and his AFLAC internship. He is an AP Scholar and is committed to doing community service, especially working with the elderly. Diego plans to pursue a career in business or accounting.

Samantha’s optimism and energy comes from her passion for learning and the arts. She held leading female roles in plays such as “The Family Guy,” “The Curious George,” and “Summer Brave” at Paint Branch HS. She is also a passionate environmentalist.

At Walter Johnson HS, Hayoung was deeply invested in all her activities, from her role as a violinist in orchestra to her church youth group. She has developed an interest in politics and economics and looks forward to studying these subjects in college.

Since coming to the United States from Honduras, Ana has accomplished a great deal. Ana’s work ethic earned her the Howard HughesMedical Internship at the National Institutes of Health where she did biomedical research on a major stress-related hormone. Ana attends the College of Chemical and Life Sciences at UMD.

As the fourth child in a family with six children, Brian knows how to make his mark which he has done as Key Club Vice President, AP Scholar and as a recipient of the Maryland Governor’s Top 5% Award. Brian was also a Gates Millennium finalist. He wishes to pursue a career as an engineer.

For the past year, Liejo worked at CVS Pharmacy as a technician. At Paint Branch HS, he was a member of the National Honor Society and the Jabba Version 1.5 dance troupe. This summer, he participated in the UMD Academic Achievement Program.

Diana, an AP Scholar with Distinction, has remained on the Honor Roll every quarter in high school. In addition to achieving academic excellence, she is an accomplished cellist, pianist and drummer. She is very active in her church, where she is involved in the youth group, choir and praise band.

Nahum is a charismatic individual devoted to his mother, academics and community service. For his outstanding leadership in high school, he received the Principal’s Award for Most Outstanding Senior. Nahum also received the Superintendent’s Leadership Program Internship with the Department of Economic Development for Maryland.

RongZhen, who dreams of becoming a civil engineer, moved to the United States from China with her family four years ago. She has been on the Honor Roll every year, while actively involved in numerous extracurriculars and a part-time job. She also received the ESOL Outstanding Achievement Award and the Academic Excellence Award for Science.

Michael’s many honors include being named CDI’s first Ron Brown Scholar, winning the GOLD medal for the NAACP SACT-SO competition and the W.E.B. Dubois Award for Academic Excellence, and for being named a National AP Scholar. A scholar-athlete, Michael also played doubles and singles on the Varsity Tennis team at Paint Branch HS.

Anna is not only committed to her academics,
as shown by her selection as Class Valedictorian, but she is also eager to try new things. After receiving an Achievement
Award for Spanish, Anna challenged herself by learning a third language, Chinese. Anna is passionate about mathematics and science and hopes to pursue a career as a pharmacist.

After completing the Medical Careers Program at Wheaton HS, Samantha
became a certified nursing assistant. She also earned an Outstanding Attendance Award and a Certificate of Meritorious Service Award for over 300 hours of community service. This summer Samantha worked as a pharmacy technician at CVS Pharmacy.

Annie is an AP Scholar with Distinction. She was a very active member at her high
school as the concert mistress for the Symphonic Orchestra and All-County Orchestra and a Varsity cheerleader. She has also enjoyed working as a barista at Starbucks and offering private violin lessons to students who were unable to pay for them.

Binh graduated as Class Salutatorian. He also received the Maryland Congressman Chris Van Hollen’s Public Service Award for his outstanding and invaluable service in educating the community about ecology and his activism on protecting the environment. Binh dreams of becoming an engineer who focuses on “green” innovations.

Kenneshia is only the second in her family to
graduate from high school, following her brother. She plans to major in Psychology and become a counselor in order to help others who are less fortunate. She believes that it is her responsibility to make sure that
everyone is provided with equal opportunities to succeed.

Marco, an AP Scholar with Honor, has dreamed of becoming a mechanical engineer since age 13. He has participated in the Summer College Engineering Experience at the University of Michigan. Marco is the recipient of numerous scholarships, including the Lockheed Martin Foundation Engineers in the Classroom Scholarship and the Bechtel Scholarship. Marco attends the A. James Clark School of Engineering at UMD.

Having been on the Honor Roll for every quarter, Sammy has truly invested in her education. She was nominated and selected for the Howard Hughes Medical Internship at the National Institutes of Health. Sammy also received the Maryland Governor’s Top 5% Award. This summer, she participated in the Rainey Academic Program at the University of Virginia.

Nelson’s dream is to become a physical therapist, and he intends to major in Biology. As a recipient of the Horatio Alger Scholarship, Nelson understands the value of hard work and self-determination. At UMD, Nelson looks forward to engaging his college professors in intellectual dialogue and cheering from the rafters for the Terps.

In addition to her academic excellence and participation in the National Honor Society, Cathy was acknowledged for her dedication to community service, earning a Certificate of Meritorious Service for completing over 300 hours of volunteer work. She was especially committed to her internship as a nursing assistant at the Randolph Hills Nursing Home.

Lealem plans to major in Biology and hopes to become an orthodontist. He interned with the Food and Drug Administration and was enrolled in the Medical Careers Program at Wheaton HS. Influenced by his CDI experience, Lealem’s vision is to start an organization that reaches out to other young men in the immigrant community and share with them the opportunities available in American higher education.

Flavio was named one of the Maryland Governor’s Top 5% Scholars, a tribute to his academic achievements. Flavio dedicates many hours of service to his youth group at St. Catherine’s Laboure Church. A gifted mathematician, Flavio plans to study economics and join the Peace Corps after graduation.

Sasini’s family moved to the United States from Sri Lanka less than 3 years ago. In that short time, she has earned numerous honors, including an internship at the National Institutes of Health, graduating as class valedictorian, and becoming CDI’s first Gates Scholar. She dreams of a career as a scientific researcher or doctor.

Kelly, a member of the National Honor Society, has remained on the Honor Roll every quarter in high school. She became a Certified Nursing Assistant upon completion of the Medical Careers Program at Wheaton HS. Kelly dedicates many hours of service to the Young Apostle Ministry at her church, and enjoys soccer, swimming and lacrosse.

A National AP Scholar, Cristina plans to major in Political Science or International Relations and learn five languages. Through her studies she will explore cultural and political systems in preparation for a career in government or diplomatic service.

Irene’s many honors include the W.E.B. Dubois Award for Academic Excellence, AP Scholar, and county-wide recognition for her community service. Irene starred on the Varsity Soccer and track Teams, and was co-captain of Varsity Basketball. This past summer, she worked as a Pharmacy Technician for CVS Drug Store and aspires to become an obstetrician or gynecologist.

Isel was a leader in the Minority Scholars Program and co-founded the Culture Club at Walter JohnsonHS. A Maryland State Distinguished Scholar, Isel has earned numerous awards, including television recognition for the Hispanic Heritage Essay Contest and Children of Abraham Peace Essay Contest.

Marilyn, a voracious reader, is passionate about learning. She is multi-talented and divides her time between Varsity athletics, community service and art. She hopes to work as a counselor or in a profession where she can be of service to others. Marilyn plans to double major in Latin American Studies and Spanish.

Anita is just as creative as she is intelligent. She is passionate about the performing arts, particularly writing lyrics and reciting poetry. A member of the National Honor Society, Anita has been on the Honor Roll every year since the ninth grade. She plans to major in Biology or Psychology.

Helena plans to major in Biology as an undergraduate. She is a natural caregiver and has been a babysitter for many of her neighborhood’s families, working with the most demanding infants and toddlers. She hopes eventually to work in the health services field so that she can have a career that allows her to care for children.

Wendy is a gifted intellectual who dreams of becoming an aeronautical engineer. A National Hispanic Scholar and a member of the National Honor Society, Wendy also received the Maryland Governor’s Merit Scholastic Award.

Karla, a gifted mathematician, enjoys tutoring her peers, particularly non-native English speakers, because she understands the adjustment to a new country and a new language. Karla is also a talented artist and has dedicated many hours to mosaic art and a community mural project.

Francisco received the Principal’s Award for Most Improved Senior at Wheaton High School, and won special recognition by spending over 300 community service hours as a mentor and translator for immigrant families at the Gilchrist Center for Cultural Diversity.

Merab’s academic pursuits are Public Health and International Relations. Her scientific mind helps her not only to understand the reactions and interactions among elements, but also among people. Merab is a gifted photographer and recently won first prize in a regional arts competition sponsored by the NAACP.

Jaime, a member of the National Honor Society, received distinguished recognition in her high school as winner of the Academic Excellence award for the ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) Program. Jaime is the Founding President of the LINK (Liberty in North Korea) Club. She looks forward to studying Chemistry or Biology in college.

Kevin is a scholar-athlete, having distinguished himself as an MVP volleyball player for his high school team and regional leagues. He coaches during his off-season and enjoys motivating his peers to do their best. In college, Kevin would like to study Business and hopes someday to be his own boss.

Frances is a natural leader whose drive and ambition have helped her hone her skills as a three-season Varsity athlete (cross-country, basketball and softball). In college, she is looking forward to studying Business Economics and laying the foundation for her entrepreneurial dream of owning her own restaurant.

Rafelin’s goal is to be the first in his family to graduate from college. He is a responsible and earnest young man who sets an example as the key male role model for two younger brothers. Rafelin enjoys basketball and would like to study Business and Marketing to eventually work in the sports industry.

Gloria hopes to study Chemistry en route to a medical career. She was awarded a Howard Hughes Medical Internship at NIH and received the Maryland Governor’s Merit Scholastic Award.

Cindy is a member of the National Honor Society and has been named to her high school’s Honor Roll every semester. She loves to play lacrosse, but is especially passionate when it comes to working with children. Cindy plans to study Psychology and Child Development in college.