Nordquist named to FHSAA Academic All-State Team
Ida S. Baker High School has announced that 12th-grader Kali Nordquist has been selected by the Florida High School Activities Association as a member of the 2012 FHSAA Academic All-State Team.
“We are so proud of Kali for earning this tremendous honor,” said Melissa Robery, principal at Ida Baker High. “She’s truly a great representative for our school and our community.”
“Kali’s drive is unmatchable,” said Ida Baker Athletics Director Lisa Vazquez. “She’s an amazing young lady. She is quite probably one of the most well-rounded young people that I have had the pleasure of knowing.”
“I was more in shock as much as anything,” said Nordquist of learning of the honor. “I found out in the middle of lunch – my principal called me over and she said she got a phone call from the FHSAA that I was one of the top 12 girls in the state academically and athletically, and I received a $1,000 scholarship.”
Nordquist is an Advanced Placement Scholar, top Science Student of the Year (three out of four years,) National Honor Society officer, captain of the FIRST Robotics Team, Competitive Academic Team member, varsity volleyball captain, varsity track captain, state track meet qualifier and a four-year varsity letter athlete in both volleyball and track.
She plans to major in chemical engineering and hopes to earn academic and athletic scholarships to college.
Of the many sports she plays, she was asked which was her favorite.
“I really don’t have one,” she said. “I love working out, the competitive nature in me drives me onto competitive sports.”
Twenty-four student-athletes from across Florida were selected from the more than 200 qualified nominees from the association’s 674 member high schools. To be eligible for selection to the team, a student must be a graduating senior, must have a cumulative unweighted grade point average of at least 3.5 on a 4.0 scale and must have earned a varsity letter in at least two different sports during each of his or her junior and senior years.
Each honoree will receive a $1,000 award, as well as a commemorative medallion from the FHSAA. Two Scholar-Athletes of the Year, one boy and one girl, will be selected from the 24 recipients. The final state selections will be announced at the 18th Annual FHSAA Academic All-State Awards Banquet scheduled this June in Gainesville.
The Scholar-Athletes of the Year, the most prestigious honors conferred on an active student-athlete by the association, will each receive an additional $3,000 as well as a trophy.
Source: Lee County Public Schools