4 Nominated at J.P. Taravella High School for Prestigious Silver Knight Award

(top) Helen Colon and Trinity Gram. (bottom) Megan Moore and Emma Sugarman

By: Jen Russon

Four women at J.P. Taravella are vying for a Miami Herald Silver Knight Award, after teachers nominated the seniors for outstanding academics and impactful community service projects.

In May, Helen Colon, Trinity Gram, Megan Moore, and Emma Sugarman will attend the Silver Knight Award ceremony with other nominees from both public and private schools across South Florida.

A Miami Herald tradition for over 50 years, the Silver Knight scholarship program has awarded $1 million annually to recipients who include Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and award-winning composer Bill Conti.

The 2022 nominees from J.P. Taravella High School represent the following categories: innovative ideas that both improve and beautify communities in and around Coral Springs.

Helen Colon

In the Music and Dance Category, Colon was nominated by guidance counselor Marjorie Gitten. Her project focuses on recruiting band and guard club members.

“Every year, we struggle due to the fact that seniors are leaving, so recruitment is very important to the future of the program,” said Colon.

After high school, Colon plans to attend a Florida university to concentrate on Latin American studies.

Trinity Gram

Nominated for the Science category, Gram was also nominated by Taravella’s guidance counselor, Marjorie Gitten. Gram clinched the nomination for her environment-focused project, ‘The Preservation of Nature.’

“The focus of my project was to help educate the public about conservation efforts and learn more about wildlife. Its outcome is not one you can measure easily; however, I do believe I made some sort of impact with my volunteering,” said Gram.

She has been accepted to multiple Florida state universities but has yet to decide where to study pre-veterinary science.

Megan Moore

Nominated for the Art category, Moore earned her Silver Knight nomination for a landscaping improvement project on religious grounds. Her art teacher, Colby Degraaf, nominated her for this project.

“The focus of my project was to work on the beautification of my grandma’s church. I planted native and non-invasive plants, as well as worked on cleanups around the property,” said Moore.

Moore added she hopes to be a dentist and has been accepted to the University of Florida, where she will major in biology.

Emma Sugarman

In the Athletics category, Sugarman was nominated by her AP biology teacher, Keesha Bolden, Sugarman’s project was the creation of a ‘Yoga and Wellness Club’ for students at J.P. Taravella.

“Yoga can provide the opportunity to connect the mind and body, producing physical movement that can break communication barriers, allowing for greater sociability and expression,” said Sugarman.

Accepted by several Florida state universities, Sugarman said she is undecided yet keen on pursuing a pre-med track.

The women will compete against hundreds of elite students after judging this Spring.

Only 30 winners will receive a $2,000 scholarship from the Knight Foundation, a Silver Knight statue, an AAdvantage 25,000-mile travel certificate, and the Silver Knight medallion presented by American Airlines.

Another 90 seniors will be named honorable mentions; they receive a plaque and $500.

The Silver Knight Awards ceremony will be held on Thursday, May 19.

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