Two North Fort Myers High students among Carson Scholars
Two North Fort Myers High School students have been named Carson Scholars this year with one of them an eight-time recipient.
This years recipients are Landon McCarthy and Aubrey Beougher.
Beougher was one of three fifth grade students at her elementary school chosen to write an essay and apply for the Carson Scholarship. Since then, she has applied for the scholarship every year.
Now as an eight-time recipient, she is a senior at North Fort Myers High School with a 5.3 grade point average.
“I feel honored to be an eight-time recipient of the Carson Scholars. The Carson Scholars Fund is a great organization that recognizes hardworking students and helps them achieve their college and career goals. I’m proud of myself for maintaining straight A’s throughout my school career to be eligible to apply each year for the Carson Scholarship, and for staying involved in both in and out of school activities and community service. These accomplishments and other qualities have made me a good candidate for the Carson Scholarship each year,” Beougher said.
She submits an application annually. The application contains multiple sections, including “Biographical Information,” which touches upon future career goals, talents, hobbies and listing clubs and teams in which she participates, as well as awards and recognitions received.
“I also submit a report card from the current school year in which I am applying, share the community service and extracurricular activities I’m involved in, my school information, and finally, a digital photograph of myself,” Beougher said.
The students also have to exemplify strong humanitarian values, which she does by giving back in every way she can.
“I’ve always been passionate about serving my community, and over the years, between school clubs and my church, Gulfside, I’ve been able to do this in many ways,” she said.
Her volunteerism runs deep from helping clean up damaged houses in the Fort Myers Historic District after Hurricane Ian, participating and volunteering at 5ks, singing Christmas carols at the Golisano Children’s Hospital, raising money for mosquito nets to be sent to Africa, helping pick up trash at Lovers Key State Park, volunteering at the Fort Myers Soup Kitchen with Gulfside Youth Group, volunteering in the children’s ministry at Gulfside church on Sundays as well as various events, such as Gulfside’s annual Trunk or Treat and Easter Egg Hunt.
In school, Beougher serves as the secretary and class representative for the Student Government Association, secretary of National Honor Society, and librarian for the North Fort Myers High School Knight Singers.
“Though I’ve been lucky enough to be involved in many clubs and organizations that serve the community, I will continue to strive to be a more compassionate and humane person every day,” she said.
The scholarships will help ease the financial stress on her family, as her goal is to graduate with no debt.
“This scholarship puts me one step closer to achieving that goal,” she said.
The senior plans on attending Florida Gulf Coast University to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree in mathematics.
“My career goal is to become an actuary, so I will study for and take two to three actuarial exams while attending college. Passing these exams should be very beneficial and result in opportunities for a quality entry-level actuary position promptly after graduating college,” Beougher said.
Landon McCarthy
Landon McCarthy also is a multiple Carson Scholar recipient
“It’s such an honor to be a two-time recipient of the Carson Scholarship. It genuinely meant so much to me the first time and to be able to prove that I’ve maintained my commitment to education is such a privilege,” he said.
The North Fort Myers High School senior has a 4.0 unweighted GPA and a 5.16 weighted GPA.
McCarthy said since he was very interested in Dr. Carson both as a neuroscientist and politician as a child, he knew vaguely of the fund. It was not until his school’s college specialist reached out to nominate him as a junior that he truly discovered what the scholarship was about, he added.
“The first-year nominees fill out an application to demonstrate their community service and character,” McCarthy said. “This also has an essay and a letter of recommendation. For recognized scholars, the application is much more simple, only discussing community service and school activities.”
Taking part is much more than any quantifying award, he said — participation encourages him to maintain his academic strength while continuing to strive to be the best person he can be, both to himself and others.
“I try my best to help out in my community, both in school and outside of it. In school I am part of the SGA and am always helping with events during the school year. I also volunteer with the different arts programs to help with technical aspects. Outside of school I also try my best to volunteer and part of my job is to work with children in theatre. Finally, I just do my best to be a genuine person to myself and to the community around me,” he said.
He is planning to earn a degree in forensic science before earning a doctoral degree to focus on forensic pathology.
To be eligible for Carson Scholars recognition, students must maintain a minimum of 3.75 GPA, exemplify strong humanitarian values through community service and be nominated by a current educator. Each student earns a $1,000 college scholarship.
Students were invited to an awards banquet held April 13.
Other eight-time recipient students this year include Alexis Klutsarits from Ida S. Baker High School, Nikita Danesh from Cypress Lake High School, Natalia Gonzalex from Estero High School and Alexander Mankin from Fort Myers High School.
The other students who have been a recipient more than once include seven-time recipient Charlotte Swank from Riverdale High School, six-time recipient Boone Stewart from Riverdale High School and two-time recipient Annabelle Marsh from Fort Myers High School.
There were also 41 new students honored as Carson Scholars this year:
• Ella Alfaro-Maldonado, 7th grade at North Fort Myers Academy for the Arts
• Brynlee Alvarez, 5th grade at The Alva School
• Ava Andrews, 8th grade, The Sanibel School
• Emma Bala, 8th grade, Caloosa Middle School
• Sophia Brown, 5th grade, Dr. Carrie D. Robinson Littleton Elementary School
• Trinity Brown, 5th grade, Franklin Park Magnet School
• Peyton Burton, 10th grade, Island Coast High School
• Victoria Busch, 11th grade, Fort Myers High School
• Olivia Da Silva, 5th grade, Orangewood Elementary School
• Madelyn Debiram, 5th grade, Tanglewood Elementary School
• Heloisa Dos Santos, 5th grade, Colonial Elementary School
• Silas Dylan, 4th grade, Veterans Park Academy for the Arts
• Reagan Felt, 5th grade, Heights Elementary School
• Rylee Freeman, 5th grade, Gateway Elementary School
• Raynor Friedman, 5th grade, Gulf Elementary School
• Efrain Garcia, 5th grade, Tice Elementary School
• Brooklyn Gianelli, 5th grade, Skyline Elementary School
• Zaya Haas, 8th grade, Oak Hammock Middle School
• Melissa Hernandez, 5th grade, Villas Elementary School
• Brianna Hopkins, 5th grade, Treeline Elementary School
• Jake Kearney, 5th grade, Orange River Elementary School
• Austin Khin, 5th grade, Pelican Elementary School
• Blake Kowalski, 5th grade, Rayma C. Page Elementary School
• Keegan Lee, 8th grade, Lehigh Acres Middle School
• Kael Manning, 5th grade, Pinewoods Elementary School
• Connor Martin, 5th grade, Pine Island Elementary School
• Reef Mertz, 5th grade, San Carlos Park Elementary School
• Lauren Mickuleit, 4th grade, Lee Virtual School
• Cassidy Ordetx, 8th grade, Bonita Springs Middle Center for the Arts
• Alyssa Person, 5th grade, Edgewood Academy School
• Ryan Prianti, 5th grade, J. Colin English Elementary School
• Madiline Pritchett, 5th grade, Bayshore Elementary School
• Bella Regis, 5th grade, Allen Park Elementary School
• Savannah Sepulveda, 5th grade, Diplomat Elementary School
• Chiersten Sodergren, 5th grade, Sunshine Elementary School
• Giada Stanfield, 5th grade, Edison Park Creative and Expressive Arts School
• Lucas Summy, 8th grade, Lexington Middle School
• Laila Tamburri, 5th grade, River Hall Elementary School
• Noelle Trujillo, 5th grade, Lehigh Elementary School
• Elisha Turrubiartez, 5th grade, Amanecer Elementary School
• Melia Wolter, 5th grade, Tropic Isles Elementary School
The Carson Scholars Fund, Inc was founded by Johns Hopkins Pediatric Neurosurgeon Benjamin S. Carson, M.D., and his wife Candy, in 1994.