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Taylor Alexandria Eubanks — Eubanks lives in Coppell and will attend North Lake College this fall to major in business. She graduated from Monticello (Ark.) High School in May 2009, where she was captain of the varsity cheerleading squad, was named Miss Monticello’s Outstanding Teen and received an honors diploma from her school. She also was named Student of the Year by the Family Career and Community Leaders of America and was a member of the gymnastics team, the Beta Club, the National Honor Society, Future Business Leaders of America, the Drama Club and the French Club. Taylor also volunteered in her community before moving to Coppell this year. She wants to audition for the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, and her long-range plans include pursuing a bachelor’s degree in business and marketing with an emphasis in advertising at the University of North Texas.
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Alexander Nelson — Nelson, a resident of Fate, graduated this spring from Royce City High School, where he was president of the French Club; a member of the district orchestra in Monterey, Calif., prior to his move to Texas in 2006; and the recipient of the school orchestra’s Director’s Award. He holds a second-degree black belt in karate, has taught for two years at ATA Black Belt Academy in Rockwall and also served as sergeant-at-arms in the Junior Naval ROTC. Nelson, who will attend Eastfield College in fall 2009, plans to become a teacher and a small business owner (a karate studio) after he finishes college. In California, he organized a donation drive for the homeless through his mother’s office and would like to undertake a similar project in his own community. Nelson likes to empower children with the knowledge that they need to succeed.
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Benjamin Nystrom — Nystrom, who lives in Lewisville, attends Brookhaven College. He plans to earn degrees in both political science and philosophy and eventually to earn a law degree that will enable him to provide legal services to persons in the community who may not be able to obtain them otherwise. A graduate of Lewisville High School, Nystrom was a member of the National Honor Society and devoted more than 150 hours of community service before he graduated. At Brookhaven College, he has served as parliamentarian for the BHC Student Government Association and also was elected president for Region II of the Texas Junior College Student Government Association. He is a six-star member of Brookhaven’s Student Leadership Institute and is actively involved in the new chapter of Alpha Phi Omega, a service fraternity. In fall 2008, Nystrom was listed on the Brookhaven College Vice President’s Honor Roll. He works as a pharmacy technician for an area grocery store. The needs of people he sees at work compelled him to consider a career in law to help others.
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Hilda Rodriguez — Rowlett resident Rodriguez, who works full time for the Rockwall Independent School District as a bilingual instructional assistant, attends Eastfield College in the evening. She is the first among her family members to graduate from high school and attend college. When she was a student at Rowlett High School, she served as one of two students on the school’s Campus Improvement Committee and a leader in the TAPP program — which led to a visit to Eastfield, where she decided to go to school. Rodriguez earned high scores on the AP Spanish IV exam, finished school in December 2008 and started classes at Eastfield in January 2009. She plans to finish her associate’s degree from Eastfield and then transfer to Texas A&M University-Commerce to earn her bachelor’s degree in early childhood education with a bilingual certificate. Rodriguez is mentoring her younger sister and encourages her every day to finish high school and go to college. She also mentored local elementary school children when she was a junior at Rowlett High School in a class called “Ready, Set, Teach!”
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Melody Sadjadi — Sadjadi, who lives in Dallas and attends Brookhaven College, is majoring in nursing and has earned a 3.5 GPA. Sadjadi has returned full circle to DCCCD: she earned an associate’s degree from Richland College, a master’s degree in education and now plans to finish her degree as a registered nurse from Brookhaven. She characterizes herself as a first-generation Spanish-Peruvian college graduate and was selected in 2008 by Texas Woman’s University as a U.S. Rhodes Scholar nominee. She earned her bachelor’s degree at the age of 19 and received her master’s degree in teaching one year later. In spite of challenges her family faced, as well as scoliosis surgery herself at 18, Sadjadi always has aspired to help others through teaching and music. She decided to become a nurse after volunteering at Parkland Hospital as a French- and Spanish-language translator. Melody would like to teach nursing one day, and she also would like to take patient care even further through her music as a violinist by providing palliative care for persons who are terminally ill. She also has earned 80 credit hours at the doctoral level in classical music performance and writing.
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Hannah Smith — Farmers Branch resident Smith attends Brookhaven College and is a business major with a 3.5 GPA. An employee of the city of Farmers Branch after-school mentorship program, Smith plans to earn a bachelor’s degree from the University of North Texas in business or sociology and wants to become an assistant buyer for a fashion firm or to work for Child Protective Services. She graduated from R.L. Turner High School, where she was an active member of the Youth Leadership Program of Farmers Branch and captain of the varsity cheerleading squad during her senior year. Her experience as a lifeguard taught her leadership and helped Smith earn first place in the North Texas Guard Games and fifth place statewide last summer.
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Bianca Marie Teniente — Teniente, who lives in Dallas, is a graduate of W.T. White High School, attends Brookhaven College and plans to become an elementary school teacher. In high school, she served as president of the Key Club; vice president of the National Honor Society; public relations officer and historian for the Future Teachers Association; and junior and senior representative for the varsity choir. During her first year at Brookhaven, Teniente served as public relations officer for the BHC Student Government Association; is a six-star member of the college’s Student Leadership Institute; and serves as vice president of membership for the service fraternity Alpha Phi Omega. She also volunteers her time at St. Monica’s Catholic Church, where she prepares second-graders for their First Holy Communion each spring. Teniente works for the University of Texas at Dallas Callier Center, where she helps youngsters ages two to five who are hearing-impaired and handicapped.
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Alicia Warren — Grapevine resident Warren, who attends North Lake College, plans to major in sports psychology and earn a doctorate so that she can help athletes concentrate mentally on competing and performance. An ardent skater, Alicia serves as president of the North Lake College Figure Skating Club; she was president of the Dallas Figure Skating Club’s junior board in 2008 and started a skating club that qualified for the nationals. She currently has a 4.0 GPA.
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