Beta’s Convention Champions

Elijah Nuebel, Student Editor • February 13, 2024

Apopka’s Beta Convention attendees, courtesy of @apopkabetaclub

On January 26-27, the Florida Beta Convention was held at the Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention. This year, Apopka’s Beta Club sent over 150 students to the state convention. Beta Convention is always a big event for Beta Club, with students spending the weekend competing in a wide variety of events.

As usual, Apopka came home with plenty of awards, with over 30 students and groups finishing top three in the state in their respective competitions. The success of Apopka’s students is a result of hard work and preparation over the last weeks and months. Students have been studying for academic tests, practicing dance rehearsals, and practicing their craft for artistic events. In the case of Group Talent, Senior Jayden Sotolongo mentioned that they would do rehearsals multiple times a week in preparation for Beta convention.

While there was plenty of opportunity to compete, there was also lots of time to have fun. Many students stated that they enjoyed having time to relax at Beta Convention, with Senior Franco De Oliveira remarking that “watching the group events was pretty fun, and I also enjoyed playing Spikeball in the passing time.” Jayden added, “I’ve made very good friendships by meeting people at Beta Convention, and [I also enjoyed] playing football with people from other schools.”

The Apopka students who placed at the state convention will also have the opportunity to compete over the summer at the National Beta Convention, which will be held in Savannah, GA this year. The national convention is another opportunity for Apopka’s brightest and most talented students to compete on a national level. However, it also means that there is a lot more work (but also fun) ahead for these Betas.

The full list of Apopka’s Beta Convention award-winners is below. The Blue and White would again like to congratulate these groups and individuals on their accomplishments.

1st Place Finishers

French 9th Grade: Kandace Gwanmesia

Jewelry Division I: Zella Chandler

Onsite Drawing Division I: Sarah Miller

Premier Performer Dancers: Addison Eachus, Rohini Worrell, Zoey Bland, Anjani Worrell, Joshua Washington, Brock Shapiro, Lelani Delgado

Service Learning Showcase

Three-Dimensional Design

2nd Place Finishers

Color Photography Divison II: Kiera Ritchel

Digitally Enhanced Photography Division I: Madeline Sherrer

Digitally Enhanced Photography Division II: Imarys Santiago

Fiber Arts Division II: Jordyn McMaster

Poetry Division I: Ava Walker

Poetry Division II: Joshua Washington

Spanish 9th Grade: Daniel Benitez Cabrera

Performing Arts Large Group

Scrapbook

Show Choir

3rd Place Finishers

Color Photography Divison I: Elizabeth Marshall

French 11th Grade: Anne Kiarah Toussaint

French 12th Grade: Carlee Bonegre

Language Arts 9th Grade: Saira Binda

Math 12th Grade: Matthew Nguyen

Pottery Division II: Rosia Bennett

Recyclable Art Division II: Tyler McKinley

Woodworking Division II: Kira Toxey

Accessorized Design

Performing Arts: Solo, Duo, Trio-Dancer

Performing Arts: Large Group Finals

Technology

About the Contributor

Elijah Nuebel, Student Editor

I’m Elijah Nuebel, a senior at Apopka High. I have been on The Blue and White for the last two years as a staff writer, and this year I am proud to be the student editor for the 2023-2024 school year. I was born to an American father, and a Dominican mother, and have lived in Apopka my whole life. I grew up with one sibling, my twin, Samuel. My upbringing has allowed me to have a wide variety of experiences, allowing me to be fair and moderate on most issues. Around school, I am most heavily involved in the newspaper and our lacrosse team, among other clubs and organizations. Outside of school, I am an avid sports fan, supporting our local professional teams and Florida State for collegiate athletics. I'm also into video games, cooking, chess, and music. This school year, I hope to make the most of my senior year, by having fun, graduating from both Valencia and Apopka, and getting into colleges that are a good fit. As editor, I aspire to do my part in continuing our shared goal of producing quality content for the newspaper. And always, remember to smile!