The final Royals Awards Assembly of the 2022-23 school year recognized students’ academics, respect, integrity and responsibility, as well as standouts for students of the year. An eighth grader also took the spotlight for exemplary growth and effort.
Armando Castillo received Kids Unlimited Academy’s “Lighthouse Award,” created and presented by Lake Masi Tunoa, who teaches middle school health and physical education. While Castillo didn’t get the best start to the year, he had a “great turnaround” to find and become a better version of himself, said Tunoa.
“… The Lighthouse award comes from the phrase ‘Be a lighthouse in a storming sea,’ meaning that the student represents the lighthouse and storming sea represents the tough obstacles and adversity the student has been through,” said Tunoa. “No matter how hard the waves crash against the lighthouse, it still shines its light … No matter what the student has been through, they are still trying to shine their light.”
Castillo also was honored at the May 31 assembly for advisory excellence, along with fellow eighth grader Mia Nicasio. Advisory excellence awards also went to seventh graders Mia Compher, Meylin Martinez and Evelyn Garcia; and sixth graders Jimena Villa, Marcelo Gutierrez, Roselynn Montes and Maritza Zepeda.
KUA students of the year are:
Kindergartners Camila Sandoval, Damien Colon Mitchell, Itzayanny Lara Cortez, Andrei Flores, Jonathan Melchor Cortes and Camila Costilla Reyes;
First graders Fernando Castaneda, Aria DeMarco, Brooklyn Avila, Sebastian Flores, Israel Aguilar and Emiliano Quinones;
Second graders Valentina Mejia-Medina, Amalia Vasquez, Aimeelilly Polataivao and Salvador Reynoso-Mendez;
Third graders Arizbeth Maldonado, David Becerra, Kimberly Valle Cortez and Arjen Cubillos;
Fourth graders Rayne Utegg, Ren Maya Velazquez, Mason Lozano and Genesis Maldonado;
Fifth graders Brandon Carrillo, Dahlia Moreno-Deras, Eden Colon and Carlos Lomeli-Hukill;
Sixth graders Brody Kiesser and Yaretzi Jasso;
Seventh graders Robin Mendez Nufio and Princess Lima;
Eighth graders Owen Nguyen and Crystal Rangel Villa;
ELD students Eveyln Garcia and Julian Cisneros.
Other awards are as follows:
Kindergarten
Academic: Joseph Compher, Harlan O’Brien and Atticus Dutton
Respect: Connor Lambert, Yadira Cortes Perez and Uriel Bucio
Integrity: Nahomi Cortes, Emma Reynoso Mendez and Angel Rodriguez
Responsibility: Daniel Zepeda, Isaac Agee and Averie Heinze
First grade
Academic: Liam Abernathy, Maria Zamora and Ricardo Valentin
Respect: Emma Thurman, Cristian Gomez Vargas and John Hurst
Integrity: Axel Gallegos, Hector Gomez Gonzalez and Kinzlie Saunders
Responsibility: Geovanni Lairs, Dianna Moreno and Luis Alacantara
Second grade
Academic: Aylin Villa and Jionnie Casillas
Respect: Anthony Hernandez and Gabriela Rocha
Integrity: Jayla Trinidad Alvarado and Vanessa Cortes
Responsibility: Aiden Montoya and Kaitlyn Smallwood
Third grade
Academic: Ruby Ojeda Morales and Genesis Rocha
Respect: Jarelli Rios Gutierrez and Eliseo Gomez Gonzalez
Integrity: Jessica Gonzalez and Alexander Quezada-Cortes
Responsibility: Monse Luna Muro and Dulce Vega
Fourth grade
Academic: Eva Sanders and Jaylah Ibarra
Respect: Yulemi Cortez and Santiago Flores
Integrity: Anahliya Williams and Jayce Sanders
Responsibility: Sophia Cruz Aguilar and Jayden Green
Fifth grade
Academic: Dominic Torres, Luz Dominguez and Fernando Munoz
Respect: Hunter Gee, Alyiah Kodysz, Brody Holt and Kassandra Gutierrez
Integrity: Daniel Blanco-Cortes, Brenda Cortes and Brian Morales
Responsibility: Felix Moreno, Maria Diaz and Jr. Roche
Sixth grade
Academic: Sydney Ashworth
Respect: Natalie Moreno- Deras
Integrity: Adriana Barajas
Responsibility: Alejandro Avalos Alfaro
Seventh grade
Academic: Camden Devaughn
Respect: Edith Villa
Integrity: Ivan Melchor Cortes
Responsibility: Emma Hernandez
Eighth grade
Academic: Andre Alcocer
Respect: Angel Solorio
Integrity: Jayida Hernandez
Responsibility: Romeo Nunez
White City students
Academic: Xavier Flores, Oliver Carroll, Denzel Perez, Kennedy Wilkins, Arizbey Baez-Molina and Theo Villalpando-Engelbach
Respect: Maasyn Carroll, Montana Farnham, Fatima Garcia Perez, Sofia Cervantes, Manuel Fletes and Samantha Townsend
Integrity: Trevor Mogford, Jenesis Reyes, Aileen Blanco, Liam Fuentes, David Castanda and Ellie Casey
Responsibility: Liah Ranirez, Chloe Borba, JJ Sanchez, Tidus Morgan, Aleeyah Ortiz and Briella Karnbach
