Della Wark of Crofton Meadows Elementary School, Riley Creese of Rolling Knolls Elementary School, Kenneth Avila-Sanchez of Southern Middle School, Shanna Hector of Crofton High School are the 2024 recipients of the annual Mo Gaba Positivity and Perseverance Awards. The video announcement of the winners was made today on the school system’s social media sites in celebration of Mo Gaba Day throughout Anne Arundel County Public Schools. The video can be found here. 
In addition, Taryn Reinhart of Annapolis High School is the 2024 Mo Gaba Legacy Award Winner.
The winners will be formally recognized and receive their award at the Board of Education’s next meeting on February 7, 2024. Their schools will receive a banner and $500 in the winner’s name to be used for a school initiative that promotes kindness and positivity. The monetary award is generously sponsored by the Education Foundation of Anne Arundel County Public Schools.
Mosilla Kingsley “Mo” Gaba was a student in AACPS whose health challenges never defeated his intellectual brilliance, positive attitude, fun-loving spirit, or his ability to make others smile and marvel at his resilience. In honor of this courageous student who physically left us too soon, the Mo Gaba Power of Positivity and Perseverance Award seeks to uphold Mo’s legacy by recognizing students who embody those characteristics.
Ninety-eight students were nominated by their schools for demonstrating exceptional capabilities to overcome obstacles and showing kindness and a positive attitude to change the lives of others.
2024 Mo Gaba Positivity and Perseverance Nominees
Primary Category
- Brooklyn Yates-Johnson, Ferndale Early Education Center
- Brooklyn Johnson, Mills-Parole Elementary School
- Ky’melo Siscoe, Mills Parole Elementary School
- Josephine (Josie) Zurenko, Nantucket Elementary School
- Jackelin Lemus Lopez, Tyler Heights Elementary School
Intermediate Category
- Janeil Scott, AACPS Virtual Academy
- Nora Stickley, Annapolis Elementary School
- Shay Lynn Dawkins, Belle Grove Elementary School
- Mariia “Masha” Pliuta, Central Elementary School
- Nora O’Grady, Folger McKinsey Elementary School
- Dominick Ramirez-Luna, Georgetown East Elementary School
- Camari Watts, Germantown Elementary School
- Morgan Coleman, Germantown Elementary School
- Azucena del Carmen Zavala Sanchez, Jones Elementary School
- Cameron Greenstreet, Lake Shore Elementary School
- Alyson Wilson, Manor View Elementary School
- Isla Terry, Mayo Elementary School
- Avani Nguyen, Mills-Parole Elementary School
- Harrison Barnes, Nantucket Elementary School
- Zoey Arkuszeski, Oak Hill Elementary School
- Gracia Guzman Quintanilla, Odenton Elementary School
- Ava Janeski, Pasadena Elementary School
- Nico Morgan, Pershing Hill Elementary School
- Joshia Williams, Rippling Woods Elementary School
- Jackson Goodson, Severn Elementary School
- Carson Wahle, Solley Elementary School
- Nicole Lopez Cortez, Tracey’s Elementary School
- Hayden Dawes, Waugh Chapel Elementary School
Middle School Category
- Jimin Moon, AACPS Virtual Academy
- Kaylah Hill, Arundel Middle School
- Elle Valadao, Bates Middle School
- Miguel Bello, Central Middle School
- Leanna Lawson, Chesapeake Bay Middle School
- Aaron Dewey, Chesapeake Science Point Public Charter School
- Braedon Ahmad Braxton, Corkran Middle School
- Damian Starkey, Crofton Middle School
- Brendan Belford, Lindale Middle School
- Daisy Mitchell, MacArthur Middle School
- Eli Pereira, Magothy River Middle School
- Allen Seghetti, Marley Middle School
- Estelle Ferrell, Northeast Middle School
- Mark Waters, Old Mill Middle School South
- Dheeraj Thumma, Severna Park Middle School
High School Category
- E’Mori Blake, Annapolis High School
- Landon Hernandez Hernandez, Center of Applied Technology North
- Emma Thomas, Center of Applied Technology South
- Moyosoreoluwa Adepoju, Chesapeake Science Point Public Charter School
- Naasir Williams, Glen Burnie High School
- Charisma Willis, North County High School
- Kimberly Velasquez-Gonzales, Northeast High School
- Jennifer Aparicio Ramos, Phoenix Academy
- Jessica Khuman, South River High School
2024 Mo Gaba Positivity and Perseverance Legacy Nominees
- Jayden Hartmen, AACPS Virtual Academy
- Aiden Koon, AACPS Virtual Academy
- Keegan Stouten, AACPS Virtual Academy
- Paris Stansbury, Annapolis Elementary School
- Mason Hawkins, Arundel Middle School
- Jayden Adams, Bates Middle School
- Camila Medrano, Belle Grove Elementary School
- Paige Jones, Brooklyn Park Elementary School
- Efrain Gonzalez Rodriguez, Center of Applied Technology North
- Sena Strickland, Central Middle School
- Michelle Fadele, Chesapeake High School
- Nour Rahimi, Corkran Middle School
- Hayden Pozerski, Crofton Elementary School
- Milan Kuteyi, Crofton Elementary School
- Nolan Bertuna, Crofton Elementary School
- Sophia Galarza, Crofton High School
- Kamsiyochukwu “Kam” Henry-Mbah, Crofton Middle School
- Erick Godinez, Ferndale Early Education Center
- Eleni Gerasopoulos, Four Seasons Elementary School
- Victor Ortiz Galvan, Georgetown East Elementary School
- Avin Beeler, Germantown Elementary School
- Sarah Smith, Glen Burnie High School
- Cody Rivas, Hilltop Elementary School
- Rachel Strevig, Jacobsville Elementary School
- Akosua Abankwah, Lindale Middle School
- Gwen Austin, Manor View Elementary School
- Janiyah Shepherd, Marley Middle School
- Gerald Thomas (Tripp) Denney, Mayo Elementary School
- Joseph Olarewaju, Monarch Global Academy
- Aubrey Chang, Nantucket Elementary School
- Gary Alvarado, North County High School
- Chloe Allan, Northeast High School
- Genaro Hernandez Rodriguez, Old Mill High School
- John Marley, Old Mill Middle School South
- Leylin Atkins, Pershing Hill Elementary School
- Aubree Ormond, Richard Henry Lee Elementary School
- Zixiao Huang, Solley Elementary School
- Isabella Assante, South River High School
- Abigail Wilson, Southern High School
- Sintia De Los Angeles Orellana Escobar, Southern Middle School
- Susie Mancia Benitez, Tyler Heights Elementary School