Danica Andrews, a top musician and leader of Best Buddies. {courtesy}
A genuine concern for others and a love for singing describe Danica Andrews.
A leading senior at J.P. Taravella High School, Andrews, 18, is graduating with a 4.6 grade point average and earning a Florida Medallion scholarship to pay 75 percent of her tuition at Florida State University this fall.
Andrews, a resident of Tamarac, has achieved leadership success by being president of Best Buddies at Taravella and will serve as an intern to the vice president of Best Buddies International in Miami this summer. Andrews is a teacher’s assistant and often tutors students with special needs who are struggling with their courses.
“I care about helping students facing a disability, and I provide them with emotional support. I worked with one individual who was frustrated and told him, ‘Don’t consider it a disability; think of it as an ability,'” said Andrews.
Music is another passion for Andrews, who is president of the Taravella chorus and earned a superior rating at the state level for solo and ensemble. She also earned a place in the All-Broward County Chorus and received an honorable mention for the Miami Herald Silver Knight award.
“I love singing and creating music. I was part of the Taravella theater program until my sophomore year,” she said.
As president of the chorus and Best Buddies, she organized an activity for the Best Buddies students and the chorus members. “I am in favor of inclusion, and I was able to get both organizations together for a holiday party in December,” she said.
Andrews is a member of the National Honor Society and has completed over 325 community service hours.
She looks forward to attending Florida State and pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in music and voice.
Taravella Art Teacher Madison Rabun, who has gotten to know Andrews, said her other teachers will miss her. “She is an amazing student and will go on to do great things in her life,” said Rabun.
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- David Volz has worked as a writer in South Florida for 35 years. He has written for the Sun-Sentinel, Hollywood Gazette, School Transportation News, South Dade News Leaders, Observer among others. He has an MA in Communications from Florida Atlantic University and a BA in Communications from Valparaiso University. Volz teaches Communications at Miami Dade College and Palm Beach State College. He lives in Coral Springs and enjoys running and participating in 5Ks and half-marathons.
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