- January 29, 2025
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Flagler Schools announced the district’s Sunshine State STEM Scholar and alternate at the School Board's Jan. 28 business meeting.
Each Florida school district selects two high school juniors who plan to pursue a career in science, technology, engineering or math. To qualify, the students must have at least a 3.9 weighted GPA and be on track to receive a Florida Bright Futures Scholarship.
Flagler Palm Coast’s Syed Haider was announced as Flagler’s Sunshine State Scholar. Matanzas’ Megan Rhee was selected as the district’s alternate.
Haider is in FPC’s International Baccalaureate program. He aspires to major in biomedical engineering at the University of Florida with the goal of working in the field to enhance patient care, FPC Principal Bobby Bossardet told the board. Haider excels in his AP and IB coursework and scored a 1440 on the PSAT, which is in the 98th percentile. Haider also has a full load of extracurricular activities, including Red Cross Club, the Mu Alpha Theta mathematics honor society where he competes in the pre-calculus and trigonometry divisions. He is also in a local bridge club and volunteers on Teen Court.
Rhee has been involved with STEM from a young age, hanging around her father’s dental office, Matanzas Principal Kristin Bozeman said. Rhee aspires to follow in her father’s footsteps in dentistry. She has taken just about every AP and AICE course that is offered, Bozeman said. Rhee is also involved in Student Government Association; Future Problem Solvers, where she is a two-time state champ; marching band; and the cross country and track teams, qualifying for state in both sports.
The two-day Sunshine State Scholars program will be held on April 10-11 in Orlando. The scholars are honored for their significant academic accomplishments and are connected with employers that specialize in the STEM fields. Representatives from state colleges and universities discuss academic opportunities and provide workshops.
