Last week, the Department of Geographical Sciences honored 27 local high school students for their outstanding academic and extracurricular achievement in the geographical sciences and related subjects at its inaugural High School Recognition Banquet. The students, hailing from high schools in Prince George’s and Montgomery Counties, were invited along with their families, friends, and teachers for an evening of mingling, learning, and celebrating at UMD. 

The purpose of the event was twofold: to recognize and celebrate the students for their exemplary work, and to introduce them to the diverse and growing opportunities in the field of geographical sciences. “While many students come to UMD interested in topics such as computer science, environmental science, and economics, few are aware of geographical sciences, which draws on all of those subjects and more,” said Undergraduate Director Keith Yearwood. As a result, many students miss out on the GEOG Department’s unique academic, research, and career offerings. 

To address this issue, Associate Chair George Hurtt and a team including Yearwood, Faculty Specialist Valeria Morales, Outreach Coordinator Catherine Miranda, former Undergraduate Director Amanda Hoffman-Hall, and Assistant Director of Academic Programs Rachel Haber developed the High School Recognition Banquet to introduce the geographical sciences to talented local high school students who might enroll at UMD in the near future. 

Michael Adegbenro speaks at the podium
Faculty Specialist Michael Adegbenro speaks about his journey as a GEOG student.

The first-of-its-kind event was a resounding success, with a turnout of over 100 guests, including participants from 12 Prince George’s and two Montgomery County schools. Following a buffet dinner and opening remarks by Associate Dean Katherine Russell, several GEOG faculty and students spoke about their experiences with the Department and emphasized that geography is about more than maps and state capitals: “Geographical sciences is focused on some of the biggest and most significant questions facing humanity and the planet,” said Hurtt, who went on to discuss advanced geographic technologies and the large range of job opportunities in the field. During the latter half of the event, high school awardees were invited onto the stage to accept their award and enjoy a moment in the spotlight as proud parents, teachers, and friends smiled and took advantage of the photo-op. 

Guests mingle and take pictures on the stage
Guests mingle and take photos at the end of the ceremony. 

Congratulations to all student awardees (listed below by school) and thank you to all participating schools, students, families, teachers and staff for making this a night to remember! In addition, thank you to all GEOG volunteers and to the BSOS Deans for their support of this event. The Department looks forward to hosting this event annually and hopes to expand its scope to include more schools and students in the coming years. 

2022 Winners:

Academy of Health Sciences at Prince George's Community College

Cayman Curry and Dorian Mkam

Bowie High School

Cara Craig and Afsah Kamran

Chesapeake Math and IT North High School

Emanuel Miranda Mota and Isaiah Ortiz

Crossland High School

Allison Hinojosa and Chukwuebuka Ogbodo

Duval High School

Giivuii Frazer and Esther Oso

Eleanor Roosevelt High School

Asha Verma and Sigthor Waguespack

Fairmont Heights High School

Karen Velasquez and Katie Velasquez

High Point High School

Emily Flores and Francesca Londol

International High School at Largo

Johana Garcia and Naveed Jaheed

Largo High School

Adara Brown and Colby Sullivan

Northwest High School

Ryan Coleman and Maria Dixon

Northwestern High School

Melissa Corado and Vanessa Larios

Poolesville High School 

Anniee Fang

Suitland High School

Trevion Bagley and De'Ja Lyles 
 

Katherine Russell speaks at the podium to a room full of students and families