Max Diaz of Melbourne Central Catholic is 2016 FHSAA Academic All-State
Hannah Lyons of the 2016 FHSAA Academic All-State team. She attends Cocoa Beach
Two Brevard County high school seniors were among 24 from around the state named to the FHSAA Academic All-State team for the 2015-16 year.
Hannah Lyons (left) of Cocoa Beach and Max Diaz of MCC are 2015-16 FHSAA Academic All-State honorees
Max Diaz of Melbourne Central Catholic and Hannah Lyons of Cocoa Beach will be honored at a June 13 banquet in Gainesville where they will be presented with $1,350 scholarships. One boy and one girl from among the 24 will win an additional scholarship of $3,800. The FHSAA program is in its 22nd year, and team members are chosen based on their academic performance, athletic participation, community involvement and an essay.
Diaz, a cross country runner who also competes in track and field, has a personal best time of 17:41 over 5,000 meters. He plans to attend the University of Florida, and his academic interests lie in prosthetics and regenerative medicine.
That doesn’t mean he won’t continue to pursue sports, which have played a significant role in his ability to maintain high academic standards and a full schedule.
“For me, the secret is running,” Diaz said. “Even if I’m fatigued from the day mentally, I can clear my head and come home with a fresh mind after running.”
Diaz, a 4.0 student and ranked first in his class, is a member of several honor societies, including National Honor Society, and is active in student government. His more than 670 hours of community service are with organizations including Sonata Retirement Home and the Ascension Catholic School music program.
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Lyons has competed in cross country, soccer and lacrosse for Cocoa Beach, where she is the valedictorian. She described herself as “overly competitive,” something that has come through in the classroom and in sports.
“I’ve always been pretty dedicated to my studies,” she said. “I love the discipline of sports and the camaraderie of teams.”
The 4.0 student is president of the National Honor Society, an A.P. Scholar with Distinction, treasurer of student government and a member of several clubs, and the robotics team. She has more than 700 hours of community service, including with Cape Canaveral Hospital, the FIT Scott Center for Autism and Malaria No More Foundation.
Lyons will decide between Wake Forest, Rice and the University of Florida, with pre-med plans. She may also compete in club lacrosse.
Contact McCallum at 321-242-3698 or bmccallum@floridatoday.com. Follow @Brian_McCallum on Twitter and facebook.com/FLtoday.brianmccallum.
High school sports | floridatoday.com/sports/high-school-sports/