Sophia Haines
2025 graduate, Bayside Academy // Marine Scientist
Why She Rocks
Sophia showcases her love of marine life through a lens. Since 2019, she has placed in several categories of the South Alabama Land Trust (SALT) Photo Contest and won the Outdoor Alabama Photo Contest two years in a row. She was a finalist in the International Steve Irwin Crikey Photo Contest in 2021 and her photographs were exhibited at the Steve Irwin Gala in Australia. She also shot the documentary film “Giants Roaming the South” for Marine Science Adventure, which displays the environmental impacts of endangered wildlife and protected habitats to the Fort Morgan peninsula.
Behind the Camera
When not interning with the Alabama Coastal Foundation, Sophia is a part of several honor societies. She plays golf with the Bayside Academy Girls Golf Team and enjoys practicing piano; she is a two-time Carnegie Hall piano performer.
Future Plans
Sophia will attend the University of Tampa, where she will be majoring in marine sciences – biology on the pre-vet track and minoring in piano performance.
Biggest Influence
Sophia lists her parents as her biggest influences. “They prove you can have everything you want in life.” she says. She is also inspired by Jane Goodall and Dr. Matt Ware, a Florida Gulf Coast University professor and personal mentor.
Daniel Gill
2025 graduate, St. Paul’s Episcopal School // Speedy Scholar
Why He Rocks
Daniel is fast, and he has the awards, times and accolades to prove it. He has earned many titles and honors as a 7A All-State Cross Country Runner. He is a three-time Mobile Optimist Club Cross Country Runner of the Week and a two-time member of the All-Regional Cross Country Team. To top it all off, he holds the fifth-fastest 5K time in St. Paul’s Episcopal School history.
Over the Finish Line
Beyond the track, Daniel shows excellence in academia. He scored a perfect 36 on his ACT and at St. Paul’s, he won several awards in history and math, including a perfect score in the AISA District II Math Competition. He also earned the title of National Merit Finalist and valedictorian. He was a candidate for the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program and made frequent appearances on the Headmaster’s List.
Future Plans
Daniel will attend the University of Alabama in Huntsville to study aerospace engineering while running cross country and track and field.
Biggest Influence
Daniel finds inspiration to balance life and athletics, while living a life based upon faith, in his former teammate, Stone Smith, who now runs at Ole Miss. His parents also encourage him to embrace hard work and find success while living in accordance with his core values.
JaLaan Dubose
2025 graduate, Mattie T. Blount High School // Maestro Extraordinaire
Why She Rocks
JaLaan’s mastery of the double bass has earned her several awards and positions. She is the principal bassist for the Mobile Symphony Youth Orchestra and earned a number-one ranking in Alabama All State Honor Band, the first and only student in her school to do so. She was first chair in the 2025 Alabama District 7 Honor Band and in the University of Mobile Honor Band for double bass. Last year, she was a finalist in the Honor Performance Series at Carnegie Hall. This year, she received the Bandman of the Year Award.
Offstage
JaLaan is a superstar onstage and off. She graduated with a 3.9 GPA and honors. She was also a member of the Blount High School Bowling Team. While her musical talent is most evident on the double bass, she also plays violin, clarinet, tenor saxophone, bass clarinet, cymbals, trumpet and marimba.
Future Plans
JaLaan plans to follow her motto “Building My Dream To Live My Dream” by earning her doctorate in music. One of her biggest dreams is to perform in a Broadway pit orchestra, bringing live music to powerful shows that inspire audiences every night.
Biggest Influence
Among a plethora of music instructors who have influenced her, JaLaan lists her mom, dad and sister as her biggest supporters. “They’ve helped shape my character, supported my music journey and pushed me to be the best version of myself,” she says.
Icilyn Montgomery
2025 graduate, LeFlore Magnet High School // Hot Stepping Leader
Why She Rocks
Icilyn marches to the beat of her own drum — and leads others along the way. Prior to graduation, she led the Mighty Marching Rattler Band as the head drum major for two years. She was also a member of the school’s varsity softball team. During her junior year, she was class president and Miss Junior in the homecoming court. A natural leader, she was a Rattler Ambassador and president of several organizations, including the Rattler Belles Community Service Organization and The Exceptional Queens of Beauty Organization.
Off the Field
Icilyn enjoys spending free time at the pool with her siblings. When she isn’t hanging out with her family, she enjoys strolling with her Exceptional Queens of Beauty sisters, listening to music with her siblings and trying out new dishes in the kitchen.
Future Plans
Icilyn will attend the University of South Alabama in the fall. She plans to major in ultrasound technology to pursue a career as a cardiovascular sonographer.
Biggest Influence
Icilyn has been greatly influenced by her math teachers, Evelyn Porter and Eric Lovett. She also lists her great-grandmother as being “the strongest, wisest, most resilient yet joyful person” she knows.
Putnam Harris
10th grade, Barton Academy for Advanced World Studies // Robotics Master
Why He Rocks
Mechanics doesn’t come naturally to everyone, but Putnam isn’t one of those people. A member of the Barton Vex Robotics team, he has been a Vex Robotics State Championship Finalist twice and was the MCPSS JROTC V5RC Competition Innovation Award winner in robotics this year. In addition, he is one of around 25 sophomore students accepted annually to the Alabama School for Cyber Technology and Engineering in Huntsville.
Off the Controls
When he isn’t programming robots, Putnam enjoys running track; he set the 400-meter Barton Track Boys Record and won gold for Divisional Boys 400-meter and 4×400-meter races. He is also an avid camper, backpacker and kayaker, and loves spending time as a part of Boy Scouts of America. Putnam is currently working on his Eagle Scout project. He is also an artist, winning the Mobile Arts Council Arts Achievement Award for High School Drawing.
Future Plans
Putnam will attend the Alabama School for Cyber Technology and Engineering in Huntsville for the rest of high school starting in the fall. He plans to join its track, cross country and robotics teams.
Biggest Influence
Putnam’s parents are his biggest influences, with him saying they support all of his pursuits, encourage him to try new things and motivate him to work hard.
Hudson Spivey
2025 graduate, Davidson High School // Quarterback Brainiac
Why He Rocks
While Hudson played football beginning at age 8, he only played tackle football for the first time in the seventh grade. His first time playing quarterback was in the tenth grade. He caught on quickly and excelled in the sport after only a few short years. During his junior year, the quarterback helped lead his team to the playoffs for the first time in several years.
Off the Field
Hudson was an IB student throughout high school, no small feat, even more so when combined with the demands of athletics. With a 5.03 GPA, he was in the top 1% of his class all four years. He is the first high school quarterback to complete the IB Diploma program in at least 17 years. He is also part of the EPIC Engineering Program, National Honor Society and Davidson Invitational Model United Nations, and won the Bryant-Jordan Student Athlete Scholar award for class 7A in Alabama. He is the first winner from Mobile County since 1990.
Future Plans
Hudson plans to attend Auburn University in the fall and major in mechanical engineering. Through the IB program, he will have enough credits to go to Auburn as a sophomore.
Biggest Influence
Hudson lists his dad as his biggest motivator. “He taught me how to lead others in a Christ-centered way, whether it’s at home, at work or on a field,” he says.
Khandro Butler
12th grade, UMS-Wright Preparatory School // High-flier
Why She Rocks
Khandro has a unique claim to fame: she is the first-ever UMS Project ENGAGE student with the United States Coast Guard. She has flown in the MH-65 helicopter and the HC-144 fixed wing aircraft, as well as operated simulators for both on base. She gained experience in on-the-ground jobs and built a program that allows other students with an interest in the military or flight to gain real expertise on base.
Off Base
When Khandro is on the ground, her dreams are still taking flight. Since age 5 she has been interested in space travel and Mars. She has spent countless hours since studying how to get people to the red planet. This summer, she traveled to the California Institute of Technology to be a part of research with NASA on Active Galactic Nuclei.
Future Plans
In college, Khandro plans to major in aerospace engineering, accompanied by astrophysics research. She dreams of aiding in a Mars mission, most likely though SpaceX. “I wish to reach a PhD level to be as qualified as possible to literally do ‘rocket science,’” she says.
Biggest Influence
Khandro lists God and her father as her biggest influences. Her dad is a pilot and encouraged her interest in aerospace, the Coast Guard and flying. They have learned over 800 digits of Pi together.
Mary Parish Hutchisson
2025 graduate, McGill-Toolen Catholic High School // Baking Entrepreneur
Why She Rocks
A trip to France with her grandmother — and the baking classes she took there — inspired Mary Parish at age 12 to try her hand at making French macarons. Since mastering the craft, she founded Parish Patisserie, her home bakery business. In a few short years, she has baked thousands of French macarons for friends, family and local organizations. This past Christmas, she made over 100 dozen macarons followed by another 100 dozen for Mardi Gras.
Out of the Kitchen
With a 4.09 GPA, Mary Parish was a St. Augustine Scholar and school ambassador at McGill. She was also a member of the National Honor Society, National Art Honor Society, a volunteer with the Ronald McDonald House Red Shoe Krewe, staff writer and artist for the Ingenium Literary Magazine and McGill’s Red Ribbon Leadership Award winner for the Drug Education Council.
Future Plans
Mary Parish is heading to Auburn University, where she has been accepted into the Culinary Science Program in the new Tony and Libba Rane Culinary Science Center. After graduation, she hopes to return to Mobile to open a European bakery and restaurant.
Biggest Influence
Mary Parish lists her parents as the secret to her success. “They help me spiritually, physically, through my work and through my whole life,” she says.
Tyron LaShaun Rhodes
2025 graduate, Citronelle High School // Speaker and Changemaker
Why He Rocks
Tyron has a heart for change. He was a member of the Alabama A+ Student VOICES Team. Through this role, he met with Alabama legislators and educational leaders. The team conducted a statewide survey to identify challenges to students and, armed with data on school funding presenting a critical issue, they pushed for the RAISE Act, which successfully became law this year.
Off the Podium
Tyron is a star student. A member of numerous honor societies, he is also student council president, senior class vice-president, valedictorian and Mr. Citronelle High School. He also has a way with words, placing second for his research paper on John L. LeFlore in the Alabama National History Day competition and winning the Mobile Bar Association Law Day Essay Contest two years in a row.
Future Plans
Tyron has already logged over 60 collegiate credit hours, earning him his associates degree. He will attend the University of Southern Mississippi, where he’ll study secondary education with a concentration in social studies and a minor in political science. He hopes to give back to his community first through education, then public service and governance.
Biggest Influence
Among his influences, Tyron lists John L. LeFlore for his determination and service, Roseann Byrd, his social studies teacher, for constant encouragement and tough love, and his mom, for her encouragement and selflessness.
Josue Sanchez
10th grade, Barton Academy for Advanced World Studies // Soccer Star
Why He Rocks
Josue fell in love with soccer the first time he got a soccer ball at age 6. Since then, he has become a versatile player, joining Mobile United and Union 10. He has the unique ability to play in any position his coaches place him in. He is a captain for Barton soccer and has participated in regional and national competitions through his club and the Olympic Development Program. He also helped get Barton’s junior division team to an undefeated season against every JV team in Mobile County.
Off the Field
Josue takes his academics as seriously as he takes soccer. Besides being bilingual in both English and Spanish, he has taken three years of French and is part of the French honor society at Barton. He is also a member of the National Junior Honor Society and a winner of the Red Ribbon Award in 2024, an honor showcasing his consistent growth and positive behaviors.
Future Plans
In the future, Josue would like to join a soccer academy, whether here in the US or abroad, to get him one step closer in his dream of becoming a professional soccer player one day.
Biggest Influence
Josue lists God and his parents as his biggest supporters in life. He also looks up to Lamine Yamal, a young Spanish professional soccer player, as an influence for his attitude and mentality towards the game.
Madeline Borchert
12th grade, Alabama School of Math and Science // Student Scientist
Why She Rocks
Madeline has science down to, well, a science. She has won several awards for her research on a state and local level. Her current focus? Designing RNAi pesticides to target invasive species, specifically fire ants. This project won her a Best in Fair award from the Alabama Science and Engineering Fair at 17 years old; she is the first local Mobilian to take home the top prize. Among a long list of accomplishments, she has been an International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) finalist for the last two years and was granted a fully funded trip to the summer chemistry program at Westlake University in China.
Under a Microscope
When she’s not hard at work in the lab or making the next scientific breakthrough discovery, Madeline enjoys metalworking, cooking, playing tennis and making new friends. She also enjoys her role as the president of mock trial and Model UN.
Future Plans
Madeline would like to attend college in the future, with dreams of getting a PhD in organic chemistry. She hopes to work as a CEO for a chemistry or STEM company.
Biggest Influence
Madeline leans on her father for advice and encouragement. “Ever since I was little, he has always motivated me and pushed me to use all of my potential and become the best person I could be,” she says.
