La Plata High School earned first place in the Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) It’s Academic county competition Nov. 4 at St. Charles High School. The CCPS office of gifted and talented education coordinated and hosted the event with Ann Taylor, retired content specialist for gifted and talented education, served as master of ceremonies.
Teams competed in three preliminary games, with the winner of each game advancing to the final. La Plata finished the final with 350 points, followed by Westlake High School in second place with 230 points and North Point High School in third place with 180 points.
La Plata’s team is coached by Matthew Panzarella, a social studies teacher. Team members are seniors Sofia Myers, the team captain, Dylan Shafer and William Zopelis. Additional team members include alternate Abigail Hidgon, a senior, juniors Mackenzie Williams, Madison Krupa and Brooke Walker, sophomore Angely Zacarias and freshman Liana DeLeonard.
The Westlake team is coached by social studies teacher Natalie Finch-Howard. Senior Julia Therese Gonzales is the team captain, with Emilie Pluviose, a senior, and sophomore Rhys Poag completing the competing team. Other members include alternate Paige Huber, a sophomore, seniors Brian Lopez-Portillo, Layla Williams, Jimmy Bowens Jr., Shelbi Whitfield and Devin Alexander, sophomores Rogelio Ilamni, Asa Hunt and Emanuel Mehari.
Moriah Rochlinski-Evans, a world language teacher, and English teacher A’leese Dickerson coach the North Point team which is made up of captain Shiloh Sescoe, a senior, senior Shamiah Navalo and Jayden Weng, a sophomore. Other team members are alternate Ariana Bryant, a senior, junior Joel Bradford, ZoRon Jordan, a sophomore, and freshman Aldizhan Robles.
La Plata earned a $500 scholarship from the Waldorf Jaycees. The Jaycees also issued $250 scholarships to teams that placed second through seventh.
As county champions, La Plata will compete in a WETA It’s Academic taping on Dec. 15. The episode is scheduled to air 10 a.m. March 17 on WETA. Westlake earned a guaranteed spot in a WETA taping in fall 2027.
The team from Henry E. Lackey High School is made up of captain Natalie Proctor, a junior, sophomore Jillian Burns and Aiden Latimore, a freshman. Additional team members include alternate Myles Alexander, a senior, senior Davon Keys Jr., sophomores Aubrey King, Genesis Torres, Azaria Reid, Noah Williams and Michael Johnson, freshman Rachel Logan and juniors Zuri Matthews, Ten Alfonso and Shafeen Asghar, Fatima ElKhattab and Zoey Bowie. James Hojnowski, a social studies teacher, coaches the team.
The Maurice J. McDonough team includes captain Jazlyn Wilson, a junior, junior Kai Scott and Xavier Revell, a senior. Other team members include alternate Lila Morgan, a senior, junior Riley Mullikin, seniors Jordin Banks, Malachi White and Nalani Wilson and Ryleigh Penn, a sophomore. The coaches are Joanna Hobbs, media specialist, and Mary Dempsey, a CASE teacher.
St. Charles High School team members include captain Anjali Kissoondath, a sophomore, senior Aiden Williams and sophomore Uriyah Gilliam. Other members include alternate Silas Fadare, a senior, sophomores Elizabeth Dell and King Gore, and junior Jayla Henderson. The team is coached by social studies teachers Michael Colatruglio and Matthew Howard.
Senior Maria Nazir is captain of the Thomas Stone High School team with Solomon Patterson and Kameron Willis, both seniors. Additional team members are alternate Neha Mahato, a freshman, seniors Raven Glascoe, Evan Johnson and Tamya Harrison, sophomores Arooj Nazir and freshmen Trieu Nguyen and Rhania Sanu-Bing. The team is coached by social studies teacher Melissa Hatch and Renee Hopper.
About CCPS
Charles County Public Schools provides 27,904 students in grades prekindergarten through 12 with an academically challenging education. Located in Southern Maryland, Charles County Public Schools has 38 schools that offer a technologically advanced, progressive and high quality education that builds character, equips for leadership and prepares students for life, careers and higher education.
The Charles County public school system does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age or disability in its programs, activities or employment practices. For inquiries, please contact Dr. Mike Blanchard, Title IX/ADA/Section 504 Coordinator (students) or Nikial M. Majors, Title IX/ADA/Section 504 Coordinator (employees/ adults), at Charles County Public Schools, Jesse L. Starkey Administration Building, P.O. Box 2770, La Plata, MD 20646; 301-932-6610/301-870-3814. For special accommodations call 301-934-7230 or TDD 1-800-735-2258 two weeks prior to the event.
CCPS provides nondiscriminatory equal access to school facilities in accordance with its Use of Facilities rules to designated youth groups (including, but not limited to, the Boy Scouts).