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Students win scholarships at Ocala Film Derby; district recognizes participating teams
Summary
Marion County schools and the Ocala Film Derby were spotlighted at the Oct. 14 board meeting, where a Forest High senior and six other students received scholarships totaling $15,500 and the district recognized participating schools and mentors.
The Marion County School Board on Oct. 14 recognized students and mentors who participated in the Ocala Film Derby, an annual student filmmaking competition that connects students with local business mentors and industry workshops.
Kelvin Nomari Rivera Cruz, a senior at Forest High School and executive producer for the school’s student television program, told the board he was honored to receive a $5,000 scholarship, which had been selected by peer vote. “Filmmaking has given me the voice to share not just my story but stories that others can see themselves in,” Rivera Cruz said.
Organizers and district staff said the derby distributed a total of $15,500 in scholarships this year among seven students, and that mentors from local businesses — including Maven Photo & Film — and workshop leaders supported participating teams. Lori Zink, identified in the meeting as a lead organizer and founder, thanked downtown businesses and the public education foundation for fiscal support.
The board recognized students from participating schools and named several scholarship recipients and mentors, including Luis Simide Lozato (Forest High), Carissa Gooch (Fort King), Shania Ferguson (Vanguard High), Lacey Schenck (Lake Weir High), Jolsey Wheldon (Osceola Middle), and Cheyenne O’Neal (Westport High). The board planned a photo onstage to honor the winners.
Ending: The board applauded the students, mentors and community partners and invited school principals to join the recognition photo; the district encouraged continued public‑private partnerships to expand career and technical experiences for students.
