Stony Point High School 2019 Top Ten
As seniors across Round Rock ISD prepare to celebrate graduation, we take a moment to recognize the top ten students from each campus by asking them about their journey through Round Rock ISD and their next steps after graduation.
Musab Abdullah
Valedictorian
What college will you be attending next year?
I will be studying computer science at The University of Texas at Austin.
What campuses in Round Rock ISD did you attend?
I attended Stony Point High School.
What is your favorite memory of your time in Round Rock ISD?
IB Physics HL, or more accurately named ‘card-club-with-occasional-physics-work,’ has been one of the most fun and educational classes I’ve ever taken. With only eight students and the chillest teacher (Ms. Jeong), the class was destined to be, as the kids nowadays like to call it, lit. The relationships we built over the course of the year will, hopefully, last a lifetime.
Who has been your most influential teacher in Round Rock ISD?
That’s a difficult question because I’ve had the privilege of learning from some amazing teachers throughout high school, but my computer science teacher Mr. Benjamin Holder had to have had the most impact directly on my life. His entertaining personality, unique style of teaching, and extensive knowledge of just about everything encouraged me to pursue my interests further. I don’t think I would enjoy learning about linear algebra, artificial intelligence, and python as much as I do if it wasn’t for him.
Samantha Lopez
Salutatorian
What college will you be attending next year?
I will attend The University of Texas, Austin to study architecture.
What campuses in Round Rock ISD did you attend?
I attended Union Hill and Cactus Ranch elementary schools, Walsh Middle School and Stony Point High School.
What is your favorite memory of your time in Round Rock ISD?
My most influential teacher in Round Rock ISD was my high school teacher Mr. Ryan White. He made sure that my classmates and I always got the help we needed and that we were taking care of our health in moments of high stress.
Jordan Conklin
No. 3
What college will you be attending next year?
I’ll be attending The University of Texas at Austin, to study mathematics.
What campuses in Round Rock ISD did you attend?
I attended Old Town, Cactus Ranch, Sommer and Chandler Oaks elementary schools, CD Fulkes MS, and Stony Point HS.
What is your favorite memory of your time in Round Rock ISD?
This year, I went on a field trip to the Samsung Austin Semiconductor and it was such a cool experience! The fabrication plant manufactures silicon wafers with microchips on them and ships them to South Korea so they can be planted into phones and other technology. My friends and I got a glimpse of how scientists and engineers functioned in their day-to-day lives and it made me super excited to pursue internships and eventually a career in math and science.
Who has been your most influential teacher in Round Rock ISD?
Benjamin Holder. Mr. Holder exceeds the requirements of the curriculum by effectively teaching to his students’ true potential–beyond what we believe we are capable of. His IB computer science class was a huge highlight of my senior year because I learned the importance of asking more questions when I’m not knowledgeable about something. He often approached us with mathematical/CS concepts that are challenging but highly engaging, and I always left his class having learned something new. Mr. Holder constantly encouraged me to broaden my horizons and this is something I am monumentally grateful for.
I’d also like to recognize Allison Sozansky, a.k.a. The Legend. She has helped my passion for music thrive by directing a stellar orchestra program at Stony Point, which guided a great amount of my growth as a cellist and a leader. I don’t know who I would be as a person or musician without the influence of Mrs. Sozansky, an exceptionally strong role model.
Kayla Brianna Johnson
No. 4
What college will you be attending next year?
I will be attending The University of Texas at Austin double majoring in Plan 2 Honors and Communications.
What campuses in Round Rock ISD did you attend?
I attended Hopewell Middle School and Stony Point High School.
What is your favorite memory of your time in Round Rock ISD?
My favorite memory has been being apart of the IB program and growing closer to all of my classmates. I have gotten to meet so many people from various backgrounds, which has made me a more open minded person over all.
Who has been your most influential teacher in Round Rock ISD?
My most influential teacher has been my English teacher, Mrs. Elisa Elliot. Language Arts has always been my favorite subject, and her class really expanded my understanding of literature in respect to cultures around the world. She also works very hard to make sure her students are successful, which I really appreciate!
Thunyathorn Jaruves
No. 5
What college will you be attending next year?
I will be attending The University of Texas at Austin next year and I will be majoring in nursing.
What campuses in Round Rock ISD did you attend?
I attended Union Hill and Teravista elementary schools, Hopewell Middle School, and Stony Point High School.
What is your favorite memory of your time in Round Rock ISD?
The best memory that I have had at Round Rock ISD was the field days we would have near the end of the year during elementary school! It was so fun being able to compete in the games with your friends. My favorite by far was the coconut run. We would have to run with water-filled plastic coconuts over our heads, but the coconuts had holes! Everyone would get sopping wet! It was so much fun running and laughing with my friends as water was pouring over heads, slipping at points too, one of my favorite memories!
Who has been your most influential teacher in Round Rock ISD?
The most influential teacher that I have had is Mrs. Renea Mayville, or as her students call her, Mrs. Lynn. I believe she is the most kind-hearted, selfless, enthusiastic, and cheerful person I have known. She is the best health science teacher I have had, and her CNA class has been the best class that I have taken in my four years of high school. Not only has she taught me the skills I have needed to pass the certification at the end of the year, but she has given me many things to remember when I am out in the “real world.” She is the only teacher that I have had that truly understands her students. She is the only teacher that I have felt comfortable to confide in any problems I may be having. She has helped me in good times and bad times; I will truly miss her when I go off to college! She has also furthered my interest in pursuing a career in nursing. Mrs. Lynn, thank you for all you do for your students, I am grateful that I have been one of your students, anyone is lucky to have you as a teacher!
Jessica Oskam
No. 6
What college will you be attending next year?
I will be attending Trinity University to study art and design.
What campuses in Round Rock ISD did you attend?
I attended Cactus Ranch, Teravista and Chandler Oaks elementary schools, Walsh Middle School and Stony Point High school.
What is your favorite memory of your time in Round Rock ISD?
The best memory that I have of my time in Round Rock ISD is from freshman year when the Stony Point IB program had a field trip to Enchanted Rock. This was one of the most memorable moments of my time in Round Rock ISD because here I bonded with four people who would later become my best friends.
Who has been your most influential teacher in Round Rock ISD?
The most influential teacher in Round Rock ISD is Mr. Ryan White from Stony Point High School. I definitely think that senior year was one of the toughest due to the work load and nature of IB and it was amazing to have a teacher to really inspire me to get my work done despite senioritis and he was overall just a really motivational teacher who tried to get his students to persevere.
Valerie Foster
No. 7
What college will you be attending next year?
I will be attending The University of Texas at Austin studying biochemistry.
What campuses in Round Rock ISD did you attend?
I attended Hopewell Middle School and Stony Point High School.
What is your favorite memory of your time in Round Rock ISD?
Every year when the 8th graders come to visit, my friends and I tour them around the school which is fun because I see how much our school has to offer.
Who has been your most influential teacher in Round Rock ISD?
Mrs. Susan Von Rosenburg is my most influential teacher as she taught the first class where I learned about the body and how it functions in anatomy and physiology, and now I have learned to identify bacteria and protozoa through microscopes in medical microbiology which is interesting. She helped me realize I wanted to pursue natural sciences in college.
Gregory Boudreau
No. 8
What college will you be attending next year?
I will be attending Georgia Institute of Technology to study electrical engineering.
What campuses in Round Rock ISD did you attend?
I attended Stony Point High School.
What is your favorite memory of your time in Round Rock ISD?
Going to the various middle schools around Round Rock ISD to give the 8th graders presentations about IB. As a student who transferred into Round Rock ISD, this was one of the few chances I had to make a direct impact on the grades below me.
Who has been your most influential teacher in Round Rock ISD?
Esther Jeong. She has always been a teacher that provided a class where we could focus on learning while enjoying. She is also the nicest teacher I have ever had and pushed both myself and every other student in her classes to succeed.
Danniah Khammash
No. 9
What college will you be attending next year?
I will be attending the University of Texas at Austin for civil engineering.
What campuses in Round Rock ISD did you attend?
I have attended Caldwell Heights and Teravista elementary schools, Hopewell Middle School and Stony Point High School.
What is your favorite memory of your time in Round Rock ISD?
My favorite memory is this years varsity basketball tournament in Corpus Christi. This is my fondest memory because I was able to spend 3 full days with my closest friends playing the game we love while still having free time to chill at the beach and have a movie marathon.
Who has been your most influential teacher in Round Rock ISD?
Mrs. Allison Sozansky has been the most influential teacher to me during my time in Round Rock ISD. I was blessed to have her as my orchestra director all through middle school and 3 out of my 4 years in high school. Having her as a director for 6 years truly allowed for her to become more then just a normal teacher to me and allowed my passion for the art grow in a way I never thought possible.
Ruby Sapp
No. 10
What college will you be attending next year?
I will be attending Texas A&M University to study kinesiology.
What campuses in Round Rock ISD did you attend?
I attended Teravista, Chandler Oaks, and Laurel Mountain elementary schools, Canyon Vista and Walsh middle schools, and Stony Point High School.
What is your favorite memory of your time in Round Rock ISD?
My favorite Round Rock ISD memory would have to be this year, going to Texas HOSA Area 1 Competition and Texas State HOSA Competition with my parliamentary procedures team. Getting third place in our Area and advancing to State with my friends was such a rewarding experience, as we studied and practiced vigorously over the 6 months leading up to State. The bond I created with all my HOSA members this year as president are bonds that I’ll carry with me throughout my whole life.
Who has been your most influential teacher in Round Rock ISD?
I would say that I actually have two very influential teachers in Round Rock ISD. The first being Mrs. Abbie Scott, my fourth grade teacher at Chandler Oaks. She was the first teacher that I had that I felt really pushed me to reach my academic potential, especially in subjects that I was not as strong in. The second would be Mr. Ryan White. Mr. White not only taught me about English and Theory of Knowledge, but also how to manage my time more wisely and how to be a better person, through his kind words and positive encouragement everyday.
