ORLANDO, Fla. — School may be winding down for summer break, but seven local high school students are already focused on their next chapter of their lives -- college. 

They are young, bright and smart. Spectrum News 13 was proud to award these Central Florida high school seniors, who could be our next generation of scientists, with $1,000 Wednesday night as a part of our Project Weather Scholarship contest.

The contest awards high school seniors in public, private, or parochial schools who excel in science. It’s a part of our commitment to educating children about science and weather.

The students joined Chief Meteorologist Bryan Karrick, Meteorologist Mallory Nicholls, and Anchor Tammie Fields in Spectrum News 13’s Weather Center, where the seniors were presented with a $1,000 check, a Spectrum News 13 backpack, and a special certificate for their scholarship win.

Students like Ann-Marie Derias was one of 29 valedictorians at Vanguard High School. She's a Lombardi Scholar heading to the University of Florida, and she has big plans before she even arrives, studying ecology and Spanish in Mexico over the summer.

The 2018-19 Project Weather Scholarship recipients:

  • Ann-Marie Derias, Vanguard High School (Marion County)
  • Elizabeth Pruitt, Spruce Creek High School (Volusia County)
  • Sofia Pintado, St. Cloud High School (Osceola County)
  • Jenni Reed, Leesburg High School (Lake County)
  • Tran Le, Winter Park High School (Orange County)
  • Nicholas Smith, Hagerty High School (Seminole County)
  • Latoria Brown, Cocoa High School (Brevard County)