SUNY Orange names Sojourner Truth Award winners

SUNY Orange will recognize 698 Orange County students in grades six through 12 with the 2026 Sojourner Truth Awards, celebrating their character, leadership and commitment to community. This year’s awards ceremony will take place on Friday, March 6 at 6 p.m. in the Physical Education Center on the Middletown campus.

Yaa Yaa Whaley-Williams, a New York City native and visionary curator of Sadie’s Mobile Bookseum, the first Black-owned bookstore in Middletown, will serve as keynote speaker for the awards ceremony. With more than 20 years of experience in education and community leadership, she currently serves as a supervisor of instructional services with Ulster BOCES and this past Summer was appointed by Governor Kathy Hochul to the SUNY Orange Board of Trustees.

The college’s Sojourner Truth Awards recognize students nominated by school guidance counselors and principals for excellence in areas such as athletics, citizenship, creative arts, diversity, English language arts, foreign languages, perseverance, science, and technology. The program aims to promote education positively and inspire students to view college as a realistic and attainable goal.

Sojourner Truth, the namesake of this program, was a renowned figure of the 19th century who lived in the mid-Hudson Valley after escaping slavery. Born Isabella Baumfree around 1797 in Hurley, N.Y., she was sold four times before gaining her freedom in 1828. A native Dutch speaker, Isabella never learned to read or write. In 1843, she adopted the name Sojourner Truth, reflecting her mission to travel and speak out about sin and truth. Known for her powerful speeches, she remains one of the most influential women of her time.

2026 Sojourner Truth Award winners include the following students from Orange County.

Chester Union Free School District

Chester Academy High School: Dior Bailey, Perseverance/Effort; Danielle Boadu, Perseverance/Effort; Jefferson Chacon Jimenez, Perseverance/Effort; Vivian Corey, Perseverance/Effort; Savannah Curtis, Perseverance/Effort; Elizabeth Garcia, English Language Arts; Lauren Higgins, Citizenship; Daniel Lai, Citizenship; Patrick Lai, Perseverance/Effort; Braelyn Melay, Athletics; Jordan Nwachi, Perseverance/Effort; Tatiana Rojas-Brown, Citizenship; Jeremy Sanchez, Perseverance/Effort; Joseph Vega, Foreign Languages; Karla Veltri, Citizenship

Chester Academy Middle School: Iyla Amil, Citizenship; Raishaly Calderon, Athletics; Max Durant, Sciences; Chloe Gossai, Sciences; Miles Ibocko, English Language Arts; Alan Lin, Perseverance/Effort; Adair Navarrete Hernandez, English Language Arts; Caleb Zulme, Foreign Languages

Florida Union Free School District

S.S. Seward Institute: Caleb Botex, Citizenship; Miley Cabanas Torreblanca, Perseverance/Effort; Joseph DeLarm, Sciences; Beverlie Fevrier, Perseverance/Effort; Daniel Fuentes, Athletics; Kimberly Gonzalez Barragan, English Language Arts; Autumn Montanez, Citizenship; Connor Moroney, Foreign Languages; Nicholas River, Perseverance/Effort; Mirna Torres, Perseverance/Effort; David Torres Valiente, Mathematics; Kayla Valenti, Athletics; Lupita Velazquez Trinidad, Perseverance/Effort; Jamel Wilkins, Perseverance/Effort; Felix You, Mathematics; Carla Zuluaga, Creative Arts

Goshen Central School District

Goshen High School: Anna Mayo, Athletics; George Reardon, Perseverance/Effort; Max Reichert, Perseverance/Effort; Alexa Rosario, Perseverance/Effort; Zaden Thomas, Perseverance/Effort; Aarush Vohra, Perseverance/Effort; Isabella Williams, Athletics

C.J. Hooker Middle School: Ivanna Aldana, Sciences; Celia Arteaga, Creative Arts; Dilynn Austin, Mathematics; Mamadou Balde, Perseverance/Effort; Eliana Charles, Perseverance/Effort; Aubrey Cirigliano, Creative Arts; Sabrina Dasilva, Citizenship; Isabella Fierro Costa, Perseverance/Effort; Araoluwapo Folami, Citizenship; Madelyn Hoffman, Mathematics; Logan Mallay, Citizenship; Andrew Marcelin, Citizenship; Maci Marszewski, Creative Arts; Citlaly Martinez, Perseverance/Effort; Christopher Ohiarah, Citizenship; Alejandro Perez Aguilar, Perseverance/Effort; Isabel Pierre-Paul, Citizenship; Amare Robinson, Citizenship; Angelica Sanchez Daza, Citizenship; Rose Santana, Citizenship; Eshika Thapar, English Language Arts; Mia Joy Watson, Citizenship

Greenwood Lake Union Free School District

Greenwood Lake Middle School: Saoirse Barry, Perseverance/Effort; Isabelle Congdon, Citizenship; Maria Espinoza Vidal, Diversity; Pierre Gallette, Athletics; William Hernandez, Citizenship; Hannah Randolph, Athletics; Garlyn Satorre, Perseverance/Effort

Monroe-Woodbury Central School District

Monroe-Woodbury High School: Pedro Bautista Martinez, English Language Arts; Samantha Berrio, Citizenship; Jada Blue, English Language Arts; Natalee Cabrera, English Language Arts; Kimberly Carino Lopez, English Language Arts; Lorenz Castillo, English Language Arts; Benicio Garcia, Diversity; Natalie Gomez, Perseverance/Effort; Daniela Gomez Gomez, English Language Arts; Cynthia Gutierrez, Perseverance/Effort; Daryius Harville, Perseverance/Effort; Miguel Hernandez Sorto, Perseverance/Effort; Tyler Rice, English Language Arts; Manuel Torres, Perseverance/Effort; Garth Walcott Jr., English Language Arts; Leah Wood, Perseverance/Effort

Monroe-Woodbury Middle School: Nyia Amegavi, Citizenship; Adlyn Antony, Perseverance/Effort; Urooj Anwar, Perseverance/Effort; Joseph Batista, Sciences; Raymond Betances, Athletics; Abihider Charles, Perseverance/Effort/Citizenship; Anissa Clay, Perseverance/Effort; Kaylee Cruz, Perseverance/Effort; Daniel-Marc Davis, Perseverance/Effort; Eztli Escamilla, Perseverance/Effort; Savannah Espina, Mathematics; Luis Flores Diaz, Perseverance/Effort; Eva Garcia, Perseverance/Effort; Paris Yves Gillum, Perseverance/Effort; Beyllin Gonzalez Sanchez, Perseverance/Effort; Grecia Guerrero Ramirez, Perseverance/Effort; Yefri Gutierrez Perez, Perseverance/Effort; Rory James, Perseverance/Effort; Anna Kim, Perseverance/Effort; Brianna Loja Peralta, Citizenship; Teona Loria, Perseverance/Effort; Josian Maldonado Nolasco, Perseverance/Effort; Danna Marcela Diaz, Perseverance/Effort; Jayden Marquez, Perseverance/Effort; Heilyn Mendoza Martinez, Perseverance/Effort; Zoe Morrison, Perseverance/Effort; Emely Negrate Hernandez, Sciences; Gabriella Osorio, English Language Arts; Miguel Rodriguez Leon, Perseverance/Effort; Maiesha Saara, Mathematics; Marjorie Sanchez Cachipud, Perseverance/Effort; Francko Ternise, Perseverance/Effort; Brandon Toxqui-Lopez, English Language Arts; Thelma Vasconez Pro, Perseverance/Effort; Yulisa Vasquez Martinez, Perseverance/Effort; Jeremiah Velez, English Language Arts; Allison Villalta Riera, Perseverance/Effort; Tianna Wright, English Language Arts; Melanie Yunga Currillo, Citizenship

Orange-Ulster BOCES: Riley Aquino, Sciences; Diana Bazan, Sciences; Lilianna Bernard, Sciences; Olivia Bohr, Sciences; Julianna Bonito, Sciences; Matthew Brazee, Athletics; Daniel Cibirka, Sciences; Grace Coleman, Sciences; Hailei Conklin, Mathematics; Vramel Currie, Perseverance/Effort; Gabriella DeJesus, Sciences; Natalia Doekhi, Sciences; Collin Fahey, Perseverance/Effort; Dayanara Garcia, Creative Arts; Hazel Gutierrez, Sciences; Alyssa Hendershot, Sciences; Summer Jacobs, Athletics; Dylan Kehoe Clark, Perseverance/Effort; Charlotte Langlitz, Creative Arts; Julio Lema, Sciences; Justin Minga Bermeo, Sciences; Leo Nieto Romero, Perseverance/Effort; Dana Olmos, Sciences; Ashley Ortiz-Soler, Sciences; Emily Perricelli, Perseverance/Effort; Sofia Ricca, Sciences; Corbin Riley, Mathematics; Olivia Sanford, Mathematics; Livijana Thompson, Mathematics; Frania Ursellys, Sciences; Charlotte Welsh, Sciences

Port Jervis City School District

Port Jervis High School: Marquese Bogle, Foreign Languages; Benson Cilius, Athletics/Creative Arts; Matteo Colon, Mathematics; Samantha Cross, Mathematics; Victoria Cross, Foreign Languages; Lucus Elias, Perseverance/Effort; Nathan Garnere, Perseverance/Effort; Isabelle Gomez, Creative Arts; Shawn Jiang, English Language Arts; Alphonso Jones, Athletics; Shanade Leak, Citizenship; Jamel Little, English Language Arts; Briale Smith, English Language Arts; Angelo Sommervold Cerezo, Perseverance/Effort; Anna Velichko, English Language Arts; Jelani Watley, Technology; Anahlie Woods, Mathematics/Perseverance/Effort; Antonii Yasinovskyy, Perseverance/Effort; Shumaila Zainab, Perseverance/Effort

Port Jervis Middle School: Abigail Arausa, Citizenship; Angel Ayensu, Sciences; Gabriel Babalola, Diversity; Luke Christensen, Mathematics; Savannah Dolshun, Sciences; Vania Jaime Figueroa, Perseverance/Effort; Isabella Jiang, English Language Arts; Makhi Johnson, Athletics; Jordyn King, Athletics; Amareese Lee, Perseverance/Effort; Gabriel Natale, Athletics; Lonee Oliver Jr., Perseverance/Effort; Jens Perez Quinonez, Mathematics; Elissa Pichardo, Sciences; Solomiia Polishchuk, Mathematics; Nathaniel Sanchez, Sciences; Bryn Santiago, Sciences; Leena Shihada, Perseverance/Effort; Olivia Tejada, Athletics; Jefferson Umana-Moran, Mathematics

Warwick Valley Central School District

Warwick Valley High School: Lakisha Attoradonoo, Creative Arts; Samara Beauregard, Athletics; Christine Chen, Foreign Languages; Kayli Decker, Foreign Languages; Abigail Glemaud, Creative Arts; Kylie Hollifield, Mathematics; Alana Jarrous, Creative Arts; Tianhao Lin, Foreign Languages; Ann Moroney, Foreign Languages; William Moroney, Foreign Languages; Willow Reid, Perseverance/Effort; Ray Robles, Creative Arts; Kasen Roecker, Foreign Languages; Delilah Soto, Citizenship; Aidan Stubbs, Perseverance/Effort; Dahlia White, Creative Arts

Warwick Valley Middle School: Ulyssess Michelson, Foreign Languages; Luca Pang, Foreign Languages