Shelby D. Bentley

'22 Clemson University honor College
Gilbert High School & River Bluff Visual Arts Center, SC

Volleyball

Shelby was the first gifted out-of-state student-athlete AAO Scholarship Winner. She was Salutatorian of her senior class at Gilbert High School and Captain of the Volleyball team her junior and senior year.

Of the 3 years she played on varsity, the team went deep into Region playoffs. She won individual all-tournament and all-regional 1st team honors numerous times. After qualifying, Shelby commuted each morning her senior year to River Bluff Visual Arts Center to attend their advanced select program. She will be attending Clemson University this fall and continuing her studies in video production and direction. In addition to the Robin Nable Wagman “Against All Odds” Scholarship, she became a Palmetto Fellows Scholar and received the Clemson Palmetto Pact Scholarship and the Center for Media Arts, Design and Production ”Student of the Year” Scholarship.

Misael Ortiz

'22 Rice University
Haines City High School

International baccalaureate

Track & XC

Misael comes from an immigrant family and experienced many financial hardships while rising out of poverty. His goal was to excel academically and in sports. He qualified and enrolled in the HCHS International Baccalaureate (IB) program and joined the track and XC teams. His performance in both arenas has been outstanding for 4 years. He graduated with a 4.6 GPA from the IB School and set many personal track and XC records and is attending Rice University in Fall 2017.

Anna R. Reich

Volleyball & Weightlifting

Florida Gulf Coast University '21

Lake Region High School '18

2018 AAO Scholarship Winner

While competing in athletics, Anna has experienced life threatening anaphylactic allergic reaction to peanuts and peanut based products. Therefore, it was necessary for immediate medical treatment and/or remedies be available at all times while competing. Her fears of shock and possible death have made her life extremely difficult and very worrisome. Anna was awarded an academic scholarship to attend Florida Gulf Coast University, and graduated a year early with a 3.745 GPA and Cum Laude honors in May 2021 (See COVID-19) to become the AAO Scholarship Foundation’s eighth Hall of Fame winner. Congratulations Anna! She has received and accepted a job offer to work after graduation as Director of Operation, at AngeLink, Inc. a startup fintech female-centric platform in Naples, FL. At AngeLink, she oversees all operations such as: app and web development including UX/UI, user acceptance testing and quality assurance, digital marketing (social media, blogs, emails), ambassador program, employee hiring and management, demos and PR, risk compliance and antifraud policies. Good luck, Anna!

Xiomara Mercedes Talavera

University of South Florida  '20

Haines City High School

Volleyball

2017 AAO Schololarship Winner

Xiomara had to overcome family hardships she witnessed, including parental difficulty. These family issues resulted in she and her mother moving and living in many locations for a few years. Through the domestic turmoil and housing changes, she stayed very close to her mother. She continued to draw from those difficult times to excel at Haines City High School and University of South Florida. Xiomara graduated in the Fall of 2020 with a 3.68 GPA and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Women’s and Gender Studies on a Pre-Physician Assistant track. She intends to go to nursing school within the next year or two and later go on to become a Advanced Practice Provider like an APRN or PA. Xiomara currently works full time as a Patient Access Representative at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa FL. Good luck, Xiomara.

Mathew T. Cranston

STETSON UNIVERSITY

VARSITY MENS CREW (4 YEARS)

RIDGE COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOL

SOCCER, TRACK & FIELD, XC, FOOTBALL

2016 SCHOLARSHIP WINNER

Matt represents the principles of the AAO Scholarship Foundation by his academic and athletic accomplishments. His ambition to attend a private small college with difficult admission requirements is commendable. Matt experienced many adversities as a minority while attending public schools. He is the son of Bobby Cranston, a former coach from HCHS that also worked with Coach Robin Wagman for many years coaching the track and field team. Matt was awarded an academic scholarship to the Stetson University and graduated with a 3.636 GPA and Cum Laude honors May 2020 (See COVID-19) to become the AAO Scholarship Foundation’s sixth Hall Of Fame winner. Congratulations Matt! He also tried out as a novice for Stetson‘s Mens Crew and rowed in all competitions for 4 years. During his senior year, his team was ranked 18th nationally. Matt personally won the Founding Crew ‘89 Award which exemplifies competitiveness and dedication his senior year. His work study program was with Stetson Wellness and Recreation where he received the Heart of Service Award and he was also a member of the Stetson Athletics Leadership Academy. Matt plans to attend graduate school to earn a Doctors in Physical Therapy. Good luck, Matt!

Robin Nable Wagman Against All Odds Scholarship Foundation, INC.

Hall of Fame

Tiffany P. Cranston

STETSON UNIVERSITY

RIDGE COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOL

XC, WEIGHTLIFTING

2017 SCHOLARSHIP WINNER

Tiffany’s adversity began as a 5-year-old child at John Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg. Here she survived pneumonia and empyema, which caused a 105 degree temperature, a collapsed left lung, and multiple emergency surgeries to correct her life-threatening diagnosis. After one month in the hospital and a long rehabilitation, she returned to school a very weak child and 20 pounds lighter. She is the daughter of Bobby Cranston, a former coach from HCHS that also worked with Coach Robin Wagman for many years coaching the track and field team. During her later years at RCHS she overcame continuing respiratory issues, and reflected on her past medical experience to enable her to succeed academically and athletically. She graduated as her class's salutatorian with a 4.5 GPA, and competed in three regional XC meets and two regional weightlifting meets throughout her high school career. She attended FSU during her freshman year in college, and transferred to Stetson University to begin her sophomore year. Tiffany was awarded an academic scholarship to attend Stetson University, and graduated a year early with a 3.745 GPA and Magna Cum Laude honors in May 2020 (See COVID-19) to become the AAO Scholarship Foundation’s seventh Hall of Fame winner. Congratulations Tiffany! She has received and accepted a job offer to work after graduation in the finance industry. Good luck, Tiffany!

2018

Robin Nable Wagman Against All Odds Scholarship Foundation, INC.

Hall of Fame

Rebecca Wilson

Rollins College ‘18

Haines City International Baccalaureate School-East

Volleyball

Rebecca's mother was diagnosed with cancer while she was in middle school. This was very traumatic for her and the family, since her father lost his job about the same time. Her mother is now a seven-year survivor and her father has been back working full-time for 3 years . After playing volleyball for Coach Robin Wagman as a freshman at Haines City High School, she had to play for three different high school varsity coaches after Coach Wagman lost her five-year battle with cancer on February 27, 2011. Rebecca fought through these personal adversities, graduated fourth in her IB School-East class and received a student-athlete scholarship from Rollins College for the Fall 2014. Rebecca graduated with Magna Cum Laude honors and was the Class of 2018 Valedictorian.

She also became the forth AAO Scholarship Foundation HOF winner. Keeping things in perspective has never been a problem for her. “My family’s struggles have been a constant motivator for me, on and off the court,” says Wilson, an economics major and libero on the volleyball team. “I know how important this is for my future. It was a motivator for me to be successful in school.”

On Mother’s Day, Wilson followed in the footsteps of her sister, Jessica Wilson ’15—also a volleyball player who majored in economics—by graduating as valedictorian. Their mom, cancer-free for six years, joked that she doesn’t know how lightning struck twice.

A native of nearby Winter Haven, Wilson chose Rollins because she wanted her “favorite people” (parents Robert and Julie) to be able to attend her games.

She also wanted a college that struck the right balance between academics and athletics—and it didn’t hurt that, for one year, she’d get to play on the same team as Jessica.

While at Rollins, Wilson served on the Student Athlete Advisory Committee, racked up several defensive accolades on the court, and held a marketing internship at the Orlando City Soccer Club. After taking a break this summer to travel domestically and abroad, she’s aiming to begin a marketing career in the financial services industry.

Destynee K. Arnold PharmD

University of South Florida '21

Southeastern University '17

Congratulations, Destynee! Our 3rd AAO Schololarship Foundation Hall Of Fame Award winner in 2017 from Southeastern University ’17 and Winter Haven High School ‘12 And our FIRST doctorate degree for an AAO Schololarship recipient! Star red-shirt 5th year basketball player on academic and athletic scholarships at Southeastern University in Lakeland FL! Volunteer worker during AAO golf fundraising events. Destynee will continue working at Publix in a management position with the Pharmacy Department at Lakeland FL headquarters. Good luck, Destynee!

Destynee Arnold was a admirable student-athlete AAO Scholarship winner in June of 2012 after graduating from Winter Haven High School. She had a brilliant GPA over the 4 years of high school while trying to overcome a season ending knee injury during the basketball playoffs. Through it all, she succeeded in a masterful way to continue to lead the Winter Haven High School women’s team to a remarkable year of play. Upon becoming an AAO Hall of Fame Winner, Destynee graduated from Southeastern University in Lakeland, FL in April 2017 with a Bachelor’s degree in Biology. She qualified for the Dean’s List at SEU by graduating with a 3.5 GPA, while balancing academics along with participating on the Varsity basketball team. She is currently enrolled in the doctorate program at the University of South Florida College of Pharmacy as she pursues her dream of becoming a pharmacist. At USF, she is a member of the Kappa Epsilon Professional Pharmacy Fraternity as well as the Pediatric Pharmacy Advocacy Group, where she currently serves as the Treasurer. While in pharmacy school, Destynee is also an employee for Publix as a Pharmacy Intern.

2016

Brianna Whitman

Florida State University

2012 Scholarship Winner

George Jenkins High School

Synchronized Swimming

Florida State University

Brianna Whitman was a most commendable student-athlete AAO Scholarship winners in June of 2012 after graduating from George Jenkins High School-Lakeland. She created a very extraordinary GPA all 4 years and was inducted into the NHS. She sustained an almost season ending muscle tear injury that interrupted her competitive synchronized swimming schedule her senior season. After an extensive and difficult recuperation, she persevered and returned to competition to lead the team to many district medals.

Robin Nable Wagman Against All Odds Scholarship Foundation, INC.

Hall of Fame

Lauren L. Wagman 2015

University of Florida - 2015

AAO Scholarship Multi-Year Winner

(2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015)

International Baccalaureate School,

Haines City, Florida

Lauren Wagman was the second extremely admirable student-athlete AAO Scholarship winner in June of 2011 after graduating from International Baccalaureate Haines City East. She maintained a very high GPA of 3.68 all 4 years of IB School and started and starred on both the WSB and WVB teams for 4 and 2 years respectively and winning all-county recognition in both sports. All the while, she courageously supported her mother-teacher-coach in her 5-year battle to overcome cancer. She was also by her side every step of the way during her multiple chemotherapy and radiation treatments over those years. Lauren pledged Kappa Delta Sorority at the University of Florida her freshman year and graduated with a 3.23 GPA in 4 years in June 2015. The second semester of her Junior year, she studied abroad at the Florida State University campus in Florence, Italy. She and her classmates added many short travel trips to

Rome, Pisa, Sicily, Vienna, Barcelona and Dublin. After graduation, Lauren, substitute taught middle school in the Polk County School System for a year. She then joined Publix Super Markets, Inc. as a Regional Properity Manager of Real Estate and now lives in Dade City, FL with her husband, Bronson Quinn. The happy couple were married in Boca Grande, FL on Saturday, April 29, 2017.