By Adam Shiff ’24

By Sara Pearl Adler ’24

Pine Crest Upper School proudly welcomed U.S. Marine Corps Combat Engineer Officer Hannah Montague ’13 as the guest speaker on Veterans Day.

Hannah is a lifer, having spent 14 years at Pine Crest after joining the community as a pre-kindergarten student. As an Upper School student, she was an athlete competing on the cross country and track teams and was a member of the three-year science research program. She was also heavily involved in community service work, earning her an Honorable Mention in the Miami Herald Silver Knight Awards in 2013. After graduation, she matriculated at Wake Forest University, declaring a major in biology and a minor in Russian language.

A singer, song-writer, piano and guitar player, Jeremy Berkun ’22 says he was always drawn to music. As he approaches college in the fall, music has become more than a hobby. His passion to create and perform have served as a conduit for connecting with others.

It is no exaggeration to say that Shaurnav Ghosh ’22 is a global citizen. 

When you think of the type of student to graduate from Pine Crest School, the word “dynamic” comes to mind. A Pine Crest student is well-rounded, enthusiastic about learning, and a true scholar. As a yearbook editor, musician, athlete, and polyglot, Emma Gómez ’22 is someone who embodies all of those qualities, and more.

A student at Pine Crest School since first grade, Ella Taub ’22 follows in the footsteps of her father and fellow Pine Crest alumnus David Taub ’91.

When Jonathan Williams ’21 first arrived on Pine Crest’s Fort Lauderdale campus in the ninth grade, his classmates and teachers quickly realized that they had a superstar among them. 

A dual sport student-athlete, Jonathan Valdes ’21 used his final year as a Pine Crest Upper School student to move into leadership positions. 

A musician since the fourth grade, Connor Norris ’21 says his love for music started with his dad.

Daniela “Dani” Tejada ’21 has been an engaged leader in the Pine Crest community since starting on the Fort Lauderdale campus in seventh grade. 

A dancer since the age of three, Sabrina Kreiss ’21 has taken advantage of every dance opportunity available at Pine Crest.

Rhea Jain ’20 has made a name for herself in Boca Raton as an entrepreneur and founder of Renoosh, a high-end clothing line for petite women. Rhea launched her business when she was a freshman in Upper School.

Clayton Finney ’20 is a recognized scholar-athlete. Having recently been awarded the Brian Piccolo Award, the three-sport athlete is a known leader among his teachers, coaches, and peers. 

Liza Goldstone ’20 has been an engaged member of the Crown Joules robotics team throughout her Upper School career. However, until eighth grade, she had not envisioned pursuing a future in robotics and engineering.

Sumeet Gulati ’19 is known on campus for his energetic Bhangra dance performances with the Indian Heritage Club.

Clara Nguyen ’19 remembers the quote she recited in her eighth grade graduation speech:

Pine Crest School students are known for their intellect, curiosity, and talents, with recent graduating classes including pilots, filmmakers, entrepreneurs, researchers, animal rescue advocates, and more. One Class of 2019 alumna, Britta Strain, adds amateur rodeo champion, professional roper, and future equine radiologist to the long list of students’ diverse interests.

Cheryl Doolittle has been a treasured member of the Pine Crest School community since 1986.