William Wakefield ’25 has had a tremendous senior year at Pine Crest School. Coca-Cola Scholar, Regeneron Science Talent Search Scholar, National Merit Scholar and Silver Knight Recipient are just a few of the accolades he earned. William’s list of accomplishments reflects not only academic excellence but also heartfelt service.
“To me, these honors aren’t just about what’s visible,” he says. “They represent years of hard work, dedication and the support I’ve received along the way. It’s like the iceberg analogy—people see the tip, but everything beneath the surface is what made it possible.”
As a student in Pine Crest’s Science Research Program, William developed an artificial intelligence (AI) tool capable of diagnosing twelve types of neurodegenerative diseases through one brain scan—a project that not only earned him first place at the International Forum of Research Excellence, first place at the Florida Junior Science and Humanities Symposium and second place at the State Science Fair of Florida, just to name a few. He also earned the third place Grand Award at the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) in California last spring. This year, he returned to ISEF to compete again and won the second place Grand Award, showcasing a deep learning pipeline that visually shows clinical outcomes of patients similar to a given patient with a suggested diagnosis.
“I’ve always been fascinated by how the brain works,” he says. “Combining that interest with AI opened a door to something really meaningful. I couldn’t have done it without the guidance of my Pine Crest science research teachers, Ms. Gordinier and Dr. Ganden.”
William’s intellectual curiosity is matched by his musical dedication. A tenor saxophonist with more than a decade of music experience, he has served as President of the Pine Crest band and founded a student-led band mentoring program, where senior members mentor younger musicians. “It’s about more than playing music—it’s about building community,” he explains.
One of the involvements closest to William’s heart is “Memory Melodies,” an initiative that brings live music to local dementia and memory care centers in South Florida. Inspired by the loss of his grandfather to Alzheimer’s disease, William partnered with members of his band and the Upper School Dementia and Alzheimer’s Club to provide monthly musical performances, often featuring jazz and rock, which are genres he’s found resonate most with the residents. “We’re not curing anything,” he said. “But we’re helping to give these individuals a few moments of joy and to spark their memories through music. That’s powerful.”
In addition to his research and musical leadership, William has maintained a demanding academic schedule, taking nine classes per school day, including the Honors Jazz Ensemble and Honors Jazz Combo.
William credits Pine Crest for preparing him not only academically but also personally. “What I’ve gained here is a deep understanding of commitment and the importance of building meaningful relationships,” he says. “My teachers haven’t just taught me—they’ve mentored me. I’ve had the same teachers for multiple years, such as Mr. Perez in Computer Science and Dr. Waldrop in World Languages, and those long-term connections have made a big difference in my life. I’m so grateful to Pine Crest.”
In the fall, William will attend Yale University, where he plans to study cognitive science—a field that bridges his interests in neuroscience and AI. He also plans to continue performing music at Yale.
“I want to grow my horizons doing what I love and make a difference in the world, both in service and in science,” he says. “That’s what this next chapter is about.”
