Meet the Summer School Zone 2023 writers

Welcome to Summer School Zone 2023, where the Orange Observer writers take a break and allow select students to share their thoughts, ideas and opinions. This year, we have four high school students —Daniel Gonzalez, Gabriel Gonzalez, Ibrahim Marei and Lily Parker — and a college journalism student, Emily Rhodes, writing for us.

DANIEL GONZALEZ

Daniel Gonzalez, 16, will be a senior at Ocoee High School. He participates in yearbook, Student Government, National Honor Society, Science National Honor Society, cross country, track and field, and sports broadcasting.

His favorite subjects are journalism and history; his hobbies include running, photography and graphic design. His bucket list includes attending a Steve Lacy concert.

Daniel said he is interested in writing about residents’ opinions on certain laws, particularly as they pertain to LGBTQ+, and how they are affected by it.

He is excited to write for the newspaper this summer.

“I really want to develop my journalistic skills to the best (they) can be,” he said. “It will help me write better in yearbook club and, overall, for life.”

Daniel’s career goal is to become a journalist.

GABRIEL GONZALEZ

Gabriel Gonzalez is returning to the Observer for a second summer of writing. He is 16 and entering his senior year at Ocoee High School. He is active in several school organizations, including the yearbook club, and he serves as the student body president.

Gabriel’s favorite subjects in school are chemistry, student government and journalism. He enjoys discovering new places to eat and explore, and he likes to draw. On his bucket list is traveling back to Puerto Rico and New York.

This summer, Gabriel hopes to write stories that highlight the greatness of the West Orange County community.

“I want to show the community what the students of the area like me are experiencing and to tell my story,” he said.

He wants to pursue either chemistry or journalism in college.

IBRAHIM MAREI

Ibrahim Marei, 17, will be a senior at Windermere High School in the fall. His favorite subject is broadcast, and he participates in Windermere’s Muslim Association Club, broadcast program, Film Club and Middle Eastern North African Club.

He is passionate about sports-related photography and videography. His goal is to own a Fujifilm X-t3 mirrorless digital camera.

Ibrahim would like to write sports stories this summer with the Observer, he said, “because I feel like it is the perfect place for me to grow.”

He hopes to pursue a career in sports broadcasting.

LILY PARKER

Lily Parker, 13, returns to the Observer as a Summer School Zone writer for a third year. She is going into her freshman year at Windermere Preparatory School, and her favorite subject is English.

Lily participates in her school’s Newspaper Club, National Honor Society of Dance Arts and National Junior Honor Society. Her hobbies are reading, traveling and baking, and her bucket list includes a tour of Europe.

She is happy to again participate in the Summer School Zone program.

“I have been writing for it since I was in the sixth grade and have really enjoyed the experience of writing an article to be put in a newspaper,” she said.

This year, she wants to write about her adventures as a summer camp counselor at Sanibel Sea School.

After college, she hopes to pursue a career in journalism.

EMILY RHODES

Emily, 20, of Winter Garden, is a second-year journalism student at the University of Florida. She is on UF’s yearbook staff and is heavily involved with the CRU campus ministry. She played volleyball for many years prior to college, so she plays on an intramural team whenever she can.

Her hobbies include photography and reading; C.S. Lewis and Louisa May Alcott are two of her favorite authors. One of her bucket list items is to visit all 50 states at least once. So far, she has been to 20.

Emily’s favorite subject in school always has been English, so journalism was a natural course for her.

“I am eager to write about anything, but I’m most interested in writing about local events,” she said. “I love stories where people are at the center, and I find that for event stories, this is usually the case.”

She said she is excited to write for the Orange Observer so she can gain experience as a journalist and get feedback on her writing.

Emily wants to pursue a career in journalism.

“I am still not sure exactly which type of journalism I’d like to pursue, but as long as I’m writing, I’ll be fulfilled,” she said.