By Judy Weeks

NAPLES — Three young members of the Naples community advanced their educational careers when they completed the curriculum for the eighth grade and graduated from middle school on May 31.

The Community School of Naples (CSN) is a private school with high academic standards that challenge their students to be the best they can be. Their philosophy is turning out some excellent results, and all three young scholars will be returning as high school freshmen in August.

Joelli Von Frank, Victoria Celine Osceola and Corinne Elizabeth Zepeda marched into the Field House auditorium to the traditional Pomp and Circumstance along with 69 other eighth grade students before a full-capacity audience comprised of their families.

During opening ceremonies, Corrine Zepeda sang a musical solo, Breakaway. She is the daughter of Naples Liaison Brian Zepeda and his wife, Laurel. Extremely talented, she has been performing in front of audiences for several years and is at home on the stage.

CSN is a strong supporter of the performing arts as well as artistic excellence and scholastic achievement. Following the presentation of numerous

awards in all of these categories, certificates of completion were distributed to the graduates.
In closing, Victoria “Tori” Osceola sang One Moment in Time for the presentation of the Class of 2012. The daughter of O.B. Osceola Jr. and Nicole Vasquez, Tori has an impressive musical background and is a Seminole Star Search winner.

This was Joelli Frank’s first year at CSN, and she is looking forward to her freshman year in high school. The daughter of Joel Frank II and his wife, Barbara, she finds the school’s curriculum to be quite challenging.

She said, “I haven’t really settled on a career yet, but art is my passion and I am hoping to take it to another level. However, I am certain of one thing: college is in my future, and I encourage all students in the Seminole Tribe to seek higher education.”

Music isn’t Corrine Zepeda’s only interest. She was in the top 10 percent of her art class and is planning an education that will give her entry into the field of sports medicine. A sports enthusiast, she earned a varsity letter in lacrosse, played junior varsity basketball in eighth grade and has been accepted on the varsity team and as a cheerleader for her freshman year.

Tori Osceola has been taking classes in singing, modeling and stage presence since an early age. She loves drama class and derived a great deal of benefit from her Seminole Star Search experience. In addition to singing, she takes guitar lessons and is a high honor roll student at CSN.

“I know that my college education will depend a lot upon how I prepare now,” Tori said. “It’s a full-time job concentrating on my grades. I am enrolled in the Seminole Media Productions Workshop this summer and am really looking forward to it.”