Polk State Chain of Lakes’ top grads to stay in Central Florida
Polk State Chain of Lakes Collegiate High School’s top two graduates will remain in the broader Central Florida region but will head different directions on Interstate 4.
Valedictorian David Bonner will head west to the University of South Florida (USF). Bonner topped the class with a 4.741 grade-point average (GPA).
“To be valedictorian just means that all the hard work that I put in has paid off,” Bonner exclaimed. “I’m not better than anyone else and like so many in my class, I worked very hard. It’s exciting.”
Salutatorian Anna Nazario-Siqueira finished with a 4.675 GPA. She’s headed east to the University of Central Florida (UCF).
“It’s a big honor for me,” Nazario-Siqueira said of being named salutatorian. “I was a little surprised (to graduate so high in the class). My classmates are so intelligent.”
Career goals
At UCF, Nazario-Siqueira will pursue a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering. She hopes to eventually earn a master’s degree and work for either NASA or SpaceX.
“Ever since I was young, I have always found space to be fascinating,” Nazario-Siqueira explained. “I want to build rockets. I know it won’t be a boring career.”
As for Bonner, he plans on majoring in psychology at USF. Having already earned an Associate in Arts at Polk State, Bonner hopes to use the next two years to find a more specific discipline within the psychology field.
“I’ve always wanted to understand the ‘why’ behind people’s behaviors,” Bonner reflected. “That’s something I have always found fascinating.”
A place for excellence
Of the 123 graduates in Chain of Lakes’ 2026 class, Bonner and Nazario-Siqueira were among 106 – or 86% — to earn a college degree along with their diploma. While the top two graduates will leave with an Associate in Arts, one student earned a bachelor’s degree, and two others received an Associate in Science.
“I really enjoyed the smaller student body,” Bonner recalled. “It’s an environment that is conducive to learning. The staff was supportive. It was a great opportunity to network and work with people who have similar goals.”
Each of the top two graduates spent two years at Chain of Lakes. Bonner spent his first two high school years at Tenoroc High School. Nazario-Siqueira started at Central Florida Aerospace Academy.
“I really enjoyed the early college experience,” Nazario-Siqueira shared. “I liked the flexibility of making your own schedule. I feel more prepared to go off to a bigger university.”
Housed on the Winter Haven Campus, Chain of Lakes is one of three collegiate high schools. In most cases, graduates earn an Associate in Arts degree with a diploma and at no cost to them. Students at Polk State College’s collegiate high schools can participate in all College clubs and activities as well as activities at their zoned schools – like athletics.
During her time in high school, Nazario-Siqueira spent two years playing tennis and soccer for Kathleen High School in Lakeland where she was also a member of the marching band. She is also a member of the Haines City Tritons swimming club.
“You still have all the regular high school activities,” Nazario-Siqueira added. “It’s not easy to balance everything but it’s definitely worth it.”
At Chain of Lakes, Bonner was a member of National Honor Society and the Student Government Association, serving as treasurer this year. Outside of school, he volunteered with the Humane Society of Polk County and Heartland for Children’s Rudolph Round-Up, which provides Christmas gifts for children in the foster care system.
Support systems
While earning a college degree in high school is no small task, Bonner and Nazario-Siqueira each felt fortunate to have support at home and in school.
“The student government club advisor, (Paraeducator) Danielle Lauver, was there to help out when I needed anything,” Bonner noted. “(Teacher Resource Specialty Trainer) Austin Dollison always offered advice and was easy to talk to. As a Black man in a leadership position, he was a great role model for me.”
“My mother and father (Denise and Allan Nazario) were my biggest supporters,” Nazario-Siqueira added. “I also had great teachers along the way.”
Advice for collegiate high school students
Like the Polk State Lakeland Collegiate High School and Polk State Lakeland Gateway to College Collegiate High School, Chain of Lakes earned an A grade from the Florida Department of Education last academic year. It has received an A each year since 2015. In addition to more than 100 degrees, members of Chain of Lakes’ latest graduating class combined for nearly 20,000 hours of community service.
“Everyone there is very supportive,” Nazario-Siqueira concluded. “They always make sure you are on the right path. Since there are fewer people, you have more time and attention from your teachers. Everyone is very easy to talk to.”