Whenever Veronica Hyatt, Melioria Hatcher and Brieara Warren are allowed to step foot on campus, after the COVID-19 pandemic, the trio will be ready to hit the ground running. The three headline the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind’s 2020 graduating class. Warren, is the valedictorian of the Deaf Department. Hyatt and Hatcher are the co-valedictorians of the Blind High School.
Hatcher and Hyatt are not just scholars but champions. Both helped the Cobras win the U.S. Association of Blind Athletes National Goalball title in 2019. Hyatt helped FSDB clinch its fifth straight national title with a team-high 30 goals during the eight-match tournament last November.
Hyatt hails from Fruitland Park, in Lake County. Along with being a Goalball All-American she graduates with a 4.38 grade point average and 22 college credits. Despite earning varsity letters in cross country, soccer, cheerleading and goalball, while being a member of multiple clubs, Hyatt said her proudest moment at FSDB was being nominated for St. Johns County’s David Macaulay Mathis Student-Athlete “Pursuing Victory with Honor” award.
Her goalball teammate, Hatcher, is a Jacksonville resident who will graduate with a 4.20 grade point average and 21 college credits. Hatcher also served as homecoming princess and active in a handful of service organizations. She plans to enroll at the University of Florida to study mathematics.
Warren was not on the goalball team, but the Deaf High School valedictorian captained the Dragons’ volleyball team last fall. The Crescent City resident graduates high school with a 4.33 grade point average.
The three-year class president was named a Sunshine State Scholar during the 2018-19 academic year. In addition to earning her diploma, she earned her Associate of Arts degree from St. Johns River State College.
About FSDB
The Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind is a tuition-free state public school and outreach center available to eligible Pre-K and K-12 students who are deaf/hard of hearing, blind/visually impaired, or deafblind. At FSDB, students learn how to do more, be more, and achieve more, fulfilling our vision of preparing them for a lifetime of success. FSDB gratefully accepts private donations to support vital programs that directly benefit students and are not paid by state general revenue funds. For a campus tour or to inquire about eligibility for enrollment, contact FSDB Parent Services at 904-827-2212 voice or 904-201-4527 videophone. For more information, visit www.fsdbk12.org