This year’s team will be honored during an on-ice ceremony at the 2007 State Farm U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Spokane, Wash. The ceremony will take place on Saturday, Jan. 27. The program was created by U.S. Figure Skating to recognize high school athletes who excel in the classroom and on the ice.

The award is available to U.S. Figure Skating members of all disciplines who are juniors or seniors in an accredited high school. They must be full-time students with a GPA of 3.4 or higher and have competed at the novice, junior or senior level within the past two years. Candidates submit an application and an essay, which are reviewed by a panel that selects the team.

This marks the third year of State Farm’s involvement with the program, which was started in 1997. In conjunction with U.S. Figure Skating, State Farm provides $25,000 in scholarships to team members, as well as team jackets. State Farm has a long history of supporting education and is proud to be the sponsor of this award. 

“Being named to the State Farm/U.S. Figure Skating Scholastic Honors Team is a tremendous accomplishment,” State Farm Vice President of Public Affairs Mike Fernandez said. “State Farm is honored to sponsor and recognize these student-athletes for their academic excellence and athletic achievements. As recipients of this scholarship, these student-athletes have shown the commitment, dedication and discipline needed to succeed not only as a student-athlete but in future endeavors as well.”

This year’s team members are:

Jennifer Barnes – Barnes, captain of the Team Braemar junior synchronized skating team, is a versatile student-athlete. She is a National Merit commended scholar, the design editor of her high school yearbook and the captain of her junior varsity lacrosse team. She is also an active volunteer at her church. With Team Braemar, Barnes competed at the 2006 World Junior Qualifying Competition, where her team placed fifth, and the 2006 Midwestern Sectional Championships, where it placed first.    

Kara DeFreitas is ranked in the top 10 of her class and is a straight-A student at Chelmsford High School in North Chelmsford, Mass., from which she will graduate in 2007. On the ice, her team, The Colonials Junior Synchronized Skating Team, placed first in the junior level at the 2005 Eastern Sectional Championships. In 2006, she and her team were second in the short program at the World Junior qualifier. DeFreitas is a member of the National Honor Society and French Honor Society. She is a Basic Skills coach and has been the captain of The Colonials.

Kylie Gleason is a standout skater, finishing sixth in the junior division at the 2005 Eastern Sectional. She is a straight-A student at the Noble and Greenough School in Dedham, Mass., and will graduate in 2008. At school, she is a cofounder of the “Tree Talk” newsletter, a Helping Hand elected representative and a ninth grade mentor. Gleason also went on a 20-day service trip to Romania to work in an orphanage and hospital.

Emily Hughes is an Olympic and World Team skater, who also excels in the classroom at Great Neck North High School. A 2006 Presidential Scholar, Hughes has been given the Certificate of Outstanding Achievement from Great Neck public schools. In between the classroom and the ice rink, she has worked with many charities, including Victims of Hurricane Katrina, the National Center for Disability Services, UNICEF and Skate for Hope. The day of April 5, 2006, was named Emily Hughes Day in her hometown of Great Neck, N.Y.

Princeton Kwong is a repeat honoree of the Scholastic Honors Team. He again demonstrated excellence on the ice and in his studies at Henry M. Gunn High School in Palo Alto, Calif. Kwong placed seventh in the junior division at the 2006 State Farm U.S. Championships. Academically, he is in the top 10 percent of his class and will graduate in 2007. Kwong excels musically and is a standout flute player. He is a Christian Club leader at his high school, as well as the Praise Worship leader at Tri-City Chinese Baptist Church.

Emily Samuelson is a straight-A student at Novi High School in Novi, Mich., and will graduate in 2008. Samuelson is also one of U.S. Figure Skating’s rising stars in ice dancing. With partner Evan Bates, she placed second in the junior level at the 2006 State Farm U.S. Championships. Outside the classroom and rink, Samuelson is a Sunday school teacher and treasurer of Interact Club. She is involved in the high school volunteer program. Working with Teens Aiding the Cancer Community, Samuelson has volunteered at different fundraisers to help children with cancer.

Katy Taylor is the 2006 Four Continents champion and placed fourth at the 2006 State Farm U.S. Championships. The Houston-area skater will graduate in 2008 from Mayde Creek High School. Taylor has earned a place in the National Honor Society and won the Presidential Award for Academic Excellence. She has been on student council and has helped with the Hurricane Katrina relief effort. Taylor helped clean up a nearby beach and lent her talents to a breast cancer benefit as well as a tsunami relief effort.

Taylor Toth returns to the State Farm Scholastic Honors Team. He will graduate in 2007 from Kittanning Senior High School. He has enjoyed success as a pairs and singles skater. Toth placed fourth and fifth at two Junior Grand Prix events in 2005 and was 10th in singles at the 2006 Eastern Sectional. Toth’s many academic achievements include winning first place for computer design at the State of Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science competition. He’s been a distinguished honor student throughout his academic career. He has volunteered at animal shelters and at his church. One of his accomplishments outside the classroom was creating and directing the “It’s GR8 to SK8” program for the mentally challenged students in his school district.

Q. Kelvin Vu is a straight-A student who placed sixth at the 2006 Eastern Sectional in the novice class. Set to graduate from high school in 2007 from Algonquin Regional High School, Vu has earned numerous school honors and awards. He was a National Merit qualifier (semifinalist) and was on the Principal’s List during each year of high school. His leadership experience includes serving as chairman of the New England FSC Skater Representative Committee and being the president and founder of the KidCare organization. Vu is also a Basic Skills coach and judge.

Stephanie Zastrow returns to the State Farm Scholastic Honors Team. She is a straight-A student and finished 11th at the 2006 Midwestern Sectional. Zastrow will graduate in 2007 from Forest Lake Senior High School. A National Honor Society member, she is an accomplished student in many areas, including math and science. She was a 2006 U.S. National Chemistry Olympiad competitor and earned the 2006 Society of Women Engineers Certificate of Merit for Outstanding Achievement in Science and Mathematics. She has served as an English tutor for junior high students and has been an off-ice stretch class instructor. Zastrow organized a fundraiser to purchase electronic equipment for the St. Paul FSC as well as a blanket drive for the Ramsey County Nursing Home.