Avery Santiago

Avery has been instrumental in assisting both in her classroom and in her brother’s class. Avery’s brother has autism and now requires a behavior therapist in his classroom. However, it is Avery who is relied upon to come to the aid of her brother when he is in distress. Avery uses her calm demeanor not only to assist her brother, but also to defuse confrontations in class. She is a leader and her peers look to her for guidance and assistance. Avery makes sure her brother is always ready for the day by preparing his lunch and snacks, walks him to breakfast, helps with homework, and makes sure he is comfortable. She has become like a second mother to him as their mother is struggling with lung and brain cancer. Despite the challenges, Avery excels academically and was placed into her school’s Gifted Program. Avery serves as a shining example of strength and embodies what it means to do the right thing both in and
out of class.