Goleman Jewels win national contest in Orlando

Education By Linda Trischitta, Editor Thursday, April 20, 2023

     The Jewels Dance Team at Barbara Goleman Senior High School are national champions after competing in the NDA High School Nationals in Orlando March 3 - 5. 

     The team last won the national championship in 2011, when Coach Cianella Crystal was a senior at the school and captain of the team. The Jewels’ other coach is Yessenia Monegro. 

     They scored in three routines: Medium Varsity Jazz, deemed 1st in the Nation; Medium Varsity Hip-Hop which took 5th place and Junior Varsity Jazz, 3rd in the Nation.  

     Photos provided by the school. 

First Photo:  Medium Varsity Jazz National Champions, shown from left, top row: Carolina Montejo; Bryanni 

Escanio; Grace Baez; Isabella Novas and Melanie Ramirez. Middle row: Coach Yessenia Monegro; 

Gabriella Garcia; Kaitlynn Ferrera; Gabriella Escanio; Emily Solomon; Gabriella Vergara and Coach Cianella Crystal. Bottom row: Alexandra Fong; Lauren Costa; Emily Flores and Alyssa Denis.

Second Photo:   Medium Varsity Hip-Hop, 5th in the Nation, shown from left, 

top row: Alyssa Denis; Valeria Franco; Choreographer Jaliyah 

Kersten; Kaitlyn Luis and Miley Ruiz. Middle row: Jasmine Slocum; Alyssa Ocana; Lilian Valdivia; Amanda Davila and Kaylin Brito. 

Bottom row: Carolina Montejo; Alexandra Fong; Lauren Costa; Emily Flores and Gabriella Vergara.

Third Photo:  Junior Varsity Jazz, 3rd in Nation, top row from left: Jailee Hernandez; 

Jasmine Slocum; Valeria Franco; Lilian Valdivia and Kaylin Brito. Bottom row: Samantha Cardoza; Amanda Davila; Hailey Menendez; Kaitlyn Vilches and Isabella Mourin.