Jack Moore (left), Heating, Ventilating, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration (HVAC/R), Strongsville High School, and Nicole Giang (center), Engineering, Fairview High School, were named the Outstanding Senior Students of the Year for the Polaris Class of 2025. In addition, Aiden Miller (right), a Precision CNC Machining senior from North Olmsted High School, was named Student Employee of the Year. All have high aspirations and plan to make the most of their Polaris experience. As top Polaris honorees, they were each awarded a $1,000 scholarship from the Polaris Educational Foundation.
Congratulations to our award winners and best of luck!
Jack Moore
Heating, Ventilating, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration (HVAC/R)
Strongsville High School
Jack Moore has been a model Polaris student. He has maintained a 4.0 GPA in his program, was named an outstanding program student as a senior, served as a Polaris student ambassador, was a four-year recipient of the Strongsville Academic Award, received the Outstanding Attendance Award and was recognized as the Speech & Communication Outstanding Student. He honed his leadership and athletic skills as a four-year member of the Strongsville High School lacrosse team. He began applying his HVAC/R skills last summer as an intern at Total Line Refrigeration in Avon Lake. He now works at Conserv-Air in Cleveland continuing to apply his skills in the real world. Jack’s HVAC/R instructor, Rick Reitz, thinks highly of him. “There are a lot of outstanding students in the HVAC/R program this year, but Jack stands out for his love of learning and the high respect he shows to everyone.” Jack has a clear vision for his future. After graduation, he plans to continue working at Conserv-Air to expand his knowledge base and further explore the commercial side of the industry. His goal is to someday own and operate his own HVAC company.
Nicole Giang
Engineering
Fairview High School
Nicole Giang built an impeccable resume during her four years in the Polaris Engineering program at Fairview High School. She earned a 4.4 overall GPA, is a member of the National Honor Society (serving as president), the National Technical Honor Society and was recognized as the outstanding senior program student in Engineering. Throughout high school, she has been active in sports and other extracurricular activities – she ran track for two years, was a member of Key Club for four years (two as secretary), served on the yearbook staff for four years (one as president) and represented Fairview on the First Ring Student Leadership Institute. As a committed student volunteer, she has accumulated more than 120 hours of community service through the PTA, Key Club and NHS. Her hard work hasn’t gone unnoticed as she has been recognized with numerous awards including the Academic Athlete Award, ServeOhio Community Impact Award, National Community Service Merit Award, AP Scholar with Honor, AP Seminar and Research Certificate and the National First-Generation Recognition Program. Her Polaris Engineering instructor, Heather Delis, will miss her presence in the classroom. “Since her freshman year, Nicole has been a standout student in the Engineering program. Her work is meticulous and well thought out…she is well-rounded student, and her work will continue to be examples for future students. I don’t know what I will do without her next year!” This fall, Nicole will attend the University of Michigan where she plans to major in environmental engineering. Her ultimate career goal is to become a wastewater treatment engineer, allowing her to design innovative and sustainable systems that use microorganisms to break down and recycle waste.
Aiden Miller
Precision CNC Machining
North Olmsted High School
When a student is placed with a local company, the employer evaluates the student’s skills and provides feedback on their progress in the workplace. There is no better indicator of success than hearing from employers that Polaris students are meeting and exceeding their expectations. Based on positive employer feedback and overall performance in the workplace and in the classroom, Aiden Miller has been selected as the 2025 Polaris Student Employee of the Year. Aiden currently works as an intern for Brooklyn Machine, a position he started last summer. His Polaris instructor, Mr. Tony Sambunjak, links his success to his hard work and dedication, “When one thinks of work ethic, soft skills, communication and skills mastery one can look towards Aiden Miller as the definition of each. He has shown all of these qualities and more. I have no doubt this young adult will go far, and we will all be the better for it. This is a well-deserved acknowledgement for Aiden Miller, a Polaris All-Star Student!” Maureen Lehman, Polaris Director of Workforce Services adds, “To witness Aiden’s journey fills you with pride and excitement. When he started at Polaris, he was shy, quiet and timid. Once he was hired by Brooklyn Machine, his confidence soared and his skills as a machinist matched that of a seasoned veteran.” After graduating, Aiden plans to work in the field for a year to enhance his machining skills. Once he completes that gap year, he intends to enroll in college and major in mechanical engineering. His ultimate career goal is to become an engineer and own a machine shop.
Thirty-seven Polaris seniors enrolled in on-campus and satellite programs were also named outstanding students in their career-technical programs. This distinction is determined by academic achievement, citizenship, service and extracurricular activities. Click HERE to view all our program award winners.
Congratulations, Polaris Class of 2025! You’ll be missed!