Dante Castle ’26 Awarded Hispanic Honor Society Scholarship

Congratulations to Dante Castle ’26, the recipient of the Joseph Adams Senior Scholarship, which was presented by the Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica (Hispanic Honor Society). Dante is a member of Steward’s Hispanic Honor Society chapter, which is led by faculty sponsor and World Languages Teacher Marina Escámez Ballesta. He was selected due to his impressive GPA, excellence in Spanish studies, and commitment to community service. The scholarship will be used to support his college education. 

This is the fourth consecutive year that a member of Steward’s chapter has been awarded the scholarship. Dante joins past recipients Bella Topich ’23, Jackson Rhamy ’24, and Braylan Rice ’25, and his Steward journey inside and outside the classroom exemplifies the school’s core values of academic achievement, care & respect, civil discourse, individuality, innovation, and inspiration. 

The application process was extensive and required the submission of a Spanish-language video submission and essay. In his video, Dante spoke about his work on a subject he is deeply invested in: research on illnesses prevalent in the Latino community.

“In my video, I shared my research findings that Hispanics are disproportionately affected by illnesses such as stomach cancer (two times more common than European Americans) and respiratory illnesses,” explained Dante. “I also noted that my future goal is to work toward mitigating that gap.”

Dante was on his way to a pottery class with a friend when he got word that he had been awarded the scholarship. “I immediately opened the email and happily told my friend!” he said. 

Ms. Escámez Ballesta said, “The Hispanic Honor Society, unlike a club, recognizes students through scholarships, celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month, and opportunities outside class. My main objective is for students to be recognized with financial awards, summer travel, and summer course opportunities. Dante was named a National Hispanic Scholar in 2025, and last summer he took a course through the Universidad de Salamanca. He is a devoted student, committed to improving the world through research and long-term, sustainable actions. I am so proud of him.” 

Dante, who competed in the 2024 National Spanish Exam and won a bronze medal, said his favorite part of being a member of Steward’s Hispanic Honor Society is its close community. “It’s rare to find a space with people genuinely interested in Spanish and where I can speak the language without fear of judgment,” he said.

Dedicated to helping others, Dante shares his time and talent with the Steward community and beyond. 

“I volunteer at the Science Museum of Virginia as part of its Teen Leadership Program, and serve as a Spanish tutor in conjunction with the Hispanic Honor Society,” said. “Last year, I organized a drive to collect supplies for a school in Honduras that was in need. Then, during Minimester, I delivered the supplies to the school and taught English lessons to the students at the school.”

College readiness is an integral part of the Steward experience. Like all Upper Schoolers, Dante has worked with Steward’s College Counseling team since he was a freshman. The team meets regularly with students to help prepare them for the college admissions process. Dante is excited to share his post-Steward plans.

“I’m going to Northwestern!” he said excitedly. “I will be majoring in biomedical engineering and international studies.”