Seniors Gabrielle Culberson, Lee Donahue and Zach Kimani have been named Rome Noon Optimist Club Student of the Year finalists. Culberson is a finalist in the Life Hero category, Donahue is a finalist in the Community Involvement category, and Kimani is a finalist in the Well Rounded category.
Culberson, a four-year day student from Cartersville, Ga., is a member of Darlington's Senior Ventures program, where her project focuses on political education for students. She is a member of National Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society, the Young Democrats, Varsity Library, Hugs & Threads and the varsity girls' soccer team. She has taken 18 Honors and AP classes in high school. Outside of school, Culberson is a graduate of Youth Leadership Bartow and has participated in Harvard Summer School Program and the Brown Environmental Leadership Lab: Eastern Sierras. She also organizes an annual blanket drive for the children on the transplant floor of Childrens Healthcare of Atlanta. Culberson is the daughter of Rayan Hart-Culberson.
Donahue is a four-year day student from Rome, Ga. He has taken 12 Honors and AP courses at Darlington and is a member of the National Honor Society. At Darlington, Donahue is a member of the varsity cross country, swim and dive, and track and field teams, and serves on the Student Activities Committee. Off campus, he is an active member of Georgia 4-H, previously serving as a Georgia 4-H Northwest District senior board member. Donahue has participated in the United States Naval Academy Summer Seminar and is a member of the Tiger Flight Aviation Academy. He is the son of Mary and Arthur Donahue.
Kimani, a four-year boarding student from Nairobi, Kenya, serves as president of the Discipline Committee and head boarding prefect for Moser House. He has taken 17 Honors and AP courses at Darlington, and was named a Commended Student in the 2026 National Merit Scholarship Program as well as an AP Scholar with Distinction by The College Board. Kimani is also a member of the Dar Tech Team, Servant Leadership Committee, Tiger Tutors, and varsity cross country and track and field teams. He is the son of Charity and Duncan Kimani.
The list of finalists in all categories include the following:
Bridge to Success
Armuchee – Erika Touchstone
Model JOI – Matthew Navarro
Pepperell – Mehri Bear
Well Rounded
Armuchee – Victoria Vitello
Darlington – Zachary Kimani
Unity – Peter Whitehead
Life Hero
Darlington – Gabrielle Culberson
Model – McKenzie Brooks
Rome – Kristyn Garrett
Community Involvement
Darlington – Arthur Donahue
Model JOI – Davis Gorman
Rome – Fred Johnson
Student of the Year winners will be announced at the Student of the Year banquet on Tuesday, April 21, at 6:30 p.m.
