Last year Peyton Kondis, OCHS '16, was passed over for rookie of the year, but that clearly didn't dampen her spirit or slow her down. This spring, Peyton received the ultimate award for a University of Houston Cougar Athlete: female athlete of the year. "They said my name, and my heart just started pounding," said Kondis, a Plum native. "I was super surprised. It was definitely incredible, and I took it as I was the one that was able to represent all the hard work the team has done throughout the year."

Along with record-breaking times, her second win at the American Athletic Conference championship in the 100 breaststroke, and a trip to the NCAA Division I Championships, Peyton has maintained a 4.0 GPA the past three semesters in a row. According to her mother, Patricia Kondis, "She credits Oakland with having her prepared!"

Read more about all of Peyton's impressive achievements and strong character in this TribLIVE article. We are so proud of you Peyton! Keep up the incredible work!