February 3, 2025
Mount Dora Christian Academy Senior Gabriella Llano Appointed to West Point
By Kyle Coppola
Mount Dora Christian Academy Senior Gabriella Llano Appointed to West Point
MOUNT DORA, Fla. — Mount Dora Christian Academy senior Gabriella Llano has been appointed to the United States Military Academy at West Point. We are very excited for her as she enters this new chapter in her life.
Llano, is a member of MDCA’s track and field team and made the FHSAA Regionals last year, competing in the 200-meter dash, 4×100-meter relay, and 4×400-meter relay. Beyond athletics, she credits her passion for service as the driving force behind her decision to pursue a military career.
“What inspired me was a deep passion for service and a desire to give back by helping serve my country,” Llano said.
MDCA has a history of sending students to military academies, including standout pitcher Ethan Priest, who will be attending the United States Air Force Academy this fall.
Llano expressed her gratitude to MDCA for shaping her into a leader, a quality she believes aligns with West Point’s values.
“MDCA helped me grow as a leader, and that is something West Point values highly. I am so excited to embrace new challenges while working alongside like-minded individuals.”
MDCA Athletic Director Megan Zigelhofer praised Llano’s dedication and character.
“We are so proud of you, Gabriella. Your MDCA family is cheering you on as you take this incredible next step. Go Bulldogs & Go Army!” she said.
With her appointment to West Point, Llano joins an elite group of young leaders committed to serving their country while excelling academically and athletically. Congratulations to her family members and everyone who has had an impact to get her to this point.
Kyle Coppola was born in Newton, Massachusetts and received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Communications from Curry College in 2016. After traveling to Florida on a family vacation, he decided he could not get enough of the warm weather and made the move from snowy Massachusetts to central Florida 8 years ago.
For the last decade Kyle has gained valuable experience in social media content creation, marketing and sales, writing, video production, sports announcing and even broadcasting for local radio stations, such as FM 102.9 in The Villages and FM 91.5 in Massachusetts. Every year he volunteers at The Villages Charter High School as a play-by-play sports announcer for the football games as well as a public address announcer for the basketball games, including the annual Battle at The Villages Tournament.
Outside the office Kyle is a husband and father to two beautiful girls along with their cat. In his spare time he likes to spend time with his family, travel, play golf and swim. He is also a huge sports junkie and even bigger motorsports fan and loves to attend racing events when he can.
