February 18, 2025
Mount Dora Christian Academy Senior Hallie Edwards Crowned Queen of Cotillion 2025
By Kyle Coppola
Mount Dora Christian Academy Senior Hallie Edwards Crowned Queen of Cotillion 2025
Hallie Edwards, a senior at Mount Dora Christian Academy, was named Queen of Cotillion 2025 at the 26th annual Cotillion Ball, a prestigious event hosted by the Silhouettes of Criterion Club. Hallie is a three sport athlete and competes in volleyball, soccer and softball.
The Silhouettes of Criterion Club, a nonprofit charitable organization established in 1954, is composed of 15 esteemed educators and professional women dedicated to serving families and the local community. The club’s mission centers on fostering the personal, professional, and civic development of young women through workshops and events that promote scholarship, achievement, self-confidence, grace, and good citizenship.
“Your grace, poise, and achievements are truly inspiring,” a club spokesperson said. “We are incredibly proud of all the beautiful young ladies who graced this special evening. Each of them shines with intelligence, ambition, and excellence, boasting high GPAs and bright futures ahead. This night was a testament to their hard work, dedication, and the limitless potential they carry into the world. Wishing them all continued success on their journey.”
(MDCA Athletic Director Megan Ziegelhofer stands with Hallie Edwards and Steven Ziegelhofer at the 26th Annual Silhouettes Criterions Debutantes Ball.)
Mount Dora Christian Academy Athletic Director Megan Ziegelhofer says “Hallie is intelligent, beautiful and kind. I love her to the moon and back. Being a part of her life for the past 10 years has been incredibly rewarding.”
Edwards was joined by fellow debutantes Jyriah Walters and Reyna Zamor, who, along with the newly crowned queen, also participated in the Eustis African American Heritage Parade.
(All three Debutantes Jyriah Walters, Reyna Zamor and Hallie Edwards took part in the Eustis African American Heritage Parade.)
The Criterion Club places immense importance on education, underscoring its commitment by providing monetary scholarships to deserving students. “When you educate a man, you educate an individual. When you educate a woman, you educate a generation,” the organization emphasizes.
About the Cotillion Ball
The annual Cotillion Ball is a time-honored tradition that celebrates the achievements of young women while preparing them for future success. Participants engage in months of preparation, including etiquette training, leadership development, and community service projects, before culminating in the grand event.
With another successful celebration in the books, the Silhouettes of Criterion Club continues its legacy of empowering young women, shaping leaders, and enriching the community.
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.
