Montclair, New Jersey — New Jersey is home to students who are showing up, standing out and making a real impact in their schools and communities. To celebrate them, Patch and T-Mobile have partnered to spotlight local students excelling in academics, athletics, the arts and beyond.
This submission comes from Ana Maria Toporek, who nominated Caoba.
If you know a student who deserves recognition, we want to hear about them! Click here to nominate them to be featured as a Star Student on Patch.
What is the star student’s name?
Caoba
What grade is the student in?
College Freshmen
How do you know the star student?
Mom
Tell us about your star student's accomplishments and why they deserve to be recognized on Patch!
Caoba has had an incredible first year of college after deciding to enroll at Bergen Community College. His road to a four-year college began with some bumps, so in choosing to start his higher education journey at a local community college, he essentially said to himself, “I am locking in!”—like the youth like to say.
Since making that decision, Caoba has become a star student at BCC. He has been accepted to all the four-year institutions he has applied to and has received academic honors in the form of scholarships.
Within this same year, he has been selected to join Team USA at the Junior Worlds Ultimate Frisbee competition taking place this July in Logroño, Spain. He is the only athlete from New Jersey to receive this great honor. And just this week, he was named one of five “Rookies of the Year to Watch” by the UFA (Ultimate Frisbee Association) as a player for Empire, New York’s professional Ultimate Frisbee team.
What has been most remarkable to watch is that Caoba has done all of this with absolute commitment and dedication. He continues to achieve while taking a full load of college credits, working 20+ hours at our new Target, training with local leagues and the Rutgers Frisbee Team, and now starting his pro season with Empire—all while still finding time to spend with his family and friends.
I have seen Caoba exhausted by all he is doing—going from a full day of classes to an eight-hour shift, then waking up and repeating it all over again. I have seen the toll it takes on his 19-year-old self. For that reason, each college acceptance, each scholarship, and each recognition by the sport’s organizations matters. They all lift him up again and again, refueling him with the energy and stamina to keep going.
It is for that reason that I ask Patch to recognize this young man and all the accomplishments his hard work has yielded.
Thank you for your consideration. Here are some links to his athletic highlights:
https://watchufa.com/league/news/2026-players-watch-rookies
https://usaultimate.org/2026-u20-men/
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DNcGw8SxKQP/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
What three words best describe your star student?
Hilarious. Confident. Dedicated
Keep up the great work, Caoba! If you know a star student who deserves recognition, we want to hear about them! Click here to nominate them to be featured on Patch.
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