001I don't know. I have no idea. I mean, I'll ask Oh my god. Hallelujah. Ladies and gentlemen, it is 6 o'clock. We uh want to recognize your time here this evening. So, take a minute to silence your electronic devices, finish your conversations, and if you would, we'd like to begin all of our proceedings. Uh, for those of you that can and are comfortable, we would ask you to stand and join us uh in the pledge of allegiance. Flag is to your left. I pledge allegiance >> to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Thank you very much. Um, for those of you that don't know, my name is Gary Call. I'm the very proud
002principal of Clarkston High School, one of the overseers of this great class of 2026. And uh I'll be going through the beginning of the agenda here this evening. Um a little bit of housekeeping. Our parent teacher organization, the PTO, has worked pretty hard to put on a reception in the cafeteria after this. So we'd ask any and all of you to make your way to the cafeteria for some refreshments and colleiality. good place to get some pictures taken. Parents, friends, family, loved ones, and of course, students. Students of the class of 2026, we'd like to welcome you here this evening for our student awards, our student recognition. It's a wonderful night to celebrate the accomplishments of the students that are with us. Uh but as we do in our senior meetings um and some of
003our year-end activities, it's also a night to celebrate those people who got the students where they are today. Um when we have our senior meetings with the our classes, we run them all day. We talk we address all the members of the senior class. Um, one of the things that I try to hit home with them is all these endofear senior activities are about them, celebrating them, celebrating their accomplishments, but they're just as much about the people that got them to where they are today. So, as we do, I would like all of the members of the class of 2026 to stand up, turn around, and look at your parents and family and loved ones and give them a big round of applause. Keep it going. Keep it going, parents. The apple didn't fall from
004the tree here, right? Yep. You deserve this applause. I hear you. Okay, that's good. Thanks guys. Um, how many firsttime graduating parents do we have here? How many first time? Let's show hands. Show of hands. Congratulations, guys. This is a wild end of the year here for you. I know. How many seasoned veterans do we have in here? Veterans that have gone through this before. Yeah, you know the drill. You know, you know the feelings that are going to come. So, welcome. Good seeing you again. I was probably here for uh your other kids recognitions. Um it's interesting because the class of 2026 members, I think you guys probably think this has been a long time coming. You know, these past 13 years or however long you've been with us in Clarkston Schools, it it
005seems like it's a long time. And I bet for the parents that are here, this goes by in the blink of an eye. You guys are sitting in at things like this at the end of the year wondering how did we get here? How did I get older? Why is my hair so gray? Why don't my belts fit anymore? Right? Um it is a wonderful time for all of us. So I would say savor these times if I can provide one piece of advice to you guys. Uh both the students and the parents enjoy these last few weeks. You have to celebrate because they do move fast. Um, but knowing these students uh that we're recognizing tonight, they all have a very bright future. Um, and we're all looking forward to seeing uh what they
006do when they leave us here. The class of 2026 has been really, really good. Uh, I'm going to hold it, but dare I say maybe the best class ever. I don't know. Yeah, there's still still a little while to go. We've got a few days here. Um, but in all seriousness, they've been a wonderful class and it's particularly this core group of students right here that sets the tone for everybody in the school and everything we do. Um, there is a a rhyme and reason with how administration and teachers and staff relate to students and and we rely heavily on the senior class to set the tone for things that go on around here. And by all metrics, we are a very, very good school. And a lot of that comes directly from what you
007guys do and how you behave and how you handle yourselves and how you participate in your classes. So I and maybe some esteemed guests up here would just like to thank you. So we'll give them a little round of applause. It's tiny tiny round of applause. So thank you for your academic efforts. Thank you for everything you've done with the school and thank you for your involvement in the community. Um, speaking of applause, when we go through the processional tonight, everybody will be recognized. You'll have their pictures on the board where they're heading. Let's save our applause for the end so everybody every student has the chance to be recognized as they're walking across the stage. I'd like to take a moment to recognize a group of people that really show a lot of leadership
008within our school district. our board of education, some of them who are with us here tonight, President Stephanie Crane, Vice President Steve Hyer, Treasurer Elizabeth Egan, Treasurer Cheryl or Secretary Cheryl McGinness, Trustee Mike Clark, Trustee Amanda Love, and Trustee Greg Ne. Let's have a round of applause for our school board members. Uh also in attendance with us tonight, we've got many of the administrators uh from schools around the district. Many of them are presenting uh some scholarships tonight. So we'd like to thank them for coming. I'd like to recognize our superintendent of schools, Dr. Shawn Ryan. Clap louder. He's my boss and he'll Yes, he'll he'll give me a phone call tomorrow if Thank you. Uh like to introduce our administrative team at the high school, Mrs. Amy Quail. Mrs. Kelly Cinson and our newest
009member, Michael Cap Capazolei. Uh, and the two individuals who put on this presentation this evening, Julie Kruk and Danielle Clark. Uh we've also got some other esteemed guests with us here this evening that we're going to introduce in mass. Um most of them are sitting up front in the front row with us. So we've got members of Clarks Community Schools present. We've got civic and religious organization leaders present. We've got local businesses all of whom are listed in your programs these evenings. Um and then folks, you know the drill. When uh we we call you up and you give your presentation, please come up on stage. Um, I am going to turn it over to the individuals who will be reading this evening. Um, but before we start, let's have a good time tonight, folks.
010Thank you. All right, starting us off, we have Avery Eastman. She will be attending Maran University to study health and physical education. Honors include National Honor Society Advanced Studies Class Executive Board. Scholarships received athletic. Gabriella El Farro will be attending University of Michigan Flint studying health sciences. Honors include National Honor Society, Advanced Studies, Spanish National Honor Society. Yeah, it just doesn't seem right not clapping, does it? >> All right, let's clap. And for everyone, Micah Omega will be attending Kalamazoo College to study 3 plus 2 engineering program in premed. Honors include advanced studies, scholarships received, academic and athletic award. Scarlett Anderson will continue to attend Oakland Community Collegeg's ACE program to study psychology. Honors include advanced studies. Ember Arn will attend Oakland University to study nursing. Honors include National Technical Honor Society. Jackson Artis will
011attend Michigan State University to study mechanical engineering. Honors include advanced studies. Cole Atwell will attend Oakland University to study mechanical engineering. Ryan Barnes will attend Oakland University to study economics. Honors include National Honor Society, Advanced Studies. Scholarships received, athletic and academic. Julia Barnett will be attending Michigan State University to study human biology. Honors include National Honor Society. James Barry will be attending Central Michigan University to study environmental science. Scholarships received academic. Emma Benson will be attending Brigham Y Young University to study nursing. Honors include National Honor Society and activity chair for French club. Jillian Benson will be attending Michigan State University to study nursing. Honors include National Honor Society, Advanced Studies, and Spanish National Honor Society. Maline Burton will be attending Oakland Community College to study prehysical therapy. Honors include Spanish National Honor Society. Kira
012Bishop will be attending Grand Canyon University to study communication sciences and disorders. Honors include National Honor Society, Advanced Studies, and the president of Life Club. Kira Blasco is not in attendance tonight, but if we could still give a little round of applause for Kira. Cameron Boyce will be attending Michigan State University to study political science pre-law. Honors include National Honor Society, Advanced Studies, and Senior Executive Board. Adam Bradley will be attending Grand Valley University to study business. Scholarships received Grand Valley's Award for Excellence. Allison Brackie will be attending the University of Michigan to study nursing. Honors include National Honor Society, Advanced Studies, Spanish National Honor Society, Senior Executive Board, and co-president of the Rotary Interact Club. El Brody is also not in attendance, but a quick little round of applause. Caitlyn Brewick will be attending
013Michigan State University to study psychology. Honors include National Honor Society. Evangelene Carpenter will be attending Try University to study biology. Honors include National Honor Society, Advanced Studies, Senior Executive Board, French Club Co-Social Media Manager. Scholarships received, athletic Valentina Kasus will be attending Michigan State University to study civil engineering. Honors include National Honor Society. Claire Champagne will be attending Oakland University to study nursing. Honors include National Honors Society, Advanced Studies, and Spanish National Honor Society. Ivy Christensen will be attending Michigan State University to study biomedical laboratory sciences. Honors include National Honor Society, Advanced Studies, and Psychology Club Vice President. Kaden Cooper will continue to attend Oakland Community Collegeg's ACE program, studying business administration. Honors include National Honors Society and Advanced Studies. Isabella Coventry will be attending the University of Michigan to study biology. Honors include National
014Honor Society, Advanced Studies, Spanish National Honor Society. Scholarships received, academic. Clara Cummings will be attending Grand Valley State University to study elementary education. Brendan Curry will be attending Michigan State University to study engineering. Honors include National Honors Society in Advanced Studies. Ava Danielson will be attending Michigan State University to study human biology. Honors include National Honor Society, Advanced Studies, and Senior Executive Board. Blake Davidson will be attending Michigan State University to study political theory. Honors include advanced studies. Michelle Dich will be attending Oakland University. Plans to study neuroscience and biio medicine. Honors include advanced studies. Lucas Dyon will be attending Michigan State University to study business. Honors include National Honor Society. Ayla Dulan will be attending Michigan State University to study zoology. Honors include National Honor Society, Advanced Studies, Japanese National Honor Society. Scholarships received,
015Clarkston United Methodist Church Scholarship. Milo Dos will be attending Michigan Technological University to study mechanical engineering. Honors include National Honor Society, Advanced Studies, and Summer Captain for Team Rush Robotics. Scholarships received academic. Stella Dherty will be attending University of Amsterdam to study global communication sciences. Honors include National Honor Society technology coordinator, advanced studies, and drama club president. Kayla Doyle will be attending Sagenol Valley State University to study elementary education. Honors include National Honor Society. Scholarships received the Dean Scholarship. Skyler Drinker will be attending Hope College to study nursing. Honors include National Honors Society, Advanced Studies, and Spanish National Honor Society. Marina Drops will be attending Sagenol Valley State University to study occupational therapy. Honors include National Honor Society and the Spanish National Honor Society. Anthony Dubc will be attending Kalamazoo College. He's still undecided. Honors
016include National Honor Society and Spanish National Honor Society. David Dubc will be attending Oakland University, still undecided. Honors include National Honor Society, Vice President of Service, and Spanish National Honor Society. Scholarships received, academic and athletic. Evelyn Dubia will be attending Oakland Community College pursuing health sciences. Anelise Dunlap will be attending Albian College to study biology on a premed track. Honors include National Honor Society and Advanced Studies. Scholarships received academic. Taylor Edmonds will be attending the University of Kentucky to study psychology. Honors include senior executive board. Emma Ego will be attending the University of Michigan to study anthropology. Honors include National Honor Society, Spanish National Honor Society Advanced Studies, Vice President of Tutor Connection Club. Scholarships received National Honor Society Scholarship. Sophia Ego will be attending the University of Michigan to study molecular biology. Honors include
017National Honor Society, Spanish National Honor Society, Advanced Studies, Director and VP of Special Events of the Tutor Connections Club. scholarships received, academic and national honor society scholarship. Kayn Elen will be attending the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford to study business management. Honors include National Honor Society. Scholarships received athletic. Liliana Eley will be attending the University of Michigan to study neuroscience on a pre-med track. Honors include National Honor Society, Advanced Studies, and Peace Club President. Lucy Fabreio will be attending Michigan State University to study communicative sciences and disorders. Honors include National Honor Society, Advanced Studies, and President of the Environmental Club. Cole Fenton will be attending Western Michigan University. Still undecided. Honors include advanced studies. Sydney Fischer will be attending the University of Michigan to study Spanish and biology on a premed track. Honors include National
018Honors Society, Advanced Studies, and Spanish National Honor Society. Scholarships received the Southeast Michigan Scholarship Foundation. Caroline Fletcher is not in attendance, but a quick little round of applause for Caroline. Olivia Foster will be attending Michigan State University to study biology or nursing. Andrew Furer. After high school, he plans to take a gap year and travel. Later, he plans to study business. Honors include Japanese National Honor Society. Marissa Gator will be attending the University of Michigan to study phys or sorry, psychology. Honors include advanced studies. Ally George will be attending Savannah College of Art and Design to study animation. Honors include National Honor Society in Advanced Studies. Scholarships received, achievement honors, and student recognition scholarship. James Gurggo will be attending Oakland Community College to study mechanical engineering. Honors include National Honor Society. Ariana Gene will be
019attending Oakland University to study criminal justice. Honors include National Honor Society and Spanish National Honor Society. Scholarships receive talented scholar award. Molina Grennan will be attending Michigan State University to study genetics and genomics. Honors include National Honor Society, Advanced Studies, and French Club Co-P. Reese Hayner will be attending Grand Valley State University to study nursing. Honors include National Honors Society, Advanced Studies, Spanish National Honors Society. Kate Hansen will be attending Michigan State University to study nursing. Honors include National Honors Society, Advanced Studies, and Class Executive Board. Lillian Havland will be attending Michigan State University to study business. Honors include National Honors Society, Advanced Studies, Spanish National Honors Society, and Senior Executive Board. Ava Henig will be attending Oakland Community College to pursue general studies. Allesio Hernandez will be attending Oakland University to study electrical engineering.
020Honors include advanced studies. Owen Holloway will be attending Oakland University to study political science. Ryan Horvath will be attending Spring Arbor University to study mechanical engineering. Honors include board member of Life Club, president of Super Smash Brothers Club, and scholarships received are academic. Elliot Hy will be attending Michigan State University to study mechanical engineering. Honors include advanced studies and he was a national merit finalist. Joy John will be attending Oakland University to study health sciences. Honors include National Honors Society, Advanced Studies, and Spanish National Honors Society. Ella Johnson will be attending Michigan State University to study psychology. Honors include senior executive board. Parker Jones will be attending Michigan State University to study human biology. Honors include National Honor Soci so Society and Advanced Studies. Rob Katakowski will be attending the University of Michigan to study
021biology. Honors include National Honors Society Advanced Studies and scholarships received include the Clarkson United Methodist Church Scholarship. Sabrina Kevaline will be attending Michigan State University to study preveterary studies. Honors include National Honor Society. Ryan Cornis will be attending Michigan State University studying premed. Honors include National Honors Society and Advanced Studies. Savannah Kramer will be attending Oakland Community College and studying criminal justice. scholarships received equal are the NSA athletic scholarship. Kendall Craft will be attending the University of Detroit Mercy to study civil and environmental engineering. Honors include National Honors Society, Advanced Studies, Spanish National Honors Society, Spanish Club President, and scholarships received include academic, local, and athletic. Grant Croll will be running his business B&G Outdoor Services and attending a trade school. He's going to continue studying business entrepreneurship. Paige Krisuk will be attending Davenport University
022to study biological laboratory science. Honors include National Honors Society, Advanced Studies, German National Honors Society, and scholarships received include athletic and academic. Nicholas Landry will be attending Michigan State University to study packaging engineering. Honors include National Honors Society, Advanced Studies, and Senior Executive Board. Brooke Lazenby will be attending Oakland University to study biomedical sciences. Honors include National Honors Society Advanced Studies Class Executive Board and International Thespian Society Executive Board. Tyler Lee is absent, so let's give him a round of applause. McKenzie Lehey will be attending Michigan State University to study advertising. Honors include National Honor Society. Addison Lewis will be attending West Liberty University studying bio biology in a predental track. Honors include National Honors Society and Advanced Studies and scholarships received athletic Chloe Lur is also absent this evening, so let's give her a
023round of applause. Cameron Love will be attending Michigan Technological University. He's going to study robotics engineering and honors include National Honors Society Advanced Studies, Japanese National Honors Society, and scholarships received include athletic and the Michigan Tech Presidential Platinum and Excellence Awards. Logan Malcowski will be attending Oakland University to study mechanical engineering. Honors include National Technical Honor Honor Society and Advanced Studies. Ma Mar Marel will be attending University of Michigan to study nursing. Honors include National Honors Society Treasurer, Advanced Studies, Treasurer of the Tutor Connection Club, and Class Executive Board. Mia Marian. Mia will be attending the University of Michigan to study environmental science. Claire Matthews is absent this evening. Let's give her a round of applause. Jet Michael will be attending Michigan State University to study civil engineering. Honors include advanced studies. Elise Miller will
024be attending the University of Michigan to study nursing. Honors include National Honor Society and Advanced Studies. Scholarships received include the Chick Evans Caddy Scholarship. Katherine Miller will be attending the University of Michigan to study neuroscience on a premed track. Honors include National Honor Society President, Advanced Studies, Spanish National Honor Society, Senior Executive Board, Secretary of the Tutor Connection Club, and she was a national merit finalist. Scholarships received include the Clarkson United Methodist Church scholarship, the Hemophilia Foundation of Michigan scholarship, the National Honor Society scholarship, and the Regents of Michigan scholarship. Mason Miller will be attending Oakland Community College and studying finance. Hunter Miracle will be attending Oakland Community College to study accounting. Honors include the Japanese National Honor Society. At Moore will be attending the M attending Michigan State University to study criminal justice. Brady
025Maro will be attending Oakland University to study mechanical engineering. Honors include advanced studies. Ashb Muzzy will be attending the University of Florida to study French and English. Honors include National Honors Society activities coordinator, advanced studies senior executive board, French club activity chair, and tutor connection co-founder and co-president. Emma Nanzer will be attending the University of Michigan to study biology. Honors include National Honors Society, Advanced Studies, Spanish National Honors Society, Senior Executive Board, and Orchestra Executive Board. Caitlyn Ojiway will be attending Hope College to study English. Honors include National Honor Society and Spanish National Honors Society. Breen O'Neal will be attending Michigan State University to study nursing. Honors include National Honor Society and Advanced Studies. Kyler Omelia will be attending the Ocean Corporation for Commercial Driving. Honors include National Honor Society and National Technical Honor Society.
026Sarah Oheimer will be attending Bonaventure University to study premed. Honors include National Honor Society, Advanced Studies, Spanish National Honor Society. Scholarships received include academic and athletic. Marcus Paul will be receiving his Michigan builder's license for construction. Seth Perry will be attending Michigan Technological University to study mechatronics and business. Honors include advanced study scholarships received, Thompson Foundation Working Family Scholarship, and Michigan Tech Presidential Platinum Scholar Award. L. Phillips will be attending Northwestern University to study business and sports marketing. Honors include National Honor Society, Advanced Studies, JOI Club President. Scholarships received include athletic and the Knights of Columbus Council Scholarship. Joshua Pon will be attending the University of Michigan to study philosophy, politics, and economics. Honors include National Honors Society, Advanced Studies, President of the Psychology Club, Clarkson Community Schools School Board Lazison for the senior class,
027and the National Merit finalist, Caitlyn Peter, is not in attendance tonight. Colin Prize will be attending Michigan State University to study astrophysics and astronomy. Honors include advanced studies, Spanish National Honor Society, and senior executive board. Connor Quinnland will be attending Michigan State University to study food science. Honors include advanced studies. Meredith Renaldi will be attending Michigan State University to study human biology. Honors include National Honor Society, Advanced Studies, and co-president of the Feminist Club. Hannah Radic will be attending Michigan State University to study biology. Honors include National Honor Society, Advanced Studies, Spanish National Honor Society, and Senior Executive Board. Melena Rup will be attending Michigan State University to study neuroscience. Honors include National Honors Society, Advanced Studies, Spanish National Honors Society. Scholarships received include the Honors College of Academic Scholarships. Alejandra Reyes will be attending
028Michigan State University to study biology. Honors include National Honors Society, Advanced Studies, and Spanish National Honors Society. Payton Robinson will be attending Michigan State University to study kinesiology. Honors include National Honor Society. Lucille Roger will be attending the University of Michigan to study biomedical engineering. Honors include National Honor Society, Advanced Studies, Senior Executive Board, and co-president of the Feminist Club. Ava Ross will be attending Michigan Technological University to study human factors. Honors include president of the Japanese Club, Japanese National Honor Society, and scholarships received include leading scholars Molly Roush will be attending Grand Valley State University to study diagnostic medical synography. Honors include National Honor Society and Spanish National Honor Society. Braden Rixie will be attending the University of Michigan to study computer engineering. Honors include National Honor Society, Advanced Studies, and Class Executive Board.
029Scholarships received include the Clarkston United Methodist Church Scholarship. Addison Schaefer will be attending Elma College to study secondary education. Cecilia Sheml will be attending Michigan State University to study English secondary education. John Schneider will be attending Michigan State University to study environmental sciences. Honors include National Honor Society, Advanced Studies, and German National Honor Society. Abby Shonne will be attending Michigan State University to study engineering. Honors include National Honor Society, Spanish National Honors Society. Donica Siner will be attending Anderson University and is undecided. Skyler seating is absent tonight. Sierra Severs will be attending the University of Michigan to pursue a double major in MCDB and global health premed track. Honors include senior executive board and advanced studies. Ellis Sinclair will be attending the University of Western Ontario to study engineering. Honors include National Honor Society, senior
030point secretary, advanced studies, and activity chair of the French club. Ellis Smith will be attending Michigan State University. She's undecided in her major and honors include National Honor Society and Spanish National Honor Society. Hayden Smith will be attending Wayne State University to study supply chain management. Honors include Business Professionals of America, Vice President. Jack Smith will be attending Michigan State University to study biology. Honors include National Honor Society and Advanced Studies. Natalie Soul will be attending Ohio Northern University to study business. Honors include National Honor Society and Spanish National Honor Society. Annabelle St. Aubin will be attending Michigan State University to study business. Honors include National Honor Society, Advanced Studies, and the Drama Club Treasurer. Gracie Stanton will be attending University of South Carolina to study political science pre-law track. Honors include senior executive board
031advanced studies. Abigail Stevens will be attending Jackson College to study biology and psychology. Honors include National Honor Society. Veronica Sternelloo will be attend will be will be continuing to attend Oakland Community College ACE program. Veronica is undecided on an area of study. Justin Strader will be attending Savannah College of Art and Design to study film and television and writing. Honors include National Honor Society, Advanced Studies, Drama Club Secretary. Scholarships received include an academic scholarship. Caitlyn Suda will be attending Michigan State University to study human biology. Honors include National Honor Society, Senior Membership Coordinator, Advanced Studies, Senior Executive Board, French Club Activity Chair, Tutor Connection Co-P. Jakeu will attend Kalamazoo College. His area of study is undecided and scholarships received include Clarkston United Methodist Church scholarship. Hunter Samalco will be pursuing the IBEW Local 58 apprenticeship
032for an inside wireman. Jake Thompson will be attending Michigan Technological University to study mechanical engineering. Honors include advanced studies, Japanese National Honors Society. Scholarships received include the presidential platinum and leading scholar scholarship. Corey Terro will be attending the University of Michigan to study engineering physics. Honors include advanced studies. Scholarships received include academic scholarships. Kathleen Turner will be attending Michigan State University to study English. Honors include National Honor Society, Advanced Studies, Spanish National Honor Society, and Senior Executive Board. Lucas Urena Ortiz will be attending Central Michigan University to study m music theory and composition. Brock Vanettton will be attending the University of Michigan to study business entrepreneurship. Honors include National Honors Society, Advanced Studies, and National Technical Honor Society. L. Vanderich will be attending Michigan Technological University to study biology and German. Honors include German National
033Honor Society. Addison Vaughn will be attending Michigan State University to study elementary education. Honors include National Honor Society, Advanced Studies, Spanish National Honor Society. Scholarships received include the Clarkston United Methodist Church Scholarship. Kira Walker will be attending Western Michigan University to study architectural design and French. Honors include National Honor Society. Scholarships received include the academic scholarship Ashton Webb is not in attendance tonight. Julia Whitaker will be attending the University of Michigan to study environmental engineering. Honors include National Honors Society, Advanced Studies, and Business Professionals of America President Abigail Whitehurst will be attending the University of Michigan to study nursing. Honors include the National Honors Society, Advanced Studies, and Environmental Club. President Nicholas Whitten will be attending Oakland University to study environmental science. Kaylee Whiteitman will be attending Michigan State University to study nursing. Charlotte Wyland
034will be attend attending Wayne State University to study interior design. Audrey Willis will be attending Savannah College of Art and Design and is undecided. Honors include National Honor Society. Andrew Wilson will be attending Brigham Y Young University to study engineering. Honors include National Honors Society Advanced Studies. Danielle Whistler is not in attendance tonight. Avery Wood will be attending Sagenov Valley State University to study occupational therapy. Honors include National Honor Society. She received a scholarship in Clarkston United Methodist Church Scholarship. Maline Woolliard will be attending Oakland University to study elementary education. Scholarships received include academic scholarships. Grace Satell will be attending Michigan State University to study biology. Honors include National Honor Society, Advanced Studies, Spanish National Honor Society, and the Vice President of Special Events, Tutor Connection Club. Olivia Spitznes will continue to attend Oakland Community
035College, a student earning an associates degree in science and studying environmental science. Honors include National Honors Society and Spanish National Honors Society. Ladies and gentlemen, let's have one big round of applause for all of these students. Congratulations, guys. Uh, at this point in the proceedings, I'd like to ask all the recipients from our department awards to make their way to the front of the stage and line up as directed. So, you're going to line up on the tape on the floor. There you go. All the way down. All the way down. So this time at the end of each year, we solicit our our various departments within Clarkston High School to provide us with the names of individuals who have done outstanding service within that department. So as I call your names, we'd like to
036recognize these individuals. Clarkson High School Art Department, Audrey Willis, take a step forward. for our career and technical education department, family and consumer sciences division. Addison Schaefer. Audrey, stay out there. Everybody stay out. It's cooler that way for our CTE mechanical engineering drafting design and construction tech program. Ryan Horvath for our CTE business finance and marketing program. Julie Empo, is Julie out in the audience for our CTE media and IT Nick Whitten. for our international balora program. Abigail Whitehurst from our language arts department, the dynamic duo that can't be separated, Emma and Sophia Ego, math department. Elliot Hy from our performing arts and music department. Justin Strader, social studies, Katherine Miller. And in our world languages department, French, Veronica Sternelloo, Elliot, take one step back. German Elliot Hy Japanese Ava Ross Spanish Isabella Coventry and
037according to my calculation we're missing one. What department am I missing? Do you know? Okay, hold on. It's not on here because his name wasn't on my paper. We're going full name. Brendan Matthew Curry, CSM Tech. Now ladies, gentlemen, before we give a big round of applause, th this is an award that's always near and dear to my heart because these individuals uh really exemplified academic excellence all around in their departments and they won over the hearts of all their teachers within these departments. So let's have another big round of applause for everyone. You may be seated, kids. At this time, we'd like to begin the presentation of our scholarships. Hello, my name is Brendan Curry. To present the Andersonville Elementary Scholarship tonight is Miss Kim Fletcher. The winners of the 2026 Andersonville Elementary Scholarship
038are Cameron Boyvert and Ivy Christensen. Good evening. As you can see, I am not Kim Fletcher. She is unable to attend tonight. She is attending um a special event with her daughter this evening. I am Brandy Hamilton. I'm a third grade teacher at Andersonville Elementary. and I'm honored to represent our staff and present our staff scholarships to these two very deserving students. Um, our two recipients, Cameron Boyvert and Ivy Christensen, were selected as recipients of our AE scholarships based on factors including their written applications and the difference they made as Eagles at Andersonville. During high school, Cameron has been actively involved in the girls golf team as well as competitive gymnastics team. She is also a member of NHS Spanish club and the Oakland County 4 L livestock club amongst other activities. Her application, she
039shared many fond memories of Andersonville and the lasting ways her time with us has continued to impact her. Specifically, she stated, "Because of what I've learned at AE, these lessons continue to influence how I interact with others and remind me to be empathetic and caring to everyone around me." Cameron will be attending MSU in the fall. Ivy is also involved in is also an involved student here at CHS. She is a member of the NHS and the psychology club. She also maintains a part-time job while balancing her involvement at school and her academic coursework. Ivy plans to attend Michigan State University in the fall. Her goal is to obtain a master's degree in forensics and become a forensic scientist. Ivy and Cameron, we know great things lie ahead for both of you. On behalf of
040all the staff at Andersonville, we are proud to honor you with these scholarships. Good evening. My name is Bella and I would like to introduce Mr. Josh Lame, principal of Bailey Lake Elementary. This year's recipients of the 2026 Bailey Lake Elementary School Scholarship are Maddie Burton, Lily Eley, Ryan Cornes, and Cat Turner. Good evening everyone. And hey guys, long time no see. Uh it's good to see all these smiling faces tonight. Um I couldn't be more honored to be here to celebrate all of you tonight. Please hear me say that. You guys were a wonderful class to watch grow during your sophomore and junior years. Um, it's also an honor for me to be here tonight to award our Bailey Lake Elementary senior scholar scholarships. Our selection committee, which consisted of some of your old
041teachers, uh, truly had a difficult task this year as the pool of applicants was incredibly talented and narrowing narrowing it down to just four winners was not an easy decision or decisions. Um, and while I personally did not have the pleasure of watching these amazing kids, uh, grow up as elementary students, um, I did have the unique opportunity of getting to know them as sophomores and juniors during my time as assistant principal here at Clarkson High School, or one of the assistant principles, I should say. Uh, having seen their growth, character, and leadership firsthand, I can confidently say, uh, that they are all very deserving. Um, and now that we're on stage, I wanted to share a few reflections from the teachers who knew them during their bulldog days. Um, it is clear that the
042traits that we see in them today uh were already shining years ago as elementary students. Meline Meline is fondly remembered for her quiet leadership. She was always consistent in her drive for success both in academics and friendships. uh and staff could always count on her to lead by example with gentle kindness and respect. Liliana is a type of student who simply draws others to her. In elementary school, she radiated positivity and intelligence, and she was always known as an inclusive friend with a creative spirit and kind heart. Ryan Ryan is remembered for bringing so much personality and humor into the classroom. His gift for storytelling and his polite, motivated nature allowed him to make lasting connections with everyone that he met. Cat has been a standout leader since the fourth grade. Her teachers remember her
043as being incredibly kind and driven, consistently giving 110% and lifting up those around her by setting a positive example. These four students represent the very best of our community and it has been a joy to watch their journey come full circle here at the high school tonight and over the course of your sophomore and junior years. Please join me in one more round of applause for our 2026 Bailey Lake Scholars. Come on over, guys. Good evening. My name is Emma. I am happy to introduce Mr. Brian Adams, principal, who will be presenting the 2026 Clarkston Elementary scholarships. Aaron Cameron Memorial Scholarship. This year's winner is Caitlyn Buick. So, first of all, I'd like to just say congratulations to all of the graduating seniors and especially to all of the parents as well. I know it's
044a journey to get here. Um, special shout out to all those CE Dragons that are sitting out there today. Um, just amazing sitting here watching all the places and things that you're going to do and just to let you know how proud all of the staff at Clarkson Elementary are for each and every one of you. Um, but today I'm here to talk a little bit about Caitlyn Buick. So, this is the fourth um Aaron Cameron Memorial Scholarship. Uh, Mrs. Cameron was a longtime administrative assistant at Clarkston Elementary. And if you got to know Aaron, um, she was somebody that la left a lasting legacy at our building. Um, she had a welcoming smile, a funny sense of humor, and she just helped to establish a great culture in our building. Um, Aaron never passed
045up an opportunity uh to advocate for students and she had a gift of making everyone that knew her feel like they were special and loved. This year, the staff at Clarkson Elementary along with our amazing PTO is extremely proud to offer a $1,200 scholarship to Caitlyn Buick and Aaron Cameron's memory. Um, I've had the pleasure of getting to know Caitlyn from an early age. Um, my first memories of her were when she was tagging along at school events with her older brothers. And I can honestly say even at that time, um, Caitlyn showed kindness, empath, empathy, and resiliency. Um, from one youngest child to another, I know how important resiliency can be. Um, I know Mrs. Cameron would be honored and happy to hear Caitlyn is receiving this award. While Mrs. Cameron could see the
046good in everyone. I could tell how much she admired this young girl. Caitlyn possesses the same values and gifts that Mrs. Cameron did. Whether it was helping a classmate or showing respect and appreciation for others. Caitlyn brightened many lives at CE. Caitlyn, the staff at CE and I are excited to see what your future holds, and we are proud how you continue to be selfless and considerate of others. Congratulations and good luck at Michigan State University. Good evening. My name is Sophia Ego. We welcome Miss Brianna Spencer here who is here to present the Independence Elementary Jenny Doherty Memorial Scholarship Awards. The recipients of the 2026 Independence Elementary Scholarship are Stella Doherty and ATN Moore. Good evening. My name is Brianna Spencer and I'm a level three teacher at Independence. Um, it's my honor to
047be here tonight to present two scholarships on behalf of the elementary Independence Elementary School staff. Every year we collect social dues in order to award at least two students a scholarship before they go off and do the next um thing within their education. We read a bunch of essays that are submitted to us anonymously and then pick the essays that meant the most to us and really reflected what it means to be a Bronco. Um, this year is especially meaningful because we have changed the name to honor someone that was really close to our hearts, the hearts of our independent staff and students. Jenny Dhy was an incredibly kind human that brought joy and love to our school as one of our school's aids and she spent time with her dog Harry, inspiring our students
048to get lost in a good book. We lost Jenny about two years ago to brain cancer and her loss was felt across our school community. We wanted to move forward by honoring her with our scholarship and renaming it the IE Jenny Dhy Memorial Scholarship. Along with the scholarship money, our recipients also received a book at the scholarship breakfast that we hosted for them at our school. This year, there is another layer which makes this extra special. Jenny's daughter is one of our very first scholarship recipients under um honoring her mom, Stella. Um I have a unique position in our building as a level three teacher. I get to watch all of the students go from timid kindergarteners up to um confident fifth graders ready to take on the middle school. Although I didn't work with
049Stella, I get to see all of the kids kind of grow into themselves. and I got to speak with her mom all the time about how incredible Stella is. Um, one thing that Stella talked about was her impact of her kindergarten teacher. Kindergarten is often the first school experience for so many kids and Stella wrote in her essay about the impact of her teacher, Mrs. Cameron. She said that she fell in love with learning because of Miss Cameron. And so I reached out to Miss Cameron and got some words from her about Stella. Stella was a shy little girl who took in her surroundings in a quiet and inquisitive manner. She easily made friends and impressed every adult and peer with her intelligence and polite mannerisms. It was clear even at 5 years old that
050Stella was someone special. Her mom, Jenny, couldn't have been more proud of Stella and wanted to be part of every opportunity available to contribute to her schooling. She was the parent that teachers love to have. When I asked our other staff for some phrases to describe Stella, they discussed how she demonstrates strength and dedication. and she carries herself with a quiet confidence and intelligence and that she exhibits a love for life. Stella, on behalf of your teachers, past and present and the staff at Independence, we are so proud of you and know that your mom would be proud too and I am so excited to give you the first Jenny Mory scholarship. Um, our second recipient is ATN Moore and ATN's essay spoke of the impact that many different teachers made on him and his
051education. When I asked the teachers at Independence for words and phrases that they may use to describe ATN, um, Mrs. Bowie described him as a good kid. He was always kind, dedicated, disciplined. He always did the right thing. When I spoke to his kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Cameron, she also gave me some words about ATN. ATN was a joy to have in class because of his inquisitiveness. He was always curious and wondering. He easily made friends, even though he was a bit quiet. As ATN came into himself in kindergarten, it was clear that he was as kind as they come. He truly cared about others and that was a trait that I knew he would carry with him throughout the rest of his life. The overall conversation and theme um words that came out when I
052talked to our staff about ATN is truly that he possessed enviable character traits from kindergarten on up. Um it's evident that you started your school journey with a lot of those character traits. Um, and you have remained authentic and genuine, something that you said in your essay. We want to congratulate you and good luck as you go off to Michigan State. Hello, my name is Ryan Horvath and I would like to introduce Mr. Call to present the 2026 North Sashba Elementary Scholarship Award. Now, this is a treat because little Gary Call attended North Sasha Elementary from 1977 to 1983. And if you would have told me when I was sitting in Mrs. Kun's class, that was actually South Sasha. That's how long ago it was, that I would have been up here presenting this to
053Hunter Tamlco. Hunter, get up here. Hunter Miracle. Hunter Miracle. Hunter Miracle. Hunter Tamco, I'm gonna buy you lunch someday though because you deserve that too. North Sasha Elementary is proud to present senior Hunter Miracle with our senior scholarship award. NYSE had the pleasure of Hunter being a member of our school community for most of his elementary career. Hunter was a joy to have as an NYSE student. He's always a hard-working and determined student, kind to everyone, and cared for his peers. The staff at North Sasha Elementary wishes Hunter all the best as he prepares for and pursues his interests after his graduation from CHS. Please join me in congratulating Hunter Miracle. Congratul Hi, my name is Elliot Hoy. Please welcome Mr. Zachary Evans who will be presenting the Pineob Elementary scholarships. The winner of the
0542026 Pineob Elementary scholarships are Milo Doast and Molly Roush. Good evening. I am Zachary Evans, music teacher at Pineab Elementary. The Pineab Elementary scholarship is awarded each year to two seniors who attended our school at some point during their young fives through fifth grade experience. After any identifying information is removed from the submissions, the staff votes for one applicant and the PTA board votes for another. Every application we received this year was amazing and it was no easy feat to narrow it down to just two students. Our PKE community is so proud of every person who applied for continuing to embody so much of what you learned at Pine. As a PKE alumnist myself, I am honored to share that this year's winners are Milo Dost and Molly Roush. We ask our applicants to list
055some of the teachers that they remember from their time at our school. This year, I reached out to a few of those teachers for messages and memories of our winners. And here are some of the things they had to say. I'll start with Milo. Milo, you are amazing. Congratulations on receiving this scholarship. I still remember how incredibly smart you were in fifth grade. You have a brilliant mind and I know you are going to do outstanding things in college and beyond. Love, Mrs. Mertz. Mrs. Wright commented, "Milo was such a hard worker. He was super smart and loved to read." Mrs. Gio said, "I had Milo as a third grader. I have many wonderful memories of Milo that during that year, but one thing that stands out to me is his love of learning. He
056was one of those students who was always curious. This positively impacted our class in many ways, and we all learned from Milo how to push ourselves to dig deeper and continue to learn. And for Molly, Mrs. Mert said, "Molly, I am so proud of you. Congratulations on this scholarship. You truly deserve it. I remember how you loved fifth grade and you always gave your best effort. You were going to do amazing things at GVSU. Mrs. Wright shared, "Molly always did her best and had a smile on her face. She was such a good friend to everyone." And for Mrs. Compton, Molly was an absolute joy to have in my class. She always gave 100% in everything she did and was willing to lend a hand to her classmates and me at any time. I am
057so happy you are receiving this award. You certainly deserve it. The whole Pine Knob staff wishes both of you well as you continue your education and we can't see wait to see the amazing things you do in the future. Congratulations again to Milo Doast and Molly Roush, the winners of the 2026 Pineob Elementary staff and PTA senior scholarships. Good evening. My name is Katie. Please welcome to the stage Mr. Joe Koshan, who will be presenting many awards for the Clerken Foundation of Public Education. First, the Robert A. Olsen Math and Engineering Scholarship Winner is Jackson Artist. The Chuck Keegan Math and Science Education Scholarship goes to Brendan Curry and and Andrew Wilson. The David Rushki scholarship winner is Lucas Urena Ortiz. And the James Evans scholarship winners are Emma Nanzer and Caitlyn Peter. Good evening.
058I'm Joe Kosan, uh, president of the Clarkson Foundation and a member of the scholarship committee. The foundation is one that focuses on supporting our students and teachers to provide the best educational support possible. Thank you to all that participate and help. As I look out, not down on my paper, but out, I recognize, you know, first the parents. You know, we all we all come here to appreciate, you know, what the the kids and students have accomplished, but they wouldn't be here without the parents. So, thank you for everything and all the support that you've given them and continue to give them. It takes all of us starting with our families, communities, our teachers, and district employees and leaders. This foundation is what allows us to celebrate this these students tonight. With that, I would
059like to award the following scholarships. The David M. Rysky Performing Visual Arts Scholarship. Lucas Arena Ortiz, >> the Robert Robert A. Olsen Math and Engineering Scholarship. Jackson Artis, the Chuck Keegan Memorial Math, Science, and Education Scholarship. Brendan Curry, the James A. Evans Leadership Athlete Scholarship. Emma Nanzer. The second James A. Evans Leadership Athlete Scholarship. Caitlyn Peter. Hi, I'm Justin and here to introduce the Tamara Van Denberg Ferguson College and Skilled Trade Scholarships once again, Mr. Joe Kosan. Presenting first the Tamara Van Denberg Ferguson College scholarships. The the recipients are Bella Coventry and Brooke Lassenby. And Mr. Mr. Koshan will also be presenting the Tamara Van Denberg Ferguson Skill Trade Scholarships to Kyler Omelia and Hayden Smith. It's always good to have people smarter on stage than me because I miss one person. uh the last
060uh Chuck Keegan Memorial Math and Science Scholarship. Andrew, I bet you were wondering why you were up here, huh? Okay, now for to announce the uh Ferguson Ferguson scholarships. The Tamron Van Deiran Ferguson College scholarship goes to Crystalbrook uh Lazenby. The second college scholarship, Tamar Vandenberg, Ferguson, Isabella Coventry. These next two uh scholarships are focused on the trades. While they are the Tamar Van Vandenberg's Ferguson scholarships, we do want to acknowledge uh Steve Wyoff as well for his construction programs contributions. So, thank you, Steve, for both of these and uh what you've done for the the first for the first trades. Uh Tamar Vandermir, Ferguson, Kyler Amelia. for the second trades. Tammer Vandenberg, Ferguson, Hayden Smith. Thank you. Hello, my name is Audrey Willis and I am here to welcome Mr. Patrick Berdick who will
061be presenting from the Clarkston Foundation the Michael Berdick Memorial Scholarships. The Michael Berdick Memorial Chemistry Scholarship is awarded to Lucy Roger. And the Michael Berdick Memorial Language Arts and Foreign Language Scholarship goes to Sydney Fiser. Thank you and congratulations. My name is Patrick Berdick. I'm standing here in front of you this evening to present with great honor two scholarships in my brother's memory. Michael Berdick. By the way, this is his varsity jacket. It's not mine. So, I'm wearing it for him. This wouldn't be possible if it were would not be possible if it wasn't for my amazing brother Mike, who left us a bit too early December of 2021. Mike was my older brother. He was my my Irish twin. We were 11 months apart. It was tough. It was uh there were no goodbyes.
062He was just one day he just wasn't there. Mike finished his career and retired early living his last 20 years in Northern California with his wife Marie and daughter Karina. Mike was a 1978 graduate of Clarkson High School. He was number two in his class. I being the 1979 graduate 11 months later, I was pretty much toast. I had no chance to follow in his footsteps. But I tried. Mike and I talked three to four days a week for years before his passing. He truly was my best friend. I miss him dearly. Mike established before he passed, again, not knowing he was going. He was just a giving, loving man. He established the language arts scholarship. He implemented that to honor his favorite teacher, Carol Erands. His French, she was a French teacher. That was
063one of his favorite subjects. He also established the chemistry and biology scholarship. That was his career path. Mike and his wife Marie also left some monies at Michigan State University, the biochemistry and molecular biology scholarships. If anybody's up there, look for those scholarships. And go green. >> All right. All right. The award this evening is two $2,000 scholarships. And the recipients are standing next to me. We have the biology and chemistry scholarship. Lucille Roger and the not yet. We get to say a few things about you. And the language arts scholarship to Sydney Fiser. Lucille Roger will be attending University of Michigan, plans to study biomed engineering. Some of her accolades include besides a very high GPA, National Honor Society, a uh scholar athlete being a member for years of the cross country and ski
064teams. The one thing that really impressed me when I read her essay, she mentioned her junior year she had an AP biology class and she really struggled. She wasn't sure if she should ask for help. She actually she swallowed her pride a little bit, asked the teacher for help and that's what really helped her f she focused on getting better and it was a great choice. My younger brother Kevin who lives in Colorado, he's a educator, retired educator, he loved it when students would come and ask for help. He knew if they're asking for help that they wanted to succeed. And who knows, by asking it may tip the scales when the final grade comes out. Or perhaps just bring some apples or gift card for the teachers. That might work as well. Congratulations, Lucille.
065The language arts award goes to Sydney Fischer. Sydney will also be attending the University of Michigan. She plans to pursue a career in medicine and become a pediatrician. She plans to major in biology and Spanish. A few of Sydney's accolades, not to mention again a great gradepoint average being an AP scholar with honor, three-year National Honor Society, cross country three-year, four-year varsity lacrosse, and I know how hard it is to be an athlete and maintain a great academic career as well. Sydney also established at Clarkson High School something that did not exist, the chapter for Spanish National Honor Society. She created that chapter at Clarkson High School. Congratulations, Sydney. Not not to leave yet. The best of luck to the two of you at Michigan. Remember to be nice to your MSU neighbors. That's where
066the money's coming from. My brother was a diehard Sparty. Good luck. Congratulations. We're not done yet. I have a surprise scholarship that wasn't really part of the agenda. I came up with it last night on my own. We're going to give another $2,000. The recipient, this young lady's an honoral student. Great gradepoint average. Going to Michigan State University. My brother would love that. Go green again. >> If I give any more clues, I don't know if this person knows who they are, but the final clue is her first and last name. is that of a famous movie star. Kathleen Turner, come on down. >> Hi, how are you? >> Good. Probably didn't expect that, huh? Kathleen has a passion for literature, being a three-year president of the book club, was also a competitive dancer. I
067know that's very difficult. My daughter was competitive cheer all through high school. I know how hard they work. Kathleen plans to pursue an English degree while attending Michigan State. Congratulations. There you go. Thank you. >> Uh, hello. My name is Nicholas Whitten and I'm here to welcome Mr. Tom Hall who will be presenting from the Clarkston Foundation the James P. Hall Scholarship. This year's recipient is Kaden Cooper. Hello everyone. It's always a challenge to to follow Pat. I got to say, you look real good in that blue and gold. Um, my name is Tom Hall. I'm also a product of Clarkson School System, CHS class of 84, as well as Baylor Lake and Sasha Junior High. I'd like to congratulate all the graduates in attendance here tonight and wish you well as you start on
068your future adult life. I can recall when I graduating graduated having trepidation in my head as I moved on to the big world wondering whether coming from what was then a small town if I was really ready to compete. I can say with great pride the Clarkson schools had me well prepared to perform with students from all walks of life and all parts of the world. I'm sure you are too. Our family always had a great pride in Clarkston and the impact that the schools and the community had on all of us and felt it was important to offer some support to those that continue to make this community what it is. Tonight I get the honor and pleasure to present the James P. Hall Scholarship for Business and Entrepreneurialship formed in honor of my
069brother Jim also a lifelong Clarkson graduate in the class of 87. Jim left Clarkston and went on to pursue his future at Brown University in Rhode Island. He earned his bachelor's degree in business administration and financial management. He also played football, earning freshman of the year in the Ivy League as a receiver and ran on the track team. Jim had a great passion for business and finance, returning to Clarkson to build a successful career in investment and financial management until his passing several years ago. It's in his honor and his spirit that I present this scholarship. While there were several worthy candidates as as there often are always are, um what really stood out in this year's uh winner is that many of the candidates and many of you at this stage of your career
070have lots of uh academic accolades, have participated in many groups and clubs and sports and all sorts of things like that to to grow experiences. this candidate in his essay basically gave me a resume that started when he was six years old going back what 12 years 11 or 12 years that's uh that really stood out in the sense that since that time more or less all along the way on top of everything else that he was doing in his academic career was also working in in many different jobs and learning about business learning about how to work in in the professional world. And I thought that really stuck out stood out to me as a as a real strong indicator of a great future that I think you'll have ahead of you. So I
071I congratulate you and wish you well going forward. Thank you. Hi, I'm Abby and I would like to introduce from the Clarkson Foundation for Public Health, Mr. Steve Wyoff, who will be presenting the Steve Wyoff Preservation Clarkson Scholarship. This year's winners are Grant Croll and Marcus Paul. Good evening. My name is Steve Wyoff. Um, thank you for showing up tonight. I've been listening to all of the presenters talk and it this is my first time doing this and this is so exciting. I I went to high school with Pat. Um Jimmy Hall, I I knew I I coached. I I taught here for 34 years. I look out in the crowd, I see several neighbors, people I go to church with, people I have coached with. It is certainly an honor to be standing in
072front of you right now. Um and I guarantee you my third grade elementary teacher would be rolling over in her grave if she knew I was here. School was not easy for me. My father was a uh carpenter/builder and um he he really gave it to us hard us kids. And by uh the grace of God, I ended up getting a a degree from Sagenov Valley and a master's from Eastern Michigan. But my heart always remained as a bluecollar guy. So teaching construction at Clarkston has been really good for me. And what I like to do is make it good for the kids of the community. Now I have Grant here. We have Marcus. I had the honor of teaching them for two years before I retired. And I can say they are so wonderful.
073They are qualified for this like no other. I could give them a task. We did a lot of hard tasks. We remodeled a a house that was over a hundred years old. We worked in the um the workyard doing other tasks. And these two men, I could count on them. I knew when I left that they were they were going to be something special. So, it's an honor to give these two young men the scholarships so they can start their life out on the right foot without being in the hole immediately. Um before we give them their scholarship though, this is Maggie Morocco up here. Come on over here Maggie. Um this scholarship is from Preservation Clarkson. I want would like Maggie to speak a little bit about that brief. Hi everyone. I'm Maggie Morocco.
074Um also a Clark State graduate. Go Wolves. Um, I'm very honored to be standing here today to give these scholarships to these wonderful men. Uh, Preservation Clarkston was founded to, uh, actually save the Bailey House, one of the founding members of Clarkston. And uh the construction students have been working really hard to finish that house with us and we are honored to be able to raise money and give scholarships to students that are continuing in the trades program. Thank you. Good evening. I'm Justin once more and I'm happy to introduce Miss Ashby Muzzy to introduce the recipients for the Humble Humanity Scholarship. This year's winners are Sydney Fischer and Avery Wood. Good evening. My name is Ashley Muzzy and I'm honored to be representing Humble Humanity, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting positive change in
075our community. At Humble Humanity, we believe in something very simple but powerful. Real change begins with people who care about others. We are fortunate to have many students in Clarkston who give their time and energy to service. Because of that, we are proud to award two $500 scholarships to Clarkson seniors. These two scholarships recognize not only acade academic excellence, but something even more meaningful, the commitment to serve others and create lasting impact. Needless to say, service is the highest form of worship. These two students will each receive $500 to support their educational journey. But above all, they are recognized for something truly special, their commitment to serving others. I'm happy to announce this year's recipients are Avery Wood and Sydney Fischer. Thank you. Good evening. My name is Veronica. It is my pleasure to introduce
076Mrs. Joet Counz from the Clarkston Farm and Garden Club. The winners of the Clarkson Farm and Garden Club scholarship are Braden Rickie and Julia Whitaker. Good evening. Um, I am Joy Coun. Uh, it's my honor to be here tonight representing the Clarison Garden Club. We're a 78-year-old organization in the community. We are dedicated to creating beauty in the community through plantings in the Clarkston Independence Township District Library and all the and all the pots on Main Street that you'll see. The Clarkston Garden Club also sees much potential in our students and youth. We provide funds for the Clarkston family farm for kids, many grants for teachers in the school district, and we provide a couple of $2,000 scholarships this year. We had had 17 applications this year for a scholarship. The committee felt all 17
077applications were worthy of scholarships, but we only have so much money. As a garden club, we're especially interested in the application question that students answered about their experiences and accomplishments in regarding environment. Um the first scholarship winner was Julia Whitaker and uh she was selected because uh of her re research internship at Michigan State University. Um, we read this with great interest and uh Julia talked about how cherries should be uh packaged for store and if you talk to her, is it cardboard or is it plastic? Um, our second scholarship winner is Braden Riskey who volunteered at Independence Oaks Park to weed and help the park fight invasive species. And he said he enjoyed it. So we thank you uh to the thank you and the Clarkson Farm and Garden Club wishes all its students
078tonight bright future and we hope that you pursue your dreams. Thank you. Hi, my name is Addison Schaefer. I would like to introduce Thomas Smith, Master Mason of Cedar 60 and chair of scholarship committee of Cedar Lodge number 60 free and accepted Masons of Clerkston. He will be presenting the 2026 Elwin Brown Masonic Education Scholarship to Emma Nanzer. I kneel down for one of these things. There we go. Good evening everyone. How are we doing tonight? So, my name is Tom Smith. I'm a proud member of Cedar 60 Masons and I'm privileged to uh chair not only the scholarship committee but our youth outreach. And uh tonight we're here to announce the winner of the Elwin Brahma Masonic Education Scholarship for 2026. For those of you that don't know who we are as Masons, Cedar
07960 has been a staple in serving Clarkson and the local community for the last 172 years. if it's been called upon to donate to families, charitable groups, youth sports, or even scholarships to Clarkson High School, OSTC, and Renaissance High School. We're always ready to help when called upon. This year, we had 14 amazing applicants. That was the most we've had in over a decade. Um, it was brutal to go through all of them because they were so amazing. And for Emma to win this and all her accomplishments says a lot for what you're doing and we know a lot of what you're going to do. So, congratulations to you and the rest of the senior class. and we look forward to everything you guys are going to do moving forward. So, Emma, congratulations. Good evening.
080My name is Ava Ross. I would like to introduce Miss Amy Quail, assistant principal at Clarkston High School. Miss Quail will be presenting the GenFile Memorial Scholarship. The recipient of the Gen File Memorial Scholarship is Sydney Fischer. Jenfile was a vibrant, energetic, and inspirational woman who had the ability to make anyone that met her feel like family. Her captivating smile and fervor for life was a driving force which could be seen through her interactions with friends, community members, and her family. In her 46 years as a Clarkston native, she touched many lives and created a legacy that has continued with her three sons, Nick, Justin, and Ryan, and her loving husband, John. To honor Jen and her incredible legacy, Clarkson High School created the Jen File Memorial Scholarship Fund. The scholarship will be given to
081a Clarkson High School student who embodies a spirit that is uniquely them. Jen looked for the light in every person she met and encouraged all of those that crossed her path to live their light. This year's recipient, when speaking about pursu pursuing a career in the medical field, stated, "My interest in pursuing a career as a pediatrician was inspired by my love for working with children, passion for science and the human body, and striving to take to make a difference in the lives of others. In my future, I hope to be able to serve my community by treating diverse groups of patients and developing interpersonal connections with them. Through this, I hope to be able to witness the impact I have on the children I treat and experience their growth and development. Congratulations, Sydney Fischer.
082Hi again. I would now like to introduce Mrs. Rhonda Jensen, executive manager of Bowman Auto Group. Mrs. Jensen will be presenting the Bowman Auto Group Scholarship. And the winners of the 2026 Bowman Auto Group Scholarship are Sydney Fischer and Nicholas Landry. Sydney, you shouldn't have sat down. Hi, my name's Rhonda Jensen and I'm the executive manager at Bowman Chevrolet right here in Clarkston. It's a privilege to join you tonight to celebrate the achievements of the high school, Clarkson High School class of 2026. All I can do is um sit here and say, "Wow, what an amazing an amazing group of young people you have." Each year we award scholarships to two exceptional students who demonstrate dedication, leadership, and a clear vision for the future. Tonight, we are excited to recognize Sydney Fischer and Nicholas Landry.
083In Cydney's application, her passion for helping others shine through, as we've heard several times tonight. With a GPA above 4.2 and a rigorous academic schedule, she has excelled both in and out of the classroom. She plans to pursue a career in medicine with a goal of becoming a pediatrician. Beyond academics, Sydney has demonstrated exceptional leadership as a multi-year varsity athlete and team captain while also founding her school's Spanish National Honor Society chapter. She's ded dedicated more than 200 hours to volunteer work, including organiza organizing a baby supply drive for a local woman's center and serving her community through camps, church programs, and outreach initiatives. Congratulations, Sydney. Nicholas is a driven and hardworking student with a clear passion for engineering and innovation. He plans to pursue a career in packaging engineering with the goal of working
084for an innovative company and making a meaningful impact in the field. Nicholas has balanced a strong academic record with a demanding schedule, maintaining a 3.78 gradepoint average while working more than 20 hours per week. His dedication extends beyond the classroom. Nicholas has spent multiple summers supporting individuals with disabilities through Clarkston Scamp, an experience that has had a lasting impact on both him and the community he serves and an organization that's very close to our hearts at Bowman Chevrolet. Congratulations, Nicholas. Please join me in congratul congratulating Sydney and Nicholas, the 2026 Bowman Auto Group scholarship recipients. We look forward to seeing everything you accomplish. Hi again. Tonight we welcome Miss Anne Evans who will be presenting four winners of the Clarkston area Optimus Club scholarships. The winner of the Andrea Schroeder Scholarship for the Fine Arts
085is Azul Fondal. The winner of the Henry Richardson Friend of Youth Scholarship is L. Phillips. The winner of the Making Your Optimism Come True Scholarship is Hunter Telco. And finally, the winner of the James Evans Scholarship is Katie Miller. Uh, good evening. It's such a pleasure to be here again and um I'm always humbled and honored to be out in front of all of our wonderful graduates. It makes me so proud that I'm a member of this community and that we know that we have these wonderful young people graduating and going out and doing amazing things in the world. Um I represent the Clarkson Area Optimus Club. Tonight I'm joined by three of my um colleagues who helped make the selection for tonight. Uh and that is Michelle Carson, Debbie Barry, and Robin Bros. And
086we are the uh committee that make we've had to make some very tough decisions because we have four scholarships and you know a lot of applicants to kind of go through and but before I give away these I wanted to tell you a little bit about our club. We are also known as the friend of youth. We're about 90 members and have been existence for 40 years. I believe we might be the largest s service organization in Clarkston. And we we um support programs like when you see the flags for kids, all the flags around the holidays. That's the Clarkston Optimus Club and Robin and I put up flags in our neighborhood and many of our members do. um the Clarkson Independence Parade, the Holiday Lights Parade, uh the SA and Ortorical Contest, the annual
087Winterfest and Optifest, uh the Depot Park Ice Rink, um thanks to our friends in the trades who help us with that. And um our school programs through lots of grants that we give. Those are just a few of the things that we do. Our motto is bringing out the best in kids, but if I'm going to be honest with you, it's the kids that bring out the best in us. No question about that. Now to our recipients. Um Azul could not be here tonight, but I just wanted to share a little bit. Um we are proud to present to him the $3,000 Andrea Schroeder Scholarship for the fine arts. Andrea was a beloved member of our community and past president of the Optimus Club as well as our state representative. She loved the arts and
088the scholarship was created in her memory. Besides being an outstanding student, Azul is a member of the International Thesbian Society, has been a member of the drama club, and has shown his art at the Detroit Art Show. Um, Andrea Eckert on the faculty of OCC's College of Arts and Humanities shared that Azul embodies a spirit of optimism through his attitude and relationship with others. He is supportive and uplifts those around him. So much like Andrea Schroeder. Congratulations to Azul. We'll make sure he gets his. Elizabeth Phillips. Um L is the recipient of the Henry Richardson $3,000 Friend of Youth Scholarship. This scholarship was created in Henry's honor in memory, who was our second president of the club. It's awarded to a student who has been involved in one of our junior optimist clubs, which we
089have throughout all of our schools. most of our schools here in Clarkston. Um, well, not only has Al been involved, but she was the club's co-president here at the high school this year. She also participates in many school activities, finds time to keep her grades exceptional, as well as volunteering and playing travel soccer. She loves giving back to the community and we appreciate that. Her math teacher, Mrs. Brock um shared that in every aspect academic, athletic and personal, L exemplifies excellence, integrity, and dedication. Confident that she will continue to achieve great things and make meaningful contributions wherever she goes. Congratulations, L. Hunter. Hunter is the recipient of the $3,000 Making Your Optimism Come True Scholarship. And this scholarship was created a few years ago when it became very evident that we are starting to lose
090young people who try to make these wonderful careers in the trades. And so, um, he plans to take on the necessary training to become an inside wireman. I'm not exactly sure what that means, but um he has earned your apprenticeship at the electrical industrial training center in Warren. And I'm hanging on to your information because I might need some inside wiring. Um not me, my house in the future. I am getting old, right? Yes. So, he's been involved in the construction trades program. He's helped to assemble the depot park skating rink, the Pine Knob Elementary School pavilion, and is very involved in carpentry. Um, Mrs. Meltchure, Clarkson High School teacher, shares that Hunter stands out as one of the most dedicated and capable young people she has ever encountered and the hardest working students she
091has ever worked with. And I know Miss Melture and coming from her, that is a huge compliment. Congratulations, Hunter. Um, and last but not least, um, Katie Miller is the recipient of the James A. Evans $3,000 scholarship, happens to be my husband. Um, Jim was the charter president of the Clarkson Optimus. 40 years ago, he founded the club, and loves to see the scholarship go to an outstanding scholar athlete. Katie truly exemplifies optimism and lives her life to the fullest. Um, I know she's overcome many challenges and we're so proud of you for that. Um, she's a National Merit finalist, not easy to do, a member of the Exec board and a varsity tennis player. She's also very involved with positive changes therapy dogs, which we all love. Um, Mr. Claus, one of her teachers,
092shared that while Katie's academic record is outstanding, her character is arguably her most valuable asset and her greatest strength is her grit. She meets every obstacle with positivity and determination. We wish Katie all the best as she pursues a career in neuroscience. Congratulations, Katie. We're so proud of you, too. Um, for all the recipients, um, you don't have a check in there yet. Um, there will be a letter in your folder inviting you to our May 27th morning meeting. Sorry, it starts at 7:30. One more early wake up to receive your check. And there's also um a bookmarker in there with our Optimus Creed, which if you read it and you learn about it, you'll learn to live it every day. So, thanks to all of you and congratulations. Hello again, still Emma. Um I
093would like to introduce our next presenter, Mr. Zachary Evans who is here representing the Clarkston Education Association. Tonight, Mr. Evans is presenting the CA scholarships to Maddie Burton, Evie Carpenter, Sydney Fisher again, Kyler Omelia, Lucy Rocher, and Luke Todoran. >> Hello again. I have the pleasure of serving as the CEA treasurer. The Clarkson Education Association is proud to be the union that represents the nearly 550 teachers, counselors, social workers, and other certified staff in Clarkson Community Schools. As a way to give back to the families of a few of our members, the CA established a scholarship for Clarkston High School seniors whose parents or guardians are union members. Tonight, our scholarship goes to six of these such students. As part of our selection process, we asked our applicants to describe what unions meant to them.
094In their responses, some of our scholarship winners said, "Unions create a stable system to help workers properly. I am thankful for the presence of unions in my life, specifically the presence of the Clarkson Education Association because it ensures that the art of education is not lost amongst society." Unions to me represent protection, fairness, and a voice for people who might otherwise feel unheard in the workplace. They also mean support, advocacy, and stability. They provide a sense of security in careers that can sometimes feel uncertain. To me, unions mean empowerment. They mean that educators are not alone in facing challenges that families like mine can thrive because of collective strength. These students have been described as exceptional leaders who consistently go above and beyond making a positive impact in their communities through their dedication, persever perseverance,
095and determination. On behalf of the Clarkson Education Association, I would like to congratulate Evangelene Carpenter, Kyler Omelia, Lucy Roger, Sydney Fischer, Luke Todorin, and Maline Burton as the recipients of the 2026 CA scholarships. Hello again. It is my pleasure to introduce Mrs. Leslie Gallant who will be announcing eight recipients of the parent teacher organization scholarship this evening. Congratulations to the following students receiving the 2026 PTO scholarship. Mattie Burton, David Dubc, Sophia Ego, Lucy Fbrezio, Sarah Oheimer, Braden Brixie, Abby Shonne and Avery Wood. Hello. Uh what before I present these awards, I just wanted to take a second and thank all the parents again. Um, all the parents that are here tonight and all the parents that of the all the high school students that support the PTO, we appreciate your efforts very much. It's your
096efforts, it's your support that helps us present this award. Okay, we have eight awards to present this evening um in the uh $500 awards to help in all the students future dreams. Mandeline Burton, David Dubc, Sophia Ego, Lucy Fabriio Zarah Ayler, Braden Richie, Abby Shonne, and Avery Wood. Thank you all very much. Hello again. My name is Brendan Curry and I am happy to introduce Mr. Jarrett Luther, Clerston Athletic Board Club President. Mr. Lucer will be awarding the Claren Athletic Booster Scholarship to Jackson Artist. Allison Bre, Cameron Boyvert, Anthony Dubc, David Dubbeck, Sydney Fischer, Reese Hayner, Savannah Kramer, Cameron Love, Kyler Olia, Lucy Roger, Molly Roush, Caitlyn Suda, Jake Sweet, and Avery Wood. Hello, I'm Jared Luther, president of the Clarkson Athletics Boosters Club, or CABC as we affectionately refer to it. Uh, it's my
097pleasure to be here tonight. For those of you who haven't heard of us, CABC is an independent nonprofit 501c3 allv volunteer organization that has existed in Clarkston for over 60 years. Our sole purpose is to raise money for the student athletes and teams of Clarkston schools. The majority of the money we raise is through serving concessions at home athletic events. Our board and executive council are all volunteers and we rely on parents and adult supporters of Clarkson Athletics to staff our concession stands. With that, thank you to all of you out there who have helped CABC these past four years or even more by volunteering your time for our worthy cause. Qualifying for one of these $1,000 scholarships we are awarding today was a collaborative effort. Our student athletes had to give their all in
098the classroom as well as at the field, rink, court, track, mat, or pool, while an adult family member had to excel in the community or more specifically in the concession stand. Applicants had to be a senior student athlete member of a varsity team or club team in the 2025 2026 school year. They also had to achieve a minimum 3.0 cumulative high school GPA and be accepted to a vocational skilled trade institution or college university. Additionally, each qualifying applicant had to have at least one adult family member who was actively registered with CABC and a member or members of their family had to complete five or more concession shifts for our staffed events. The student athlete applicant was allowed to volunteer for up to two of the shifts themselves if they desired to do so. If
099CABC had received more than 10 qualified applicants from girls teams and 10 qualified applicants from boys teams, scholarships would have been determined by a random drawing. Now, we have obviously a large uh group of uh recipients up here. So, if you want to hold your applause till they've all been announced, um we can give them a round at the end. Now I present to you the 15 student athletes that met all the criteria and are receiving Clark Clarkston Athletic Boosters Club scholarships. When I call your name, please come over and receive your certificate. >> Jackson artist. Cameron Boyvert Alison Brady. Did I get that right? Sorry. Congratulations, Anthony Dubc. David Dubc, Sydney Fischer, Reese Hayner, Savannah Kramer, Cameron Love, Kyler Omeia, Lucille Roger, Molly Roush, Caitlyn Suda, Jakeu and Avery Wood. Thank you. Hello again.
100I would like to introduce Miss Amy Seaman, theater manager for Clarkson Community Schools. Miss Seaman will be presenting three scholarships tonight. The winners of the Barb Gibson scholarship are Stella Doherty and Justin Strader. The winner of the supporting player scholarship are Logan Malovski. And the winner of the outstanding thespian award goes to Saladi. Hello. Good evening. Give me one second. Okay. So, I'll have the honor tonight of presenting the Barb Gibson Outstanding Drama Student Scholarship. And this award was provided by the Kirk Gibson Foundation and created as a tribute to Kirk's mother, Barb, who served as our director and producer from 1968 to 1992. At CHS, she didn't just put on plays. She built a culture. 58 years ago, she directed our very first musical, which was sparked a tradition that remains the heartbeat of
101our club. 56 years ago, her leadership brought us into the International Thespian Society. She devoted her life to nurturing the children of Clarkston, and every time our curtain rises, we are standing on the foundation she lovingly built. To receive this scholarship, a student must demonstrate a deep commitment to the CHS drama club and possess the courage and vision to major in the arts and pursue them as a career. This year, the Kurt Gibson Foundation has selected two individuals who have given countless hours to ensure our program success. Justin Strader and Stella Dohy have shown us that success in the arts is a marathon. It's not a sprint. They stand out because they realize that the heart of the theater isn't just the curtain call. It is the teamwork and the collective effort of all things
102big and small that lead up to that final moment. They embrace the hard work. They trust the process. Treating mistakes as opportunities to grow and find joy in doing hard things. That's our motto. Justin and Stella, your passion and dedication are the exact qualities that Barb or Ma as we used to call her, sought to nurture in her students for nearly three decades. We have no doubt that as you head off to major in your future careers, you will carry and honor her legacy. Congratulations to Justin and Stella for the Barb Gibson Outstanding Drama Student Award. Okay. The supporting player scholarship is not necessarily awarded to the person with the loudest voice or the most lines. It honors the people who make sure the magic happens, whether the audience sees them or not. the person
103who sees the gap in the production and quietly steps in to bridge that gap. Those types of people are the unsung heroes in theater. What makes Logan Makovsky special, however, is he is a solution seeker. His brain is constantly working to solve the unique only in the theater problems that we face. For years now, Logan has been an excellent part of her backstage team and actually just recently just stepped out of the shadows of the wings and onto our stage for her first time is our most recent production of Whistle Stop. Now, here's an example of Logan in action. During the production, he dealt with a recurring frustration. His cane kept falling down. And most actors would have handed this off to the props department and had somebody else solve this problem. But his first
104instinct was is always, "How can I fix this?" He went home and used his technical expertise to design and 3D print a custom holder, solving the problem himself before the rehearsal the next day. Whether he's building sets, designing tech solutions, figuring out how to make flickering lights and old gels look like flames on stage, or humming a show tune, he does it with a selfless heart and a great mind. It is my honor to present this scholarship to Logan. And finally, Outstanding Thespian Award. The International Thespian Society's motto reads, "Act well your part, there all the honor lies." It speaks volumes that a recipient tonight of the Outstanding Thespian Award and Scholarship embodies this so completely. For Stella, acting her part isn't about personal recognition. It's always about contributing the best for the group and
105everyone in our troop. As our drama club president, our artistic chairperson, our MTC student director, and a crew chief, she has worn many hats. Stella doesn't just show up to the theater, she lives here. Not because she has to, but because, in her own words, there's nowhere else she'd rather be. She truly loves the process, even those parts that aren't glamorous. She's a natural leader who has constantly stepped up to ensure that progress is made in the shop when I was stretched super thin. And just as important as her work ethic, she is an incredibly kind person. She's the first person to look out for the well-being of her theater family, ensuring that everyone remains finds this place a safe, creative, and kind home for everyone. Because she's played her part with such excellence and
106heart, she has earned the honor that we can give her. This is my privilege to present the scholarship to Stella. Folks, as we bring our evening to a close tonight, I'd like to thank uh parents, family, friends who are in attendance tonight for coming. Um, of course, we'd like to thank all uh of the business, religious, civic organizations that have uh provided scholarships to support our students. Um, I'd be remiss if I didn't Molly Roush, where are you, Molly? Um, Molly put together our slideshow tonight with all of the pictures and she really helped out our technically challenged older folks. Uh, so thank you very much, Molly. And uh community, I'd like to thank you for your support, parents for your guidance, students for your efforts. Uh let's all go into the cafeteria, enjoy some
107camaraderie together, and thank you guys.