By HOLLY GASKILL

With graduation just around the corner, Bluffton High School seniors were honored for their academic and athletic achievements Wednesday morning. 

After the awards presentation on Wednesday, the Bluffton High School Class of 2024 took part in the annual tradition to toss their caps together for a photo, shown above.
Gissel Martinez standing for a recognition during the Class Day awards ceremony. (Photos by Holly Gaskill)

The annual Class Day celebration includes the presentation of numerous scholarships and a rehearsal for the commencement ceremony. BHS graduation will begin at 7:30 p.m. on Friday.

Among those honored were:

• Ashton Arnett: CTE Award.

• Brandy Beer: Wells County Elks Scholarship.

• Katelyn Bedwell: Wells County Elks Scholarship, SMAD Award, CTE Award and Science Department Award.

• Alydia Bertsch: BHS 50-Year Legacy Scholarship, LiGHT The Way Gifting Scholarship and BHS Blanket Award with nine varsity letters.

• Keturah Bradford: SMAD Award, BHS 50-Year Legacy Scholarship, Harry and Dorothy Lindstrand, Bernard Hookanson & Phoebe Lindstrand Hookanson Memorial Scholarship, and Art Department Award.

• Lillian Broderick: Fraternal Order of Police Scholarship.

Pictured are the Top 10 students of the Bluffton High School Class of 2024. Pictured in front, from left to right, Elijah Spencer, Hutchenson Craighead, Connor Collins, Isaiah San Juan and Claire Craighead; back, from left to right, Caleb Gerber, Katelynn Bedwell, Hattie Reinhard, Jonah Cole and Zara Eisenhut. (Photos by Holly Gaskill)

• Rehgyn Brooks: Jean and Joe W. Gilliam Scholarship, Edwina Patton Memorial Scholarship and Social Studies Department Award.

• Devynn Brown: Business Department Award.

• Allyeha Brubaker: Sigma Phi Gamma Sorority Award.

• Connor Collins: Indiana 4-H Foundation Scholarship, Forrest D. Ramseyer Memorial Scholarship, James W. Stogdill Memorial Scholarship and Business Department Award.

• Lucia Corkwell: American Legion Women’s Auxiliary Athletic Award and BHS Blanket Award with 12 varsity letters.

Above are seniors who received circle “B” blankets in recognition of having received varsity letters for nine or more semesters. Pictured in front, from left to right, Andrew Hunt, Lucia Corkwell and Alydia Bertsch; back row, from left to right, Juan Cruz, Brody Lewis and Haley Gibson.

• Kristopher Cortez: Irene W. and Fred Park Scholarship and Joe Smekens Tiger Spirit Scholarship.

• Claire Craignhead: P.A. Allen Memorial Scholarship, Rotary Athletic Award, Outstanding Senior Award and English Department Award.

• Hutchenson Craighead: Bluffton-Harrison Elementary Staff Scholarship, Paul and Phyllis Dotterer Memorial Scholarship and Business Deparment Award.

• Kiara Crosbie: CTE Award.

• Kyle Crosbie: CTE Award.

• Juan Cruz: Robert Baumgartner Award for Outstanding Male Athlete, BHS Blanket Award with nine varsity letters and Physical Education Award.

Connor Collins and Claire Craighead are co-valedictorians for the Class of 2024. They will both be giving speeches to their peers at commencement on Friday.

• Caleb Dailey: Claude and Helen Decker Scholarship.

• Zara Eisenhut: Wells County Elks Scholarship, Bluffton-Harrison Elementary Staff Scholarship, BHS 50-Year Legacy Scholarship, Forrest D. Ramseyer Memorial Scholarship and Lou Ann C. Stogdill Memorial Fine Arts Scholarship.

• Kylie Frauhiger: Margaret J. McPheeters & Nancy Sprague Williams Trade/Technical Scholarship.

• Eli Garrett: BHS Athletic Booster Scholarship.

• Caleb Gerber: Bluffton-Harrison Elementary PTO Scholarship, Forrest D. Ramseyer Memorial Scholarship, William J. & Phyllis (Zehr) Stogdill Memorial Scholarship and Wells County Pilots Association Scholarship.

• Haley Gibson: Ronald E. DeWitt Memorial Scholarship, Christian Care Retirement Community Scholarship, Margaret J. McPheeters & Nancy Sprague Williams Trade/Technical Scholarship, Outstanding Female Athlete Award, BHS Blanket Award with 11 varsity letters and Physical Education Award.

• Tyler Godwin: BHS Blanket Award with eight varsity letters.

• Alexis Grover: Lions Club Scholarship, Indiana 4-H Foundation Scholarship and Math Department Award. 

• Alyssia Heffern: Wells County Turnaround Scholarship and Social Studies Department Award.

• Andrew Hunt: BHS Blanket Award with nine varsity letters.

• Kayla Kiefer: Indiana 4-H Foundation Scholarship, G. Robert and Emma W. Studabaker Agriculture Scholarship and BHS Athletic Booster Scholarship.

• Cayah King: BHS Athletic Booster Scholarship, Janet Baker Memorial Award and BHS Blanket Award with eight varsity letters.

• Maksym Laishevkin: Perseverance Award and Skills Trade Award.

• Brody Lewis: Zadylak Family Wrestling Scholarship, Rotary Athletic Award and BHS Blanket Award with 12 varsity letters.

• Laura Mann: Wells County Elks Scholarship, Indiana 4-H Foundation Scholarship, Claude and Helen Decker Scholarship, Montpelier Pony and Saddle Club Scholarship, BHS Athletic Booster Scholarship and Student Publications Award.

• Sam Mechling: Sellers Family Memorial Scholarship for Manchester University.

• Nicholas Pastore: First Presbyterian Church Hunt-Manning Award.

• Zach Pemberton: Art Department Award and CTE Award.

• Corina Rader: K. Robert Ehrman Trade/Technical Scholarship, Physical Education Award

• Ben Ramseyer: Emshwiller Cup Award, Robert Hannie Award, Forrest D. Ramseyer Memorial Scholarship, BHS Athletic Booster Scholarship and Physical Education Award.

• Isa Rhoderick: Art Department Award.

• Cruz Rinkenberger: Business Department Award.

• Hattie Reinhard: Foreign Language Award, Social Studies Department Award and Math Department Award.

• Isaiah San Juan: Ralph and Sandy Garcia Award, Wells County Elks Scholarship, Painter-Webber Scholarship, Forrest D. Ramseyer Memorial Scholarship and Math Department Award. 

• Dalton Rodgers: CTE Award. 

• Zoey Schmidt: Art Department Award.

• Elsie Schaden: Art Department Award.

• Olivia Schreiber: Psi Iota Xi Alpha Eta Award and Bluffton-Harrison Elementary PTO Scholarship.

• Sophia Schwartz: Fraternal Order of Firefighters and BHS 50-Year Legacy Scholarship.

• Tyler Shaw: BHS Athletic Booster Scholarship.

• Lily Sheets: Gaylord & Crystal Mounsey Scholarship.

• Kaden Simpson: CTE Award.

• Elijah Spencer: Social Studies Department Award.

• Madison Smith: Balamohan Family Memorial Scholarship, Painter-Webber Scholarship and English Department Award.

• Elijah Spencer: Fryback Memorial Scholarship, Janet Baker Memorial Scholarship and Math Department Award.

• Cameron Straub: Robert E. Pence Work Based Learning Scholarship, Business Department Award and Math Department Award.

• Clayton Straub: Brickley Farm Foundation Scholarship.

• Ayden Teeple: Wells County Elks Scholarship, Terry Burns Positive Tiger Award, BHS Student Council Scholarship, Ronald E. DeWitt Memorial Scholarship, Dr. Tom Stogdill Community Service Award, Ignite Your Future Scholarship, Outstanding Senior Award, Business Department Award, English Department Award, Student Publications Award and Social Studies Department Award.

• Jordan Troyer: Social Studies Department Award.

• Fletcher Wenger: Indiana 4-H Foundation Scholarship, Adam Ault Memorial Scholarship and BHS Athletic Booster Scholarship.

• Hunter Wenger: BHS Athletic Booster Scholarship.

• Hudson Werich: Indiana 4-H Foundation Scholarship.

• Elizabeth Wheeler: Beta Associate Chapter of Tri Kappa Art Award, Indiana 4-H Foundation Scholarship and Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship.

• Noah Zoll: Foreign Language Award and Math Department Award.

• Mary Zurcher: Gaylord & Crystal Mounsey Scholarship.

holly@news-banner.com

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