NORTH MANCHESTER – Celina Carter and Claire Barnett have been named valedictorian and salutatorian respectively for the Class of 2015 at Manchester Junior-Senior High School. Carter, of North Manchester, has a grade point average of 4.0 and Barnett has a 3.99 grade point average after seven semesters. Carter earned Academic Excellence and Highest Honor Roll honors for four years of high school. She participated in the Germany Exchange in 2013, Art Club and the Best of the Best Art program and Hoosier Girls’ State in 2014. She was awarded first in painting 2015 and second Best of Show 2013 in the Honeywell County Art Contest. Enrolled in the Jobs for America’s Graduates program, Carter placed second in the regional competition and qualified for state in the category, creative solutions. She also worked the young girls’ basketball camp every year, helped to paint the mural at MAO and participated in the JAG community service at Warvel Park. Athletically, Carter played volleyball, golf, softball, soccer and basketball while in high school and earned the Scholar Athlete Award all four years and the Rotary Mental Attitude Award in softball and basketball. After high school graduation with an Academic Honors Diploma, Carter plans to attend Ball State University for an art-related major. She is the daughter of Shannon and Melissa Carter and Gretchen Carter. Barnett, also of North Manchester, earned Academic Excellence and Highest Honor Roll all four years. She served as the 2014-15 student body president and was captain of the Science Olympiad team. She also has participated in National Honor Society, Spanish Club, Art Club, Key Club and for this year, the theater one-act plays. She earned outstanding student awards in math, English and physical education. Recently, she was selected to attend the Molecular Medicine in Action Symposium conducted by the Indiana University of Medicine. Athletically, Barnett has earned team captain honors in tennis, swimming and golf. She has been a TRC champion in tennis, named All-TRC in golf and tennis, Academic All-State in swimming and golf and the Squire Award and Rotary Mental Attitude Award winner in swimming and golf. She has been an individual regional qualifier in golf the past two years. She also was selected to attend the IHSAA Student Leadership Conference. In community activities, Barnett has volunteered for several organizations as well as attending the Congregational Christian Church where she did a mission trip and vacation Bible school. She has danced with Terri Eckert and is a drummer in a local band, “The Dames.” After graduating with an Academic Honors Diploma, she will attend Trine University to earn a mater’s degree in biomedical engineering as well as obtaining a physician’s assistant degree. She will be a member of the Trine University girls’ golf team. Her ultimate goal is to someday lead a research team in the use of induced pluripotent stem cells within medical device implants. She is the daughter of Darin and Michele Barnett. Her grandparents are Bill and Nancy Hankee, David and Kay Barnett and Jennifer Johnson.
