Warsaw Community High School honored its students’, teachers’ and staff’s successes Thursday afternoon during its annual end-of-year awards convocation. Lori Tilden, OrthoWorx Diversity Committee member, presented the committee’s “Excellence in Acceptance” award to student Ryan Cultice. The award included a certificate and movie pass. The OrthoWorx Diversity Committee is a group of local volunteers dedicated to raising awareness and acceptance of diversity in Warsaw’s ever-growing community. This is the first year the committee has given the award to one student at each school in Warsaw Community Schools. It is awarded to a student who has shown outstanding citizenship, consistently models the value of diversity through willingness to accept and include fellow students and school staff. Students who had an “A” grade point average – 11 on a 12.0 scale – had their name put into a drawing for a $100 Walmart gift card or a Google Chrome Book. Guidance counselors drew names of two students per class. Another drawing was for perfect attendance, but while a $100 Walmart shopping spree went to the first name drawn, junior Adrian Hartle, it was the second prize that students waited for. Lakeside Chevrolet donated a car – make, model, year to be determined – and that went to sophomore Kyle Christenberry. Warsaw Area Career Center Director Ronna Kawsky announced the WACC graduates Thursday. Those 28 students include: Tanner Klosowski, agribusiness management, animal science, horticulture science, natural resources management; Sydney Susaraba, agribusiness management; Cole Troutner, agribusiness management, horticulture science; Ryan Cultice, finance; Caleb Klusman, finance; Jacob Mangas, finance; Zachary Webb, broadcasting; Pamela Miller, education professions; Shelby Roberts, education professions; Danielle Straits, education professions; Jacob Sudlow, culinary arts; Megan Chauncey, biomedical; Brandon Eckert, biomedical; Nicole Eckert, biomedical; Nichole Flory, health science professionals; Tyler Friend, health science professionals; Vicki Harris, health science professionals; and Gabrielle Herman, Alexis Himes, Danielle Hutcherson, Brooklyn Jackson, Makayla Mevis, Jayden Parrett, Andrew Scheidt, Blake Schritter, Kiersten Smith, Clair Snodgrass and Diane Wack, all biomedical. Seniors with a career 12.0 GPA were awarded $100 each from the Warsaw Community Educators Association. Those students were Jacob Adley, Nicholas Bergen, Sandra Bonilla, Jodie Carlson, Ryan Cultice, Sarah Donley, Nicole Eckert, Courtney Hale, Evan Hansen, Vicki Harris, Jonathan Hollar, DeYu Huang, Nathaniel Kiphart, Caleb Klusman, Nicholas Kurtaneck, John Lacheta, Jacob Mangas, Joseph Marshall, Benjamin Meulink, Joshua Miller, Margaret Prather, Caleb Ray, Kathryn Richard, Andrew Scheidt, Joelle Schram, Blake Schritter, Abigail Smith, Kiersten Smith, Bryan Southworth, Gary Spratt, Shannon Taylor, Andrew Tomasik, Diane Wack, Robert White, Noah Williams and Tennie Worrell. Athletic Director Dave Anson and Assistant Principal John Snyder also recognized the students who competed athletically or academically at the state level. Students in FFA, wrestling, girls cross country, girls track and field, robotics, boys swimming, girls swimming, Marching Tiger Pride, Winter Percussion Ensemble, band and cheerleaders all were mentioned. Teachers of the Year awards, recognized from other organizations, included Amy Riley receiving the Helene R. Foellinger Award for excellence in economics, and Lynnette Markley receiving the Indiana Association for Career and Technical Education Teacher of the Year. Markley will compete for the national title. WCHS’s salutatorian, Noah C. Williams, and valedictorian, Jacob Mangas, were recognized. The “Going the Extra Mile” award was given to student John Lacheta, support staff Patty Anderson and teacher Andy Tomasik. Teachers receiving the students’ choice awards were Scott Erba, Rose Love, Kathy Williams, David Bailey, Jeff Grose, Thomas Hall, Dena Lancaster, Steve Waldeck, Devin Baier and No. 1 Sarah Freehauf. These teachers received the most votes from students and who best exemplify the Warsaw Community Schools mission statement. Retirees Anne Slaughter and Rick Swaim were honored at the end of the convocation Thursday.
