By Lori BODNAR, intern

Several elite Crescenta Valley High School (CVHS) graduating seniors earned honors, awards, and scholarships showcased in the Senior Awards Ceremony that was held virtually. The ceremony started off with a rocky start due to a power outage at the school, but the administrators worked through it and on went the show to recognize the top scholars who were challenged with so much during their 2020-2021 senior year.

An amazingly high percentage of 202 students out of the 625 total graduating CVHS seniors earned the President’s Award for Educational Excellence. The President’s Education Awards are presented to students who have superior grade point averages, standardized test scores, and citizenship. Over 30% of CV seniors earned this prestigious award! Way to go, CVHS seniors!

To become a participant in the National Merit Scholarship Program, students needed to take the PSAT and score well. More than two-thirds of approximately 50,000 high scorers on the PSA/NMSQT receive Letters of Commendation for their outstanding academic promise. Thirty-nine CVHS seniors were commended students in the National Merit Scholarship Program. About 16,000 students or one-third of the 50,000 high scorers became semi-finalists of the National Merit Scholarship who ranked the highest in their state and only 15,000 semi-finalists were notified that they advanced to finalist ranking. A finalist is judged by SAT scores, an application, and an essay.

The prestigous CVHS National Merit Scholarship Semi-finalists and Finalists are Anahita Ahmadi, Prashanth Bhaskara, Adarsh Chilkunda, Jaya Hamkins, Margaret Kim, and Sarah Nakama. The winners of the National Merit Scholarship are judged on academic record, two sets of test scores, the high school official’s recommendation, student’s activities and leadership, and the finalist’s essay. Anahita Ahmadi received the National Merit University of Southern California Scholarship. Sarah Nakama also earned a $1,000 National Merit University of Southern California Scholarship. Prashanth Bhaskara is the National Merit Scholarship Winner and was awarded the corporate sponsored ADP Henry Taug $2,500 Scholarship!

The National Hispanic Recognition Program awarded students scholarships who scored in the top 2.5% among Hispanic and Latino PSAT/NMSQT test takers in the Southern California Region. The students recognized were Taylor Jazan, Bet-sua Perez Marcial, and Leif-Ansell Shomali.

A few select CVHS seniors were awarded scholarships for college from the local elementary schools that they attended. Dunsmore Elementary Foundation awarded Shant Kevorkian and Hannah Roth scholarships. Sierra Greninger, Solmih Kim, and Stephanie Wichman received Fremont Elementary School PTA Foundation Scholarships. Matthew Apostol, Sedona Elliot, Victoria Ibarra, Alexander James, Leighton Ong Yiu, Jiyun Roe, and Eunice Yoon received Lincoln Elementary PTA Foundation Awards. Monta Vista Elementary School PTA Foundation awarded Helene Cruz, Connor Harvey, Alden Marriott, Sean Park, and Hannah Tanita scholarships for college. Lorianne Bodnar and Andrew Alan Kim received Mountain Avenue Committed to Kids (M.A.C.K.) Foundation Awards from Mountain Avenue Elementary School.

The College Board awarded certificates of recognition to students who performed well on AP exams. Sixty-five CVHS seniors are regarded as Advanced Placement Scholars, which is granted to students who receive a 3 or higher on three or more AP exams. Thirty-three CVHS seniors were awarded Advanced Placement Scholars with Honor, which is granted to students who receive an average of at least 3.25 on all AP exams taken and scores of 3 or higher on four or more of these exams (the highest possible score is a 5). Sixty-five CVHS seniors were awarded Advanced Placement Scholars with Distinction, which is granted to students who receive an average score of at least 3.5 on all AP exams taken and scores of 3 or higher on five or more of these exams.

Jack Mawhinney and Katelyn Wang are National AP Scholars for receiving an average score of at least 4 on all AP exams taken and scores of 4 or higher on eight or more of these exams. Daniel Gamboa received the AP Capstone Diploma for earning scores of 3 or higher in AP Seminar, AP Research, and on four additional AP exams. Isabella Aydin received an AP Seminar and Research Certificate for earning scores of 3 or higher in AP Seminar and AP Research. All the AP exams counted for these awards were taken before the students’ senior year since the 2021 exam scores are finalized in late July and starting with the May 2021 College Board AP Exam Administration, the College Board will no longer distribute AP Scholar Awards.

Many CVHS seniors participated in student honors and service organizations. Twenty-two seniors were in the National Honors Society. California Scholarship Federation (CSF) is also a service organization with high standards of scholarship, service, and citizenship. Students who received CSF High Honors for being CSF members for 8 semesters or all 4 years of high school include: Lorianne Bodnar, Adarsh Chilkunda, Vikram Chilkunda, Joanne Lee, and Chloe Lehman. Students who were awarded CSF Active Sealbearers for 4 semesters or 2 years of high school are: Isabella Aydin, Kimberly Blood, Karen Lee, Katelyn Wang, Eunice Yoon, Alden Mariott, and Gaik Makrtchian.

All CVHS seniors with a 3.5-3.99 GPA have the honor of cum laude on their final official transcript. All CVHS seniors with a 4.0-4.199 GPA have the honor of Magna Cum Laude on their final official transcript. All CVHS seniors with a 4.2 or above GPA have the honor of Summa Cum Laude on their final official transcript.

Many CVHS students earned a State Seal of Biliteracy on their diploma for a high level of proficiency in listening, speaking, reading, and writing in one or more languages in addition to English. Four students are biliterate in Armenian, two students are biliterate in Chinese, twenty students are biliterate in French, five students are biliterate in German, two students are biliterate in Japanese, fifteen students are biliterate in Korean, one student is biliterate in Russian, and sixty-four students are biliterate in Spanish. These students earned the GUSD Bilingual Competency Silver Award for demonstrating competency in reading, writing, speaking, and listening in a language in addition to English. Over 100 CVHS seniors are biliterate. Six CVHS seniors earned the GUSD Bilingual Competency Gold Award which is granted to students who demonstrate competency in reading, writing, speaking, and listening in two languages in addition to English. Solmih Kim, Karen Lee, Rachel Lee, and Marie Park are literate in Korean, Spanish, and English. Liana Mnatzakanian is literate in Armenian, Spanish, and English. Franchesca Tchaprazian is literate in Arabic, French, and English.

         Fifty-seven CVHS seniors completed the Academy of Science and Medicine requirements of completing an internship in a health related field and at least three years of science coursework.

         Sixty-two CVHS seniors were Latinx students who have attained a 3.0 GPA and above and were recognized by Adelante, Latinos! Sixty-seven CVHS seniors were Armenian graduates who attained an average of 3.5 GPA and above and were recognized by the Committee for Armenian Students in Public Schools (CASPS).

About 150 CVHS seniors completed over 100 community service hours throughout their 4 years of high school and earned a Community Service medallion to wear at graduation.

Many CVHS students earned department awards. Anahita Ahmadi, Kwang Hyun Back, Michelle Khactryan, Jasmine Lamar, and Alycia Wilson earned $100 dance awards for talent, contribution, and dedication to the Crescenta Valley High School Dance Program. Shayaan Malik, Minseo (Dana) Park, and Cassidy Prasertsit earned the Graphic Artist of the Year Awards in the Career Technical Education department. In the World Language Department, Sedona Elliot, Lala Keshishzdeh, Faith Nicoll, Talin Popovic, and Alycia Wilson were awarded for achievement in French from the World Language Department. Emma Glaza was awarded for achievement in German. Joshua Jeong, Rachel Kim, Rachel Kwon, Sky Moon, Hannah Yoon, and Felicity Kim were awarded for achievement in Korean. Tais Arrieta, Adarsh Chilkunda, Vikram Chilkundra, Christopher Cubias, Denitsa Georgieva, Solmih Kim, Joanne Lee, Karen Lee, Jack Mawhinney, Liana Mnatzakanian, Bet-sua Perez Marcial, Annica Reyes, and Ashley Tsao were awarded for achievement in Spanish. In the Choral Music department, Kimberly Blood, Chloe Lehmann, and Faith Nicoll were awarded $200 for their dedication, contribution, and service to CVHS choir. Nicole Gamboa, Willow Rusciolelli, Leif-Ansell Shomali, and Leah Simon received $200 Shirley Nute Choral Music Awards for their positive support, leadership, and service to choir. Diana Barseghyan, Cate Collard, Nicholas (Cole) Davis, Ronan Emmerson, Adam Griffin, Jack Haworth, Andrew Alan Kim, Norah Krantz, Rachel Kwon, Jack Mawhinney, Emily Mirzakhan, Griffin Moralls, Ryan Regala, Hannah Roth, and Beomsuk Seo won Instrumental Music Awards for their outstanding accomplishment, dedication, and service to the CVHS Instrumental Music Program. Isabella Mangahis, Alden Marriott, and Grace Singleton won CV Theater Arts Foundation awards for talent, achievement, and contribution to the CVHS theater department.

The CVHS PTSA awarded $500 to Isabella Aydin, Kimberly Blood, Lorianne Bodnar, Adarsh Chilkunda, Vikram Chilkunda, Asante Guzik, Connor Harvey, Sean Park, Jamie Santos, and Leah Simon on the basis of achievement, merit, and service to the school.

There are many talented, hard-working, dedicated, and service-oriented students who recently graduated from CVHS as 2020-2021 seniors. Our community is blessed to have such an amazing group of young people for the future!