MARQUETTE, Mich. (WZMQ) – The 32nd annual Excellence in Education Awards were held today at the Northern Center in Marquette.
47 graduating seniors from Marquette and Alger counties were on hand to receive $1500 each in scholarship money. Each student represented the top 5% of their class, and many have grade point averages higher than 4.0. Although the students were all recognized for their academic achievement, the educators were also honored, as each student recognized the teachers who made a difference in their lives.
These influential instructors accompanied the scholarship recipients as they received their honors. Savannah Lassila, a senior from Munising and a future Space Force cadet, never expected to be honored in such a way.
“I think that it’s just really important to recognize the academic efforts that many students put in throughout their high school careers, and so I think this is such an awesome way to honor that,” said Lassila.
The list of scholarship recipients and their inspirational teacher in parentheses
Burt Twp. Schools
– Gabe Lawrence (Janet Zentner)
– Zackery Ward-Harbaum (Jordan Dobberstein)
Gwinn Area Community Schools
– Andrew Hill (Mike Nicosia)
– Thomas Jenkins (Kyle Hantz)
– Mikayla Johnson (Mike Nicosia)
– Charles Lininger (Benjamin Platt)
– Mason Bancroft (Andrew Henseler)
– Angelica Barry (Alex Trotter)
– Ethan Corp (Kaitlin Rich)
– Joseph Giroux (Craig Goff)
– Ian Harvey (Jane Stewart)
– Jenna Herman (Caitlin Palomaki)
– Laynie Korpi (Katie Gray)
Marquette Area Public Schools
– James Barch (Dianna Reeves)
– Trista Beerman (Stephen Atwood)
– Kaleb Chipelewski (Ben Smith)
– Kendall Chipelewski (Julie Nemacheck)
– Samuel Dehlin (Derek Sandstrom)
– Ian Galbreath (Matt Ludwig)
– Roenak Ghiardi (Matt Hoffman)
– Siena Goodney (Blythe Raikko)
– Niomi Griffin (Mandy Dye)
– Elisa Malherbe (Natalie Messano)
– Cambry Marquardson (Natalie Messano)
– Jack Parent (Katlynn Jensen)
– Elijah Schneider (Kim Carr)
– Allison Simon (Mandy Dye)
– James Uchytil (Eric Marta)
Munising Public Schools
– Daniel Goss (Jim Cotey)
– Savannah Lassila (Mandy Frantti)
– Elizabeth Wing (Tracy Wing)
Negaunee Public Schools
– Aubry Johnson (Kyle Saari)
– Samantha Nelson (Krista Squires)
– Marlee Plaxco (Tiffany Nicolas)
– Maija Rourke (Cody Scanlon)
– Ella Standerford (Lacey O’Donnell)
– Caden Steede (Beth Holmgren)
– Karina Suardini (Harold South)
Nice Community School District
– Kaya Etelmaki (Rachel Perala)
– Isabelle Grochowski (Sabina Villar)
– Gabrial Grondz (Cara Anderson)
– Abby Hinze (Jennifer Young)
– Ian Kauppila (Sabina Villar)
– Clara Kruger (Terri Bazarini)
– Libby Ollanketo (Steve Annelin)
Republic-Michigamme Schools
– Kreegan Gransinger (Annette Gleason)
– Aiden Valeski (Steven Hendrickson)
Superior Central School District
– Ruth Johnson (Shannon Hancock)
– Calla Porter (Shannon Hancock)
