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Kalamazoo RESA Honors Outstanding Seniors in Its High School Programs

Kalamazoo RESA honored 76 Kalamazoo County high school seniors at the 36th annual Outstanding Senior Awards Breakfast on Thursday, May 5, 2022, at the Radisson Plaza Hotel in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

KRESA Outstanding Senior Awards Breakfast 2022

Outstanding Seniors, who were nominated for this honor by their teachers, were recognized for their academic achievements in their respective programs, including Kalamazoo RESA’s Career and Technical Education (CTE), Education for the Arts (EFA) and Early/Middle College (EMC) programs.

  • Career & Technical Education (CTE) equips students with the academic and technical skills, knowledge and hands-on training necessary to succeed in well-paying, high-demand careers.
  • Education for the Arts (EFA) strives to enhance arts education for all students in Kalamazoo County, making dance, music, theater, literary, media and visual arts an essential part of a comprehensive education.
  • Early/Middle College (EMC) is an innovative program that gives students the opportunity to earn an associate degree or certificate with an additional year of high school.

CTE, EFA and EMC consist of approximately 3,000 students across Kalamazoo County from more than 30 high school programs.

The audience also listened to inspirational speeches given by former alumni of the CTE and EFA programs. The Outstanding Senior Address guest speakers included former EFA student Maximilian Clark, now a Lead Producer at Walter Masterson Productions, and former CTE student Chase Stenger, who currently works as a Machine Repair Apprentice at Pfizer. 

“This year marks the 36th annual event where we gather to celebrate outstanding academic achievements and award students with scholarships provided by our generous donors,” said Cameron Buck, Executive Director of Career & Technical Education at Kalamazoo RESA. “To be honored as an outstanding senior is an incredible accomplishment and these students, families and educators should be proud of this esteemed recognition.”

According to Buck, the Outstanding Senior Awards is a collaborative effort between many partners, including public and non-public school districts, Kalamazoo RESA, Kalamazoo Valley Community College, Western Michigan University and multiple local businesses.

The graduating high school seniors worked diligently in the classroom, as well as the local community, and were rewarded for their efforts. In addition to being publicly recognized for their outstanding performance, college scholarship recipients were also announced at the event. 

 

KALAMAZOO RESA’S 2022 OUTSTANDING SENIOR AWARDS RECIPIENTS 

Climax-Scotts High School

  • Aiden Brady - CTE Accounting
  • Kyle Mleczewski - CTE Information Technology

Comstock High School

  • Drew Hattan - CTE Construction Trades
  • Harleigh Martin - CTE Culinary Arts

Galesburg-Augusta High School

  • McKenzie Griffith - CTE Business Management Administration
  • Ryan McCallum - CTE Construction Trades
  • Josephine Wagar - CTE Horticulture

Gull Lake High School

  • Mason Fisher - CTE Cybersecurity
  • Madelyn Howes - CTE Teacher Academy
  • Lauren Leineke - CTE Business Management
    Administration
  • Luke Marchand - CTE Computer Science
  • Cameron Perkins - CTE Computer Science
  • Emma Ried - CTE Culinary Arts
  • Johanna VanLandegent - CTE Accounting and Finance
  • Anna Wozniak - CTE Business Management
    Administration

Gull Lake Virtual Partnership

  • Piper Thomas - CTE Professional Health Science

Hackett Catholic Central

  • Cara McGroarty - CTE Veterinary Science

Kalamazoo Central High School

  • Kevin Barbosa-Camacho - CTE Marketing
  • Cooper Betke - CTE Teacher Academy
  • Darianna Browning - EFA Intermediate Dance
  • Abraham Burcroff - CTE Electronics & Robotics
  • Heaven Campbell - CTE Art & Design Career Skills
  • Le'Montae Daniels-Thompson - CTE Marketing
  • Asiya Diallo - CTE Cosmetology
  • Thomas Dillard IV - CTE Accounting & BMA
  • Reagan Gates - CTE Fundamentals of Health Science
  • Cooper Gheen - CTE Information Technology III and CTE Work-Based Learning
  • Nick Gleaton - CTE Electronics & Robotics II
  • Ivory Gray - CTE Computerized Manufacturing
  • Cassandra Nash - CTE Electronics & Robotics
  • Xavier Plair - CTE Cosmetology
  • Andrew Taylor - CTE Marketing
  • Delaney Thomas - CTE Barbering

Loy Norrix High School

  • Tyler Roberts - CTE Business Management
    Administration
  • Erica Sanchez-Elias - CTE Health Science
  • Ryan Schnurr - CTE Law Enforcement II
  • Zoie Vorva - CTE Art & Design Career Skills
  • Chanel Wilson - CTE Business Management
    Administration

Parchment High School

  • Bailey Hamblin - CTE Business Management
    Administration

Portage Central High School

  • Meaghan Baker - CTE AP Computer Science Principles
  •  Araba Banson - CTE Dental Assisting
  • MacKenzie Divan - CTE Marketing
  • Madeline Ehler - CTE Conservation Biology
  •  Carter Horton - CTE Automotive Technology
  •  Lauren King - CTE Marketing
  •  Hannah Longcore - CTE Conservation Biology
  • Amelia Nickel - CTE Marketing and
    Accounting & Finance
  •  Lauren Rolfsen - CTE Health Science
  •  Carson Vance - CTE Accounting
  • Aaron Vazquez - CTE Entrepreneurship
  • Michaela Wilkerson - CTE Teacher Academy
  • Kenzi Zimmerman-Frost - CTE Health Science

Portage Northern High School

  • Kayce Chapman - CTE Accounting
  • Dawson Gaynor - CTE Aviation Technology II
  • Colin Gibson - CTE Accounting & Finance
  • Drew Hovestadt - CTE Advance Marketing
  • Syerra Metzler - CTE Information Technology
  • Charlotte Murray - CTE Advanced Marketing
  • Abigail Placido - CTE Electrical Technology
  • Faye Scott-Farnsworth - CTE Professional Health Science
  • Vikas Tatineni - CTE Advanced Marketing
  • Alissa Teall - CTE Advanced Accounting & Finance
  • Romina Viramontes-Vargas - CTE Veterinary Science
  • Ashley Woytal - EFA Musical Theatre
  • Ayden Zonts - CTE Welding

Schoolcraft High School

  • Sydney Hamelink - Early/Middle College
  •  Dru Matheny - Early/Middle College
  • Audrey Nadrasik - EFA 2D-3D Art

Vicksburg High School

  • Karsen Brown - CTE Accounting
  • Maci Crabtree - CTE Law Enforcement ll
  • Kieran Garrison - CTE Work-Based Learning
  • Haylee Goodall - CTE Computerized Manufacturing and Mechatronics
  • Kayla Miller - CTE Law Enforcement II
  • Isabella Pence - CTE Wildlife & Natural Resources
  • Maddox Porter - CTE Personal Finance and Marketing
  • Samuel Schnepp - CTE Computerized Manufacturing II

 

OUTSTANDING SENIOR AWARDS DONORS


OSA DaveScholarship & World of Work Donors

  • Alpha, Delta, Kappa
  • AVB, Inc.
  • Burdick Thorne Foundation
  • Don and Ann Parfet
  • Global Clinical Connections
  • Jack and Sue Martin
  • Kalamazoo Area Retired School Personnel
  • Kalamazoo New Car Dealers Assoc.
  • Kalamazoo Rotary Club
  • Kalamazoo Valley Community College
  • OnStaff, USA
  • Portage Education Foundation
  • World of Work, Barbara Ann Page


Kalamazoo RESA Foundation Donors

  • Barbara Hawthorne Memorial
  • Bronson Methodist Hospital & Kalamazoo RESA Gayl F. Werme Memorial
  • Burdick-Thorne Foundation
  • Dr. Robert & Ruth VanderRoest
  • Dr. W. Craig & Diane Misner
  • Eaton Corporation
  • Education for Employment Retired Staff
  • Fabri-Kal Foundation
  • Gary Rice Memorial
  • Home Builders Association of Western Michigan
  • Irv & Alberta Cumming
  • Irving S. Gilmore Foundation
  • Jack and Sue Martin
  • Jeanne Webster Memorial
  • Kalamazoo RESA Board of Education
  • Larry & Rose Wile
  • Miller-Davis Company
  • Nate Pollard Memorial
  • Paul & Betts Wollam/Stephanie Jo Harris Memorial
  • Robert C. Thompson Memorial
  • Sergeant Lisa Zuk Memorial
  • Stairway to a Career
  • Tammi Mallos Memorial
  • Tele-City Information Highway
  • Tom & Marsha Conor
  • W. Jack & Dr. Nanette Keiser
  • Walter B. Forbes Aviation