More than 40 percent of Churchville-Chili Senior High School’s graduating class of 2021 has achieved the designation of graduation cum laude (with honor) or higher. Thirty-one seniors will graduate summa cum laude (with highest distinction), having achieved a cumulative weighted grade point average (GPA) of 97 or above. Seventeen students will be honored with graduation magna cum laude (with distinction), awarded for GPAs of 95 to 96.999. Seventy students with GPAs of 90 to 94.999 have attained graduation cum laude. A special Scholastic Distinction recognition will be awarded to 42 students who have challenged themselves by completing five or more AP/IB courses and sitting for the corresponding AP/IB assessments.
Students were recognized at a special breakfast event on April 29, where they received certificates and were able to mingle with classmates many have not seen much of this year. Senior Mikayla Shipley appreciated the opportunity to reconnect with friends. “The year has been challenging for all of us,” she said. “It’s been harder to focus and to find balance between home, classes and sports. My parents have been very supportive.”
“The Class of 2021 Honor Graduates are a group of exceptional young adults who exemplify dedication, perseverance and resiliency,” said Senior High School Principal Scott Wilson. “They will be entered into Churchville-Chili Senior High School’s history as the inaugural class receiving formal Latin Honors at this June’s commencement ceremony. Our teachers, families and community should be very proud of our schools and our students for achieving such high marks during these unprecedented times. There is no higher recognition of academic greatness than graduating with honor, with distinction, or with highest distinction. I congratulate them all.”
For the first time, the school’s commencement speakers will be chosen based on the content and power of their message, not on their GPA. The opportunity to speak at the 2021 graduation ceremony has been opened up to all graduating seniors, who were invited to submit proposals for the honor.
This is also Churchville-Chili’s first year of applying the university-inspired and aligned Latin Honors Model that is now used by the majority of school districts nationwide. The school joins 18 other Monroe County high schools in adopting the standard. The Latin Honors system promotes academic excellence, rigor and growth, rather than unhealthy competition for differences of one-hundredths or one-thousandths of a point on GPA. It honors students who excel academically and also challenge themselves with rigorous programs and courses. Fewer than half of U.S. colleges continue to use traditional class rank in admissions decisions and that number continues to drop.
Provided information and photos
These exceptional Churchville-Chili students will receive graduation honors:
Summa Cum Laude – GPA of 97 or Above
Audrey Kohlman, Jon LeFrois, Morgan Zielke, Samuel Lyon, Molly Morano, Kaitlyn Sipes, Adriana Croce, Ryan Hewitson, Adrianna Agnello, Evelyn Patterson, Michael Lipari, Jaida Ward, Elisabeth Daley, Juliana Zampatori, Leah Ward, Madison Zielke, Kaila Fagan, Madison Sassone, Brennan Fingler, Noah Jenkins, Chau Nguyen-Ho, Sara Reeners, Noah Bader, Leah Marron, Keegan Metcalfe, Heather Shields, Riley Bauer, Kayla Storie, Nicole Mathewson, Rex Woodfield, Zoe Benz
Magna Cum Laude – GPA of 95-96.999
Noah Donner, Kyle Cafarelli, Katelyn Sassone, Loralei DiFlorio, Shelby Bulbulian, Kathleen Thomas, Luis King, Sophia Orologio, Demiana Hoch, Ryan Dick, Mikayla Shipley, James McCaffery, Margaret Comfort, Amanda Inges, Madilyn Hopkins, Nathan Micillo, Julian Kaiser
Cum Laude – GPA of 90-94.999
Alan Michael LeFrois, Jacob Calus, Cameron Tulloch, Daniel Muller, Amanda Sheehan, Kyleigh Penner, Chelsea Moreland, Lauren Orr, Connor Pinzon, Ian Ruhland, Scott Elble, Suriya Allain, Jackson Moody, Emma McDonough, Caleb Talbott, Taylor Calus, Alena Perkins, Natalie Mandrycky, Jonathan Cherry, Emma Girvin, Joseph Oliver, Leilani Whyte, Cade Costanzo, Hannah Shipley, Skylar Williams, Kayla Silverstein, Aaron Phan, Skylar Donohue, Ava Brueckman, Aaron Mantegna, Kristina Herbst, Abigail Algarin, Jaycee Karelus, Amy Meisenzahl, Jordan Robinson, Alexander Blondale, Caleb Bailey, Maria Wiater, Taylor Broussard, Jacob Robertson, Ilona Lukomsky, Emma Guyette, Nicholas Frey, Jack White, Joseph Skuza, Frank Austin, Michaela Youngblood, Colby McIlmoyle, Larissa Calvin, Nikola Zavatkay, John Pellett, Laiba Qadeer, Abdulaziz Ahmed, Abigail Allchin, Meghan Parisi, Natalie Beguhl, Delaney Carroll, Amanda Chatelle, Brandon Northup, Ciara Woods, Jacob Payne, Tayler Jusko, Anthony Ginevra, Jenna Alden, Victoria Zah, Caleb Jennings, Antonia Fiorito, Sanaa Charles, Heather Schenk, Elizabeth Strong
Scholastic Distinction Recognition
Adrianna Agnello, Noah Bader, Caleb Bailey, Walker Birtchet, Taylor Broussard, Shelby Bulbulian, Magaret Comfort, Adrianna Croce, Elisabeth Daley, Loralei DiFlorio, Brennan Fingler, Ryan Hewiston, Madilyn Hopkins, Julian Kaiser, Timothy Kimble, Luis King, Audrey Kohlman, Alan Michael LeFrois, Jon LeFrois, Morgan Leupold, Michael Lipari, Sam Lyon, Nicole Mathewson, Keegan Metcalfe, Jackson Moody, Molly Morano, Evelyn Patterson, Kyleigh Penner, Laiba Qadeer, Sara Reeners, Jacob Roberston, Jordan Robinson, Ian Ruhland, Madison Sassone, Heather Shields, Kaitlyn Sipes, Kayla Storie, Jaida Ward, Leah Ward, Rex Woodfield, Madison Zielke, Morgan Zielk
