Citrus College honored its top-performing students Thursday during its annual Achievement Awards ceremony at the Haugh Performing Arts Center.
Hosted by Maryann Tolano-Leveque, dean of students, and opened by Superintendent/President Greg Schulz, the ceremony brought together members of the Citrus Community College District Board of Trustees, faculty members and families to recognize student achievement in academics, athletics and community service.
Musical performances throughout the ceremony featured the Citrus Singers, along with Sophie Morookian, Des Montoya and Dani Ulery.
Athletic and service honors
The Athlete of the Year awards, nominated by campus coaches based on athletic and academic excellence, recognized student-athletes. Alivia Martinez of the softball team was named Female Athlete of the Year. The award was presented by Andrew Wheeler, a kinesiology faculty member, on behalf of softball coach Jessica Brown.
Male Athlete of the Year honors were shared by Cameron Casado of the baseball team and Leo Ricketts of the men’s basketball team. Andy Smith presented the award to Casado and accepted the honor on behalf of Ricketts, who was absent.
The Service Leader of the Year award, which requires a minimum 3.0 GPA, at least 30 completed units and significant volunteer service, was presented to Henoch Perez by Greg Schulz and to Mikayla Munoz by Raquel Gutierrez, a counselor in counseling programs and services.
Key of Knowledge recipients
The college’s highest academic honor, the Key of Knowledge award, was presented to 10 students who achieved the institution’s highest academic standing while maintaining full-time enrollment and completing at least 34 units.
This year’s recipients were Eva Isabel Acevedo, Jayson Chan, Nicolas River Estey, Xiangru Ji, Xinyue Liang, Celeste Medina, Mikayla Munoz, Benjamin Eric Parker, Mary Rodelo and Gabriella Schwab.
Distinguished Student Awards
Faculty members from each academic division selected students for Distinguished Student Awards based on academic performance, classroom participation and contributions to the campus learning environment.
In Career and Technical Education, honorees included Joseph Arevalo, Richard Jesus Degroot, Erik Medina Castillo, Carlos Rodriguez, Mason Scott Salant and Erica Christine Woolrich.
The Counseling Programs and Services division recognized Lusha De, Teresa Chien-En Li and Jorge Armando Ruiz.
Kinesiology, Health and Athletics honorees were Garrett Edward Dykstra, Eduardo Frausto, Alivia Ann Martinez, Jair Mejia, Ebele Nneamaka Consuela Onwughalu, Whitney My Si, Rachel Susanne Stewart, Trung Tang and Hannah Wensyn Wu.
The Language Arts and Library division honored Lance Albert Bernard, Kamryn Grace Berry, Ava Adele Campbell, Natalia Cruz Covarrubias, Christine Darling, Aria Garcia, Kenneth Shaun Grady, Angie Hernandez, Benjamin Eric Parker, Nyah Marchell Paxton, Jada Adair Perricone and Bella Joy Williams.
In Mathematics, Sciences and Business, awards went to Carolina Acevedo, Elizabeth Aguirre, Pedro Miguel Alvarado, Alee Marie Benavidez, Emily Diane Carter, Nicolas River Estey, Victor Manuel Hernandez, Xiangru Ji, Tung Lam Jong, Gianni Martin Lopez, Aiden B. Milhon-Martin, Ihsan Omar Musallet, Kristin Tan Sales, Margaret Reed Wachtler and Michelle Elizabeth Willert.
The Natural and Physical Sciences division recognized Nathalie Alejandra Barahona, Izabella Lucia Contreras, Christian Reyes Demesa, Sarah Jessica Diaz, Aria Garcia, Daniel Cole McCord, Valerie Ramirez, Aimelia Kay Reed, Noah Fidens Rodriguez, Elise-Ciel Savage, Arlie Savage, Janelle Renee Villanueva and Michelle Kiyono Williamson.
Social and Behavioral Sciences honorees included Jason Almaraz, Gracie Eirlyn Bonilla, Isabel Gwendoline Dyer, Jeremiah Lee Elliott, Ella Grace Foote, Mark Joel Goodrich, Anderson Huang, Joshua Woo Johnson, Hillary Ratankpisey Leng, Victoria Li, Jane McClure, Grace Makenna Newton, Siqi Pan, Tami Renee Reidt, Elias David Rivera, Sidney Jane Romejko, Kristin Tan Sales, Celicia Amara Sandoval, Sammy Lynn Skipworth, Sophie James Smith, Caleb Suarez, Robert Nicholas Treviño, Jonas Avery Verner, Rebecca Sanchez Villarreal and Ying Zheng.
The Visual and Performing Arts division honored Rachel Katherine Balma, Joon Leigh Carrasco, Roman Alexander Contreras, Alaysa Daniella Coyac, Julio Daniel Garcia-Vega, Jaritza Gudino, Cassie Anita Gutierrez, Jennifer Kloss, Eduardo Adan Landeros Pacheco, Ryan Alexander Loredo, Miklayne Ashlyn Lowe, Sofia Valentine Mathews, Andrew Russell Meeks, Nathan Mendoza, Desirae Arlee Montoya, Paul Evan Najera and Xenia Lorae Willis.
From academic honors to athletic recognition and community service awards, the ceremony celebrated the accomplishments and dedication of Citrus College students across campus programs.
