Jefferson City High School students receive academic, athletic, character awards

Jefferson City High School celebrated the success of its students Monday in the end-of-year Jay Pride Awards Night.

Teacher David Gale announced each award presented by fellow staff members and community sponsors.

Avrey Reynolds and Joseph Kuster were selected by staff for the Student Character Awards for exemplifying the word “character.”

The Food Bank for Central and Northeast Missouri, which provides nutritional items for students, was selected for the School Supporter Award.

Hawthorn Bank presented the Outstanding Youth Leadership Award to freshman Laycee Jeffries, sophomore Arjun Garikapaty, junior William Shoki and senior Blake Roettgen.

Hawthorn also recognized featured athletes Emmarie Graham and Joseph Kuster. Featured athletes are selected by JCHS coaches and administrators and must compete in at least two sports while displaying exceptional athleticism, academic skill and character.

The Hawthorn Bank Awards for the top scholars in each grade went to Mia McGraw, Alexia Gentzsch, Chloe Cash, Avnith Kumar, Riya Pattan, William Shoki, Grace Spalding and Neel Patel.

The Glory of Missouri Awards recognized positive traits in senior students. The winners for each trait:

Knowledge: Grace Spalding

Liberty: Elliana Schnieders

Equality: Rylie Rustemeyer

Law: Emma Friedman

Justice: Faith Byrum

Fraternity: Steven Samuels

Education: Cole Heller

Progress: Quinton Frohman

Honor: David Nichols

Truth: Emily Arounpradith

Virtue: Joseph Kuster

Temperance: Kate Bailey

Enterprise: Thomas Reeves Jr.

Charity: Layne Fatherley

Jefferson Bank sponsored the Thomas Jefferson Leadership Awards. Recipients were nominated by teachers for academic and character achievements. The awards went to freshmen Neil Zheng, Harrison Lane and Laycee Jeffries; sophomores Anagha Garikapaty, William Linthacum and Anna Tabb; juniors Hayley Lale, Dominic Stafford, Adelaide Jones, and Maliek Heywood; and seniors Seleena Morris and Jillian Marr.

The Senior Missouri Scholars 100 recognition is a statewide honor sponsored by the Missouri Association of Secondary School Prinicipals. Students must meet a high academic standard and must have good attendance and be involved in activities. Cole Heller was a finalist, and Quinton Frohman and Avrey Reynolds were honorable mentions.

Cole Heller was also a National Merit Scholarship finalist, and Quinton Frohman received a commended award.

Grace Spalding was recognized as the JCHS senior with the highest overall GPA.

Chloe Cash was awarded the Student Council Award, and the Student Council Leadership Award went to Cora Wood and Emily Arounpradith.

The Missouri State High School Activities Association award of excellence for sportsmanship, ethics and integrity went to Steven Samuels and Hannah Linthacum.

Ainslyn Ditch, Gideon Duren and Kyra Meyer received the Jay Reader’s Award. To earn the award, they had to read and review 10 books, including Gateway Award nominees, titles from a college-bound list, and books of their choice while participating in at least two school book clubs.

Students also received deparment awards:

Laci Evans received the art department award, and Jesse Bilyeu received the department service award.

Lydia Schoonover received the English language arts department award.

Nicholie Wallace received the debate award, Katie Ruffing received the speech award and Kate Bailey received the interpretation award.

Cael Stiffler, Riley Acs and Samuel Wyatt received the best actor award for the drama department.

Emma Fichter and Jillian Wells received the best actress award for the drama department.

Kyra Meyer, Mercy Karanja, Riannon Johnston, and Emma Farris received the technical theater award.

Emmilee Pearson received the Marcullus Journalist of the Year Award, and Chloe Williamson and Jada Barlow received the Marcullus Outstanding Journalist Award for their work on the yearbook.

Kyra Meyer received the Red and Black Journalist of the Year Award, and Emma Fichter received the Red and Black Journalist Award for their work on the school newspaper.

Neel Patel received the math department award.

Jillian Wells received the female vocal music award, and Cael Stiffler received the male vocal music award.

Lania Ingram and Cheylinn Rawlings received the National School Choral Award.

Cael Stiffler received the Vocal Music Service Award.

Emma Friedman received the Symphonic Orchestra Award, and Layton Fernandez received the Concert Orchestra Award.

Cora Wood received the National School Orchestra Award.

Riley Acs received the Alex Harrington Orchestra Performance Achievement Award.

William Wood received the band award.

Emma Farris received the Louis Armstrong Jazz Award. Quinton Frohman received the John Philip Sousa Award.

Grace Spalding and Ceasar Jones III received the physical education department award.

Emmarie Graham and Joseph Kuster received the “Jay” Athletic Award. The award goes to athletes that embody what it means to be a Jay. They are judged on their leadership, teamwork, dedication and performance.

Emma Holzer received the business and marketing department award. Zabrenna Mzeru received the Family and Consumer Sciences department award. Riley Cooper received the industrial technology department award.

Neel Patel received the science department award, Cole Heller received the life science award, and Grace Spalding received the physical science award.

Quinton Frohman received the social studies department award, Cora Wood received the Daughters of the American Revolution Award, and Chloe Cash was the sophomore pilgrimage representative.

The Spanish Award went to Anna Markway, and the French Award went to Kaylee Daniels.

Emma Fichter received the Grace Blair Memorial Humanities Award.

Additionally, 68 students received the seal of excellence in their respective categories, which included all of those subjects and co-curricular activities.

Jefferson City High School senior Grace Spalding receives the Senior Academic Excellence Award from Dr. Deanne Fisher during the Jays Pride Awards Ceremony. Shaun Zimmerman / News Tribune