Alumni

Awards and Recognitions



The following Gerstell Academy Alumni
truly worked to reach their full potential
and were awarded or recognized for their achievements.

List of 9 items.

  • Norm Smith Leadership Award

    2023 Sameer Nasir 
    2022 - Elizabeth Chagalis
    2021 - Graham Vaeth
    2020 – Christopher J. Kovalsky
    2019 – Grace Vaeth
    2018 – Adam Lovellette
    2017 – Blake Bissen
    2016 – Julia Nagle
    2015 – Jacob Betz
    2014 – Madeleine Gardner
    2013 – Michael Hernandez
    2012 – Connor Eline


    This award is named in honor of Mr. Norm Smith, a greatly admired and respected teacher, coach, colleague, mentor and leader who served our community from June 2007 until August 2009.  Mr. Smith died unexpectedly, but his presence and his contributions to Gerstell Academy are memorialized with this award.  The Norm Smith Leadership Award is the most coveted Upper School award at Gerstell Academy and is given to the 12th grade student who best represents and exemplifies our Gerstell Academy leadership model.  To be eligible for this award is a tremendous honor in itself.  To compete for this award, eligible students must consistently demonstrate Gerstell Academy leadership qualities in and out of the classroom, on and off the playing field, and on and off campus over the course of their Upper School careers.  This award, therefore, is more than a simple recognition of positive behavior and compliance, but recognizes the intentional use of leadership values and skills for improvement of themselves, their classmates, Gerstell Academy and the larger community.
  • Gary E. Slyman Award

    2023 - Zavian Valedon 
    2022 - Elizabeth Chagalis
    2021 - Hunter Linton
    2020 – Haley Gochnauer
    2019 – Grace Vaeth
    2018 – Grant Vaeth
    2017 – Polina Yashnyk
    2016 – Julia Nagle
    2015 - Jacob Betz


    Presented by the Gerstell Academy Board of Trustees to the senior who has achieved the highest GPA in Leadership Class and Advisory over his/her four years at Gerstell Academy
  • Christopher Poklemba Award

    2023 Sameer Nasir 
    2022 - Andrew Plunkert-Mercier
    2021 - Graham Vaeth
    2020 – CJ Kovalsky
    2019 – Max Friedman
    2018 – Maddie Bauhof
    2017 – Taylor Hodges


    Scholarship Award presented by the Gerstell Academy Board of Trustees to the senior who throughout his/her career at Gerstell Academy has demonstrated leadership on and off the athletic field, has been a positive influence on the student body, exhibited a passion for school spirit and displayed a sincere interest in humanity.
  • Senior Class Valedictorian

    2023 Zavian Valedon 
    2022 - Lillian Norbeck
    2021 - Hunter Linton
    2020 – Dylan Berman
    2019 – Grace Vaeth
    2018 – Matthew Szedlock
    2017 – Traynor Willey
    2016 – Julia Nagle
    2015 – Jenna Marcus
    2014 – Madeleine Gardner
    2013 – Madison Harman
    2012 – Sam Goldstein


    Academic Excellence Award presented at the Senior Awards Ceremony to the graduating senior with the overall highest average in all academic courses throughout their high school career
  • Gerstell Student Government Association President

    2023-2024 Remi Logue 
    2022-2023 - Zavian Valedon
    2021-2022 - Delaney Maul
    2020-2021 – Chris Day
    2019-2020 – Maddie Sprinkle
    2018-2019 – Antonio Holland
    2017-2018 – Brandon Tan
    2016-2017 – Blake Bissen
    2015-2016 – Luke Gardner
    2014-2015 – Jacob Betz
    2013-2014 – Casey Gruber
    2012-2013 – Madison Harman
    2008-2012 – Connor Eline


  • Senior Class Community Service Award

    2023 Rylie Bruffey; Ajaya Hobart 
    2022 - Chelsea Toussaint
    2021 - Hannah Welker
    2020 – Aaron Rubalsky
    2019 – Grace Vaeth
    2018 – Parker Lyons
    2017 – Dipesh Nayyar
    2016 – Katherine Sylva
    2015 – Nicole Merry
    2014 – Alaina Merry
    2013 – Jimmy Page
    2012 – Connor Eline

    Presented to the graduating senior who has accumulated and documented the largest number of community service hours throughout their four years in high school
  • Golden Falcon Award

    2023 Sameer Nasir; Keeley Ballard; Jamison Gochnauer 
    2022 - Kylie Redman; Mason Burdyck
    2021 - Haley Polk
    2020 – Emily Fenwick; Haley Gochnauer; Christopher J. Kovalsky
    2019 – Malachi Darden
    2018 - Jillian Wilson; Laz Friedberg
    2016 – Maureen Mosmiller
    2015 – Sydnie Abrecht; Sarah Eline; Hailey Fein; Nicholas Wilson
    2014 – Casey Gruber; Brett McLaughlin; Alaina Merry; Josh Tabak; Casey Webbert; 
    2013 – Steven Snyder; Nicole Scherr
    2012 – Lindsey Parker; Dylan Woods


    Presented to the graduating seniors who have played three seasons of athletics over all four years of their high school career
  • Leadership Growth Award

    2023  Adrienne Martin; Jayden Williams 
    2022 - Logan Ader
    2021 - Rory Smist
    2020 – Maddie Sprinkle
    2019 – Gabby Manning
    2018 – Kimberly Lapidario
    2017 – Dipesh Nayyar
    2016 – Erin Brockmeyer
    2015 – Nicole Merry


    Presented by the Gerstell Academy Board of Trustees to a senior for demonstrating extraordinary growth in the area of Leadership over his/her career in the Upper School
  • Falcon Perseverance Award

    2023 Keeley Ballard, George Chagalis II,  Braedan Dillon, Jamison Gochnauer, Ben Keiser, Nicholas Marquess, Sameer Nasir, Alex Pristoop, Christian Scholz, Zavian Valedon 

    2022 - Faith Bissen, Elizabeth Chagalis, Isabella Farrow, Francis Fynnwilliams, Jackson Graham, Eesha Gupta, Josephine Henderson, Stephanie Koval, Emma Leonard, Carrick Makoutz, Eugene Podzin, Hanna Spicknall

    2021 - Allie Brendler; Graham Vaeth; Katie Mosmiller; Yasmeen Nasir

    2020 - Jonathon Hood; Jason Koval; Zoe Dackermann; Haley Gochnauer; CJ Kovalsky; Nicole Radams; Brendan Dillon; Aryana Valedon

    2019 - Michaela Chapman; Reece Early; Sid Gupta; Deven Hankins; Antonio Holland; Khadija Shah; Grace Vaeth

    2018 - Maddie Bauhof; Georgia Blake; Zach Brendler; Colt Hanlin; Adam Lovellette; Jessica Lyons; Parker Lyons; Matthew Nevin; John Page; Grant Vaeth; Brian Warehime

    2017 - Blake Bissen; Russell Chapman; Connor Elseroad; Taylor Hodges; Joey Tabak

    2016 - Laney Ballard; Conger Wrasse; Jake Gardner; Luke Gardner; Maureen Mosmiller; Molly Blake

    2015 - Billy Bauhof; Nick Wilson
    Presented to those graduating seniors who have successfully completed 12 or more years at Gerstell Academy
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