On May 30, the Independence Board of Education celebrated the academic achievements of its students at the 37th Annual Academic Excellence Dinner held at the Independence Civic Center. The event recognized 24 seniors from the Independence High School Class of 2024 who were named Summa Cum Laude for their outstanding academic performance.
The Summa Cum Laude honorees included Cassandra Adams, Ally Biondi, Danielle Buyansky, Christine DiSalvo, Thomas Erdman, Joseph Jana, Landon Jatsek, Joseph Jirmasek, Wiktoria Kulesza, Stephanie Laskowski, Bryanna LeRoy, Camryn Mazzola, Mary McGreal, Khalil McDonald, Alana Nowak, Maggie Panichi, Mark Pillar, Ellie Polter, Emily Richards, Catherine Rieger, Gabrielle Rodriguez, Callia Shumay, Joseph Walchanowicz, and Matthew Wisniewski.
"Tonight we celebrate the exceptional achievements of our top scholars who have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to academic excellence," said Mike Janatovich, Independence High School Principal. "Their dedication and hard work are truly inspiring, and we are incredibly proud of their accomplishments."
In keeping with tradition, each student had the opportunity to honor a teacher, coach, or advisor who had been most influential in their educational journey at Independence Local Schools. The recognized educators included Jessica Crooks, Micki Dotson, Shawn Fahey (CVCC Teacher), Carol Fowler, Anna Gross, Jamie Hogue, Kyle Kovach, Scott Maretka, Bill McGuinness, Mike Morefield, Meg Popa, Scott Stasek, Darlene Stefanski, Jill Wagner (Retired Teacher), and Eric Wells (Retired Teacher).
The Academic Excellence Dinner served as a celebration of the hard work, dedication, and accomplishments of the Independence High School Class of 2024's top scholars. The event was a testament to the district's commitment to academic excellence and the invaluable contributions of its educators in shaping the lives of their students.
“We also want to thank Diane Brown for all of her effort in the organization of the evening. It couldn’t have been done without her,” concluded Janatovitch.