On Sunday, May 19, at 2 p.m., the Chagrin Falls High School Class of 2024, comprising 141 graduates, gathered at Harris Stadium on the school's campus for their graduation ceremony.
The ceremony began with a traditional processional, accompanied by the iconic "Pomp and Circumstance" by Elgar, setting the tone for the momentous occasion. The national anthem, "The Star Spangled Banner" by Francis Scott Key, was performed, further honoring the graduates' accomplishments.
Superintendent Dr. Jennifer Penczarski delivered opening remarks, followed by the presentation of student speakers by Assistant Principal Jessica Ross. The student speakers for the ceremony were Jacob Donnellan, Senior Class President, Norah Pope, Student Council President, Sofia Clark, Shannon McElhinney, and Duncan Scott, who shared their experiences of their time at Chagrin Falls Schools and insights for the future with their fellow graduates.
As part of the ceremony, Lauren Miller, vice president of the Chagrin Falls Board of Education, recognized the academic achievements of the graduating class. Principal Amanda Rassi then presented the Class of 2024 for their diplomas, marking the culmination of their high school journey.
Dr. Robert Schleper, Jr., a member of the Chagrin Falls Board of Education, accepted the class on behalf of the board, while the members of the Board of Education personally presented the diplomas to the graduates. Counselors Jennifer Newton, Samantha Hamilton, and Carly Kus called out the names of the graduates during the class roll call.
Among the graduates, 91% will be pursuing higher education, with Samantha Holtz and Sofia Clark continuing their academic journeys at the prestigious Ivy League institutions of Harvard University and Princeton University, respectively. Additionally, Tamara Birola Castillo chose to serve her country by enlisting in the Air Force.
Following the diploma presentation, Brian McKenna, director of the Chagrin Falls Alumni Association, led the Victory Bell Celebration, a cherished tradition that welcomed the graduates into the alumni community.
The ceremony concluded with the heartfelt rendition of the "Alma Mater" by Lisle, followed by the recessional, "Fanfare and Recessional" by Ployhar, performed by the band under the direction of Casidy Reed and Robert Sobnosky.
As the Class of 2024 prepared to embark on their next chapter, the Chagrin Falls High School community came together to celebrate their achievements and wish them success in their future endeavors, whether they pursue higher education, military service, or embark on other paths.
The community can watch the Commencement at this link: https://bit.ly/CFEVSGRAD24
Chagrin Falls High School Class of 2024
Board Recognition List
At graduation, the Chagrin Falls Board of Education has chosen to recognize those seniors who have achieved at the highest level academically. The following seniors have taken a rigorous course of study and have achieved the highest grade point averages in the class for their four years in high school. In alphabetical order, the Board of Education recognizes the following graduating seniors:
ANNA BAKER daughter of CHRISTOPHER and PATTI BAKER
Will attend MIDDLEBURY COLLEGE
AMELIA BENCKO daughter of JOHN and JENNIFER BENCKO
Will attend THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY
SHLOK BHATTACHARYA son of SUJOY BHATTACHARYA and SEEMA ACHARYA
Will attend CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY
THOMAS BRENNAN son of TERRY and BRIDGET BRENNAN
Will attend UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
AIDEN CABIC son of LANCE and JENNIFER CABIC
Will attend MIAMI UNIVERSITY
JASON CHENG son of ENZHI CHENG and JIAN LI
Will attend PURDUE UNIVERSITY
ELENA GOODWIN daughter of RYAN and MEREDITH GOODWIN
Will attend THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY
SAMANTHA HOLTZ daughter of MIKE and KELLY HOLTZ
Will attend HARVARD UNIVERSITY
CLARA IVES daughter of JONATHAN and JENNIFER IVES
Will attend MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
TAEIN KANG son of JISOK KANG and MIN YOUNG CHOI
Will attend BOSTON COLLEGE
KELLY MEADOR daughter of GREG and RENATA MEADOR
Will attend THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY
MARGARET OLIVER daughter of AARON and JENNIFER OLIVER
Will attend LEHIGH UNIVERSITY
ALEXANDRA SCHARPF daughter of JOE and TANYA SCHARPF
Will attend CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY
JAMES WILKINSON son of COLIN and DEBORAH WILKINSON
Will attend ROCHESTER INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
Chagrin Falls High School Class of 2024
Grant Joel Alberts
Sidney Morris Austin V
Dylan Robert Babic
Anna Elizabeth Baker*
Lliam Robert Baskette
Marissa Eve Becker
Amelia Rose Bencko*
Aiden Conner Beresford*
Shlok Bhattacharya*
Michael Abdoollah Bidar*
Tamara Nicole Birola Castillo
Drew William Blair
Hunter Mitchell Blair
Anna White Bourne
Andrew Robert Brackett*
Lyla Reese Breeden*
Thomas McGettrick Brennan*
Jessica Caroline Brett*
Edward Galt Brown
Jillian Lynn Bunker*
Aedan Elizabeth Buno*
Erin Bryn Burchard
Lauren Rae Burgess
Lindsay Anne Burgess
Ayen Margaret Burke
Landen Kyle Burke
Charles Joseph Busby*
Liam Monahan Butler*
Aiden Christopher Cabic*
Grace Anne Calhoun
Brandon Marc Castelluccio
John Thomas Catney*
Jason Li Cheng*
Ava Eleanor Chess*
Alex Sheridan Chinnici*
Sofia Isabel Clark*
Ellie Kendall Conrad*
Mia Elizabeth Conti
Bailey Elizabeth Corto
Benjamin Isaac Cowan*
Evelyn Margaret Cravens*
William Christopher Denkins
Owen Brian Denton
Lily Anne Deuberry
Jacob Brennan Donnellan
Jason Patrick Edwards, Jr.
Abigayle Madison Ellis
Elizabeth Reid Ettinger
Katelyn Mae Evans*
Bianca Estella Fant*
Matilda Ann Fischer
Isabella Rose Fransko*
Harrison Jerome Fritz
Filomena Rosaria Giannattasio*
Elena Carey Goodwin*
Ella Juliana Goyzman*
William Alan Graham
Mila Elizabeth Gresh
Sophie Dolan Hill*
Samantha Madison Holtz*
Clara Mae Ives*
Claire Lorelai Jarvis*
Alexandra Marie Jones
Emily Rose Jones
Zoe Marie Jones*
Taein Kang*
Kazimierz Edward Kanieski
Alexis Madison Kaseler*
Andrew Kiel
Cole Albert Kilby
John Henry Kittle
Leah Rebecca Kler*
Margaret Claire Koehler
Griffin Thomas Laws*
David Reed Livingston*
Kelsey Reese Long*
Molly Jane Longo
Sofia Deborah Maas*
Hollie Margaret Markham*
Joseph Alan McCamon
Riley Hope McClintock*
Tyler Sean McCort
Shannon Estelle McElhinney*
Kate Marie McLain
Kelly Josephine Meador*
Alessandra Lorena Mitchell*
Chloe Elizabeth Moorman*
Keira Madison Moran
Nicholas Bruce Morris
Silvana Marie Moyano
Lillian Patricia Murray
Luke Michael Neimeier
Luke Benjamin Nelson
Natalie Marie Nemunaitis*
Isabel Marie Nerpouni*
Sydney Mikey Nichols
Atlas Nielsen*
Sven Oliver Nielsen*
Madison Tracey Nightwine
Emma Zoe O'Brien*
Diego Kaz Ochiai*
Margaret Makena Oliver*
Case Edward Ollila
Saturn Isaac Owens-Paquette
Elizabeth Ellen Partain*
Margaret Kay Pease*
Samuel Deggin Peck
Sallie Peyton Pierce*
Norah Reagan Pope*
Graham Gage Price
Quinn Joseph Purnhagen
Katherine Rose Quinn*
Caroline Elizabeth Reeder
Charles Christopher Reeder*
Julia Grace Richard*
Isabella Caroline Riley
Eliot Morris Rodgers
Nicholas August Rohde
Ava Kilian Rose*
Lucy Claire Rotenbor
Samantha Russell
Tyler Joseph Saccone
Alexandra Louise Scharpf*
Lindsay Jean Schumacher*
Duncan Thomson Scott*
Valerie Price Spieth
Aidan Roy Sprenger
Kailey Grace Stec*
Louis John Sutte
Charles William Taylor
Oliver Rubin Tepper*
Braeden David Thompson
Casey Brian Verderber
John Robert Wahl
Luke Francis Weaver
James Byers Wilkinson*
Salvatore Jasper Winans
Michael David Wloszek
Tyler Benson Wyville
Tatum Anneliese Yanchar*
Joseph Paul Zimmer*
*Designates the State of Ohio Board of Education Diploma with Honors
Chagrin Falls High School Class of 2024 Will Be Represented at These Universities:
American University
Auburn University
Ball State University
Boston College
Bowling Green State University (Main Campus)
Carleton University
Carnegie Mellon University
Case Western Reserve University
Champlain College
Cleveland State University
Colby College
Cuyahoga Community College
Duquesne University
Florida State University
Harvard University
Indiana University (Bloomington)
Jacksonville University
John Carroll University
Kent State University
Lehigh University
Marist College
Marquette University
Miami University (Oxford)
Michigan State University
Middlebury College
Ohio University (Main Campus)
Ohio Wesleyan University
Otterbein University
Penn State University (University Park)
Princeton University
Purdue University (Main Campus)
Rochester Institute of Technology
Savannah College of Art and Design
Southern Union State Community College
Suffolk University
The Ohio State University
The Ohio State University (Mansfield Campus)
The University of Tampa
The University of Tennessee (Knoxville)
Tufts University
University of Akron Main Campus
University of California (Berkeley)
University of Cincinnati (Blue Ash)
University of Cincinnati (Main Campus)
University of Colorado Boulder
University of Dayton
University of Georgia
University of Kentucky
University of Michigan
University of Notre Dame
University of South Carolina
University of Wisconsin (Madison)
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
West Virginia University
Cum Laude Society Members
Anna Baker, Amelia Bencko, Shlok Bhattacharya, Thomas Brennan, Liam Butler, Aiden Cabic, Jason Cheng, Alex Chinnici, Sofia Clark, Elena Goodwin, Sophie Hill, Samantha Holtz, Clara Ives, Taein Kang, Riley McClintock, Shannon McElhinney, Kelly Meador, Alessandra Mitchell, Natalie Nemunaitis, Isabel Nerpouni, Sven Nielsen, Margaret Oliver, Norah Pope, Julia Richard, Nicholas Rohde, Alexandra Scharpf, James Wilkinson and Tatum Yanchar.
Class of 2024 Class Officers
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE:
President: Norah Pope
Vice President: John Catney
Treasurer: Maggie Pease
Secretary: Kate Quinn
SENIOR CLASS REPRESENTATIVES
President: Jacob Donnellan
Vice President: Luke Neimeier
Treasurer: Chloe Moorman
Secretary: Louis Sutte
Class of 2024 Receive Numerous Awards and Accolades
CHAGRIN FALLS HIGH SCHOOL
68th ANNUAL HONORS PROGRAM
May 14, 2024
Scholarship Recipients . . .
Golden Gate Masonic Lodge: Aiden Beresford, Nick Rohde
Chagrin Falls Music Lovers: Sidney Austin, Sofia Clark, Ella Goyzman, Natalie Nemunaitis, Diego Ochiai, Kailey Stec, James Wilkinson
Dentistry at Winbury: Leah Kler
Chagrin Falls Class of 1981: Kailey Stec
Chagrin Falls Booster Club: Anna Baker, Aiden Beresford, Shlok Bhattacharya, Clara Ives, Taein Kang, Shannon McElhinney, Luke Nelson, Natalie Nemunatis, Isabel Nerpouni, Nick Rohde, Alexandra Scharpf, Kailey Stec, Tatum Yanchar
Friends of the Library: Tatum Yanchar
Gerry Stueber: Aiden Beresford
Geoff Lynch: Lindsay Schumacher
Chagrin Falls Education Association: Kailey Stec
Battles & Hurst: Liam Butler
Kevin Schomisch Scholarship: Luke Nelson, Isabel Nerpouni, Elizabeth Partain
Chagrin Falls Historical Society: Kailey Stec, Oliver Tepper
The Michael Murphy Never Ending Story: .Charlie Reeder
Chagrin Falls Alumni Association: Sofia Clark, Jacob Donellan, Isabella Fransko, Riley McClintock, Madison Nightwine, Charlie Reeder
Other scholarships that we have been informed of that were awarded in another setting this year:
Chagrin Valley Women's League: Luke Nelson, Isabella Wells
Chagrin Valley Rotary Scholarship: Luke Neimeier, Luke Nelson
Navy ROTC Scholarship: Sofia Clark