Upper Schoolers Honored at Awards Day
Upper School students were honored at the annual Awards Ceremony on June 6. Held in The Schiff Center, students of all grade levels were celebrated by their peers and the Upper School faculty. The ceremony began with the announcement of the following students, who earned a Concentration in Seven Hills’ Experiential Learning program for studying a subject in-depth in the following fields:
Anna Kunkel — Immigration, Displacement, and Refugee Studies
Arjun Gupta — Business Administration and Economics
Dhanush Bearelly — Medical Studies
Oliver Szabo — Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Lina Asfaw — Legal Studies
Junior Michaela Atkinson was presented the Miriam Titcomb Award, the highest honor awarded to a junior, for exhibiting “initiative in some area, originality in some area, love of fellow man, and courage of convictions.”
Senior Lidya Tesfaye was presented with the Clement L. Buenger Award on behalf of the Fund for Independent Schools of Cincinnati.
Junior Lauren VordemEsche received the Neil Smith Scholarship, which is presented to a student in grade nine, 10, or 11 who best exemplifies the qualities for which Neil Smith is known. The selected student must “meet the world with optimism and good will; expect the best from themselves and others; and exhibit courage, compassion, integrity, and intelligence.”
The Personal Achievement Award was presented to the students whose contributions have made Seven Hills a better place. Honorees were freshman Jackie Katuska, sophomores Nina Head, Sai Harini Basava, and Sabrina Donovan, junior Nicholas Stein, and senior Oliver Szabo.
Lily Plum Gartenlaub received the Sophomore Scholastic Achievement Award. This is awarded to sophomores who exhibit a scholarly temperament and who have contributed the benefits of learning in a given discipline to the school and/or the wider community. These students exhibit a love of learning, intellectual curiosity, and share enthusiasm for the discipline with others.
Junior Evie Ferguson received the Citizenship Award. This is awarded to the student who takes an active role in school and/or community affairs, who exhibits mature political and global consciousness and a sense of civic responsibility.
Juniors Kyle Wang and Ella Skipper were given the Creativity and Original Thinking Award. This award is given to students who are committed to independent thinking and have displayed an inquisitive and creative habit of mind.
Junior Anna Kunkel was awarded the Community Scholar Award, presented to the student “who has shown exceptional achievement in a given discipline and has extended that knowledge to benefit the larger community.”
Rex Shaffer and Grace Dunson was presented the Carol Brestel Award. The recipient is selected by vote of the faculty “of a senior who combines enthusiasm and talent and exhibits leadership in school life.”
Gabrielle Walker received the Florence Fessenden Award, which is given to a senior for outstanding achievement in a certain academic area.
Phoebe Rubenstein was presented the Alumni Association Service Award, which is given to seniors who have an outstanding record of service to home and community.
Rishi Mittal received the Ruth Russell Jones Award, which is presented to a senior who exhibited the greatest overall improvement and intellectual growth over a three-year period.
Department Awards
Michelle Hu — Andress Art Award
Isabelle Anthony, Alice Bachelder, Ronan Blair, Noah Clark, Nora Donovan, Grace Dunson, Elan Little, Kaeden Iyoha, Ed Li, Susie Stahl, Oliver Szabo, Margaret Tenney, and Mikul Wyer — Theater Award
Ed Li — (Alumni) Fine and Performing Arts Award
Alice Bachelder — English Award
Jason Zhou — Kathy Richardson Award
Isabelle Anthony — History Award
Alexa Kecman — Math Award
Abby Deimling — Biology Award
Jackson Hamon — Chemistry Award
Brett Woffingotn — Physics Award
Isabella Wang — Computer Science Award
Nora Donovan — Latin Award
Nathan Walker — Chinese Award
Gardner Follin — French Award
Megha Gaitonde — Spanish Award
Callie Drew and Margret Schnirring — Female Athlete of the Year
Rex Shaffer — Male Athlete of the Year
Alexa Kecman — Female Scholar Athlete
Carter Stevens — Male Scholar Athlete
Sophie Wiles — Female Archie Griffin Sportsmanship Award
Nick Cohen — Male Archie Griffin Sportsmanship Award
Nicholas Stein —Elinor Scherr Mosher Award
2024 Senate Award — Kylene Utah