By Matt Mackinder
Clarkston News Editor

Last Thursday night, May 4, at Clarkston High School’s Performing Arts Center, 135 of the 535 members of the graduating Class of 2023 were recognized at the annual Senior Awards Night, held for students receiving awards and scholarships and those with a GPA 3.8 and higher.
Department awards were handed out to Rebekah Wilson (Art), Amanda Scott (Band), Connor Laming (CTE), Anna Mayernik (French), Annelise Lemieux (German and Japanese), Leo Benitah (IB), Angelina Kincannon (Language Arts), Keira Tolmie (Math), Jacqueline Schatz (Music-Vocal), Leah Sivak (Orchestra), Hayden Simmons (Science), Isabelle Whiteherse (Social Studies), and Micaela Hohlbein (Spanish).
Scholarships were also presented from local businesses and community organizations.
The Bowman Auto Group scholarship went to Lindsey Darnell and Bedford Muzzy.
Scholarships from the Clarkston United Methodist Church were given to Owen Guzal, Katherine Haar, Henry Poploskie, Andrew Pospy, Ryan Snudden, and Leah Stump. The Glen Cobeil Memorial Scholarship from CUMC was awarded to Rebecca Leland.
The Clarkston Optimist Club gave scholarships to Sophia Catella (Andrea Schroeder Scholarship for the Fine Arts), Bedford Muzzy (Henry Richardson Friend of Youth Scholarship), Christopher Kopp (Making Your Optimism Come True Scholarship (Trades), and Keira Tolmie (James A. Evans Scholarship).
Kara Bowles, Kayla Cole, Bedford Muzzy, and Phoebe Savoie earned scholarships from the Clarkston Farm and Garden Club, while Phoebe Savoie and Bedford Muzzy took home the Elwin Brown Masonic Education Scholarship from Cedar Lodge No. 60.
Awards and scholarships were also presented from Clarkston Community Schools departments and organizations.
Ellise Dowd (Outstanding Thespian Award scholarship), Gavin Bow and Sophia Catella (Barb Gibson Scholarship) and Lauren Issac (Supporting Player Scholarship) earned honors along with Phoebe Savoie, who was awarded the Clarkston Education Associaton Scholarship.
The Clarkston Foundation for Public Education presented seven scholarships to Jorja Fuller (Michael Burdick, Foreign Language and Language Arts), Hayden Simmons (Michael Burdick, Chemistry), Annelise Lemieux and Andrew Musson (Chuck Keegan, Math/Science/Education), Elke Roeser (Robert Olsen, Math/Engineering), Jacqueline Schatz (David Reschke, Performing/Visual Arts), Tallon Ansel (Anita Davidson Scholarship, pursuit of degree of education), and Keira Tolmie (James Evans Scholarship, leadership and athletics).
Griffin Carter and Samantha Miller earned the Gary Davis/Math Department Scholarship, and Phoebe Savoie took home the Tyler Sajan Dual Enrollment Scholarship.
Clarkston PTO scholarships went to Frank Fabrizio, Emma Larkins, Phoebe Savoie, Frank Schuster, Lukas Shrout, Theo Walker, Isabelle Whiteherse, and Nathan Whitley.
The Jen Phyle Memorial Scholarship was presented to Eva Ward, and the Mikayla Ferer Memorial Scholarship went to Phoebe Savoie.
All seven elemantary schools gave scholarships to former students in Evan Pliska (Andersonville), Clara Kociba and Phoebe Savoie (Bailey Lake), Lauren Issac (Clarkston Elementary Erin Cameron Memorial Scholarship), Griffin Carter and Claire Mazure (Independence), Kara Bowles (North Sashabaw), Chloe Krawczak and Anna Mayernik (Pine Knob), and Samantha Conlon (Springfield Plains, Dr. Sharon Devereaux Scholarship).

PHOTO: A total of 135 Clarkston High School seniors gather at the school’s Performing Arts Center on May 4 after the annual Senior Awards Night, held for students receiving awards and scholarships and those with a GPA 3.8 and higher. Photo: Matt Mackinder