More than 400 Cleburne High School students, including members of the Class of 2020, were honored for their scholastic accomplishments at the annual Academic Excellence Awards ceremony, held Thursday evening in the Jeff D. Cody Arena.

                For more than three decades, CHS students have been recognized for reaching high and going beyond through the Academic Excellence Awards program established and sponsored by St. Mark United Methodist Church. The 419 sophomores, juniors, seniors and graduates honored Thursday met or exceeded a cumulative GPA of 3.4 in the 2019-20 school year. Sophomores and first-time recipients receive an afghan in the school colors, with returning achievers presented with certificates.

                “Last spring, these students suddenly became distance learners, with the onset of Covid-19, and began receiving instruction from their teachers in a whole new way,” Academic Excellence Committee Chair Shelly Samuels said. “They continued to hold high academic standards for themselves as they learned to engage and interact with their teachers and fellow students as members of the virtual classroom. We are so proud to honor these scholars, who, with their teachers, are continuing to navigate new waters in this pandemic—and doing it well.”

                Samuels also recognized the parents in attendance for the support and encouragement they provide, in welcoming them to the academic celebration.

                “It was a really nice evening to get together in celebration of the academic success of these students,” Superintendent Dr. Kyle Heath said. “We appreciate St. Mark continuing this recognition in a really tough year. Our students need to be honored for their dedication to academics—which they are continuing to do despite all that has come in these unprecedented times.”

                “I am also grateful for the CHS staff in making the event safe, successful and enjoyable for our honorees and guests,” Heath said.”

                More than 100 afghans were presented to sophomores Crystal Aguilar, Angelina Andersen, Shelby Awtrey, Giselle Azua, Megan Baadsgaard, Kyra Baker, Katie Barnes, Alison Bounds, Aariyah Brooks, Ashton Brown, Madison Collins, Tru Collup, Breauna Crotts, Emily Day, Kevin De Angelo, Casandra Diaz, Reese Easley, Isis Estrada, Ryan Evetts, Skye Ewell, Weston Fenn, Addie Finley, Hallie Fiola, Nathan Frost, Gletsi Garcia, Karyme Garcia, Andres Gavino, Adrian Gonzalez, Tessa Green, Melissa Griffin, Kylee Grigsby, Anthony Guadamuz, Haley Hadley, Chrysta Hames, Cheyanne Harmon, Ryan Hart, Collin Hillman, Lynetta House, Kayla Hughes-Followill, Jesse Jaramillo, Chloe Johnson, Tommy Jordan, Jayden Key, Riley King, Nazaeret Kuykendall, Avery Lacroix, Paigen Lanford, Adrienne Light, Gisselle Limon, Haley Macklin, Christopher Maher, Aiden Marcozzi, Diego Mares, Emma Marion, Marlie Marshall, Jana Martinez, Morgan Marvell, Hillary McBroom, Olivia McGaughey, Emily Moore, Robert Morgan, Madi Munn, Parker Murphy, Bianca O’Bryant, Audra Parsons, Hunter Patrick, Jonathan Perez, Robert Pippin, Elizabeth Preston, Parker Pritchard, Mackenzie Pruiett, Paul Reaves III, Dayana Herrera Reyes, Kennan Rigoulot, Alexa Roberts, Mariela Rodriguez, Joshua Salgado, Malaeki Sanchez, Jessy Sanchez, William Selby, Matthew Slimp, Abby Smith, Haden Smith, Harley Stehling, Laramie Stehling, Hannah Stevenson, Emma Stone, Carla Summers, Kiley Tanner, Adrian Tapia, Maryn Tennison, Lilly Thomas, Zane Thomas, Brenda Torres, Kaitlyn Tucker, Ilen Valdez, Carlie Vogel, MattieLu Ward, Justin Warniment, Kallie Watson, Alexis Wickliff, Tyler Williams, Elizabeth Youngberg.

                Eleventh grade honorees are: Dariana Aguilar, Jase Bailey, Baleria Balderson, Caroline Bennett, Marissa Bosher, Alyssa Bostic, Jade Boyd, Rebekah Brockett, Emma Burns, Chloe Calvert, Raymond Campos, Tatum Cantu, Aliyah Carrizales, Logan Cato, Gloria Cepeda, Rosaura Chavez, Rylie Clark, Marc-Anthony Clifford, Brody Cottongame, Alyssa Cox, Rodolfo Cruz-Almazan, Jordenne Cunningham, Ana Delabra, Rowan Eyman, Alyssa Falkingham, Ella Felkins, Elena Fojtasek, Emilee Galan, Elias Gann, Sarai Garcia, Jerry Gaskill, Elias Gomez, Christopher Hallen, Sebastien Hammons, Samara Harman, Alexiah Henson, Fernando Hernandez, Evangeline Hesa, Ashleigh Hightower, Camiel Hilton, Tyler Hollis, Reagan Horton, Kylee Howington, Rene Huerta, Cole Hunt, Brooklyn Hunt, Alana Keils, Colton Kimbell, Karla Lara, Alacia Ladoux, Matthew Limon, Ashlyn Long, Jimmy Lopez, Ryelyn Lott, Jace Lowe, Cooper Madison, Briana Martinez, Pedro Martinez, Jose Martinez, Roger Mascorro, Audrey McClure, Addison Moore, Pamela Moreno-Hernandez, Tammy Nguyen, Mariana Noriega-Nuñez, Nadia Owen, Leah Parsons, Eduardo Pedroza, Anahy Perez, Esmeralda Perez, Jake Piety, Jaret Piety, Sienna Pontremoli, Emmanuel Ramos, Courtney Rhodes, Yamily Rivera, Emma Rohr, Taytum Rosette, Preston Russell, Serenity Salas, Miguel Salazar, Leslie Sanchez, Emma Schulte, Gemma Scott, Alexis Smith, Kaelib Smith, Anthony Sullivan, Avery Tapia, Jessica Torres, Andrew Tucker, Moises Vargas, Isabel Vasquez, Daniel Villegas, Kylie Ward, Aubrey Whitehead, Zoe Wilson, Dylan Witte.

                Members of the Senior Class achieving academic recognition were Parisa Ahmady, Alex Archer, Trey Archer, Brock Ash, Takara Bailey, Alex Benson Ally Benson, Audree Bicknell, Samantha Blanchette, Jade Buentello, Mackenzie Carlson, Jacob Carver, Alicia Chavez, Tylar Chumley, Jaxon Coates, Hailie Cochran, Giullia Conceicao, Jazmin Contreras, Bryan Cook, Alana Cooper, Michelle Cruz, Hugo Cuellar, Carter Day, Ja’kobe Dix, Kirstie Dorries, Kevin Duran, Lily Edwards, Salem Estreich, Antares Ewell, Jase Felton, Ethan Flores, Julieanna Flores, Lorena Fonseca, Amy Fowler, Arlett Garcia, Denisse Garcia, Michelle Garcia, Liliana Garnica, Kellis Giesen, Dillion Grisham, Braden Gunn, Israel Gutierrez, Julie Hall, Matthew Harman, Carson Harris, Jordyn Haught, Ashley Hernandez, Chase Horn, Keaton Howe, Breanna Hughes, Jacob Irvin, Trenton Jonsson, Nico Keramidis, Grant King, James Labo III, Lauren Lackey, Piper Lanford, Kayley Leck, Grace Leverett, Imelda Lira, Diana Lozano, Madison Lynn, Juan Mares, Hannah Marion, Jada Martinez, Sady Mathis, Morgen Mathson, Chantal Morales, Gavin Naquin, Abigail Navarrete, Nubia Ortega, Gisell Ortiz, Cole Parsons, Josie Peña, Sydney Pioquinto, Macie Pugh, Lizbeth Ramirez, Kate Renner, Tamara Reyes, Piper Reyna, Kathleen Robertos, Gavin Roberts, Madison Sepulveda, Amar Sharma, Rhadja Silva, Grace Sitler, Brayden Sloan, Brently Smith, Joy Smith, Karmen Smith, Nemo Solis, Rayann Thomas, Angela Torres, Zander Upchurch, Camila Varjao-Alfara, Ashley Vega-Enamorado, Diego Velasquez, Bailey Vidaurri, Jonathan Walker, Addison Weinschenk, Chloe Whitehead, Malea Whiteside, Jerrod Whitney, Christian Williams, Taliana Youngberg, Brenda Zamora.

                Graduates include Alyssa Graf, who is the recipient of the Academic Excellence Scholarship. She is now attending Texas State University. Also: Jordan Abbott, Francisco Alcala, Jr., Heyteliama Ankien, Brittany Applegate, Brock Barbee, Nicholas Barlow, Nathan Barnes, Merari Belmares-Rodriguez, Lauren Bicknell, Jacob Bingham, Nardasha Boaz, Taylar Bowersox, Jackson Brady, Erica Breaux, Morgan Brinkley, Kezia Brown, Nathaniel Busch, Justyn Carrizales, Charles Carroll, Truett Childress, Caleb Clifford, Kambree Coates, Austin Cook, Seth Coward, Nicholas Crawford, Isaak Cunningham, Tommy Delarosa, Jake Dobbins, Tyson Dunmoodie, Carter Edsel, Chloe Eichholtz, Karina Estrada-Zamudio, Ally Faulk, Brendan Felton, Audry Fenn, Maci Geltmeier, Jonas Goodgion, Jaydin Govea, Rylea Green, Cason Gregory, Nicholas Grotberg, McKayla Hargrove, Abigail Hawpe, Erika Hill, Mason Hill, Wesley Hillis, Shawn Horn, Olivia Hunt, Robinson Jack, Isabella Jarmon, Emily Jimenez, Karli Knippers, Glory Lanki, Nichole Lares, Kaden Layland, Kristen Lopez, Rudy Lopez, Roxy Luna, Jesssica Lyons, Alondra Maddox, Belle Mahaffey, Caitlyn Malcomson, Wayne Mangrum III, Maggie Marshall, Araceli Mestas, Wendel’lyn Moblin, Brandie Montgomery, Mikala Moore, Mikayla Moore, Joshua Morales, Samantha Moreno, Rylee Mullen, Henry Newby, John Paul Nguyen, Raeann Ortiz, Fernando Pedroza, Jorge Pedroza, Bradley Pickle, Sierra Pugh, Romeo Ramirez, Sofia Reyes, Cesly Rodriguez, Gabriel Rodriguez, Victor Salgado, Rylie Sims, Mieko Smith, Abigail Stephens, Dryden Taylor, Brenden Thompson, Raven Trammell, Anna Trew, Klarissa Vara, Alexandria Verduzco, Julian Vital, Gracie Walker, London Walker, Elspeth Wallace, Reese Williams, Blake Wilson, Maya Wilson, Mikaela Wismer, Perla Zamora.