Parents, administrators and others from the community assembled in the Dowagiac Union High School cafeteria last week to honor the finest members of the Class of 2017.

Seniors earned a total of $758,750 worth of scholarships this year.

Recognized were:

Valedictorian:

• Douglas VanTuyle *

Salutatorian:

• Kayla Cromer *

High honors graduates:

• Hunter Ayers

• Katherine Hurrle *

• Morgan Beach

• Abby Klann

• Theodore Bjork

• Danielle Lamb

• Katlyn Briney *

• Mary Leverson *

• Kaley Brogan

• Madison Phelps *

• Mackenzie Brooks

• Christianna Schommer *

• Magali Carrillo *

• Kayland Shepard *

• Lea Cooper

• Lauren Smith *

• Magali Cruz *

• Megan Soderbloom *

• Emily Dodd

• Emmaline Sovine

• Joshua Follett *

• Christopher Symonds *

• Nicholas Foote

• Kyle Thies *

• Joshua Gonzalez

• Isabel Thorne

• Hailee Green *

• Joel Vernon

• Mariah Green

• Leighann Walker

• Joseph Hassle

• Hannah Whitaker

• McKenzie Hassle *

• Marcus Winchester-Jones *

• Taylor Hulett *

• Grace Younger *

*Denotes membership in the National Honor Society

Honors graduates:

• Mary Bonomo

• Audrea King

• Matthew Briney

• Kyra Kuriata

• Adrien Bucha-Moore

• Vivianna Lucio

• Alexis Chorba

• Donovan Miller-Schoff

• Amanda DeLong

• Kyle Ortegel

• Lyudmila Dickson-French

• Brett Schultz

• Ethan Helmuth

• Shawn Sirk

• Angelica Hernandez

• Gabrielle St. Cin

• Tyler Hippensteel

• Valerie Valenzuela

• Randy Jarvis

• Hector Vazquez

• Austin Jones

• Sara Wright

Academic awards

of excellence:

• Lea Cooper

• Madison Phelps

• Kayla Cromer

• Emmaline Sovine

• Emily Dodd

• Christopher Symonds

• Nicholas Foote

• Isabel Thorne

• Hailee Green

• Douglas VanTuyle

• McKenzie Hassle

• Hector Vazquez

• Randy Jarvis

• Joel Vernon

• Abby Klann

• Hannah Whitaker

• Vivianna Lucio

• Marcus Winchester-Jones

Sister Lakes
Lions Club scholarship:

• Isabel Thorne

Elks most valuable
student scholarships:

• Theodore Bjork

• Kayla Cromer

Lee Memorial Foundation Leo Krziza and Esther Krziza-Condry scholarship fund awards:

• Katlyn Briney

• Lea Cooper

• Mackenzie Brooks

• Katherine Hurrle

• Magali Carrillo

• Hannah Whitaker

Peninsular Lodge 10 F. & A.M. scholarship:

• Danielle Lamb

Dowagiac Education
Association scholarships:

• Kayla Cromer

• Megan Soderbloom

• Abby Klann

Miss Dowagiac
scholarships:

• Madison Phelps — Miss Dowagiac, Judy Dodd Community Service Award

• Emily Dodd — First Runner Up

• Amanda DeLong — Second Runner-Up, Communications Award

Jim and Mary Alice Giles scholarships:

• Magali Carrillo

• Grace Younger

Joe and Harriett Hassle scholarship:

• Kyle Thies

Beta Sigma Phi ECC
scholarship:

• Megan Soderbloom

Beta Sigma Phi Theta MU scholarship:

• Magali Carrillo

Cass County Republican Women’s Club

scholarships:

• Kayla Cromer

• Kyra Kuriata

Dowagiac Rotary Club scholarship:

• Hector Vazquez

Dowagiac Lions Club scholarship:

• Katherine Hurrle

Craig Behnke memorial scholarship:

• Marcus Winchester-Jones

Steven Briegel Memorial Scholarship:

• Mackenzie Brooks

Kameron Belew memorial scholarships:

• Kaley Brogan

• Katherine Hurrle

• Joshua Follett

• Marcus Winchester-Jones

Dowagiac Optimist Club Dave Strlekar memorial scholarship:

• Kyle Thies

Dowagiac Fine Arts Boosters Rebecca Walker memorial scholarship:

• Jewelianna Robison

Brian Parker memorial scholarship:

• Katlyn Briney

Zeta Chi Sorority Chapter of Beta Sigma Phi Toni Shaer memorial
scholarship:

• Magali Carrillo

Buchanan Westerners Nathan Cottrell memorial scholarship:

• Katlyn Briney

Ronald Latourette
memorial scholarship:

• Megan Soderbloom

Sodexo Services
scholarships:

• Matthew Briney

• Madison Phelps

• Joshua Follett

• Grace Younger

Burger King McLamore Foundation scholarship:

• Danielle Lamb

Midwest EnergyCooperative scholarships:

• Kayla Cromer

• Katherine Hurrle

Creative Foam Peter T. Swallow founders education fund scholarship award:

• Hector Vazquez

Honor Credit Union
Foundation community commitment scholarships:

• Katherine Hurrle

• Grace Younger

Dowagiac Chieftain
scholarships:

• Magali Cruz

• Shakala Tucker

Dowagiac Union schools’ foundation Chieftain golf outing scholarships:

• Nicholas Foote

• Donovan Miller-Schoff

• McKenzie Hassle

• Megan Soderbloom

• Taylor Hulett

Dick Dorgan memorial scholarship:

• Megan Soderbloom

Southwestern Michigan College presidential
scholarships:

• Hailee Green

• Lauren Smith

Southwestern Michigan College awards
of distinction:

• Emmaline Sovine

• Leighann Walker

Southwestern Michigan College awards
of excellence:

• Matthew Briney

• Christianna Schommer

• Kaley Brogan

• Hannah Whitaker

• Kayla Cromer

Southwestern Michigan College roadrunner
scholarships:

• Mackenzie Brooks

• Hector Vazquez

• Emily Dodd

• Joel Vernon

• Valerie Valenzuela

Southwestern Michigan College talent scholarships:

• Christianna Schommer

• Lauren Smith

• Kayland Shepard

Southwestern Michigan College early
college scholarships:

• Matthew Briney

• Hailee Green

• Kayla Cromer

• Guillermo Palafox

• Blake Dudley

• Hector Vazquez

Saint Mary’s College Le Mans award:

• Danielle Lamb

IU Purdue University – Fort Wayne academic achievement scholarship:

• Abby Klann

Hope College alumni
honors scholarship:

• Megan Soderbloom

Western Michigan
University Mabel B. Thompson endowed
scholarship and MLK G.O.L.D scholarship:

• Kyra Kuriata

Eastern Michigan University education first
opportunity scholarships:

• Austin Jones

• Sara Wright

Cornerstone University chancellor’s scholarship and pastor’s scholarship:

• Katherine Hurrle

University of Michigan HAIL scholarship:

• Douglas VanTuyle

Saint Xavier University presidential scholarship and Saint Xavier University residence hall award:

• Theodore Bjork

Beloit College presidential scholarship:

• Lyudmila Dickson-French

Illinois Institute of Technology STEM+ scholarship and Heald scholarship:

• Mary Leverson

U.S. Marine Corps
scholastic excellence awards:

• Theodore Bjork

• Isabel Thorne

U.S. Marine Corps
distinguished

athlete awards:

• Kaleb Detwiler

• Micaela Ruff

U.S. Marine Corps
“Semper Fidelis” awards for musical excellence:

• Danielle Lamb

• Christopher Symonds