Posted on Sun, Jun 10, 2012 : 2 p.m.
Saline High School Top Scholars
By AnnArbor.com Staff
Saline High School held its 2012 graduation ceremonies Sunday, June 3, 6 p.m. at the Saline High School Hornet Stadium. The class included 452 graduates.
Brennen Forest Arnett
Activities and Awards: Brennen Arnett played SHS football all 4 years, has been in the SHS Jazz Band for three years, and was a National Honor Society member. Brennen is an AP Scholar. He is an Eagle Scout in Troop #446 and has his Bronze and Silver Palms. He played HS Rugby for 4 years with the Washtenaw Rugby Football Club and has been their Forward Captain for three years.
Plans After Graduation: Brennen will be attending the University of Michigan in the fall where he will major in Cellular and Molecular Biology. He will be on the U of M Rugby Football Team and plans to return to help the WRFC. His plans include continued civic involvement and participation in many U of M activities.
Leslie Becker
Activities and Awards: Leslie was an active member of National Honor Society, through which she served on the Blood Drive Committee. She was also a four-year clarinetist and member of Link Crew. Leslie was recognized as a National Merit Commended Scholar and an AP Scholar with Distinction. Outside of school, Leslie was active in her church community. She sang in the church teen choir, served as a high school youth group leader, and worked as a counselor for middle school mission camp.
Plans After Graduation: Leslie intends to study biomedical engineering at the University of Michigan
Kendall Elaine Buie
Activities and Awards: Kendall was elected class president by her peers since the eighth grade. She won the Leadership Award each year for her dedication to the Class of 2012. She was a four-year member of the Honor Roll and a four-year recipient of the All ‘A’ Academic Award. Kendall was a member of the National Honor Society and a Link Crew Leader, helping transition incoming freshman to the high school. Kendall was Editor-in-Chief of the yearbook and a Miss Saline Finalist. In addition to school, she held part-time jobs at Mangiamo Italian Grill and Mickey's Dairy Twist, and has been a dedicated member of the Dance Alliance Repertory Company in Saline for eight years.
Plans After Graduation: Kendall will be attending the University of Michigan.
Parents: Thomas and Joy Burns
Activities and Awards: Tate is a National Merit Finalist, and a SEC All-Academic award winner. He had been in Destination Imagination for 10 years, advancing to Global Finals 7 times. He was a Section Leader in both the Saline Marching Band, and the Saline Wind Ensemble. Tate also enjoys singing, acting, and dancing and has been in several musicals. He is very active in the Saline First United Methodist Church, and has been on 4 mission trips.
Plans After Graduation: Tate will be attending Lipscomb University, majoring in both Computer Science and Worship Ministry.
Parent: Lesa Byrnes
Activities and Awards: Hayley is a National Merit Scholar and an AP Scholar with Distinction. She has served as an active member of the National Honor Society, the Saline cross country team, Model United Nations and Saline Youth Council. She enjoys writing, and has worked as an intern and writer at the Ann Arbor Chronicle since her sophomore year. In her free time, she enjoys entering The New Yorker caption contests, baking and discovering new music.
Plans After Graduation: Hayley plans to attend Yale University.
Andrew Chen
Activities and Awards: Andrew is a National Merit Finalist, AP Scholar with Distinction, and was a Boys State delegate and Michigan Mathematics Prize Competition finalist. He played tennis and was a member of the marching band, jazz band, the National Honor Society, Science Olympiad, and Ultimate Frisbee. Andrew was the Interact Club treasurer and Wind Ensemble euphonium section leader. He also played in the Michigan Youth Band and went to State Solo and Ensemble Festival, played in the All-State Band, and participated in the Michigan Math and Science Scholars program.
Plans After Graduation: Andrew plans to attend the University of Michigan to study engineering.
Caleigh Chong
Parents: Jim and Marilyn Chong
Activities and Awards: Caleigh's time at Saline High School has been spent filled with music and sports. She was a percussionist in the Wind Ensemble, as well as a member of the University of Michigan Youth Band. Caleigh was also captain of the Lacrosse team. In addition, she is an active volunteer at the Humane Society of Huron Valley.
Plans After Graduation: Caleigh plans on attending the University of Michigan.
Parents: Bill and Lisa Houle
Activities and Awards: Chrissy was the captain of the SHS majorette squad, President of Business Professionals of America, secretary of the National Honors Society, and one of the founding members of the student group STRIVE. She was also an AP Scholar with Honor. She has been a baton twirler with the national champion Saline Twirlettes for thirteen years. This fall Chrissy was invited to be a twirling ambassador to Peru for the International Festival de Primavera. Additionally she is the 2012 Distinguished Young Woman of Michigan.
Plans After Graduation: Attend Yale University and major in comparative literature with a minor in political science.
Parents: Bob and Denise Humphrey
Activities and Awards: Emma Rae was a member of the Chamber Orchestra as well as the National Honor Society. She had qualified for academic honor roll each year of high school. She has enjoyed the academic challenge of many of the AP courses offered at Saline. Outside of school, Emma Rae is an active member of her youth group and helps to organize many of the events that her youth group puts on.
Plans After Graduation: Emma Rae plans to attend Hope College with a major in nursing.
Kelly Mortensen
Parents: Edward and Jeanne Mortensen
Activities and Awards: Kelly was in FFA in her sophomore and junior years of high school and served as the chapter treasurer for her junior year. Kelly was a 2012 Michigan State University Alumni Distinguished Scholarship Commended Semi-Finalist. She also has volunteered at the Humane Society of Huron Valley.
Plans After Graduation: Kelly will be attending Michigan State University, majoring in preveterinary medicine.
Aaron Mukerjee
Parents: Brian Pearson, Smita Nagpal
Activities and Awards: Aaron is the founder of STRIVE (Students Re-Investing in a Valuable Education), a member of the Drama Club, and the Student Representative to the Saline School Board. He has been involved in National Honor Society for the past two years and was a member of the Freshman and JV Baseball teams. He has also been a member of the past 3 school musicals.
Plans After Graduation: Aaron will be attending Harvard College, majoring in Government.
Jessica Opaleski
Activities and Awards: Jessie was a four-year member of the Saline Field Hockey team and played on Varsity during her last three years. During this time, she earned MVP and the Woodie Merchant Award, given to one senior for sportsmanship and leadership. Jessie was chosen as Captain her senior year. Throughout these years, she also marched in the Marching Band attaining the rank of Squad Leader and soloist. She played Varsity Women’s Lacrosse for three years and was also chosen Captain her senior year. Jessie was a four-year member of Wind Ensemble and a senior-year section-leader of the trumpet section. She has performed in the Jazz Band and Pit Orchestra and competed at district and state Solo and Ensemble earning a total of 16 ones. Jessie has been an active member of her church's youth group and held a leadership position in which she organized, led, and spoke at many of the events run by the group. She greatly enjoys outdoor recreation and builds a snow shelter each winter from which she snowshoes, hikes, and cross-country skis. Jessie sees these awards and activities, however, as less important than the people who helped her achieve them and would especially like to thank Nate Lampman, for teaching her leadership and character, Cindy Dugger, for investing in her a love of math and science, and above all else, her parents, for shaping her into the woman she is today.
Plans After Graduation: Jessie will be attending the University of Michigan Engineering School and plans to play in the Michigan Marching Band.
Marissa Owen
Activities and Awards: Marissa was a member of the National Honor Society for her junior and senior years. She was a member of the Varsity Volleyball team for three years and a captain for two years. Marissa was a MIVCA Scholar Athlete and named All-State Honorable Mention. She has been on the honor roll and has earned All 'A' Academic honors all four years of high school. In addition to her schoolwork, Marissa also spends her time volunteering at the local humane society and coaching Community Education girls' volleyball.
Plans After Graduation: Marissa will be attending Hillsdale College, majoring in Biology/ Pre-Veterinary Science. She will also be playing for the Hillsdale College Volleyball team on an academic and athletic scholarship.
Steven Paelicke
Parents: Gary and Karen Paelicke
Activities and Awards: Steven was a member of the Saline High School Marching Band and the Saline High School Jazz Band. He also played on the JV tennis team during his freshman year. Steven was a member of the National Honor Society during his junior and senior years. He was also given the German Award during his freshman, sophomore, and junior years.
Plans After Graduation: Steven will be attending the University of Michigan-Dearborn to study engineering.
Julia Prisby
Activities and Awards: Julia is a National Merit Finalist, AP Scholar with Distinction, SEC All-Academic award recipient, Presidential Scholar candidate, and two-time social studies department award winner. She has received the University of Michigan Regents Merit Scholarship and University of Michigan Engineering Scholarship of Honor. Julia was on the tennis team for four years, playing varsity her junior and senior years. She was also a member of the National Honors Society and served on the blood drive committee. Julia participated in Model United Nations since her freshman year and was elected to the executive council her junior and senior years.
Plans After Graduation: Julia will be studying biomedical engineering at the University of Michigan.
Parents: Roger and Jill Rupp
Activities and Awards: Megan was the Class Treasurer of the Class of 2012. She was a member of the National Honor Society and Link Crew. She was also a three-year member of Saline High School's Chamber Choir and won many top honors with the other members. Megan was on the SHS Basketball Sideline Cheer team this winter. She was named Miss Saline First Runner-up in the 2011 pageant. She volunteers at the American Red Cross and tutors a middle school student in math.
Plans After Graduation: Megan will be studying mechanical engineering at Washington University in St. Louis.
Anna Snyder
Activities and Awards: Anna is a recipient of the Hope College Presidential Scholarship. She was a recipient of the All “A” Academic Award, was on the Honor Roll throughout high school, and was an AP Scholar with Honor. She was a member of National Honor Society, led Children's Liturgy of the Word, and volunteered weekly in the nursery at St. Andrew Catholic Church. She was a member of Dance Alliance Repertory Company for eight years, and participated in Dance Alliance's production of The Nutcracker for three years.
Plans After Graduation: Anna will attend Hope College and intends to major in education or psychology.
Parents: Mark and Denise Sulavik
Activities and Awards: Mark was a member of National Honors Society. He volunteered his time to St. Andrew's Parish working as an usher. Mark was a member of the Saline High School varsity soccer team for three years. In his junior year he received the South Eastern Conference Sportsmanship award, and as a senior was named captain of the soccer team and received All-State honorable mention honors.
Plans After Graduation: Mark will be attending Grand Valley State University, and he is looking to enter the medical field.
Karl Winsor
Activities and Awards: Karl ranked 29th in the state for the 2011-2012 Michigan Mathematics Prize Competition and has ranked in the top 100 three years in a row. He has received a National Chemistry Olympiad scholarship, a scholarship from the Moody's Mega Math Challenge, and a University of Michigan Regent's Scholarship. He was a National Merit Finalist and an AP Scholar with Distinction. Karl served as a captain of the varsity tennis team and the varsity quiz bowl team in his senior year. He was nominated as a piano soloist for the Michigan Youth Arts Festival, and he was a violist in the Michigan All-State Orchestra. Karl has also been a member of the Science Olympiad team and National Honor Society.
Plans After Graduation: Karl will be attending the University of Michigan next fall, studying mathematics and engineering.
Parents: Don and Jackie
Activities and Awards: David received the Siemens Scholarship and the University of Michigan Regents Merit Scholarship. He was a four year member of the varsity tennis team and was awarded the SEC sportsmanship award his senior year. He was a member of the marching band all four years. David was a national finalist for the U. S. Chemistry Olympiad competition. He enjoys playing on the Saline Ultimate Frisbee Club.
Plans After Graduation: David plans to attend the University of Michigan College of Engineering