Top Ten Seniors for the Class of 2021

Keshava Demerath-Shanti

Keshava resides in Munith with his parents, Shelley Wilson and Bill Demerath. He is Class Valedictorian, Graduating Summa Cum Laude.

His academic honors include, President’s Award for Educational Excellence, 2021 Michigan Competitive Scholarship, Life Science Award, Algebra A, United States History, Chemistry, Algebra B, Geometry, Government and Economics, and Top Two GPA 9-11th grade. Top Ten Senior. He also received the Munith Lion Everell Huttenlocher Scholarship.

His ExtraCurricular Activities included Panther Powered FIRST Robotics, National Honor Society and Science Olympiad.

He was a mentor for the middle school FIRST tech Robotics team.

He plans on taking a year to work and travel before attending Lansing Community College. He will later transfer to a University to study law, engineering or psychology. Keshava is inspired by people who stand to oppression and work to change our unjust systems.

His Life’s motto is, If I can not justify or explain why I am doing something, I should not do it. His favorite quote is “Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced” James Baldwin

His favorite book is Moral Politics by George Lakoff

Melanie Eskew

Melanie is Class Valedictorian, Graduating Summa Cum Laude, her academic honors include the President’s Award for Educational Excellence, Senior English, Top Two GPA 9-11th grade, Chemistry, Anatomy and Physiology honors.

Her extracurricular activities include, FIRST Robotics electrical captain, National Honor Society, Quiz Bowl, JV Soccer, and co founder of GSA.

She has volunteered many hours to help with the Middle School Robotics events, helped clean up the community, and volunteered at Day in the Village with FIRST Robotics.

She is inspired by people in general, hearing about other people’s life stories inspire who to continue doing great things. Her motto in life is when Hardships come about in life, great lessons come along as well. Although it seems like the world is coming to an end when humans deal with hard times, we often learn from it and come out stronger in the end.

Her favorite quote is “Success is not final, failure is not fatal, it is the courage to continue that counts” This quote reassures that being human is ok. We all fail. Most of us may reach our own version of success, but sometimes not. However, giving up will never allow someone to succeed, that is why perseverance is so important.

Her favorite book is Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale.

She plans to attend Washtenaw Community College to complete prerequisite classes for a major in Robotics Engineering, in which she will complete at Lawrence Technological University in the future.

Brianna Hill

Brianna resides in Gregory with her parents Brian and Jodi Hill.

Brianna is Class Valedictorian, Graduating Summa Cum Laude. Her academic honors include, President’s Award for Educational Excellence, 2021 Michigan Competitive Scholarship, Senior English, Spanish, Algebra, US History, Psychology and Sociology. She received the General Ostrander Award, SAEF Scholarship, Lions Club Scholarship, Laura Goodin Memorial Scholarship, Donna E. Schumacher Memorial Scholarship, Don E. Krummery Memorial Scholarship, Eaton Federal Bank Memorial Scholarship, the Jeff Becker Memorial Award.

Her extracurricular activities include, varsity cross country, varsity women’s soccer, National Honor Society, Student Council and Class Officer.

She has volunteered at St. John’s Lutheran Church youth group and the Kounty Klover kid 4-H Club.

She is planning on attending Michigan State University for a major in Animal Science. Various people inspire her for various reasons, teachers, coaches, family. And her life motto is Be fearless in the pursuit of what sets your soul on fire. Her favorite quote is “But by the grace of God, I am who I am” 1 Corinthians 15:10

Hailey Howard

Hailey lives in Pleasant Lake with her parents, Brian and Kaci Howard.

She is Class Valedictorian and Class President. Graduating Summa Cum Laude,

Her academic honors, she is the US patent holder for Underwater Camera and Water Quality Monitoring System, Film finalist at the San Francisco Film Festival and the Thunder Bay International Film Festival, 2020. Certificate of honor Algebra, Top Two GPA 9th-11th.

Her extracurricular activities include, Class officers, Varsity Soccer, Varsity Cross Country, and Stockbridge Inventeam. She volunteers High School events. Her family inspires her, they work hard for what they have even when they didn’t have much, with a smile on their face the whole time. Her motto is Do what you want to do, not what others expect from you.

Her favorite quote is Kindness always wins. Favorite book, In the Company of Women by Grace Bonney. She is going to Western Michigan University majoring in Advertising and Promotions.

Brock Jones

Here is my information for being a top ten senior for the paper: Name: Brock Jones

City: Stockbridge

Parents: Ryan and Rachel Jones

Academic honors/awards: Class awards: English 9, Spanish II, Geometry, Algebra B, Algebra C, Biology, and Chemistry. Top GPA Award 9-11th grade. This one’s not 9-11th but I was an individual academic all-state runner in cross country this year.

Class Valedictorian, Graduating Summa Cum Laude, 2021 Competitive Scholarship, Senior English, AP Calculus, Senior Math Award, Senior Leadership Award. Recipient of the Basore Scholarship, SAEF Scholarship, Pfc. John Donohue Good Citizenship Award, Lions Club Scholarship, Jeff Becker Memorial Award.

Extracurricular Activities: 4 years of cross country, basketball, and track and field(if Junior season wasn’t cancelled)

Community Service/Hobbies: Fishing, playing video games, coding, and spending time with friends and family.

Future Plans: I am going to Central Michigan University to major in Computer Science. Who inspires you? My parents.

What is your life’s philosophy/motto? I constantly try to set myself up in the best position for future success. Success is never guaranteed, but hard work can set me up for the highest chance to succeed.

What is your favorite quote? “Live like no one else, so later you can live like no else.” -Dave Ramsey

What is your favorite book? The Hobbit

Molly Nichols

Molly lives in Pleasant Lake, MI. Her parents are Josh and Angie Nichols.

Molly is Class Valedictorian, Graduating Summa Cum Laude, President’s Award for Educational Achievement, Top 2 GPA 9-11th and Top Ten Senior Year.

Extracurricular Activities include, Volleyball, Basketball, Track, Student Council, National Honor Society, and Class officer. She enjoys fishing and hunting. Her brother Sam inspires her with his personality, intelligence and humor. Her favorite quote is, “But if you never try, you will never know just what you’re worth” -Coldplay. Her favorite book is The Key to Happiness. She plans on attending Grand Valley State University to become a Medical Physician.  She was offered a full scholarship.

Chelsey Asquith

Residence- Stockbridge

Parents- Roy & Heather Asquith

Academic Honors/Awards (9th-11th)

• Top 10 all four years of High School
• Academic All-State through Varsity Cross Country and Varsity Basketball
• Vice President of the class of 2021 during my junior year of High School
• Received a United States Patent while being a member of the Stockbridge InvenTeam

Class Salutatorian, Graduating Magna Cum Laude, President’s Award for Educational Achievement

Extra-Curricular Activities

• Stockbridge InvenTeam
• Varsity Basketball
• Varsity Cross Country
• Varsity Soccer

Community Service/Hobbies

• I was given the opportunity to travel to American Samoa to help educate and inspire the Samoan people through Underwater robotics and ROV’s.

Future Plans (college, work, etc.)

• I plan on attending Lansing Community College for two years, then transfer to MSU to attend their outstanding Veterinary

Who Inspires you?

The people I call family are my greatest Inspiration.

What is your life’s philosophy/motto?

Live every day as if there won’t be a tomorrow.

What is your favorite quote?

“The only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary.”

• Vidal Sassoon

Evelyn Ortiz-Martinez

She Resides in Grass Lake with her parents, Betty and Joe Ortiz-Martinez.

Graduating Magna Cum Laude, President’s Award for Educational Achievement. First Robotics, Computer Science, Law, Biology, United States History, Spanish, Algebra.

Her extracurricular activities include, Varsity women’s soccer and First Robotics.

She loves reading and collecting comic books. Her mother inspires her. She is the person who no matter how many problems she asks her for advice on, she always is there to support her and give her the wisest solution. Her motto is They laugh at me because I’m different, I laugh at them because we are all the same. Her favorite quote is “I’d rather be a hypocrite, then the same person forever” Adam Horovitz, Beastie Boys.

Her favorite book is All Quiet on the Wester Front by Erich Maria Remarque. Evelyn plans to attend Western Michigan University for Computer Science.

Joy Youngblood

Lives in Stockbridge, parents are Jo and Erik Youngblood.

Graduating Magna Cum Laude, National Honor Society, Cross Country, Track. She inspires herself, her motto is Live life to the fullest unnoticed, favorite quote is “Fake it till you make it” Her favorite book is The Catcher in the Rye. She plans on attending Central Michigan University for Geology.

Kaitlin Miller

Kaitlin resides in Munith with her parents Chris and Dawn Miller, She is graduating Magna Cum Laude, received the President’s Award for Educational Achievement, Senior English, Life Science Award, National Honor Society, 4.0 GPA 9th – 11th, Environmental Science Award, MHSSA Team All Academic Award, Spanish Award. Her extracurricular activities include Varsity soccer, President of National Honor Society, Student Council, Volleyball and Dance. She has done community service for school and dance related events. Throughout the past 4 years she has found inspiration in her teachers and mentors, one of her dance instructors, Robin Carson and two teachers, Mrs. Reyes and Mrs. Stricklin, have all shown her how to be a leader and to recognize and value herself and her abilities. Their support and encouragement, and kindness and insight was greatly appreciated. Her life motto is just breathe! It’s easy to get caught up in the stress and negativity of life, so take the time to stop and smell the roses. Have fun and choose happiness!

Her favorite quote is “Storm in her Eyes, peace in her smile”-Ventum. Her favorite book is all Harry Potter! She plans on attending Michigan State University with a major in Psychology.