After two years of learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, the 59th iteration of the Citrus College Achievement Awards on May 26 served as the symbolic culmination of the efforts of students who thrived even as the world came to a halt.
The male and female Athletes of the Year, Key of Knowledge winners, Service Leader of the Year, and Distinguished Student Award were given out at the ceremony. The common theme from each winner was their resilience and ability to persevere during unprecedented times.
Each of the over 100 award winners overcame their own version of conflict.
Female Athlete of the Year Owls basketball point guard Katherine Goostrey faced numerous injuries over the last two years, but persevered through them to score 554 points for the season while maintaining a 4.0 GPA, head women’s basketball coach Linnae Barber-Matthews said.
Key of Knowledge recipient Annie Williamson succeeded in a hands-on esthetician course even as the class was forced to be offered remotely, her instructor Ann Everett said.
Superintendent/President Greg Schulz said the students stand apart in not only their success, but how they got to it.
“When I think about our student scholars and see them tonight being honored I think about what it took for them to get to this moment,” Schulz said. “For years these inspirational students have spent countless hours studying, doing homework, attending classes all while facing different forms of adversity.”
The 59th annual Achievement Awards ceremony was conducted at the Haugh Performing Arts Center and was the first of this series of events to be in-person since 2019.
Academic Achievement Award Winners
Female Athlete of the Year:
Katherine Goostrey, Basketball
Male Athlete of the Year:
Ian Tauer, Swimming & Water Polo
Key of Knowledge:
Lynn Al Masri, Cristina Olivia Banado. Javier Eguia Chaire, Kennia Duenas Saucedo, Bethany Faith Hsieh, Lucie Madeline Nortman, Tania Teng, Annie H. Williamson, Jiancheng Zhao, Juliana Natala Zolfo
Service Leader of the Year:
Diana Diaz, Isaac Lum
Distinguished Student Awards:
Administration of Justice: Karen Loudres Barreiro, Ethan-Joseph Murillo
Anthropology: Dalilah Elizabeth Garcia, Sara Emad Guirgis
Art: Rochelle Denise Ikeda, Golden Nithsdale, Darian Patrice Kish, Emma Grace Svalstad
Astronomy: Wanqing Dong
Automotive: James Vuong
Automotive- Light Truck: Edgardo Ruben Marquez
Biology: Jamie Kathryne Hollanders, Xochitl Gisela Juarez, Mario Gabriel Uranga, Ezekial Clifton Zaruba, Jiancheng Zhao
Biotechnology: Elvira Elena Katus
Business: Sasha Kristen Alvarez, Alyssa Marie Fuentes, Rachel Irene Heinz, Casey Bryce Povero, Jett Katelin Valera
Chemistry: Eric Fredy Barrientos, Nathan James Palmer
Child Development: Ghada Jamil Afif, Makayla Raine Cordova, Karina Gallegos
Communications: Alana Ann Daly
Computer Science: Kayla Bituin
Cosmetology: Richard Jonathan Espinoza, Annie H. Williamson
Counseling: Jixing Bian, Michael Anthony Estrada, Daniel Louis Hall
Dental Assisting: Cheyenne Raquel San Miguel
Earth Science: Evan Conner Gauthier, Sonu Tamang
Economics: Yiheng Zhou
English: Christina Scozzari Adamo, Isabella Francesca Alva, Daisy Leticia, Delise Maria Coleman, Xenia Malecia Estey, John Andrew Garabedian, Dante Luis-Brown, Rylie Elise Presant, Yanyi Qu, Indiana Gabrielle Valenzuela
Forestry: Damian Alexander Giles
Geography: Seth Derek Sanchez
History: Geovanna Gonzalez Gomez, Joaquin Jeremiah Gonzalez, Symah Naetu Kabiro, Raymond Munoz, Maine Elise Stafford
Kinesiology: Patrick Borge, Calvin Bui, Caitlyn Rea Prescott, Hailee Madison Reinhart, Madison Elzabeth Salisbury, Sean Tan
Math: Faith Daisy Rey Mwangi Abuan, Brienne Elyse Caudle, Yushan Chen, Xenia Malecia Estey, Khaled Bifal Korfali, Qiqing Li, Cesilia J. Negrete, Nathan James Palmer, Elliot Joseph Wesoff
Music-Education: David Elian Gonzalez, Charlotte Rae Van Velzer
Music-Performance: Sara Marie Fisher, Reagan Mackenzie Slomback
Nursing-Registered: Benedict Santos Marasigan
Nursing-Vocational: Cymantha Jo Heim
Photography: Erica Charisse Briggs
Physics: Roxana Jaquelyn Ramirez
Political Science: Daniel Caldera, Brittany Lauren Partain
Psychology: Danielle Darlene Diaz, Nirali Vrajesh Kantawala, Jair Mejia, Corey James Morales, Wai Lam Ngai, Faith Michelle Rosas
Real Estate: Isaac Tomas Ortiz, Paul Petrovich Sorokin
Recording Technology: Benjamin Louis Alves, Cassandra Joy Sterling
Spanish: Cassandre Michele Ehrle
Speech: Alana Ann Daly, Brian Andrew Hanley, Chenjing Liu, Faith Michelle Rosas
Theatre Arts: Gustavo Adolfo Blandino, Amanuel Marie Desmuke, Raelenne Elizabeth Reyes
Water Technology: John Joseph Earnest
