Annually, the Comal Independent School District honors its top academically ranked graduating seniors with an awards ceremony and banquet. This year’s 19th Annual Academic Recognition Banquet in honor of Jan Heckendorn is being celebrated virtually because of COVID-19.
Jan Heckendorn, who was instrumental in the founding and creation of the Comal Education Foundation, was the driving force behind the Academic Recognition Banquet for 17 years. This year’s virtual celebration continues the tradition of recognizing the academic accomplishments of the district’s top-ranking students, their parents and families and the special educators in their lives who have helped them get to where they are today.
The virtual banquet may be viewed here.
The top students from each campus and the mentor for whom they chose to honor this year are listed here.
Canyon High School
- Neeraj Akula honoring Michelle Koehl, calculus and volleyball
- Andrew Barclay honoring Haylie Sansom, biology
- Kristin Clark honoring Jimmy Keresztury, world history and golf
- Alexandra Everett honoring Jamey Leeber, algebra II and swim
- Aidan Feagler honoring Brad Arnold, band
- Isaac Hawkins honoring Kevin Randle, algebra II, statistics
- Harley Johnson honoring Trevor Balmer, physics
- ‘Alex’ Hsiang-An Kuo honoring Gary Anderson, chemistry, physics II
- Megha Patel honoring Heather Sanders, calculus, athletics
- Kathryn Schulze honoring Leanne Blackwell, art, printmaking
- Hunter Technik honoring Kayla Kitchens, English
- Kobe Vargas honoring Jackson Wolek, U.S. history
- Chris Williams honoring Vaughn Chestnutt, English
- Trinity Williford honoring Jessica Galindo, health, athletics
Canyon Lake High School
- Megan Allison honoring Amanda Custy-Schaas, agriculture science
- Mia Allison honoring Agatha Bennett, physics, geoscience, environmental science
- Amanda Diaz honoring Robert Ceyanes, algebra, calculus
- Cassidy Felps honoring Kim Clemons, biology, assistant athletic coordinator
- Jessica M. Gore honoring Israel Pena, athletic trainer
- Mason Lee honoring Kellie Schatte, algebra II, computer science
- Madeleine Morris honoring Charles Van Houten, history
- Lainee Moses honoring Kim Moses, algebra II, pre-calculus, swim
- Orion Petronilo honoring Mary Beth Gallagher, statistics
- Andrew Pipkin honoring Ryan Tierney, world history, cross country
- Brandon Robinson honoring Jennifer Robinson, homeschool teacher
- Tristan Rodgers honoring Tina Platt, geography
- Kalani Thorpe honoring Therese Pilzner, biology, anatomy
- Dylan Wells honoring Caleb Hoffmann, band
- Nash Young honoring Angie Mickey, counselor
Memorial Early College High School with St. Philip’s College
- KeiLi Buckner honoring Tia Weidenfeller, counselor
- Josephine Tesauro honoring Francine Miller-Sallese, English
- Emma Vequist honoring Natalie Black, math
- Kyle Weidenfeller honoring Jennifer Fey, English
- Clayton Wiegel honoring Robert Ramirez, art
Smithson Valley High School
- Madeline Aguilar honoring Cory De Boest, AP capstone
- Jordan Auld honoring Michael Saberian, testing coordinator
- Alastair Craythorne honoring Commander Michael Mullen, JROTC
- Rachel Dziuba honoring Jason Adkins, world history, head girls soccer coach
- Tayla Glass honoring Vincent Giordanelli, calculus
- Jacqueline LaFond honoring Shauna Douglass, child development, fashion design
- Kassidy LaForge honoring Lauren Dowlearn, floral design, agriculture science
- Mayle Lester honoring Rodney Murray, sports medicine, athletic trainer
- James Mendez honoring Jonathan McKinley, world geography, debate
- Joshua Nelson honoring Keven Harshbarger, physics
- Audrey Pauletti honoring Laquita Sellers, chemistry, environmental science
- Quincy Smith honoring Erin Shephard, statistics
- Alyssa Wagner honoring Kathryn Rutledge, calculus
- Colby Wright honoring Dora Rodriguez, algebra II
- William Yancosek honoring Lucy Capt, U.S. history, NHS sponsor