Syracuse.com | The Post-Standard’s Best and Brightest Award program sought to find the most amazing high school seniors in the area.
The applications poured in from students from 33 high schools and, well, they were all amazing, organizers said.
“The students who applied for the 2021 Best & Brightest Award really represented the best of the best in Central New York,” said Lindsay Marlenga, senior director of marketing for Advance Media New York. Each student was “extremely well-rounded showcasing achievements not only in academics but in athletics, community service, STEM, the arts and more.”
Students submitted an application with an essay discussing challenges they faced and were able to overcome. They had to include their academic successes, extracurricular activities and service to their school and community. Teachers, friends, bosses and others wrote letters of recommendation and talked about what made each student so special.
“It was very difficult to select a winner, but myself and the other judges couldn’t be more proud of the 21 winners this year,” Marlenga said. “They showcase the best of our Central New York communities.”
The students were judged on their academics, honors, extracurriculars, community service, grades, recommendations and their personal story.
Here are the 21 students chosen to receive the 2021-2022 Best and Brightest Award:
- Rishi Aeleti, Fayetteville-Manlius High School
- Maya Ali, Fayetteville-Manlius High School
- Kathryn Barclay, Jamesville-DeWitt High School
- Carlos Carrasquillo, OnTECH Charter High School
- Margaret Clancy, West Genesee High School
- Kendall Cuyler, Mexico High School
- Aubrey Fraher, Marcellus High School
- Luka Galle, Innovation Tech High School
- Gordon Gallery, East Syracuse Minoa High School
- Hanabi Uma Geiger, Fayetteville-Manlius High School
- Mason Grieb, Marcellus High School
- Patrick McGinn Hammer, Bishop Ludden Jr./Sr. High School
- Catherine Jia, Fayetteville-Manlius High School
- Molly McGrath, Cicero-North Syracuse High School
- Michael McMahon, Christian Brothers Academy
- Rayan Mohamed, Anthony A. Henninger High School in Syracuse
- Liam O’Connor, West Genesee High School
- Ethan Pickup, Skaneateles High School
- Hannora Race, Cazenovia High School
- Kelsey Redhead, John C. Birdlebough High School in Phoenix
- Chadani Timsina, Thomas J. Corcoran High School in Syracuse
Winning students and their families have been invited to an award presentation at 5:30 p.m. Friday at the Advance Media NY offices in downtown Syracuse.
Congratulations to all the students who applied and to the entire class of 2022!