On May 23, over 40 Upper School students at Penn Charter were honored with various year-end awards during the annual Upper School Prize Assembly.
Faculty, staff, classmates, and family gathered to celebrate their achievements. Additionally, 23 seniors received recognition for completing Penn Charter certificate programs in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice (eleven students), Environmental Stewardship and Sustainability (seven students), and Global Culture and Language (five students). The ceremony concluded with the naming of this year's Commencement speakers, Bridgette Gold and Arielle Willis, and the formal dedication of the 2025 Class Record (yearbook) to Director of Dining Services Siobhan Scardina and member of the security team Craig Hulit.
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View the range of awards and the recipients below. Congratulations to all!
CHERYL IRVING DIVERSITY AWARD
Given to a member of the senior class who has made significant contributions to the work of equity and justice and has participated and led in the organization of discussions, workshops and activities to further making Penn Charter an inclusive environment.
- Benji Solomon
- Oliver Jackson
LEHR FAMILY PUBLIC PURPOSE AWARD
To the student(s) who most closely fulfilled the ideals of public purpose to the community through active participation in the Center for Public Purpose addressing the most pressing social issues in the Greater Philadelphia area.
- Ava Gonnella
D.J. WILLIAMS AWARD
To a student who has made a significant contribution to journalism at Penn Charter in memory of D.J. Williams, OPC’77.
- Lucy Cullen
- Bridgette Gold
W. RAYMOND EVANS JR. MEMORIAL PRIZES IN MATHEMATICS
- James Killinger (9)
- Maddie Jones (9)
- Layla Joshi (10)
- Thomas Le (10)
- Nora Prasad (11)
- Chase Covert (11)
- Karya Karabucak (12)
- Lucy Cullen (12)
MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE
To a member of the junior class who has demonstrated the highest level of motivation, commitment and achievement in science and math classes.
- Adrienne Chang
AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY AWARD
For excellence in chemistry.
- Payton Small
THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF PHYSICS TEACHERS’ AWARD
To the outstanding student in the first year physics course.
- Alex Brown
THE ROBERT D. TORREY AWARD
Honors an Upper School student who has shown dedication and achievement during his or her years in the science program.
- Lucy Cullen
THE ROBERT F. CHAPMAN OPC ’36 FUND FOR SUSTAINABILITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP PRIZE
To a member of the junior class whose talents in the sciences and passion for nature recall Robert F. Chapman’s lifelong application of scientific understanding to environmental issues.
- Carly Lewinski
J.P. HARLAND PRIZE
To a member of the junior class or senior class who has been the best student in Latin during their years at Penn Charter.
- Lucas Fiss
- Teddy Davey
SPANISH PRIZE
To a student(s) that has clearly demonstrated a true commitment to understanding the culture of Spanish speakers, as well as mastering the Spanish language.
- Ross Lee
CHINESE PRIZE
To the student who has most clearly demonstrated a commitment to mastering the Chinese language, understanding the culture and using what they learn to communicate with others.
- Nate Johnson
S. WEIR LEWIS 3rd MEMORIAL PRIZE
To an outstanding member or members of the Junior Class, in English and French, as a tribute to Clifton Lisle and to Oliver P. Hodge who were his teachers in these subjects.
- Penelope Gray (English)
- Mimi Ohemeng (French)
RELIGIOUS STUDIES and PHILOSOPHY DEPARTMENT AWARD
This award is given to a member of the student body who has shown significant scholarly interest and pursuit in the field of religious studies and philosophy in their time at Penn Charter.
- Arielle Willis
HISTORY PRIZE
To the senior who has demonstrated general excellence throughout the U.S. History course during their Junior year.
- Penelope McCoubrey
LAWRENCE W. KUNKLE AWARD
To a senior who best exemplifies the qualities of creative ability, diligence and service that Lawrence Kunkle exhibited as a teacher at Penn Charter.
- Aidan Trautwein
LOUIS SAVINO CHORAL AWARD
Given to an Upper School student who has distinguished him/herself through an extraordinary commitment to Penn Charter’s choral musical program.
- Louella Whitaker
MUSIC AWARD
To a member of the Upper School who has made an outstanding contribution to the music program through both talent and leadership.
- Julian Adams (Choral)
- Leah Rosenwinkel (Band)
LOUIS ARMSTRONG JAZZ AWARD
Given to a student in recognition of outstanding achievement in the field of jazz, as demonstrated through superior musicianship character, and individual creativity.
- Taylor McMillan
JOHN PHILIP SOUSA BAND AWARD
Given to a student in recognition of outstanding achievement and interest in instrumental music, for singular merit in loyalty and cooperation, and for displaying those high qualities of conduct that school instrumental music requires.
- Alara Arkan
DRAMA PRIZE
Awarded to an Upper School student who has made an outstanding contribution to the dramatic arts at Penn Charter.
- Robert Rankin
PETER KISHINCHAND MEMORIAL PRIZE
Awarded in memory of Peter Kishinchand OPC '91, to a student who has made a major contribution to the arts programs at Penn Charter through dedication to the technical aspects of artistic productions.
- Elsa Lynch
WILLIAM C. SHIELDS 3rd MEMORIAL PRIZE
To a student who has completed ninth grade with an outstanding record in character, scholarship and sportsmanship.
- Eila Spaman
- Hanna Liharik
THE ROBERT C. PORTER BOWDOIN PRIZE
To a member of the sophomore class who has demonstrated leadership in academics and who has made a significant contribution to school life.
- Maggie DeBell
- Bailey Handler
HENRY A. DRESSER MEMORIAL PRIZE
To an outstanding member of the 10th grade.
- Eloisa Tovar
- Anay Lodhavia
CLASS OF 1897 PRIZE
To a member of the junior class who has combined high scholarship with character and leadership in school activities.
- Morelia Perez
- Maddie Bergmann
THE COLBY COLLEGE BOOK PRIZE IN HONOR OF ANDREW PEFF OPC ’07
To a member of the junior class who has shown outstanding academic achievement and has made substantial contributions to the school and local community.
- Ava Lin
RICHARD S. CROSS JEFFERSON SCHOLAR AWARD
To an outstanding junior class student in academics and extracurricular activities given by the University of Virginia Club.
- Jak Kraemer
WILLIAMS COLLEGE AWARD
To a member of the junior class who has demonstrated intellectual leadership and has made a significant contribution to the extracurricular life of the school.
- Marleigh Jackson
RICHARD S. CROSS JEFFERSON SCHOLAR AWARD
To an outstanding junior class student in academics and extracurricular activities given by the University of Virginia Club.
- Jak Kraemer
HARVARD CLUB AWARD
To that member of the junior class who is deemed the most worthy by reason of his/her scholarship, character, school spirit, influence upon his/her fellows, and general ability.
- Rainer Malhotra
CLASS OF 1980 AWARD
To a senior who does the most to promote unity within the class.
- Louella Whitaker
JONATHAN HOLMAN SMULLENS AWARD
Awarded in memory of Jonathan Smullens, Class of '79, to a senior who has made particularly significant progress during their senior year.
- Aidan Trautwein
SERVICE AWARD
To any member of the student body who has given continuous service to Penn Charter over a period of years.
- Elsa Lynch
DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION AND JUSTICE CERTIFICATES
- Kaylinn Bethea
- Inaya Edwards
- Ava Gonnella
- Oliver Jackson
- Zahir Kalam Id-Din
- Taylor McMillan
- Safiyya Muhammad
- Maisie Optenberg
- Sarah Price
- Tate Taylor
- Sadie Wade
ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP AND SUSTAINABILITY CERTIFICATES
- Chloe Fry
- Sarah Gross
- Elena Jadach
- Wills Kaiser
- Emily King
- Ross Lee
- Penelope McCoubrey
GLOBAL CULTURE AND LANGUAGE CERTIFICATES
- Alara Arkan
- Matthew Brucker
- Brady Cross
- Dean Kaiser
- Karya Karabuca