The Wharton High Class of 2025 will walk across the stage at the Florida State Fairgrounds Expo Hall on Thursday, May 29, where they will toss their caps and officially leave high school behind.
Before they go, however, the future graduates are participating in many traditions and lots of “lasts,” such as the last exam, the last day of school and one last ceremony to recognize the most outstanding among a sea of successful students.
Wharton’s Senior Awards Ceremony was held on May 7, where the top students in academics were honored and dozens of students were recognized by individual departments for being the outstanding student in a variety of subjects – everything from math to physical education to art.
The ceremony included recognition of the school’s Valedictorian and Salutatorian, along with the other eight students who round out the school’s top 10 by weighted grade point average (GPA). They are:
1. Shruti Mishra, Valedictorian (right in top left photo), with a GPA of 8.3082. Shruti will attend the University of Florida to study Computer Science.
2. Ananda Ravinder, Salutatorian (left in top left photo), with a GPA of 7.6767. Ananda will attend the University of South Florida (USF) to study Data Science.
3. Ayush Patel
4. Samantha Leyva Suarez
5. Radhika Dhanpat
6. Sean Kwon
7. Jesus Contreras*
8. Aaron Wonderley
9. Gavin Raitt*
10. Nishtha Hirapara
Twelve students will leave Wharton High with perfect unweighted GPAs of 4.0. Of those 12, only two are among the school’s top-10 students listed above — Jesus Contreras and Gavin Raitt. The other 4.0 unweighted GPA graduates are Gina Cocchiola, Shriya Patnaik, Marisol Peak, Isabella Pena, Danielle Pliego, Brady Quinn, Andria Santhosh, Dylan Stamper, Kayla Strocchio and Abigail Welsh earned nothing less than an “A” in all of their high school classes.
Margaret Alma (at right in photo right) was recognized as a National Merit Commended Student. Of the 1.3 million students who took the PSAT screening exam, only about 34,000 students nationally (2.6%) were recognized with this honor.
Several scholarships were awarded by the school’s Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA). Each of the scholarships required an application, essay and letter of recommendation. A volunteer committee reviewed the submitted applications with all personal information redacted and scholarships were awarded to the highest-scoring students.
Tampa City Councilman Luis Viera presented two of the scholarships, including a new one introduced this year called the PTSA CTE (Career & Technical Education) Award, specifically to honor students pursuing a vocational career after graduation.
“The CTE scholarship was something I introduced this year because I am passionate about the trades,” said Shannon Briones, PTSA president. “Our winner completely embodied the concept behind the scholarship, as someone who was taking one of the great trade classes offered at Wharton, finding that passion, and then going on to pursue that trade at the next level at a local school in our community.”
Christian Perna (with Viera in photo above ) earned a $1,000 award towards his upcoming enrollment at Erwin Technical College, where he will continue studying culinary arts, as he did at Wharton. Christian was recognized as a consistent leader in both the kitchen and the classroom, graduating with a GPA of 4.6 and having won a local baking competition.
“It’s great to celebrate the 4.0 students and the valedictorian,” said Briones, “and also great to celebrate those who are the service professionals you hire for your home and car, and who work in the restaurants and shops. That’s what makes the community.” She said she is excited that the PTSA will continue to offer the CTE scholarship next year.
Viera also presented the Radiance Orthodontics Community Service Award to Abigail Alt (at right in photo with Viera). This award recognizes outstanding contributions to the community, regardless of GPA, but Abigail achieved both with a weighted GPA of 6.6 and more than 120 hours logged serving others through local organizations such as Tampa Parks & Recreation, St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church, Bay Chapel Food Pantry, Relay for Life and others. She will attend the University of South Florida and pursue a career in pediatric nursing.
Four additional PTSA scholarships were presented by HCPS School Board Chair Jessica Vaughn to outstanding students.
Samantha Leyva Suarez (right in left photo with Vaughn), who earned a weighted GPA of 7.60 and was honored through the National Hispanic Recognition Program, will attend USF to pursue a degree in medicine.
Lucas Sauer, who demonstrated a commitment to academics, community service and athletics as captain of the Wharton baseball team, will attend Greensboro College to pursue a degree in sports management. Samantha and Lucas each earned $500.
Michael Jensen (at right in right photo with Vaughn), who excelled in academics and was captain of the golf team will attend Mississippi State University in Starkville in the school’s PGA Golf Management program.
Adrianna Castillo, who is graduating with a GPA of 6.41 and served as senior class president, will attend Florida State University in Tallahassee to pursue a degree in health sciences. Michael and Adrianna each received $250.
Wharton principal Taryn Anello presented her “Turnaround Award” to Adolfo Castillo (below left) and “Golden Wildcat” awards to Cyron Gray (bottom center photo) and Gabriella Hawkins (bottom right).
Congratulations to these outstanding students and the entire Wharton class of 2025!
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