On June 9, certain members of the Class of 2011 and selected underclassmen were invited to attend the Academic Awards Ceremony. Students and their families received invitations in the mail last week, yet they were not informed about what award they would be winning. To add to the secrecy, the programs handed out before the ceremony contained no information on the winners of each award. After the ceremony, families could take home inserts for their programs, which had the full list of winners.

“This should add to the suspense during the presentations,” Director of Student Services Steve  Sengtsack said in his letter to the parents.

Awards were given out for excellence in each department, athletics and extra-curricular activities. Junior Tatiana Niang, who won the William and Mary Leadership Award, was very excited about the events of the night.

“It feels wonderful, and I feel accomplished and honored to be able to receive such an award,” Niang said.

Some of the highlights of the night included Assistant Aaron Schneider’s recognition of students who won scholarships this year. The Class of 2011 collectively received over two million dollars in scholarship funds.

“Thinking about how the AHS senior class earned over two million dollars in scholarships showed that we had a bright class and Annandale has grown academically,” Niang said.

To Niang, a few of these awards were especially touching to see. “The Grinnell College Award [was touching] because it granted over $150,000 and the Westpoint Award because I find it amazing that it’s such a wonderful military academy as well as [wonderful in] academics and sports.”

For these awards, senior “Jeff” Doo Yong Shim won the Grinnell College Posse Award and senior Nathan Miller won recognition as a cadette from The United States Military Academy at West Point.

The IB Diploma Candidates were also honored for their hard work, which included a record-breaking number of 31 students. Also, the first ever John V. Ponton Scholarship award was given to Tien Huynh Chi Trinh.

The full list of winners is posted bellow.

Annandale Rotary Club Scholarship- Tien Trinh

Annandale Rotary Club Citizenship Medal- Grace Franjie

ACCCA “Making a Difference” Volunteer Award-Lillian Singer

Wellesy College Book Award- Anne Curran

Posse Award/Grinnell College- “Jeff” Doo Yong Shim

Emerging Leader Award/ROTC Va. Tech- Ryan Gibson and Jacob Hrovat

United States Marine Corps Awards: Distinguised Athlete- Ian Griffin, Scholastic Excellence- Tyler Britton

United States Military Academy/West Point- Nathan Miller

United States Naval Academy- Jake Dang

United States Naval Academy Prep- Joshua Sarker

United States Air Force ROTC- Jacob Hrovat

United States Army ROTC- Acacia Britton, Jonathan Oakes

Billy Kyle Edwards Award- Christian Cabrera Barreto

Atoms Booster Scholarships: Robert Hardage Scholarship- Benjamin Wolfenstein, Robert Liebowitz Scholarship- Erik Morton, Laura Hagan Smith Scholarship- Kristen Hennessey, Warren Rowlands Scholarship- Kathleen Bermingham

FCPS Women’s Sports Awards: Donna deVarona Spirt of School Award- Kathleen Bermingham, H.S. Sportswoman of the Year- Kelly Hughes

Aaron R. Brown Memorial Scholarship- Berihu Abudulkadir and Benjamin Odom

Apple Federal Credit Union Scholarship- Tania Ghods and Sayed Mahboob

William and Mary Leadership Award- Tatiana Niang

International Exchange Students- Catharina Maria Schuessler and Mathilde Anne Laure Bonin

Business Education: Outstanding Business Student- Salma Omer, Virginia Society of Certified Public Accountants Award- Michele Ahn, National Financial Capability Awatd- Biniam Tsehay

English & Journalism: Steven J. Lyle Award for Editorial Journalism: Emily Fruchterman, David Hookey, Gregory Nielsen and Ndidi Obasi

Outstanding English Student: Lucy Webb

English as a Second Language: ESOL Department Award- Kaltuun Addow, The Hertiage Award- Carlos Ordonez Portillo, Ivonne Alba Baldelomar

Fine Arts: Rhode Island School of Design Award- Kevin Muller Cisneros

World Languages: French Award- Lillian Singer, Excellentia Latinae Award- Jenna Wingfield, Spanish Award- Julian Jordan, Arabic Award- Miriam Jaradat

Marketing: Marketing Student of the Year- Banna Gebremichael, Leadership Student of the Year- Grace Franjie

Mathematics: American Mathematics Contest 12- Robert Truong, American Mathematics Contest 10- Alexis Garreston

Performing Arts: Choral Department Award- Joseph Mazazara, National School Choral Award- Molly Sgrecci, Director Award for Orchestra- Rebecca Tong, Semper Fidelis Award/USMC- Lillian Singer, John Phillip Sousa Award- Kari L. Berg, Louis Armstrong Jazz Award- Steven Cardenas, Theatre Department Award- Molly Sgrecci

Science: Science Achievement Award- Victoria Ko, Jenna Wingfield and Kelly Roman, Science National Honor Society Award- Jenna Truong, Randolph College Book Award- Daniel Park

Social Studies: Social Studies Department Award- Aya Ibrahim, Harvard Book Award- Hilla Hidari, Jon E. “Jack” Higgins Memorial Scholarship- Matthew McCartney

Peer Mediation Award– Madeena Haidari

Outstanding IB Diploma Candidate-  Polette Centellas

Outstanding IB Certificate Candidate- Gregory Nielsen

James G. Finch Scholarships: For Outstanding School/Community Service and Leadership– Emily Fruchterman and Mary Anne Kavjian

G. Raymond Watson Scholarship: For Technology and Industrial Trade Education– Nhung Khanh Tran

Donald Clausen Scholarship: For Outstanding Achievement in Visual or Performing Arts-Emma Barker

John V. Ponton Award: For Outstanding former ESOL student in Academics or Character– Tien Huynh Chi Trinh