Pali High Students Honored During Annual Senior Awards Ceremony

By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor

With graduation looming, Palisades Charter High School seniors were recognized one last time for their achievements in the classroom, athletic arena and community on May 31 during the Senior Awards Ceremony in Mercer Hall.

Hosted by Director of College Advising Karen Ellis, the program opened with introductory remarks by Principal Pam Magee, who thanked the Class of 2023 for carrying on the standard of excellence the school has been known for since its doors opened in 1961.

Four students received recognition for perfect attendance this year: Aidan Adam, Christine Oladapo, Ezekiel Ito and Katia Stutz. More than 100 students were acknowledged for completing at least 100 hours of community service. Edward Kim and Sophie Zhu were named National Merit Scholarship Winners.

Valedictorian Dohyun Ju and Salutatorian Sofia Farhangnia were presented certificates of Academic Excellence, and were also awarded Rose Gilbert Memorial Scholarships. Brennan Clark and Sophie Davidson won American Legion Post 283 Scholarships, and Madelyn Rahimi and Peter Garff earned recognition for their donations to American Red Cross.

Convey-Egan-Mortensen Memorial Scholarships (established in memory of three Pali High students killed by a drunk driver) went to Catherine Hart and Kimiya Natan, and the two later won Rose Gilbert All-Around Achievement Awards.

Booster Club President Dick Held handed out Dick & Debbie Held Ambassador Scholarships to Dillon Khoubian, Katherine Steffes, Kaila Bryant, Kian Zerehi and Natania Aslmand; Leadership Scholarships to Garff, Talia Davood, Brynn Green, Molly Cohen and Henry Cary-Williams; and a Service Scholarship to Hemosoo Woo.

Ivan Kuznetsov and Sierra Sugarman were M.A.T.H. Award recipients, while Ginger Simpson won the Michele Misetich-Friedlander Memorial Award in theatre arts.

Green, Cohen and Trinaya Ramaswami won the Pacific Palisades Historical Society Award. Track runners Layla Adeli and Aneesa Cole won the Pacific Palisades Woman’s Club Exceptional Young Women Awards for Leadership, and Sophia Von Der Ohe won the Palisades Americanism Parade Association Award.

Alyssa Hanuscin won the PCHS Booster Posse Suitcase Award; Ella Taghibagi won the Envirothon Award; Green won the Debate-JSA Award; Dillon Khoubian got the DECA Award; and Farhangnia won the Physics Award.

Sydney Duh won the Toosi Award, lacrosse player Colin Winston won the Travis de Zarn Memorial Scholarship, and boys soccer and golf coach Dave Suarez presented golfer Khourey Patterson with the Shane Thomas Memorial Scholarship, named after the soccer star who died in 2020 at age 17.

Adeli and basketball player Brooke Shibata won Rose Gilbert Woman Scholar Athlete honors, while Andrea Marie Phau won the Rose Gilbert Courage Award. Academic Decathlon members Ezekiel Ito, Caspar Turner, Cody Elkins and Brandon Molina also received Rose Gilbert Scholarships.

Football, baseball and track standout Amari Yolas and cross country/track runner Ava Baak shared Palisadian-Post Cup Award honors as the school’s outstanding senior athletes.