For 39 years, The News has saluted a group of Michigan’s best and brightest high school students in the spring of their senior year.
Partnering with CATCH — Sparky Anderson’s Charity for Children — we call it the Outstanding Graduates program.
It is an honor to share the stories of these remarkable young people and to consider that Michigan will benefit from their future endeavors, and the endeavors of so many of their friends and classmates.
The top seniors were chosen from a field of outstanding nominees. Public and private high schools in Michigan were invited to nominate students in each of 11 categories. Students were selected on the basis of grades, test scores, honors, community involvement and a demonstrated ability in one of the academic areas. In a special category called “Against All Odds” students were recognized for succeeding despite a physical hardship or special, personal or family challenges.
Final selections were made by panels of judges that included teachers, counselors and other academic specialists. The judges told us of their high regard for the many nominees and the difficulty in narrowing their choices.
Our thanks go to all of the principals, counselors and teachers who took time to nominate these students. Thanks also go to the judges who spent many hours selecting the finalists.
This is the 40th class of outstanding high school graduates honored by The News. Many of our early nominees are now well established in successful careers and raising children that may well be honored themselves someday soon. We salute their special achievements and extend congratulations to all of Michigan’s graduating seniors in the class of 2025.
Sincerely,
Gary Miles, Editor and Publisher
High school: Ypsilanti High School
Guardian: Theresa Davis
College: Oakland University
Major: Diagnostic medical sonography
Career plans: Sonographer and starting my own hair business
Most important achievements:
A quote about myself: I turn my challenges into motivation, using my past to shape a future of care and compassion.
Sponsor: Arrow Strategies
High school: Grosse Pointe South High School
Parents: Rachel Hutchison and Patrick Ulano
College: Alma College
Major: Undecided
Career plans: Undecided
Most influential teacher: Mr. Wahlstrom
Most important achievements:
A quote about myself: “Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved” — Helen Keller
Sponsor: Arrow Strategies
High school: Michigan Connections Academy
Parent: Ashley Verburg
College: Grand Rapids Community College
Major: Psychology
Career plans: Forensic psychology, general psychology
Most influential teacher: Elon Schafer
Most important achievements:
A quote about myself: No matter how hard things have been I’ve always believed I could turn it into something better — and I’m doing it.
Sponsor: Arrow Strategies
High school: Divine Child High School
Parents: Charmell and Michael Crowder
College: University of Detroit Mercy
Major: Political science
Career plans: Becoming an attorney
Most influential teacher: Mrs. DelGado
Most important achievements:
A quote about myself: “Find your purpose, pursue it relentlessly, passionately and loudly.” — Angela Bassett
Sponsor: Arrow Strategies
Runners-up: Delaney Bullock, Molly McNamara, Tanqueray Hurst, Fatuma Ali, Juan Carlos Maravilla, Lillian Dreffs, Princess Ikenyi, Jalal Al-uqdah
Judge: Dr. Gail Strickland, director of special services, Westwood Community School District
High school: Crestwood High School
Parents: Alex Saleh and Nadwa Atway
College: Dartmouth College
Major: Undecided
Career plans: Undecided
Most influential teacher: Mrs. Diana Johns
Most important achievements:
A quote about myself: The greatest glory in living is not in falling, but in rising every time we fall.
Sponsor: Detroit Lions
High school: L’Anse Creuse
Parents: Jesse and James Habarth
College: University of Michigan
Major: Aerospace engineering
Career plans: Astronaut/aerospace engineer at NASA
Most influential teacher: Ms. Ashburn
Most important achievements:
A quote about myself: “We’re still pioneers, we barely begun. Our greatest accomplishments cannot be behind us, cause our destiny lies above us.” — “Interstellar”
Sponsor: Detroit Lions
Runners-up: Dayne Behning, Michael Baldwin, Addison Verlinden, Addison Dukus
Judge: Daren Tomhave, assistant sports editor, The Detroit News
High school: Northville High School
Parents: Jennifer and James Creighton
College: Undecided
Major: Kinesiology
Career plans: Physical therapist
Most influential teacher: Ms. Traci Lowes
Most important achievements:
A quote about myself: “Don’t be afraid of fear. Because it sharpens you, it challenges you, it makes you stronger; and when you run away from fear, you also run away from the opportunity to be your best possible self.” — Ed Helms
Sponsor: Henry Ford Health
High school: Yale High School
Parent: Melanie and Robert Majcher
College: Central Michigan University
Major: Communication Sciences and Disorders
Career plans: Speech pathologist
Most influential teacher: Mrs. Maria Gerardy
Most important achievements:
A quote about myself: “I don’t go by the rule book. … I lead from the heart, not the head.” — Princess Diana
Sponsor: Children’s Hospital of Michigan
Runners-up: Jazlyn Wooten, Alexandra Valencia Arcila, Jennifer Weingartz, Mst Begum
Judge: Van Momon, M.D., senior staff physician, retired, Department of Pediatrics, Henry Ford Health
High school: Northville High School
Parents: Ana Montoya and Javier Diaz
College: University of Michigan, Northwestern University, or Cornell University
Major: Communication and media
Career plans: New York Times reporter
Most influential teacher: Ms. Baditoi
Most important achievements:
A quote about myself: No matter how hard you fall, always pick yourself up and try again
Sponsor: The Detroit News
High school: Bloomfield Hills High School
Parent: Kristin and Sarkis Kouyoumjian
College: Temple University (Not currently committed)
Major: Theatre and education
Career plans: Either as a high school theatre teacher, librarian, or involved in professional theater somehow, whether that be on stage or behind the scenes.
Most influential teacher: Mrs. Benitez, second grade
Most important achievements:
A quote about myself: “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in awhile, you could miss it.” — Ferris Bueller
Sponsor: The Detroit News
Runners-up: Dawson Sarcona, Julia Roeder, Achyut Reddy, Solada Mills
Judge: Walter Middlebrook, foster professor of practice, Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications, The Pennsylvania State University
High school: Michigan Islamic Academy
Parents: Ahmed Al-Zawawi and Sana Areiqat
College: Undecided
Major: Undecided
Career plans: Health care
Most influential teacher: Mrs. Samar Abbasi
Most important achievements:
A quote about myself: Just do what you gotta do.
Sponsor: The Detroit News
High school: Divine Child High School
Parents: Krystal Matesic and James Williamson
College: Wayne State University
Major: Linguistics and German
Career plans: Translator
Most influential teacher: Walter Grysko
Most important achievements:
A quote about myself: “Have no fear of perfection; you’ll never reach it.” — Salvador Dali
Sponsor: CATCH
Runners-up: JoAnn Tu, Katherine Chen, Nerjes Hussein, Sophie Coats
Judge: Mary M Hall-Rayford, retired English educator
High school: Crestwood High School
Parents: Zeinab Saab and Ayman Al-Sabeh
College: University of Southern California
Major: Biochemistry
Career plans: Pediatric surgeon
Most influential teacher: Mrs. Norma Samman
Most important achievements:
A quote about myself: The action is never in your comfort zone.
Sponsor: AAA Life Insurance
High school: Lake Orion High School
Parents: Sreelatha Chalasani and Yeshwant Mummaneni
College: Johns Hopkins University
Major: Neuroscience
Career plans: Neurosurgeon
Most influential teacher: Mr. Timothy Polonkey
Most important achievements:
A quote about yourself: Carpe diem
Sponsor: Huntington Bank
Runners-up: Jackson Sines, Omar Siddiqui, Ansh Malhotra, Hala Komaiha
Judges: Marianne Srock, mathematics consultant, retired, Macomb Intermediate School District; Scott Block, mathematics consultant, Macomb Intermediate School District
High school: Detroit Catholic Central High School
Parents: Sung Joon Lee and Hye Jin Oh
College: University of California, Los Angeles
Major: Political science or pre-medicine
Career plans: Aspiring diplomat or possibly pursuing a career in medicine
Most influential teacher: Mrs. Mulrooney and Mr. Griffin
Most important achievements:
A quote about myself: “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” — Matthew 6:34
Sponsor: Donald & Mary Kosch Foundation
High school: Lincoln Park High School
Parent/Guardian: Dominique Gambino and Rose Taylor
College: Baldwin Wallace University
Major: Acting BFA
Career plans: Stage and film actor, theater management and prop sourcing
Most influential teacher: Geoffrey Kopp
Most important achievements:
A quote about myself: “You see what you want, you work for it, and if you get rejected it’s not that you aren’t good enough, the universe has something better for you, you just don’t know about it yet.” — Eva Noblezada
Sponsor: Donald & Mary Kosch Foundation
Runners-up: Zinnia Dungjen, Helen Wang, Sophie Monolidis, Lillian Navin
Judge: Garret Ernst, executive director, Michigan School Band and Orchestra Association
High school: Northville High School
Parents: Chieko and Yoichiro Matsumoto
College: University of Michigan — Ann Arbor
Major: Chemical engineering
Career plans: Chemical engineering or materials science in the aerospace industry
Most influential teacher: Mrs. Krebs and Mr. Cole
Most important achievements:
A quote about myself: “For me, it is far better to grasp the Universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring.” — Carl Sagan
Sponsor: NFP
High school: Crestwood High School
Parents: Abir Akil and Mohamad Komaiha
College: Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
Major: Electrical engineering and computer science
Career plans: Robotics engineer
Most influential teacher: Mrs. Johns — AP environmental science teacher, National Honor Society adviser, and Science Club adviser
Most important achievements:
A quote about myself: “Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen.” — Michael Jordan
Sponsor: Wolverine Solutions Group
Runners-up: Lucia Tesolin Pietraszewski, Benjamin Towne, Jessica Wu, Suyash Ojha
Judge: Elizabeth Secumski Reinhold, science consultant, Macomb Intermediate School District
High school: Yale High School
Parents: Karen and Christopher McEvoy
College: University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
Major: Studio art
Career plans: Artist; long term, I hope to open up my own studio
Most influential teacher: Alissa Nicol
Most important achievements:
A quote about myself: Commitment lays the foundation, diligence builds the walls, and discipline opens the door to success — work first, and let play be the reward.
Sponsor: Children’s Foundation
High school: Troy High School
Parents: Jacob Povirk, Vanessa and Chris Combs
College: University of Michigan
Major: Fine arts
Career plans: Clay modeler
Most influential teacher: Mrs. Tuma
Most important achievements:
A quote about myself: “Through art, we can communicate ideas and feelings that words cannot express.” — Bill Viola
Sponsor: The Detroit News
Runners-up: Dylan Psenka, Anna Nielander, Elijah Laker, Benjamin Towne
Judge: Antone Amye, graphic designer, City of Detroit, Media Services — Communications and Creative Services
High school: Saline High School
Parents: Elizabeth and Mark Alexander
College: Purdue University
Major: Mechanical engineering
Career plans: Engineering with the use of computer-aided design
Most influential teacher: Steve Vasiloff
Most important achievements:
A quote about myself: “I guess I’m trying to say, grab anything that goes by. It may not come around again.” — John Steinbeck
Sponsor: CA Hull
High school: Star International Academy
Parents: Araka Ali and Ali Fakhuridin
College: University of Michigan — Ann Arbor
Major: Biology
Career plans: OBGYN or Anesthesiology
Most influential teacher: Haley Hofbauer
Most important achievements:
A quote about myself: Stubborn enough to chase what seems impossible, thoughtful enough to question everything, and strong enough to keep going anyway.
Sponsor: The Detroit News
Runners-up: Mouhamad Hijazi, Katie Cairney, Kiley Robidou, Madelyn Grzegorczyk
Judge: Rodney G. Thomas, principal, Lamphere High School
High school: Troy High School
Parents: Taimur and Nada Tallu
College: University of Detroit Mercy
Major: Biology
Career plans: Dentistry
Most influential teacher: Mrs. Chang, my Chinese teacher
Most important achievements:
A quote about myself: “Don’t let anyone rob you of your imagination, your creativity, or your curiosity. It’s your place in the world; it’s your life. Go on and do all you can with it, and make it the life you want to live.” — Mae Jemison
Sponsor: Richard & Jane Manoogian Foundation
High school: Cass Technical High School
Parents: Jacquelyn West and Edmond Strickling
College: North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
Major: Civil engineering
Career plans: Opening my own engineering firm and directing projects geared towards transportation.
Most influential teacher: Mr.Slay, fifth grade
Most important achievements:
A quote about myself: I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Sponsor: Huntington Bank
Runners-up: Andrew Nacy, Marissa Ford, Miriam Al-Bayati, Elliott Hanish
Judge: David Hales, Michigan History Day Senior Manager, Historical Society of Michigan
