Penn names Valedictorians, Salutatorians for Class of 2025

Penn High School Principal Dr. Sean Galiher announced that 18 students have been named the valedictorians for the Class of 2025, and four students have been named Salutatorians for the Class of 2025.

Valedictorians Zaina Arain, Arrej Arif, Joel Benavides, Akul Bhambhani, Elizabeth Brady, Chris Chen, Lynn Chung, Matthew Deahl, David Guarraci, Jaanavi Kaushik, Stanley Liew, Luna Liu, Liam Perrin, Noah Shafer, Sophie Sharpe, Jawad Siddique, Jennifer Yang and Megan Zhang will lead the Class of 2025 at Penn’s Commencement Ceremony.

Penn High School’s Class of 2025 Commencement Ceremony will be held at 7 p.m., Monday, June 9, 2025, at Purcell Pavilion at the Joyce Center on the campus of the University of Notre Dame. Doors open for parents at 5:30 p.m.

Click here for Commencement details.

Jacob Bognar, Brock Gibson-Ross, Shin Sakaue and Noah Sytsma were named Salutatorians for the Class of 2025.

VALEDICTORIANS

Zaina Arain

Parents/Guardians: Dr. Nabeela Gill and Dr. Shahzad Arain

Elementary School: Northpoint Elementary School

Middle School: Discovery Middle School

College/career plans: UCLA or Notre Dame;  Pre-Med, Molecular, Cellular, Developmental Biology (MCDB) Major; Neonatologist or Cardiologist

Activities/honors: Penn Assisting Senior Citizens Co-Founder/President, Kingsmen Against Cancer Co-President, Handwritten Hearts Vice President, DECA Public Relations Officer, Key Club Editor, Model U.N. Executive, Freshmen Mentoring, Play it Forward St. Joseph County Co-Founder/President, Electrochemical Research Intern at Notre Dame, Kingsmen Tutor Leader, Saint Joseph Health System Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Student Intern, Mathnasium Instructor, Saint Joseph Health System Volunteer, National Honor Society, AP Scholar with Distinction, DECA International Finalist 

Areej Arif

Parents/Guardians: Shazia Arif and Zafar Arif 

Elementary School: Northpoint Elementary School

Middle School: Discovery Middle School

College/career plans: Purdue University; Dentistry

Activities/honors: DECA ICDC Qualifer, Spell Bowl State Champion, Key Club Vice President, MSA President, Notre Dame Youth Figure Skater, Lilly Endowment Scholar, Biochem Researcher at Notre Dame, Penn Math Club co-founder

Joel Benavides

Parents/Guardians: Sowmya Benavides and Art Benavides

Elementary School: Prairie Vista Elementary School

Middle School: Schmucker Middle School

College/career plans: Purdue University; Electrical Engineering

Activities/honors: Robotics, Kingsmen Court, National Honor Society, Key Club, Mission to Engineer, & Kingsmen Against Cancer

Akul Bhambhani

Parents/Guardians: Sangeeta Bhambhani and Dheeraj Bhambhani

Elementary schools: Bloom Public School (New Dehli, India), Walt Disney, Mary Frank

Middle School: Discovery Middle School

College/career plans: Indiana University; Majoring in Finance and Public Policy; Obtain either JD or MPP to work as either a lawyer or policy analyst

Activities/honors: Speech and Debate: Team Captain, Top 50 at Nationals, 2x State Champion, 7x National Qualifier, 3x Sectional Champion, Academic All-American, highest NSDA points in school history. Co-founder and Co-CEO of Speakiful, a local public speaking company generating 10k ARR, partnering with 4 institutions, and tutoring over a dozen clients. Coached P-H-M Middle School Debate Program teaching 100+ students. Model U.N. Club Executive; DECA ICDC Qualifier

Elizabeth (Elly) Brady

Parents/Guardians: Patty Brady and Coley Brady

Elementary School: St. Pius X

Middle School: St. Pius X

College/career plans: Business

Activities/honors: Penn Competition Dance Team (4 Years), Penn Dance Team Captain, National Honor Society, NHS Secretary , AP Scholar with Honors

Chris Chen

Parents/Guardians: Dan Wei and Frank Chen

Elementary School: Northpoint Elementary School

Middle School: Discovery Middle School

College/career plans: University of Notre Dame

Activities/honors: Speech & Debate Captain; Tennis Captain; DECA Vice President; All Kids Code Organization Founder; MATHCOUNTS Tutoring Head Coach; Second Serve Regional President; Model U.N. Executive; SNHS Public Relations Officer; Student Athlete Leadership Council Member; Coauthored Cloud Computing Textbook; Wharton Global Youth Program Leadership in the Business World; Yale Entrepreneurship Society Fellowship; Research at Luo’s Lab at Notre Dame; Programming and Linear Algebra Courses at IUSB; International Runner-up for DECA; National 4th Place for Debate; 3x MathCON National Finalist; State Champion in Speech; State Champion in TEAMS Engineering Competition; State Runner-up in Coding TSA Competition; 4x Tennis 1st Singles and MVP; All-State 1st Team for Tennis; President’s Volunteer Service Award

Lynn Chung

Parents/Guardians: SungJae Chung (Father), Hyeyeon Cho (Mother)

Elementary School: Environmental Charter School

Middle School: Discovery Middle School

College/Career Plans: University of Notre Dame University; Pre-med Track with a minor in Public Policy

Activities/Honors: Indiana 2023 Policy Debate State Quarterfinalist, Indiana 2024 Policy Debate State Champion, Indiana 2025 World Schools Debate State Championship, National Speech and Debate Tournament Qualifier in Policy Debate, Indiana State School Music Association Orchestra Gold with Highest Distinction 2x, Speech and Debate four years, Captain (12); Policy Debate Head Coach (11,12), Speech and Debate Team, Penn High School (2024 Indiana State Champions), Church Volunteer four years of high school, Sunday School Lead Instructor Korean Grace Baptist Church, translated sermons weekly, Event Planner & Teacher at Korean School with Korean Grace Baptist Church community service outreach, taught Korean, Founder & Religious Mentor Vacation Bible School with Gospel City Church & Grace Baptist Church, Korean Refugee Tutoring two years, Co-Founder & President EDUVATE Club, Korean Refugee Project organize English mentorship & design personalized curriculum for 50 Korean & Syrian refugees 1x/week; worked with UN’s Korean Refugee Project, Co-Founder & Director of Middle School Debate, Discovery Middle School Debate Program (first in P-H-M), Korean Club four years, Korean Club President (12); collaborated exchange with Goyan Global High School; Volunteer Musician & Event Lead at Tanglewood Senior Center; Art Docent, Art Gallery, Penn High School; National Honor Society, Key Club

Matthew Deahl

Parents/Guardians: Dawn Deahl and Richard Deahl

Elementary schools: Northpoint Elementary School

Middle School: Discovery Middle School

College/career plans: University of Notre Dame; Attorney

Activities/honors: Lilly Endowment Scholar, DECA Penn & Regional President, President of South Bend Youth Council, Public Speaking Tutor & Start Up Co-Founder, Notre Dame Civic Innovation (LCIL) Researcher, Penn Political Awareness Club Co-founder, Pianist, Dancer, Freshman Mentor, Leadership SBM, Trish Ross Servant Leader, National Honor Society, Model UN Executive, Indiana Rising Star, DECA International Top 10

David Guarraci

Parents/Guardians: Maria Guarraci and Brian Guarraci

Elementary schools: Northpoint Elementary School

Middle School: Discovery Middle School

College/career plans: University of Notre Dame; Major in Biochemistry; plans to be an Orthodontist

Activities/honors: Penn Baseball, Penn Boys Lacrosse; Executive board member for Kingsmen Court, National Honor Society, Freshmen Mentoring, and Penn Assisting Seniors; member of DECA and Key Club; DECA International Runner-up, National Merit Finalist, AP Scholar with Distinction, TEAMS State Champion and National Qualifier

Jaanavi Kaushik

Parents/Guardians: Aruna Kaushik and Narayanan Ramamurthy

Elementary schools: Discovery Elementary School (Calif.)

Middle School: Discovery Middle School

College/career plans: Biomedical Engineering; 

Activities/honors: Rising Star (11th), Presidential Scholar Candidate (12th), Posse Scholarship Finalist (12th); Speech & Debate (9th through 12th): Team Captain, Middle School Debate Director, 2x National Qualifier in Public Forum Debate, Semifinalist in Original Performance (9th), Quarterfinalist in Duo Interpretation and Original Performance (10th), Sectional Champion in Program Oral Interpretation (12th), founded and coached in the P-H-M Middle School Debate Program (taught 150+ students), Summer Intern at Notre Dame Civic Innovation Lab (11th); Founder and President of Penn HOSA (11th), Penn Girls Tennis (9th through 12th): JV (9th and 10th) & Varsity (11th) member, won Tim Clark JV Invitational (11th), went undefeated as 2 doubles varsity postseason (11th), voted most improved (10th), Summer Employee at Vanilla Bean Creamery Granger (9th and 10th), Volunteer Musician at Tanglewood Trace Senior Center (11th and 12th), Summer Assistant Tennis Coach for Mishawaka Parks Department (9th and 10th)

Stanley Liew

Parents/Guardians: Fang Liu and Choong Hoong Liew

Elementary School: Northpoint Elementary School

Middle School: Discovery Elementary School

College/career plans: Stanford University; Business

Activities/honors: Captain of Penn Speech and Debate, Speakiful (Public Speaking Tutoring Business) Co-Founder, Notre Dame Leadership Seminar Attendee, CEO of DECA, President of Key Club, Co-Founder/Executive of Penn Math Club; USA Debate Development Team Member, Top 4 at National Speech and Debate Tournament & Indiana State Champion in World Schools Debate, Top 10 at DECA International Competition (3x State Champion), 4x MATHCON National Qualifier, National Merit Scholarship Recipient

Luna Liu

Parents/Guardians: Ivy Tao and Lei Liu

Elementary School: Northpoint Elementary School

Middle School: Discovery Elementary School

College/career plans: University of Notre Dame; Medical field

Activities/honors: Penn Symphonic Orchestra and South Bend Youth Symphony Orchestra first violinist, 3x ISSMA State Gold, Notre Dame Biochemistry Research Intern, Varsity Cross Country, First Team Academic All-State, Northern Indiana Conference All-Academic Team, Track & Field, National Honor Society Blood Drive Chair, DECA Entrepreneurship Paper Officer, DECA International Finalist, AP Scholar with Distinction, Kingsmen Tutor, Freshmen Mentor, Key Club

Liam Perrin

Parents/Guardians: Stephanie Perrin and Paul Perrin

Elementary schools: Horizon Elementary School

Middle School: Discovery Middle School

College/career plans: Purdue University; Hardware Engineer

Activities/honors: Technology Student Association Executive – State Gold medal in Technology Problem Solving; Tennis Team – JV Doubles Player and Tennis Camp Instructor; Trumpet Soloist – Two time Gold Medalist at ISSMA Solo & Ensemble Competition; AP Scholar with distinction

Noah Shafer

Parents/Guardians: Charleen Shafer and Chase Shafer

Elementary School: Bittersweet Elementary School

Middle School: Schmucker Middle School

College/career plans: Stanford University; Double Major in Political Science and Public Policy Analysis; Attorney

Activities/honors: Captain of Penn’s Speech and Debate Team, Captain of Penn Boys’ Cross Country Team, Captain of Penn Boys’ Track and Field Team, Executive Board Member of Kingsmen Court, Student Ambassador of Penn High School Board of Trustees, Program Director of P-H-M’s Middle School Debate, National Honor Society President, Executive Board Member of Freshmen Mentoring, Co-Founder/Co-President of Penn Political Awareness Club, Kingsmen Tutor, Key Club, 2024 NSDA Nationals World Schools Debate Semi-Finalist, 2025 ISSDA World Schools Debate State Champion

Sophie Sharpe

Parents/Guardians: Aimee Sharpe and Sean Sharpe

Elementary schools: Forest Lakes Elementary School, Prairie Vista Elementary School

Middle School: Schmucker Middle School

College/career plans: University of Notre Dame; Investment Banker and/or Private Equity Analyst, Principal

Activities/honors: Girl Up President, Cancer Kids First Indiana Founder and President, Saint Joe Hospital Volunteer, Podcast Host, DECA Vice President, Ronald McDonald House Volunteer, 3 years of cheerleading, Play It Forward board member (youth community organization), Notre Dame Summer and Global Scholar, AP Scholar, Notre Dame Leadership Seminar Student 

Jawad Siddique

Parents/Guardians: Sadia Malik and Jamil Siddique

Elementary School: Northpoint Elementary School

Middle School: Discovery Middle School

College/career plans: Purdue University; Nuclear or Environmental Engineer

Activities/honors: Captain for Penn High School Debate team; State Champion in World Schools Debate; Penn Environmental Awareness Club Executive; President of Penn’s Association for Children with Autism; KTI Leader; German Club Executive

Jennifer Yang

Parents/Guardians: Hyun Ok Kim and Seung Woo Yang 

Elementary School: Northpoint Elementary School

Middle School: Discovery Middle School

College/career plans: Purdue University; Psychology

Activities/honors: Key Club Executive, DECA, PMC Co-Founder, US INDUS Ambassador, Band, Yummy Pizza employee, Kumon grader, Korean Interpreter, RNA research intern

Megan Zhang

Parents/Guardians: Na Qi and Wenhui Zhang

Elementary School: Northpoint Elementary School

Middle School: Discovery Middle School

College/career plans: Princeton University; Economics

Activities/honors: Varsity Soccer Captain, DECA Engagement Officer, Key Club Secretary, Kingsmen Tutor Leader, Model U.N. Executive, Freshmen Mentor, Chemistry Research at Notre Dame, DECA International Finalist, Coca-Cola Scholars Semifinalist, Regional Academic All-Star, Indiana Rising Star, All-State Soccer

SALUTATORIANS

Jacob Bognar

Parents/Guardians: Kimberly Bognar and Robert Bognar

Elementary School: Horizon Elementary School

Middle School: Discovery Middle School

College/career plans: University of Notre Dame majoring in Mathematics; graduate education, college professor

Activities/honors: Internal Vice President of the National Honor Society, 

Kingsmen Tutor and Leader of Kingsmen Tutors, President of the Random Acts of Kindness Club, Freshmen Mentor, Key Club Member2 024 Japanese Olympiad of Indiana Level III, First Place 2025 Technology Student Association – State Level Event: Future Technology Teacher, First Place

Brock Gibson-Ross

Parents/Guardians: Linsey Ross and Quentin Gibson

Elementary School: Northpoint Elementary School

Middle School: Discovery Middle School

College/career plans: Indiana University Bloomington / future plans for Medical School

Activities/honors: Key Club, Summa Cum Laude, SNHS, Saint Joseph Memorial Hospital Volunteer 

Shin Sakaue

Parents/Guardians: Yukako Sakaue and Hirotaka Sakaue

Elementary School: Prairie Vista Elementary School

Middle School: Schmucker Middle School

College/career plans: Purdue University / Engineering

Activities/honors: Co-Founder of Penn Math Club, National Honor Society Tutoring Chair, Kingsmen Tutoring Internship Leader, member of PEAC/DECA/PACA, South Bend Youth Symphony Orchestra, DLR (The German equivalent of NASA) High School Intern 

Noah Sytsma

Parents/Guardians: Amy Sytsma and Brad Sytsma

Elementary School: Walt Disney Elementary School

Middle School: Schmucker Middle School

College/career plans: Indiana University / Finance, private equity

Activities/honors: Varsity Tennis Captain, 1st Team All-State Doubles for Tennis, DECA, Key Club, Kingsmen Tutor