Penn names 17 students as Valedictorians for Class of 2020

Penn High School Principal Sean Galiher announced that 17 students have earned Valedictorian honors for the Class of 2020.

Elisabeth Casetti, Richard Chapple, Abbie Clay, Rajeev Datta, Andrew Kaboski, Vishrut Khandelwal, Michelle Kwok, Darbie Kwon, Lyvia Li, Yewon Oh, Mia Schwartz, Courtney Sharpe, David Simonetti, Seunghoon Sun, Emma Tornquist, Karen Wang and Peter Yang represent the Class of 2020 at the Virtual Commencement Ceremony, scheduled for 7 p.m. on Friday, May 29.

Click here for details on the Virtual Commencement Ceremony.

"We are extremely proud of our valedictorians and applaud their accomplishments,” Galiher said. “Each valedictorian will make a difference in their chosen path and will contribute positively to the school and learning environments they are a part of."

ELISABETH CASETTI

Parents: Jennifer Casetti and Alfredo Casetti.

Elementary School: Northpoint.

Middle School: Discovery.

College plans: Purdue University to study Engineering.

Career plans: Disney Imagineering, Broadway Set Design.

Activities, Honors, Team Memberships: National Honor Society, Key Club, Academic All-Star Nominee, Tennis Captain. Freshmen Mentor Executive, TEAMS (Tests of Engineering, Aptitude, Mathematics and Science), Indiana Math League, Mathematics Internship at Notre Dame, Praise Team (Youth Choir at Church) Coach.

RICHARD CHAPPLE

Parents: Renee Chapple and Mike Chapple.

Elementary School: St. Pius X Catholic School.

Middle School: Discovery.

College plans: The University of Notre Dame.

Career plans: Business Analytics.

Activities, Honors, Team Memberships: Penn Hockey, Penn Track, DECA, National Honor Society, TEAMS, Key Club.

ABBIE CLAY

Parents: Allison Clay and Jefferson Clay.

Elementary School: Meadow’s Edge.

Middle School: Grissom.

College plans: Indiana Wesleyan University, studying chemistry, math, and pre-med.

Career plans: To become a medical missions doctor.

Activities, Honors, Team Memberships: Four-year Varsity letter-winner in Penn Girls Soccer and in Penn Girls Track, National Merit Finalist. Two-time DECA International Competition qualifier. Penn DECA Chapter President, FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) leader, Rhapsody (Penn's Show Choir) and Concert Choir member. Other clubs: Kingsmen Against Cancer, Kingsmen Kids Coalition, Handwritten Hearts, Key Club, National Honor Society, 2019 Penn Girls Soccer Pillar Award winner and scholarship recipient. 2018 and 2019 ISACA (Indiana Soccer Coaches Association) High School All-Academic Award. Five-time gold medalist at ISSMA Solo and Ensemble competition. Three overseas mission trips through St. Mark’s Church.

RAJEEV DATTA

Parents: Anjuli Datta and Suman Datta.

Elementary School: Park Forest Elementary School (State College, Pa.).

Middle School: Park Forest (State College, Pa.) and Discovery.

College plans: California Institute of Technology.

Career plans: Double major in Computer Sciences & Business, Economics, and Management (BEM) to become either a tenured professor, an entrepreneur or a quantitative analyst on Wall Street.

Activities, Honors, Team Memberships: Deep Learning Research at Notre Dame, National Merit Finalist, National AP Scholar, JV Tennis, Science and Math Academic Super Bowl, TEAMS State Champions & fifth in Nationals, National Honor Society Academic Chair, Kingsmen Tutor Leader, Kingsmen Court Representative, Chemistry Olympiad, I-Ball Team Captain.

ANDREW KABOSKI

Parents: Juhi Kaboski and Joseph Kaboski.

Elementary School: Northpoint.

Middle School: Discovery.

College plans: University of Chicago, majoring in Chemistry.

Career plans: Attend graduate school and pursue a career in academia.

Activities, Honors, Team Memberships: Chemistry Olympiad, AP Scholar with Distinction, National Honor Society, National Merit Scholarship finalist, Candidate for the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program, University of Notre Dame Research Assistant, Saint Vincent DePaul Society Food Pantry Volunteer.

VISHRUT KHANDELWAL

Parents: Meenu Garg and Kapil Khandelwal.

Elementary School: Kennedy Primary Academy.

Middle School: LaSalle Intermediate Academy.

College plans: Notre Dame University to study Finance and Applied Math.

Career plans: Undecided.

Activities, Honors, Team Memberships: TEAMS, Key Club, National Honor Society.

MICHELLE KWOK

Parents: Chau Kwok and Chu Kwok.

Elementary School: Fred J. Hums Elementary School.

Middle School: Discovery.

College plans: The University of Notre Dame.

Career plans: Physics.

Activities, Honors, Team Memberships: Kingsmen Court Executive, Social Studies and Science Academic Super Bowl Captain, National Honor Society Vice President, Robotics, Mathnasium Instructor, Freshmen Mentor, Key Club, Quiz Bowl, Model U.N., TEAMS, Lilly Endowment Scholar.

DARBIE KWON

Parents: Eunyoung Park and Daekun Kwon.

Elementary School: Walt Disney.

Middle School: Discovery.

College plans: The University of Notre Dame.

Career plans: Biochemistry.

Activities, Honors, Team Memberships: National Honor Society, TEAMS, Fischoff Chamber Music Competition-Geoffroy Prize Winner, South Bend Youth Symphony Orchestra.

LYVIA LI

Parents: Jing Xu and Gang Li.

Elementary School: Northpoint.

Middle School: Discovery.

College plans: The University of Notre Dame.

Career plans: Aerospace Engineering.

Activities, Honors, Team Memberships: Speech and Debate Team Captain, National Speech and Debate Association, Academic All-American, Girls Golf Team Captain, Girls Golf Northern Indiana Conference MVP, Girls Golf IHSGCA All-State Team, Math Academic Super Bowl, Discovery Math Counts Coach, Lilly Endowment Scholar, National Merit Finalist, National Honor Society Tutoring Co-Chair.

YEWON OH

Parents: Eunhee Park and Heungil Oh.

Elementary School: McKnight.

Middle School: Discovery.

College plans: Undecided.

Career plans: Study Computer Sciences to become a Software Engineer.

Activities, Honors, Team Memberships: Spell Bowl and Academic Super Bowl, TEAMS, National Honor Society Academic Chair, Key Club, Girls Who Code (Founder and Executive), Freshmen Mentoring, Fencing, Indiana All-State Orchestra, National Merit Semi-Finalist, AP National Scholar with Distinction, Spell Bowl State Champions ninth grade, Fischoff National Chamber Music Assoc.-2018 Geoffroy Prize winner, South Bend Youth Symphony-Principal Violist, Indiana All-State Orchestra-Assistant Principal Violist, English Academic Super & Spell Bowl Captain, Mathnasium Instructor, St. Joseph Regional Medical Center Volunteer, St. Pius X Catholic Church Volunteer.

MIA SCHWARTZ

Parents: Jennifer Schwartz and Dr. Bruce Schwartz.

Elementary School: Northpoint.

Middle School: Discovery.

College plans: University of MInnesota to study Environmental Sciences, Policy, Management and Urban Studies.

Career plans: Study Environmental Sciences, Policy and Management to do work involving environmental planning and historic preservation.

Activities, Honors, Team Memberships: Technology Student Association, German-American Partnership Program, Orchestra, Quiz Bowl, Penn Advocates for Thinking Healthy, National Merit Commended Scholar.

COURTNEY SHARPE

Parents: Nanette Eash and Joey Eash.

Elementary School: Northpoint.

Middle School: Discovery.

College plans: The University of Notre Dame to study business & biochemistry.

Career plans: Forensic Scientist.

Activities, Honors, Team Memberships: Lilly Endowment Community Scholar, Mathematics Instructor at Mathnasium Learning Center, National Honor Society, Key Cub Member, Commended National Scholar, Cellist in Penn's Symphonic Orchestra, Freshmen Mentor, President of 411 Chapter at DMS, Penn Girls Soccer.

DAVID SIMONETTI

Parents: Stefanie Simonetti and Antonio Simonetti.

Elementary School: Mary Frank.

Middle School: Discovery.

College plans: The University of Notre Dame to study Computer Science.

Career plans: Software/AI Development.

Activities, Honors, Team Memberships: Robotics, Math and Science Academic Super Bowl, National Honor Society President, National Merit Finalist.

SEUNGHOON SUN

Parents: Hyeran Yim and Daewon Sun.

Elementary School: Northpoint.

Middle School: Discovery.

College plans: The University of Notre Dame. 

Career plans: Biology Professor.

Activities, Honors, Team Memberships: Cancer research at the University of Notre Dame, National Merit Finalist, Vice President of Key Club, Captain of Math and Science Academic Super Bowl.

EMMA TORNQUIST

Parents: Heidi Tornquist and Craig Tornquist.

Elementary School: Elm Road.

Middle School: Grissom.

College plans: Purdue University.

Career plans: Exploratory Studies Program.

Activities, Honors, Team Memberships: Varsity Cheerleading, Unified Track & Field, National Honor Society, Key Club, Champions Together.

KAREN WANG

Parents: Bi Lin Ni and David Wang.

Elementary School: Walt Disney.

Middle School: Schmucker.

College plans: Yale University.

Career plans: Studying comparative literature and sociology and continuing into law school.

Activities, Honors, Team Memberships: Executive of Kingsmen Court (Student Council), co-founder of Penn Advocates of Thinking Healthy, cellist in Symphonic Orchestra, TEAMS, English Academic Super Bowl, National Merit Finalist.

PETER YANG

Parents: Chengxu Yin and Xiaoshan Yang.

Elementary School: Prairie Vista.

Middle School: Discovery.

College plans: The University of Notre Dame.

Career plans: Undecided.

Activities, Honors, Team Memberships: Piano competitions & compositions, Varsity Tennis, National Merit Finalist, Worked for Notre Dame Innovation Team, Key Club.