Wesleyan celebrates Senior Honors Day
Senior Honors Day is a beloved Wesleyan tradition where high school students gather to celebrate the hard work and accomplishments of the senior class. Class of 2023 award recipients are listed below in the order they were presented at the ceremony.
The Athletic Service Award
The Athletic Service Award - The Athletic Service award is given to a senior boy or girl who has faithfully provided multiple years of selfless and sacrificial service to one or more Wesleyan athletic programs. The student may have served in any one of the following capacities: trainer, manager, statistician, or videographer. The recipient has given generously of his or her time and has consistently put the needs of others before their own. The 2023 Athletic Service Award was presented to Kevin Andrews by Tom Moak, assistant athletic director.
Most Valuable Athlete Awards
The Most Valuable Athlete Awards are given each year to a senior male and female who have contributed greatly to numerous Wesleyan sports. These athletes are nominated by and voted on by our head varsity coaches based on their consistent athletic ability and sportsmanship. The 2023 Male MVP Athlete Award was presented to Trent DeBow by Dennis Stromie, assistant athletic director. The 2023 Female MVP Athlete Award was presented to Christina McCoy by Lacy Gilbert, athletic director.
Wolf Player Freedom Award
The Wolf Player Freedom Award represents the foundational idea of what makes a good performer. Inspired by Galatians 5, award recipients have taken steps in perfecting the art of acting that mirror Paul’s reminders to the church. They have released themselves from physical, emotional, or even social constraints, and then use that freedom to serve their audience and fellow actors in a performance. The 2023 Wolf Player Freedom Award was presented to Caroline Croley by Stephanie Simmons, high school theatre director.
John Phillip Sousa Award
John Philip Sousa Award - Since its inauguration in 1954, The John Philip Sousa Award has been given to thousands of outstanding high school band students across the country. Individuals receiving this award must demonstrate leadership, dependability, and loyalty in band. The 2023 John Philip Sousa Award was presented to Daniel Guo by Jeff Foster, high school band director.
Jean Raney Artist of the Year Award
The Jean Raney Artist of the Year Award, created in memory of an accomplished artist and parent at Wesleyan, is given annually to a senior who has displayed outstanding achievements in the area of visual art. The Jean Raney Artist of the Year Award was presented to Kate Adent by Meagan Brooker, assistant director of fine arts.
Jayne Burns Excellence in the Arts Award
The Jayne Burns Excellence in the Arts Award is an annual award to honor artistic excellence. It is named in memory of Jayne Burns, beloved Wesleyan art teacher and Director of Fine Arts from 2001 until her death in 2007. This award honors individuals who passionately share their artistic gifts in the performing and/or visual arts to create meaningful artistic experiences. The 2023 Jayne Burns Excellence in the Arts Award was presented to Claire Wyatt by Meg Foster, director of fine arts.
Servant Leadership Award
Each year, the Omicron Service Society recognizes one outstanding servant leader from the senior class. Combining service and leadership together requires both the example of humble service as well as the intentional invitation to others to participate. The 2023 Servant Leadership Award was presented to Morgan Akin by Corrie Nash, assistant director of Christian life: service.
DAR Citizenship Award
The DAR Good Citizens Committee recognizes senior high school students who excel in qualities of dependability, service, leadership, and patriotism. The 2023 DAR Award was presented to Alex Edgar by Maggie Mansour ‘11, French teacher.
Development and Initiative Award
The Development and Initiative Award is awarded annually to a member of the senior class who, in the view of the faculty, best exemplifies extraordinary progress and improvement in the areas of personal maturity and/or overall academic performance over his/her high school career. The 2023 Development and Initiative Award was presented to Katerina Vassileva by Kendra Morris, 12th grade girls chair.
Dean’s Awards
The Dean’s Award is presented each year to a male and female student who impacts the Wesleyan community in a positive and significant fashion. This award recognizes a student’s character, citizenship, and willingness to serve others. Each recipient clearly lives out the J.O.Y. motto of Wesleyan, placing Jesus and Others above Self. The 2023 Female Dean’s Award was presented to Lily Nydam by Mary Blalock '04, dean of student life. The 2023 Male Dean’s Award was presented to Thomas Chipman by Josh Smith, assistant dean of student life.
Wesleyan Award
The Wesleyan Award goes to the senior who has shown the most initiative and helpfulness to both students and faculty in all phases of school life. We particularly desire to recognize a student for his or her willingness to go above and beyond what is asked, exhibiting a servant’s heart and pursuing those tasks with unusual good humor and fellowship. The 2023 Wesleyan Award was presented to Mary Margaret Woods by Davis Brown ‘10, assistant director of Christian life: worship and discipleship.
Valedictorian and Salutatorian Awards
The salutatorian and valedictorian awards are given to the seniors with the second-highest and highest weighted-numeric averages respectively. The salutatorian award for the class of 2023 was presented to Jackson Murphy by Joseph Koch, high school principal. The valedictorian award for the class of 2023 was presented to Zachary Gan by Joseph Koch, high school principal.
Kathy Benson Faculty Cup
Given in honor of Kathy Benson and her longtime contribution to the students of Wesleyan School, the Kathy Benson Faculty Cup is one of Wesleyan’s top honors. It is awarded to a senior who exemplifies academic prowess and a significant contribution to school life outside the classroom. The 2023 Kathy Benson Faculty Cup was presented to Sophia Shaffer by Ramona Blankenship, associate head of school. We were honored to have Kathy Benson in attendance at Senior Honors Day.
Atlanta Journal Constitution (AJC) Cup
The AJC Cup is the highest award given to a Wesleyan senior. The AJC describes this award in the following terms, “The AJC Cup recognizes the extra efforts put forth by high school seniors to achieve excellence in academics and their leadership in school and community activities.” The 2023 AJC Cup was presented to Zachary Gan by Chris Cleveland, head of school.
Thank you, award recipients, for your hard work, strong character, and commitment to excellence.
