GC Seniors Earn Top Academic, Perfect Attendance Distinctions

GASTONIA, N.C. – Gaston County Schools has 26 students in the Class of 2023 who have achieved the top academic distinction of valedictorian or salutatorian. Additionally, two seniors in the Class of 2023 have earned the distinction of 13 years of perfect attendance.

Valedictorian and Salutatorian Information

The senior with the highest weighted grade point average (GPA) is selected valedictorian, and the senior with the second-highest weighted GPA is chosen salutatorian. Listed below are the valedictorians and salutatorians for Gaston County Schools and biography information for each student.

Ashbrook High School

Valedictorian: Sherry Adrienne Ramos Martinez

• College Plans: UNC-Chapel Hill to major in nursing.
• Accolades: Earned an associate in science degree from Gaston College; Gaston College President’s and Honors Lists; Junior Civitan Club president; National Honor Society; teen representative for church youth group with more than 100 volunteer service hours.

Salutatorian: Sarah Patel

• College Plans: UNC-Charlotte to major in environmental studies.
• Accolades: Earned an associate in arts degree from Gaston College; Gaston College President’s and Honors Lists; National Honor Society; varsity basketball and tennis teams; volunteer for various community activities.

Bessemer City High School

Valedictorian: Alexis Nicole Thomas

• College Plans: Cleveland Community College
• Accolades: Gardner-Webb University Presidential Scholarship; Pfeiffer University Academic Scholarship; Bessemer City High School Scholastic Athlete of the Year; N.C. Academic Scholar; magna cum laude graduate.

Salutatorian: Hansel Lamar Hughley

• College Plans: UNC-Charlotte
• Accolades: Bessemer City High School Scholastic Athlete of the Year; N.C. Academic Scholar; magna cum laude graduate.

Cherryville High School

Valedictorian: Joseph Alexander England

• College Plans: UNC-Chapel Hill to major in contemporary European studies and English and comparative literature; plans to pursue a career as a political journalist.
• Accolades: Gaston County Schools/Gaston Gazette Star Student; Dwight H. Harrelson Memorial Scholarship; National Honor Society; drama club member and student director; offered approximately $1 million in scholarships from various colleges and universities.

Salutatorian: Riley Elizabeth Kiser

• College Plans: Appalachian State University to major in environmental science with a concentration in life science; plans to pursue a career as a wildlife biologist or nature conservationist.
• Accolades: National Honor Society; Piedmont Lithium Power for Life Scholarship; Appalachian State University Academic Excellence Scholarship; Cherryville High School Female Athlete of the Year.

East Gaston High School

Valedictorian: Isabel Maria Suarez

• College Plans: Gardner-Webb University to major in psychology and minor in missiology; plans to pursue a career in the mission field.
• Accolades: Gardner-Webb University Ignite Excellence Scholarship; Mount Holly Rotary Club Scholarship; member and captain of varsity tennis and swimming teams; East Gaston Female Scholastic Athlete of the Year; College Board National Hispanic Recognition Award.

Salutatorian: Brylie Elizabeth Chaney

• College Plans: Emmanuel College to major in psychology; plans to pursue a career in clinical counseling psychology.
• Accolades: Student body president; member and captain of the cheerleading team; Fellowship of Christian Athletes president; Emmanuel College Impact Leadership Scholarship and Ministry Teams Scholarship; National Honor Society; Beta Club.

Forestview High School

Valedictorian: Emma Grey Taylor

• College Plans: UNC-Chapel Hill to major in economics and public policy; plans to attend graduate school and pursue a career in economic consulting.
• Accolades: Dual enrollment at the N.C. School of Science and Mathematics; Mayor’s Youth Leadership Council president; N.C. High School Athletic Association’s student-athlete advisory council; captain of the varsity swimming and tennis teams; UNC’s Colonel Robinson Scholarship.

Salutatorian: Yash Pankajkumar Patel

• College Plans: UNC-Chapel Hill to major in neuroscience; plans to attend medical school and pursue a career in neuroscience.
• Accolades: Advanced Placement (AP) Capstone Diploma; AP Scholar with Distinction; National Rural and Small Town Recognition Award; junior marshal; National Honor Society.

Gaston County Virtual Academy

Valedictorian: Cason Rylee Harris

• College Plans: Rockingham Community College to play baseball for two years and then transfer to a four-year college to major in exercise science; plans to pursue a doctorate degree in physical therapy.

Salutatorian: Jacqueline Torres-Villar

• College Plans: Gaston College to pursue a degree in accounting; plans to pursue a career in accounting.

Gaston Early College High School

Valedictorian: Katherine Grace Allen

• College Plans: Liberty University to major in graphic design with a strategic communications minor; plans to pursue a career in graphic design and social media management.
• Accolades: Earned an associate in arts degree from Gaston College; Gaston College President’s Award (for graduating with a 4.0 grade point average); Dimette Scholarship; Bess Chapel United Methodist Church/Brad Baxter Scholarship; Honorable Ralph C. Gingles, Jr. Scholarship; Martha Watson Scholarship; Liberty University academic scholarships.

Salutatorian: Paigelan Starr Freeman

• College Plans: East Tennessee State University to major in dental hygiene; plans to pursue a career as a dental hygienist.
• Accolades: Earned an associate in science degree from Gaston College; Gaston College President’s Award (for graduating with a 4.0 grade point average); East Tennessee State University Public Service Corps Scholarship; Beta Club junior class officer.

Highland School of Technology

Valedictorian: Olivia Marie Apple

• College Plans: UNC-Charlotte to major in mathematics with a concentration in secondary education; plans to pursue a career as a high school math teacher.
• Accolades: UNC-Charlotte Freeman Scholar and Chancellor Scholarship; N.C. Teaching Fellows; Beta Club; RamHOST; peer tutor; track and cross country teams (captain, all-conference, and all-county); distinguished athlete award; Gaston County Schools/Gaston Gazette Star Student.

Salutatorian: Samuel David Cook

• College Plans: Washington and Lee University to major in political science and Chinese; plans to pursue a career in government and international affairs.
• Accolades: Johnson Scholarship (a full-tuition scholarship); Technology Student Association vice president; Beta Club; Eagle Scout; Teens Changing Gaston County president; N.C. Summer Ventures in Science and Math; U.S. Department of State study abroad program in Taiwan.

Hunter Huss High School

Valedictorian: Emily Corzine

• College Plans: Wake Forest University to major in biological sciences; plans to pursue a career as a physician’s assistant.
• Accolades: Chief junior marshal; Albert G. Myers Scholarship; Equitable Excellence Scholarship; Advanced Placement (AP) Chemistry Award; Advanced Placement (AP) English Award.

Salutatorian: Lauren Moonie

• College Plans: UNC-Chapel Hill to major in biology; plans to pursue a career in dentistry.
• Accolades: Gaston County Schools/Gaston Gazette Star Student; Barnard Fellow Scholarship; Academic Achievement in Advanced Placement (AP) Literature and Composition Award; National Technical Honor Society; volleyball coach’s award.

North Gaston High School

Valedictorian: Caroline Allred

• College Plans: Appalachian State University to major in communication sciences and disorders; plans to pursue a career as a speech-language pathologist.
• Accolades: Homecoming maid of honor; Trudnak Award; Houston Patterson Scholarship; Gaston County FCA Athlete of the Year Scholarship; Co-Scholar Athlete of the Year.

Salutatorian: Jenna Mason

• College Plans: N.C. State University to major in human biology; plans to pursue a career as a physician assistant specializing in pediatrics.
• Accolades: Co-Scholar Athlete of the Year; Beta Club president; Dr. Thomas A. Will Scholarship; National Honor Society; National Technical Honor Society.

South Point High School

Co-Valedictorian: Bailey Allen

• College Plans: University of South Carolina (Honors College) to major in biology and minor in neuroscience (pre-medicine track); plans to pursue a career as a pediatric anesthesiologist.
• Accolades: National Honor Society; superlative award from the University of South Carolina undergraduate admissions.

Co-Valedictorian: Michelle Tracy

• College Plans: University of Notre Dame to major in engineering; plans to pursue a career in engineering.
• Accolades: Associate in arts degree from Gaston College; Gaston College President’s List for two years; Advanced Placement (AP) Scholar with Honor.

Salutatorian: Henry Eisenhuth

• College Plans: University of Georgia to major in film studies and film production; plans to pursue a career as a screenwriter and movie director.
• Accolades: Gaston County Schools/Gaston Gazette Star Student; N.C. Summer Ventures; conference swimming championship in 100-meter individual butterfly; member of Gazette Cup championship varsity soccer team; Cora Nunnally Miller Scholarship presented by the University of Georgia Department of Theatre and Film Studies.

Stuart W. Cramer High School

Co-Valedictorian: Lyndie Jo Humphrey

• College Plans: Georgia Institute of Technology to major in biomedical engineering; plans to pursue a master’s degree and work for NASA in space exploration.
• Accolades: Advanced Placement (AP) Scholar with Honor; Commissioners’ School of Excellence; National Honor Society (officer); National Technical Honor Society (representative); Gaston County Schools/Gaston Gazette Star Student.

Co-Valedictorian: Madeline Claire McKinley

• College Plans: Clemson University (Honors College) to major in political science and economics; plans to pursue a career in law.
• Accolades: Advanced Placement (AP) Scholar with Honor; Commissioners’ School of Excellence; student government representative; National Honor Society (secretary); four-year varsity tennis team (MVP and all-conference).

Salutatorian: Abby Lynn Ferrell

• College Plans: Gardner-Webb University to major in pre-medicine/psychology and business; plans to obtain an MBA and Ph.D. and attend medical school to become a psychiatrist and open her own practice.
• Accolades: Advanced Placement (AP) Scholar; CFA Leadership Scholarship; Gardner-Webb $20,000 merit scholarship; junior marshal; all-conference swimmer.

Perfect Attendance Information

Each year, the Board of Education honors graduating seniors who achieve perfect attendance for either 12 years or 13 years. Two seniors in the Gaston County Schools Class of 2023 earned 13 years of perfect attendance.

• Karley Albanese of Forestview High School achieved 13 years of perfect attendance. She plans to attend UNC-Charlotte and pursue a career as an orthodontist. At Forestview, Albanese has been a member of the Beta Club, National Honor Society, track team, and yearbook staff.
• Gage Vernon of Cherryville High School achieved 13 years of perfect attendance. He plans to attend Gaston College to obtain a degree in nursing.

During their school’s graduation ceremony, Albanese and Vernon received a perfect attendance plaque from the Gaston County Board of Education in recognition of their outstanding accomplishment.