June 7, 2021 - The 20th Annual Jan Heckendorn Academic Recognition Banquet was celebrated this year with four events, one on each of the four high school campuses with graduating seniors. This event honors the top graduates from each high school along with their chosen mentor educator who has helped them along the way.
Named for Jan Heckendorn who was instrumental in the founding and creation of the Comal Education Foundation, the Academic Recognition Banquet is a special event that students and teachers look forward to annually. In addition, during the event the Heckendorn Family honors Jan’s legacy with its annual Jan Heckendorn Memorial Scholarship given to two graduating seniors from Comal ISD.
This year, the Jan Heckendorn Memorial Scholarship was given to Joseph Drastata and Trista Marcoe, both from Canyon High School. Drastata also received a West Point Military Association Preparatory Scholarship to New Mexico Military Institute with admission to West Point Academy in 2022. Marcoe plans to attend Abilene Christian University and major in nursing.
The top 15 graduates and their mentor teachers from Canyon High School were honored during a banquet on May 18 at Canyon High; the top 15 from Canyon Lake High School were honored on May 19 at Canyon Lake High; the top five from Memorial Early College High School were honored on May 10 on their campus; and the top 15 from Smithson Valley High School were honored May 17 on their campus.
The Canyon High Top 15 and mentor teachers include the following:
- Nathan Anderson and Erin Kinkade-Dyal
- Taylor Baugher and Mitchell Ray
- Madalyn Brown and Jennifer Booth
- Taylor Cattarin and Hailey Sansom
- Sahil Dhana and Michael Perez
- Jackson Frazier and Gary Anderson
- Kaiya Haines and William Pickett
- Chase Jankoski and Eloy Garsez
- Kyle Jernigan and Will Haltom
- Nick Long and Michelle Koehl
- Tyler Parker and Heather Sanders
- Ava Robillard and Sheila West
- Philip Templeman and Sharon Streger
- Jaden Wiser and Kevin Randle
- Jillian Wold and Ron Baker
The Canyon Lake High Top 15 and mentor teachers include the following:
- Jonathan David Brown and Ron Perry
- Landry Brown and Therese Pilzner
- Danielle Carty and Kimberly Moses
- Madison Crowder and Michael Tokarski
- Tyler Dickens and Caleb Hoffmann
- Jodi Glenn-Millhouse and Charles Van Houten
- Alexis Hettinger and Nell Anderson
- Anna Hettinger and Robert Ceyanes
- Lily LeStourgeon and Kara Endsley
- Natalie McCoy and Kari Bennett
- Madison McGuire and Sarah Grudle
- Caitlin Mott and Evelyn Orr
- Tyler Pauly and Victor Escamilla
- Jake Peters and Brent Ferguson
- Kaitlyn Postell and Amanda Custy
The Memorial Early College High Top 5 and mentor teachers include the following:
- Samantha Cocita and Micah Montgomery
- Maya Langendorf and Dr. Bobby Johnson
- Nolan Martel and Francine Sallese
- Isabell Sliwinski and Erin Loper
- Daniel Tures and Daniel Horton
The Smithson Valley High Top 15 and mentor teachers include the following:
- Wesley Barton and Laquita Sellers
- Iris Bradbury and Christine Warzecha
- Elizabeth Charlton and Wendy Clark
- Jenna Dixon and Cory DeBoest
- Joshua Harshbarger and Holly Leach
- Caitlyn Hermesch and Lucy Capt
- Tomas Hinojosa and Michael Childress
- Reagan Hoffmann and Kathryn Rutledge
- Emma Kirchhoff and Keven Harshbarger
- Addison Lueck and Kirsten Watkins
- Madison McAllister and Vincent Giordanelli
- Thomas Moody II and Richard Helsley
- Lindsay Pattison and Laura Heldmann
- Rocco Perciavalle and Christina Post
- Abigail Uduji and Judy Weill
Links to photo albums for each banquet:
- Canyon High School
- Canyon Lake High School
- Memorial Early College High School
- Smithson Valley High School
-The top 15 graduating seniors from Canyon Lake High School were treated to a banquet on their campus, May 19.
-The top 5 graduating seniors from Memorial Early College High School were treated to a banquet on their campus, May 10.
-Pictured from left are Canyon High School Principal Dustin Davisson, Joseph Drastata and Trista Marcoe. Drastata and Marcoe received this year's Jan Heckendorn Memorial Scholarship.
-The top 15 graduating seniors from Canyon High School were treated to a banquet on their campus, May 18.
-The top 15 graduating seniors from Smithson Valley High School were treated to a banquet on their campus, May 17.