BPHS celebrates excellence at 2025 Awards & Recognition Program

Patrick Romito, Staff Writer

June 9, 2025

BPHS marked another year of academic, athletic, leadership, and service excellence with its annual Awards & Recognition Program.

This event brought the community together to honor the outstanding achievements of the school’s brightest minds.

The Awards & Recognition Program stands as a testament to Bethel Park’s commitment to forming well-rounded students.

It serves not only as a celebration of individual accomplishments but also as a confirmation of the strong community support that allows student success.

The ceremony officially recognized Devin Collier as the class valedictorian and Josh Tierney as the salutatorian, a reward for their exceptional academic performance and leadership.

Numerous students received scholarships from local PTOs, community foundations, service organizations, and educational institutions, showcasing the support network that Bethel Park offers its students.

The following is the complete list of scholarships offered at the event:

Abraham Lincoln PTO Scholarship ($500): Ethan Varley and River Hendrych-Bondra
Ben Franklin PTO Scholarship ($500): Lyla Walsh and Sydney Felicetti
Bethel Bakery Scholarship ($1,000): Madison Bendik
Bethel Park Community Foundation – American Legion Post 760 Scholarship ($1,000): Lyla Walsh and Margaret Babyak
Bethel Park Community Foundation – Antonio J. Ripepi Memorial Scholarship ($1,000): Audrey Campbell
Bethel Park Community Foundation – Bethel Park Police Association ($500): Elizabeth Mackey
Bethel Park Community Foundation – Bethel Park Volunteer Scholarship ($1,000): Kristen Weiss
Bethel Park Community Foundation – Cindy Buckley Memorial Scholarship ($1,000): Alyssa Celletti
Bethel Park Community Foundation – Frank L.P. Edwards Scholarship ($1,000): Tanner Pfeuffer
Bethel Park Community Foundation – Intern Scholarship ($1,000): Abigail Goldenberg and Sara Impellicceiri
Bethel Park Community Foundation – John Deans Memorial Scholarship ($1,000): Violet Puskar
Bethel Park Community Foundation – Jugo-Slav Club Scholarship ($2,000): Audrey Campbell, Kylie Kasievich, and Owen Campbell
Bethel Park Community Foundation – Kramer Family Scholarship ($500): Abigail Goldenberg, Carly Dowell, and Katelyn Wolf
Bethel Park Community Foundation – Scott Beynon Memorial Scholarship ($1,000): Kylie Kasievich
Bethel Park Federation of Teachers Scholarship ($1,000): Alyssa Celletti
Bethel Park Lions Club – George Meyer Memorial Scholarship ($2,500): Jack Bruckner and Megan Geraud
Big Heart Scholarship ($3,000): Finn O’Neill
Blue Sky Closing Services Scholarship ($1,000): Lyla Walsh
Brown University Book Award: Grace Perdziola
Elk County Community Foundation – McGrady Family Scholarship ($1,250): Audrey Campbell and Owen Campbell
Equitable Foundation Scholarship ($20,000): Jingyuan Zhang
George Washington PTO Scholarship ($1,000): Emma Bianco
Harvard Prize Book Award: Caroline Zelt
Irene Uhrik Boone Memorial Scholarship ($2,000): Joseph DePasquale and River Hendrych-Bondra
Jennifer A. Morgan Scholarship ($2,000): Madison Moffat
Joey Fabus Memorial Scholarship ($750): Elizabeth Mackey
Ken Waldie Memorial Scholarship ($18,000): Mallory Kuntz
Lois Johnson Learning & Child Care Scholarship ($500): Emma Bianco, Ian Majernik, and Madelyn Hughes
Memorial Elementary Scholarship ($500): Katelyn Wolf and Vincent Klingensmith,
National Honor Society Scholarship ($1,500): Jingyuan Zhang
National Merit Recognition: Caleb Steele, Devin Collier, James Sipe, Joseph Kwak, Josh Tierney, Lindsay Gruska, Linus Truver, and Lyla Walsh
Princeton Book Award: Samuel Hoppe
Ron Arnoni Leadership in Action Scholarship Award ($500): Owen Campbell
Rosemary Gainar Scholarship – William Penn Elementary School ($1,000): Devin Collier
Rotary Club of Bethel Park – Robert Brindley Memorial Scholarship ($1,500): George Danchik, Sara Impellicceiri, and Sydney Felicetti
Salutatorian: Josh Tierney
South Arts Pittsburgh Scholarship ($500): Gabriella Balkovec
Spirit Award: Ella Millikin
Sydney Marie Romanus Memorial Scholarship ($1,000): Sydney Felicetti
United States Military Academy at West Point – Appointment: Aaron Hofbauer
USC/BP Rotary Breakfast Club “Roy Werner” Award ($1,000): Addison Gurganus
USC/BP Rotary Breakfast Club “Service Above Self” Award ($1,000): George Danchik
Valedictorian: Devin Collier
West Penn Football Officials Association Scholarship ($14,000): Jack Bruckner

The event demonstrates the dedication, talent, and potential within Bethel Park’s student community.

As these individuals step towards future endeavors, their achievements act as inspiration for the entire district, setting a high standard for generations to come.

BPHS’s 2025 Awards & Recognition Program was not just a celebration of past accomplishments but a sneak peek of the bright futures awaiting these students.

About the Contributor

Patrick Romito, Staff Writer

And that’s another Bethel Park Black Hawks win for the boys soccer team. Whether Patrick is on the soccer field or behind the keyboard, he’s always aiming to make an impact—one play and one story at a time. This year, Patrick Romito, an 11th grader, joins Scholastic Publications for the first time. When asked why he decided to sign up, Patrick said, “I took the class to get more involved in school activities.” With a clear passion for making the most of his high school experience, Patrick is eager to contribute to the class by writing articles for the Hawk Eye newspaper. He’s ready to take on whatever stories come his way, whether spotlight features, sports, or school news. Patrick is not just a writer; he’s also an accomplished athlete. With 12 years of soccer experience under his belt and as a three-year DECA member, he balances both extracurriculars and academics with ease. As someone who enjoys variety, he’s equally open to different kinds of stories, saying, “I enjoy writing in general, so whether it’s spotlights, sports, or school news-related content, it doesn’t matter to me.” Looking ahead, Patrick’s plans after high school include studying marketing and advertising, although he’s still deciding on a specific college. In the meantime, his favorite class is Law & You with Mr. Vic. He appreciates how the course prepares him for life after high school, and he enjoys Mr. Vic’s real-life stories that make each lesson engaging. Reflecting on his time in high school, Patrick recalls the excitement of attending football games as a freshman, where he formed friendships that have lasted throughout his high school years. “I really enjoyed going to the football games freshman year because I ended up making a lot of friends there, a lot of which I’m still friends with today,” he said. Outside of school, Patrick has worked as a lifeguard at Highpoint Fitness for almost two years, a job that highlights his dedication and work ethic. When he’s not working or playing soccer, he enjoys comedy movies, with Step Brothers being his top pick. And what’s his dream vacation? Patrick hopes to one day visit Italy. “My dream vacation is Italy because first, it is very beautiful there, as well as my family roots going back to there,” he shared. In just three words, Patrick describes himself as calm, caring, and hardworking — qualities that are sure to serve him well both in and out of the classroom. Keep an eye out for Patrick’s contributions to Hawk Eye this year as he dives into the world of scholastic publications! Written by: Grace Ferency, Staff Writer