CENTRALIA — Christ Our Rock Lutheran High School in Centralia held its Annual Awards Night for the 2024-2025 school year on May 2. The 21st Annual Awards Night was held in the CORLHS gymnasium.
The Class of 2025 is the 19th graduating class in the school’s 21-year history. This class of 31 students has collectively been offered a total of $1,985,102.20 in scholarships with $939,340.20 in scholarships being accepted and over $119,000 in scholarships still pending. The seniors also earned a total of 536 credit hours in classes taken at Kaskaskia College during their high school career.
“This is one of our largest graduating classes to date, and a class with one of the highest totals of scholarship money offered and accepted. They are truly an outstanding group of young men and women,” said Don Duensing, executive director and principal. Alayna French is the Valedictorian of the 2025 graduating class, with Audrey Lueking holding the honor of Salutatorian. Lueking was also recognized as one of two Student of the Year honorees.
Seniors Mason Brink and Kylie Nalewajka shared the Spirit Award honors this year. This honor is given to a student who has demonstrated the highest level of school spirit throughout the year. Seniors Rylee Brammeier and Katie Zimmermann were recognized with the Exemplum de Christi Award, bestowed upon the student or students who best exemplify Christ throughout the year. Senior Alexis Livesay was also recognized as Student of the Year.
A student from each class was awarded discipleship honors, selected by their classmates for displaying a reverent attitude toward God, demonstrating concern for others and a positive spirit, and proving trustworthy and responsible. Recipients of this year’s Discipleship Awards were Greyson Dugger from the freshman class; Anderson Engele from the sophomore class; Emma Brink from the junior class; and Rylee Brammeier from the senior class.
The Love of Ten Award and $1,500 scholarship was presented to senior Thomas Taylor.This award was created to honor the memory of 2009 CORLHS graduate Robert “Bo” Arvin, who passed away in 2018 following a battle with sarcoma cancer. The honor is presented by the Bo Arvin Memorial Foundation to a student who embodies the qualities of Arvin, including integrity, faith, a sense of humor, and the loyalty he showed to a group of fellow students with whom he forged a lifelong bond. A plaque bearing Taylor’s name and previous Love of Ten recipients will be on display at the school.
Various departmental awards were also announced during the evening, as well as recognition of student involvement in the various extra-curricular activities. Departmental award recipients included Caden Arnold, Social Studies; Alayna French, Advanced Art; Andolini Gray, Music; Olivia Jansen, Math; Timothy Meyer, Theology; Madi Nolte, Agriculture; Colt Suedmeyer, Science; Thomas Taylor, English and Physical Education (Weightlifting); Emma Brink, Art Concepts; Chloe Tate, Studio Art; Garrett Denton, Technological Arts; Jo Meyer, Physical Education; and Katie Oelze, Foreign Language.The Academic Growth Award was given to Laci McFall and Brayden Albert.
Academic Excellence awards were given to those students who earned a 4.0 grade point average throughout this school year. Recipients included freshmen Mia Baker, Colton Cartright, Greyson Dugger and Cameron Jones; sophomores, Garrett Denton and Katie Oelze; juniors, Evan Beal, Emma Brink, Grace Brink, Alivia Childress, Peyton Jett, Jenson Langenhorst, Drew Lueking and Chloe Tate; seniors, Rylee Brammeier, Elizabeth Britt, Alayna French, Alexis Livesay, Audrey Lueking, Timothy Meyer, Kylie Nalewajka, Thomas Taylor, Emma Williamson and Katherine Zimmermann.
Recipients of other awards included Madi Nolte and Alayna French, Clinton County Electric Scholarships; Audrey Lueking and Thomas Taylor, Bradford National Bank $1,000 Scholarship; Caden Arnold and Audrey Lueking, People’s National Bank $500 scholarship: Mason Brink, American Red Cross $1,000 Scholarship and Caden Arnold, Sons of the American Revolution Scholarship. Several KC Foundation Scholarship recipients were recognized, including Rylee Brammeier ($14,820 Athletic Cross Country); Zerek Koch ($11,115 Athletic Cross Country, $1,000 Communications Department Scholarship and $500 Wilkins Family Scholarship); Andolini Gray ($1,000 Ratermann Memorial Scholarship and $2,500 Ainslie Scholarship); and Caden Arnold ($1,000 Ratermann Memorial Scholarship).
Eight students earned attendance honors. Those honored for perfect attendance were Caden Arnold, Alayna French, Alton Davis, Lily Hanenberger and Carson Pigg. Receiving recognition for outstanding attendance were Kylie Nalewajka, Emma Brink, Gracie Schnitker Lilly Borel, Cortney Brammeier, Jackson Hodge, Cameron Jones and Jaxon Stuehlmeyer.
Athletic and Activity Integrity Awards were presented to Timothy Meyer, Boys Golf; Kylie Nalewajka, Volleyball; Rylee Brammeier, Girls Cross Country and Girls Track; Cameron Jones, Boys Cross Country; Anderson Engele, Boys Track; Jayden Cushman, Boys Bowling; Alexis Livesay, Girls Bowling; Christian Nollman, Boys Basketball and Baseball; Alayna French, Girls Basketball; Emma Williamson, Softball; Colt Suedmeyer, Boys Swimming; Olivia Jansen, Girls Swimming; Caden Arnold, Sizzilin’ Stallions; and Layla Gray, Pep Band.
