Last night, West Liberty-Salem Schools had the privilege of celebrating the Class of 2026 during Senior Awards Night. The evening highlighted the accomplishments, leadership, service, academic excellence, athletic success, and future plans of a remarkable senior class.
The Class of 2026 includes 91 graduating seniors. Of those students, 46% are continuing to a four-year college, 13% are attending a community college or trade school, 36% are entering the workforce, and 5% have committed to serving in a branch of the armed services.
Academically, the class achieved tremendous success through the College Credit Plus (CCP) program. The Class of 2026 earned 1,577 free college semester hours, equating to more than $551,000 in free college credit using the average tuition rate of a four-year public university. Fifty-five seniors earned college credit during high school, averaging 28 semester hours each and saving nearly $10,000 per student toward future degrees.
The academic leaders of the Class of 2026 were recognized as:
• Co-Valedictorians: Dylan King and Geneva Estep
• Salutatorian: Emma Smith
• #4: Emery Longaberger
• #5: Lyndee Harrison
• #6: Elijah Christison
• Tied #7: Levi Miller and Victoria Douthwaite
• #9: Caleb Ling
• #10: Brevin Louden
Military Recognition:
• Ohio Air National Guard – Sam Strapp
• U.S. Army Reserves – Tevis Cox and Bradley Petry
Special Awards & Scholarships:
• “That Tiger” – $500 – Brock Burgel
• “That Tiger” – $500 – Sadie Paul
• Governor’s Merit Scholarship – $20,000 – Geneva Estep
• Governor’s Merit Scholarship – $20,000 – Dylan King
• Governor’s Merit Scholarship – $20,000 – Emma Smith
• Governor’s Merit Scholarship – $20,000 – Emery Longaberger
• Governor’s Merit Scholarship – $20,000 – Lyndee Harrison
Scholarship Presentations:
• Bellefontaine Rotary Club – $1,000 – Ella Vondenhuevel
• Beth Brown Memorial – $1,500 – Kaylee Blair
• Beth Brown Memorial – $1,000 – Brock Burgel
• Beth Brown Memorial – $1,000 – Naomi Cole
• Beth Brown Memorial – $1,000 – Lyndee Harrison
• Beth Brown Memorial – $1,000 – Marisa Smith
• Birt Family – $1,000 – Levi Miller
• Birt Family – $1,000 – Elijah Christison
• Birt Family – $1,000 – Marisa Smith
• Birt Family – $1,000 – Ava Astorino
• Birt Family – $1,000 – Lyndee Harrison
• Birt Family – $1,000 – Geneva Estep
• Birt Family – $1,000 – Caleb Larson
• Birt Family – $1,000 – Gavyn Greenhill
• Birt Family – $1,000 – Kaylee Powell
• Birt Family – $1,000 – Abbie Thoman
• Champaign County Cattlemen’s/TC Memorial – $1,500 – Cooper Titus
• Champaign County Cattlemen’s/TC Memorial – $1,500 – Ella Vondenhuevel
• Champaign Logan Education Foundation – $16,000 – Alayna Hackley
• Christy Knotts and Ranae Donohoe Memorial – $1,000 – Brock Burgel
• Christy Knotts and Ranae Donohoe Memorial – $1,000 – Naomi Cole
• Christy Knotts and Ranae Donohoe Memorial – $1,000 – Ava Astorino
• Christy Knotts and Ranae Donohoe Memorial – $1,000 – Lyndee Harrison
• Christy Knotts and Ranae Donohoe Memorial – $1,000 – Levi Miller
• Christy Knotts and Ranae Donohoe Memorial – $1,000 – Kaylee Powell
• Christy Knotts and Ranae Donohoe Memorial – $1,000 – Dylan King
• Civista Bank – $500 – Olivia Deere
• Clara F. Beck Trust – $2,000 – Sadie Paul
• Columbus Foundation Matthew Curtis Roach Memorial – $2,000 – Cooper Titus
• Columbus Foundation Mary “Betsy” E. Rueb Memorial – $26,000 – Cooper Titus
• Grimes Foundation – $2,500 – Ava Astorino
• Grimes Foundation – $2,500 – Lyndee Harrison
• Headings Family – $1,000 – Brock Burgel
• Headings Family – $1,000 – Naomi Cole
• Headings Family – $1,000 – Lyndee Harrison
• Headings Family – $1,000 – Marisa Smith
• James & Pat FitzRandolph/WL-S Educational Foundation – $500 – Kaylee Blair
• James & Pat FitzRandolph/WL-S Educational Foundation – $500 – Levi Miller
• James Forsythe Milroy Foundation – $2,500 – Cooper Titus
• Jillian Ripley Fund – $500 – Lyndee Harrison
• Junior Achievement – $1,000 – Abbie Thoman
• Lions Club – Rushsylvania – $1,000 – Kaylee Blair
• Lions Club – West Liberty – $1,000 – Ava Astorino
• Lions Club – West Liberty – $1,000 – Kaylee Powell
• Lions Club – West Liberty – $1,000 – Taylor Cook
• Lions Club – West Liberty – $1,000 – Dylan King
• Lions Club – West Liberty – $1,000 – Cooper Titus
• Lions Club – West Liberty – $1,000 – Abbie Thoman
• Logan County Electric Cooperative – $2,500 – Levi Miller
• Logan County Electric Cooperative – $1,500 – Breece Gullett
• Mary Rutan Foundation Dr. Joseph C. and Florence C. Longfellow Memorial – $1,000 – Addyson Mattox
• Mary Rutan Foundation Dr. Joseph C. and Florence C. Longfellow Memorial – $1,000 – Breece Gullett
• Mary Rutan Foundation Dr. Joseph C. and Florence C. Longfellow Memorial – $1,000 – Lyndee Harrison
• Mary Rutan Foundation Dr. Joseph C. and Florence C. Longfellow Memorial – $1,000 – Marisa Smith
• Masonic 15th District – $1,500 – Cooper Titus
• Matthew Calland Memorial – $1,000 – Alayna Hackley
• Matthew Calland Memorial – $1,000 – Cooper Titus
• Matthew Calland Memorial – $1,000 – Ella Vondenhuevel
• Meghan Vogel – $1,000 – Brevin Louden
• Michael McGill Memorial – $500 – Caleb Larson
• Ohio Daily Digital Senior of the Month – $500 – Kaylee Blair
• Ohio Daily Digital Athlete Spotlight – $500 – Brevin Louden
• Pioneer Trade/Technical Scholarship – $750 – Ella Vondenhuevel
• Pioneer Electric Cooperative – $500 – Ava Astorino
• Pioneer Electric Cooperative – $500 – Brock Burgel
• Pioneer Electric Cooperative – $500 – Lance Campbell
• Ohio Electric Cooperatives Trade – $750 – Ella Vondenhuevel
• Quest Federal Credit Union – $500 – Brevin Louden
• Raising Arrows – $500 – Lydia Schmidt
• Rotary Club of Urbana – $2,000 – Addison Hutton
• Springfield Foundation/John Dale Urbana Firefighter – $3,469 – Brock Burgel
• The Ohio State University Alumni Club of Champaign County – $1,000 – Lyndee Harrison
• West Liberty Business Association – $500 – Abbie Thoman
• West Liberty Business Association – $500 – Ella Vondenhuevel
• West Liberty Business Association – $500 – Marisa Smith
• West Liberty Business Association – $500 – Levi Miller
• West Liberty-Salem Boosters – $500 – Naomi Cole
• West Liberty-Salem Boosters – $500 – Taylor Cook
• West Liberty-Salem Boosters – $500 – Geneva Estep
• West Liberty-Salem Boosters – $500 – Lyndee Harrison
• West Liberty-Salem Boosters – $500 – Dylan King
• West Liberty-Salem Boosters – $500 – Abbie Thoman
• White Tiger – $500 – Tru Maxam
Department Awards:
• English – Emery Longaberger
• Social Studies – Geneva Estep
• Math – Dylan King
• Science – Emma Smith
• Art – Alexa Cheetham
• Agricultural – Ella Vondenhuevel
• Ohio Hi-Point Satellite – Lydia Schmidt
• Foreign Language – Jeremiah Johnson
Athletic Department Awards & Recognitions:
• OHSAA Scholarship Nominees – Brevin Louden and Tori Douthwaite
• OHSAA Scholar Athlete Awards – Geneva Estep and Dylan King
• Archie Griffin Sportsmanship Awards – Garrett Wallen and Emery Longaberger
• Iron Tiger Award – Brevin Louden
Senior athletes continuing their athletic careers at the collegiate level include:
• Naomi Cole – Volleyball – Queens University of Charlotte
• Chloe Griffith – Track – Tiffin University
• JJ Johnson – Baseball – Southern Maine Community College
• Dylan King – Cross Country & Track & Field – Ohio Northern University
• Caleb Larson – Cross Country – Ohio University
• Wyatt Longaberger – Soccer – University of Findlay
• Elise Longshore – Track & Field – University of North Carolina Pembroke
• Brevin Louden – Basketball & Track – Heidelberg University
• Sadie Paul – Bowling – Muskingum University
• Carson Poppe – Football – Ohio Northern University
• Lydia Schmidt – Color Guard – Wingate University
• Isaac Sertell – Baseball – Mount Vernon Nazarene University
• Abbie Thoman – Soccer – Huntington University
• Ellie Ullery – Bowling – Edison State Community College
• Corbin Wallace – Football – Marietta College
• Garrett Wallen – Cross Country & Track & Field – Muskingum University
Senior Awards Night served as a celebration not only of accomplishments, but also of the hard work, dedication, and support poured into this class over the last 13 years by families, teachers, coaches, staff, and the entire West Liberty-Salem community. As Teacher Appreciation Week concludes, the district extends sincere gratitude to all those who have helped shape the Class of 2026 into the outstanding group of young adults they are today.