Jim Thorpe’s Sarah Hartman was named the 2023 overall female winner at the Lehigh Valley Scholar Athlete banquet that was held on Sunday, Jan. 28.

Hartman was one of 36 female candidates for the award from schools throughout the Lehigh Valley. She was the first Jim Thorpe representative to receive the award in the history of the school. Hartman received a plaque and a scholarship.

Among those honored at the banquet were scholar-athletes from area schools Jim Thorpe, Lehighton, Palmerton, Pleasant Valley, Northern Lehigh, Northwestern Lehigh, Tamaqua and Weatherly.

Following are brief bios of the area noiminees:

BOYS

Jim Thorpe

Cael Heaney

Parents:

Dan & Jenn Heaney

Position:

Forward

Athletic Achievements:

Schuylkill League All-Star First Team, Team MVP

Youth Experience: Carbon United

College Plans:

Undecided

Lehighton

Avery James Hosler

Parents:

Katherine & James Hosler Position: Defender

Youth Experience:

Booster club, winter league and Carbon United

Extracurricular:

Jazz band, Concert band, Marching band, County band, Boy Scout Eagle Scout, Chess club, Soccer and Tennis.

Academic Achievements:

Honor roll, Dual Enrollment at LCCC

College Plans:

Vet Tech

Northern Lehigh

Jackson Hunsicker

Parents:

Douglas & Debra Hunsicker

Position:

Defender

Athletic Achievements:

Starter all 4 years, Senior Captain

Youth Experience:

Northern Lehigh Soccer Club, Western Lehigh Soccer Club, St.Joseph’s the Worker Soccer Club

Extracurricular:

President-National Honor Society, President-Dog Dish Morning Show, Media and Public Relations Officer, Northern Lehigh Little Theater, 2 time Freddy Award Nominee as Actor and Lighting Designer. Technical Assistant/Assistant Lighting Designer-(NLHS Stage Crew), Track and Field Middle Distance Runner, Qualified for District XI Track and Field in 3 different disciplines (400 m, 800 m, and 1600m)

Academic Achievements:

Member of NLHS Scholastic Scrimmage team. Dual Enrollement at LCCC

AP Classes:

US History, U of Pittsburgh Introduction to Psychology

College Plans:

Mechanical Engineeri

Northwestern Lehigh

Caden Mertz

Parents:

Mike & Karla Mertz

Position:

Forward

Athletic Achievements:

3X District Champ, 2X League Champ, 2022 State Champ

Youth Experience:

Youth and club teams

Extracurricular:

SADD Club

AP Classes:

Government, Intro to Buisness & Intro to Communications

College Plans:

Supply Chain Management

Pleasant Valley

Zachary Pandolfo

Parents:

Jennifer & Patrick Pandolfo

Position:

Goalkeeper

Athletic Achievements:

EPC Monroe Division First Team

Youth Experience:

8 years West End Soccer

Extracurricular:

Captain Varsity Soccer, Kicker/Punter Varsity Football, Captain Varsity Basketball, Varsity Baseball, Treasurer of National Honors Society, FBLA, Key Club, Mu Alpha Theta, EPC Student Athletic Character Council, PVYA Youth Basketball Volunteer Head Coach

Academic Achievements:

National Honors Society, Distinguish Honor Roll, Math 140 at East Stroudsburg University

AP Classes:

Biology; World History; Government and Politics; Statistics; English 11; Calculus AB; Human Geography; Physics

College Plans:

Mechanical Engineering

Tamaqua

Stephen A. Behun IV

Parents: Elizabeth Pinkey and the late Stephen A. Behun III

Position: Defender

Athletic Achievements: District XI Medalist 2022, 2023 for Swimming Boys Relay Teams Youth Experience: 9 years Tamaqua Area Youth Soccer Association

Extracurricular: President, Class 2024; President, Tamaqua Raider Marching Band; President, National Honor Society; Tamaqua Area Drama Club, treasurer; Eagle Scout

Academic Achievements: Math, Spanish, English, Science, TriM Honor Societies, HOBY youth ambassador

AP Classes: US History, European History, US Government, Chemistry, English Composition, Statistics; College Writing

College Plans: Political Science and Pre-Law

GIRLS

Jim Thorpe

Sarah Catherine Hartman

Parents:

Erin and Michael HartmanPosition: Forward/Midfield/Defender

Athletic Achievements:

Honorable Mention Defense Schuylkill League Allstars 2021, 2nd team Defense Schuylkill League Allstars 2022, 2nd team Forward Schuylkill League All-star 2023, Schuylkill League Soccer Champions 2022, Schuylkill League Basketball Champions 2021-2022, District 11 Basketball Champions 2021-2022 Youth Experience: Carbon United, West End Fury, Lehighton Recreational, Jim Thorpe Recreational

Extracurricular:

Varsity Soccer (Captain), Varsity Basketball (Captain), Art Student at Jay Davenport Studios, Student Council, Turn to Us Fundraiser Organizer for Christmas Toy Drive, Turn to US Volunteer to Assist the Community, Leukemia Lymphoma Society Team Member, Jim Thorpe Student Rotarian, Summer Dental Internship, Veterans’ Dinner Volunteer, Jim Thorpe Youth Softball Volunteer, United Church of Christ Vacation Bible School Activity Assistant, Carbon County Junior Advisor, Tennis Camp Assistant at Valley Royale, Junior Basketball Coach at Olympian Booster Club Basketball Camp, Ebenezer Church Food Pantry Volunteer, Future Business Leaders of America Office, Art Club, History Club, Mauch Chunk Lake Concessions Cashier/Cook, Mauch Chunk Camp Store Cashier.

Academic Achievements:

Phi Theta Kappa National Honor Society, National Honor Society, Spanish National Honor Society, Top 5% in class, Dual Enrollment at LCCC, Dean’s list at LCCC, Principal’s List, 1st Place Help Desk 2022-2023 (FBLA) and 4th Place Event Planning 2021-2022 (FBLA)

AP Classes

: Literature and European History

College Plans:

Biology

Lehighton

Ciara C Berhel

Parents:

Robert Berhel

Position:

Goalkeeper

Athletic Achievements:

District quarter finals junior year and district semifinals senior year.

Youth Experience:

Playing 8 Years Extracurricular: FBLA Officer, Science Olympiad Team Leader, Debate Team, Volunteer

Academic Achievements:

Top 10%, Honorary Science Award

AP Classes:

Chemistry, Biology, Calculus, Psychology, Government

College Plans

: Nuclear or Chemical Engineer

Northern Lehigh

Victoria M. Hanna

Parents:

Victor & Dima Hanna

Position:

Forward/Goalkeeper

Athletic Achievements:

Times News and LVHN Female Athlete of the Week, Awarded as Heart of the Bulldog

Youth Experience:

Northern Lehigh Youth Athletic Association, Triboro, Western Lehigh United

Extracurricular:

Student Council, Class of 2024 President, President and creatof of Nature’s Preservers, School Board Student Representative, Girls Soccer Captain and secretary at church youth group

Academic Achievements:

Dwight D. Eisenhower Award, National Honors Society, Dual Enrollement at LCCC

AP Classes:

U.S. History, English Language and Composition

College Plans:

Minor in Psychology and Neuroscience, major in Exercise Science and doctorate in Occupational Therapy

Northwestern Lehigh

Abigail Pomajevich

Parents:

Amanda & Ryan PomejevichPosition: Defender

Athletic Achievements: 4 Year Varsity Letter Winner, Captain, 4X District Champion, 3X League Champion, State Semifinalist

Youth Experience:

Penn Fusion, Western Lehigh, NYA

Extracurricular:

Yearbook, SADD Club, Key Club, Interact Club, Track & Field Team

Academic Achievements:

National Honor Society, Science National Honor Society

AP Classes:

Government, Calculus, Language & Composition, Macroeconomics. College Courses: Chemistry I, Chemistry II, Anatomy & Physiology, Psychology

College Plans:

Exercise Science / Physical Therapy

Palmerton

Riley K. Gerhard

Parents:

Shannon & Brian Gerhard

Position:

Midfielder

Athletic Achievements:

2022 Colonial League champion

Youth Experience

: West End Soccer, Carbon United and Towamensing Soccer.

Extracurricular:

Class treasurer, Aevidum co-president, National Honor Society treasurer, Student council, enviromental club, FBLA, and PAAC. Over 80 hours of community service.

Academic Achievements:

2nd in the region for FBLA spreadsheets and Intro to Financial Math. High Honors

AP Classes:

Lang and Comp., Biology, Calculus. College Courses: Intro to Psych, Intro to Sociology and Intro to Philosophy.

College Plans:

Health Sciences or Biology

Pleasant Valley

Katelyn E. Honadel

Parents:

Janis & Robert Honadel

Position:

Midfielder

Athletic Achievements:

Grizzly Award (soccer & basketball), MVP Basketball and 2023 Pocono All-Stars 3rd Team, Captain Varsity Basketball team

Youth Experience:

West End Travel Team

Extracurricular:

FBLA member, co-candidate campaigning for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Student Visionaries of the Year, volunteering at the Garden of Giving, A.W.S.O.M Animal Shelter and local community events.

Academic Achievements:

National Honors Society, Spanish Honors Society, Distinguished Honer Roll, State Champion of Help Desk at the Future Business State Leadership Conference, Dual Enrollment

AP Classes:

US History, Biology, English 11

College Plans:

Buisness

Tamaqua

Sarah Hope

Parents:

Rhonda Hope

Position:

Forward

Athletic Achievements:

Schuylkill League First Team 2022 & 2023, WBRC Female Athlete of the Week 2023, Schuylkill League Scholar Athlete Youth Experience: Tamaqua Area Youth Soccer Association, Carbon United

Extracurricular:

Four-year member of the Lady Raider Soccer (captain), Basketball (captain), and Track and Field teams. Class secretary, Secretary of National Honor Society, Vice President of National English Honor Society, President of World Language Club, Secretary of Biology Club, Treasurer of Environmental Club, Vice President of F.B.L.A., Student Government, Schuylkill Youth Conference, Aevidum, and Step-Up. Academic Achievements: Science National Honor Society, Spanish National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta

AP Classes:

European History, Chemistry, Statistics. College Courses: English 105/106, Anatomy and Physiology

College Plans:

Biology

Weatherly

Kaylee Gaydoscik

Parents:

Tracy & Chris Gaydoscik

Position:

Defender

Athletic Achievements:

Soccer 3 year Varsity Letter, Basketball 2 year Varsity Letter

Extracurricular:

volunteers at class stands, NHS treasurer, Class of 2024 Historian

Academic Achievements:

Dual Enrollement

AP Classes:

English Literature

College Plans:

Psychology