MMI recognized several students during its Upper School Awards Convocation.

The Luzerne Foundation presented the Frank Pasdon Memorial Scholarship to Jessica Zheng of Jim Thorpe.

Family and friends of Frank Pasdon established the Frank Pasdon Memorial Scholarship Fund to honor the residents of the greater Jim Thorpe area who, as customers of the Jim Thorpe Market, supported the success of his business.

Zheng was also recognized as a National Merit Commended Scholar award winner.

Recipients of this year’s Ed Hughes Memorial Scholarship were Caden Pease of Drums and John Schwear of Sugarloaf.

The Ed Hughes Scholarship Fund was created by Ed Hughes through a gift through the Luzerne Foundation. Hughes wanted to help the “best students” from our area.

Subject awards

Awards were also given to students who showed outstanding contribution, achievement, and dedication to an individual subject in the past academic year. Those students were:

9th Grade: Cedrah Abdulrahman (Chinese Language and History), Ava Genetti (English), Alexis Bleiler (Math and Science), Arushi Solgama (Spanish Language), Cassidy McDermott (Visual Arts).

10th Grade: Lydia Chen (Chinese Language), Diane Kim (English), Jason Roberts (History), Alexander Composto (Math and Spanish Language), Daniel Griffith (Science), Winni Zheng (Visual Arts).

11th Grade: Abigail Sparich (Chinese Language and English), Diane Arias-Tejeda (History), Nathaniel Neidlinger (Math and Science), Sophia Plonk (Spanish Language), Emily Hunsinger (Visual Arts).

The Eckley B. Coxe Jr. Memorial Subject Awards: Kasia Svendson Bitel (Chinese Language), Ty McDermott (English and Visual Arts), Jessica Zheng (History, Math and Science), Manal Muhammad (Spanish Language).

Research project

Every year, MMI students participant in research projects that are presented at their Open House and winners are chosen by an independent panel of judges. Those winners were:

Third Place: Erica Schwear- Level II Humanities, Ava Putnam- Level III Humanities, Kendall Orozco- Level II Science, Sophia Plonk-Level III Science.

Second Place: Cedrah Abdulrahman-Level II Humanities, Emily Hunsinger-Level III Humanities, Kiyan Paknezhad-Level II Science, John Schwear-Level III Science.

First Place: Cassidy McDermott-Level II Humanities, Alex Neyhart-Level III Humanities, Adam Frask-Level II Science, Paul Neyhart-Level III Science, and for Cooking projects, the winners were Kasia Svendson Bitel, Manal Muhammad, and Jessica Zheng.

Other awards

Ryan Clymer-Sones: 2023 George Eastman Kodak Young Leaders Award and Scholarship

Kasra Paknezhad: 2023 Baush and Lomb Honorary Science Award

Caylee Herseim: 2023 Frederick Douglass and Susan B. Anthony Award in Humanities and Social Sciences.

Jagjit Gondara: 2023 Xerox Award for Innovation and Information Technology

Nathaniel Neidlinger: 2023 Rensselaer Medal Award

Abigail Sparich: Bryn Mawr President’s Book Award

Sophia Plonk: University of Pennsylvania Book Award

London Chehovich: Chatham University 2023 Rachel Carson Healthy Planet Award

Zachary Yenchko: Alfred University Outside of the Ordinary Award

Khristian Banks: Greater Hazleton Area Polonaise Society Jake Kislan ‘56/ Wydock/Kopetskie Scholarship

Bria Kringe, Ethan Lloyd, and Dominic Raifsnider: 2023 Student Sage Award

Alex Neyhart and Heath Williams: 2023 Wells College 21st Century Leadership Award

John Drobnock, Reed Floryshak, Angelica Jimenez, and Lex Lispi: 2023 Elmira College Key Awards

Emily Borchick, Brendon Brobst, Andrew Burns, Jordan Mulhall, and Kathryn Sissick: Juniors Scholars Program at High Point University

Caitlin Lenahan, Jakob Rossi, Nathan Sissick, and Blake Warren: Wilkes University Emerging Leader Award

Kate Malay and Caden Pease: 2023 District 2 Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association Scholar-Athlete Award.

Anden Karlick: 2023 MMI Ambassador Service Award

Junior awards

Rochester Institute of Technology High School Awards: Robert Orbin (2023 RIT Computing Medal), Diane Arias-Tejeda (2023 RIT Humanities and Social Science Award), Phoebe Bramley (2023 RIT Women in STEM Award), Sun Wang (2023 RIT Math and Science Award), Edgar Lopez Rodriguez (RIT Business and Leadership Award), and Jason Salio (2023 RIT Technology, Art and Design Award).