Bethel Park High School celebrated the achievements of its students Tuesday evening at the 2026 Awards & Recognition Program, an annual tradition honoring excellence in academics, athletics, leadership, and service.
The event brought together students, families, educators, and representatives from community organizations, who presented scholarships and special honors to deserving seniors and juniors.
Caroline Zelt was recognized as the class valedictorian, and Charlotte Gaston as the salutatorian. Numerous students received scholarships from local parent-teacher organizations, community foundations, and service clubs, reflecting the broad civic investment in the success of Bethel Park graduates.
The following students were recognized. Asterisks denote special honors.
Abraham Lincoln PTO Scholarship — $500 each Grace Perdziola, Mallory Gramm
Ben Franklin PTO Scholarship — $500 each Caleigh Shannon, Charlotte Gaston
Bethel Bakery Scholarship — $1,000 each Jenna Carroll, Jaden LaFlam
Bethel Park Community Foundation — American Legion Post 760 — $1,000 each Peyton Michaels, Karsyn Mitchell
Bethel Park Community Foundation — Antonio J. Ripepi Memorial Scholarship — $1,000 Jovian Smith
Bethel Park Community Foundation — Bethel Park Police Association — $500 Caden O'Malley
Bethel Park Community Foundation — Bethel Park Volunteer Scholarship* — $1,000 Parker Walton
Bethel Park Community Foundation — Cindy Buckley Memorial Scholarship* — $1,000 Halie Minor
Bethel Park Community Foundation — Frank L.P. Edwards Scholarship* — $1,000 Grace Perdziola
Bethel Park Community Foundation — Gibson Family Foundation Scholarship — $1,000 Caleigh Shannon
Bethel Park Community Foundation — Intern Scholarship — $1,000 each, Declan Finnegan, Dani Whittaker, Parker Walton
Bethel Park Community Foundation — Joanne F. Turka Nursing Scholarship — $5,000 each, Mallory Gramm, Kayla Henley, Caleigh Shannon
Bethel Park Community Foundation — John Deans Memorial Scholarship* — $1,000 each, Ashley Jankowski, Jacklyn Homer
Bethel Park Community Foundation — Jugo-Slav Club Scholarship — $2,000 each, Keilen Jones, Caden Smith, and Samuel Hoppe
Bethel Park Community Foundation — Kramer Family Scholarship* — $500 each, Ryan Burns, Grace Perdziola, Jacklyn Pivetz, and Gavin Stoehr
Bethel Park Community Foundation — Scott Beynon Memorial Scholarship — $1,000 Jordan Hosler-Watson
Bethel Park Federation of Teachers Scholarship* — $2,000 each, Nina Lane, Jennifer Heh
Bethel Park Lions Club — George Meyer Memorial Scholarship — $2,500 Gavin Stoehr
Big Heart Scholarship — $2,000 Caden Smith
BP Rec Swim Scholarship Chelsea Hudak
Brown University Book Award* Gillian Uhl
Elk County Community Foundation — McGrady Family Scholarship — $1,750 each, Alisa Basile, and Grace Perdziola
The George Benson Scholarship — $2,000 Sarah Jakel
George Washington PTO Scholarship — $1,000 each, Reese Mellinger, and Jacob Lang
Harvard Prize Book Award* Nevinka Silva Ratnayake
Irene Uhrik Boone Memorial Scholarship* — $2,000 each, Reese Mellinger, and Kuon Verbosky
Joey Fabus Memorial Scholarship — $750 Caden O'Malley
Ken Waldie Memorial Scholarship — $23,000 Samuel Hoppe
Lois Johnson Learning & Child Care Scholarship — $500 each, Madison Timms, Presley Spragg, and Jennifer Heh
Memorial Elementary Scholarship — $500 each, Jennifer Heh, and Gavin Stoehr
National Honor Society Scholarship — $1,500 Grace Perdziola
National Merit Recognition* Timothy Burt, Charlotte Gaston, Samuel Hoppe, Grace Perdziola, Kuon Verbosky, and Parker Walton
Princeton Book Award* Cami Fisher
Rosemary Gainar Scholarship — William Penn Elementary School* — $1,000 Morgan Cook
Rotary Club of Bethel Park — Robert Brindley Memorial Scholarship — $1,500 each Parker Walton, Peyton Michaels, and Grace Perdziola
Salutatorian* Charlotte Gaston
South Arts Pittsburgh Scholarship — $500 Jaden LaFlam
Spirit Award* Ryan Elphinstone
USC/BP Rotary Breakfast Club "Service Above Self" Award — $1,500 Parker Walton
Valedictorian* Caroline Zelt
Valley 1st Scholarship — $5,000 Peyton Michaels
Washington Financial Charitable Foundation Scholarship Carter Windham
Photo: Veronica Balkovec '28