Later today, Saturday, May 25, Bluffton High School (BHS) will hold its 138th commencement. There are 9 valedictorians and 1 salutorian in the graduating class of 2019.
Here's the historic list of valedictorians and salutorians of BHS from present day to the original class of 1881.
Please note, this list is not comprehensive.
2019 Seth Andreas, Madeline Burghaze, Kennedy Coughlan, Rhett Donaldson, Amelia Mitchell, Katie Prater, Lily Shadle, Amanda Speicher and Hannah Yost.
Jackson Steinmetz - Salutorian
2018 Christopher Harnish, Leah Conley, Sydney Hoff, Kayla Kindle, Aimee Ritter
Garrett Habegger - Salutorian
2017 Sarah Nicole Theisen, Isaac Andreas, Juliana Hotmire, Marley Runk, Jayme Siefer, Sydney Staton, Megan Sycks, Phillip Tatarkov
Joshua Begg - Salutorian
2016 Saraelizabeth Bertka, John Marcum , Mark Bixel, Samuel Crisp, Nicole Edlebrock, Michael Groman, Brielle Hamilton, Abby Tuttle, Katherine Scott, Elizabeth Nisly
Mia Edwards - Salutorian
2015 Emma LeeAnn Woodruff, John Bowen Oakley, V , Erica Sheehan, Olivia Paige Sneary, Joshua Richard Garmatter
Alexandria Jane Schmutz - Salutorian
2014 Tyler Begg, Jacob Bishop, Landon Cluts, Julian Harnish, Morgan Humphreys, Kit-Ann Knisley, David Nester, Trent Phillips, Everett Ritter, Stephen Tatarkov, William Theisen
Courtney Barnett - Salutorian
2013 Julie Althaus, Aaron Basinger, Jessica Brockert , Anna Crisp, Karli Leugers, Jonathan Nisly, Justin Paul, Rachel Sehlhorst, Emily Sprague
Michael Deter - Salutorian
2012 Hannah Chappell-Dick, Jayne Sycks, Michael Liska, Lindsey Sneary, Ashlin Gable, Abbey Rieman, Taylor Steele, Lucas Harnish, Halle Steingass
Kallen Terry - Salutorian
2011 Elizabeth Diller, David Hooley, Taylor Humphreys, Emily Krabach, Drew Luginbuhl, Kelly McCarthy, Danielle Rhonemus, Jared Staley, Elvira Tatarkov, David Yoder
Miranda DeLoera, Rebekah Sneary - Salutorians
2010 Britni Cheney, Joel Groman, Breanne Hamilton, Ryan Johnston, Jessica Liska, Joshua Woodruff, Dakota Kirtland
Kayne Edwards - Salutorian
2009 Amanda Rhonemus, Jonica Schmutz
Aaron Shelly - Salutorian
2008 Audrey Beasley, Jordan Cluts, Elizabeth Ford, John Harder, Louise Jones, Tyrel Nuzum, Megan Spallinger
Megan Fett - Salutorian
2007 Ryan Lowry, Adrian Matthews, Gwen Smith, Micah Sommer, Samantha Pena, Kurt Groman, Joseph Amstutz, Korie Gesler
2006 Joel Gundy, Meredith Lehman, Rachel Mohr, Scott Sterrett, Jennifer Sylak, Megan Unterbrink, Andrew Yoakam, Kurt Groman
Adam Marquart - Salutorian
2005 Stacy Geiger, Caleb Barnes, Jenna Buller, Michele Herron, Tyler Macke, Autumn Steiner, Tryan Suderman, Robert Wagner, Danielle Nuzum
2004 Jessica Edmiston, Joy Savage, John Sylak
Micah Boehr - Salutorian
2003 Laura Krugh, Tatyana Shekochikhin, David Beer, Bekah Sommer, Sarah Madrigal, Rebekah Mohr, Nicholas Houshower, Andrew Bixel, Jamie Geiger
Rebekah Hunt - Salutorian
2002 Kelsey Dyck, Josh Weaver, Mollie McCullough, Ben Gundy
Carman Wong - Salutorian
Prior to 2002, the top BHS students were noted as both "honor students" and "diploma with honors." To be an honor student, students maintained a minimum of a 3.75 grade point average (gpa) throughout their high school career. To achieve a diploma with honors, student had to meet 7 of 8 criteria, including a number of credits in English, math, social studies, science and fine arts, whilst maintaining a gpa of 3.5 or higher.
2001 Doug Antibus, Ann Bixel, Jacob Boehr, Brett Buller, Lindsay Criblez, Leslie Deter, Sarah Gray, Kyle Luginbuhl, Kathryn Niese, Josh Prowant, Matt Renfroe, Lisa Scheckelhoff, Rachel Simon, J'aime Spicher, Lindsay Steiner, Jon Wietholter
2000 Nathan Sommer, Nathan Gundy, Elizabeth Beer, Jared Caskie, Amanda Corbitt, Tracy Chan, Andrew Edinger, Rebecca Gratz, Abigail Trollinger, Sarah Unterbrink, Rebekah Trollinger, Pam Stemen, Abigail Schaaf, Rachel Neff, Craig Metzger, Joni Maag, Justin Kantner, Rachel Holt, Molly Bixel, Sarah Niese, Tara Buroker, Theresa Meyer, Anna Bixel, Natasha Meyer
1999 Sarah Ahmed, Jacob Amstutz, Douglas Brumfield, Justin Byers, Amy Chin, Curt Diller, Ann Hohenbrink, Sam Houshower, Michelle Marks, Ken Miller, Julia Nielsen, Tim Raabe, Meghan Smith, Greg Steiner, Emily Suter
1998 Wendy Antibus, Lindsay Benroth, Phil Gratz, Kim Harmon, Ben Hohenbrink, Katie Kantner, Gavin Leonard, Brendon Matthews, Cathy Miller, Luke Parthemore, Angela Queen, Jonah Wetherill
1997 Adam Criblez, Catherine Kingsley, Rebecca McKibben, Jennifer Niese, Jeff Powell, Ann Stechschulte, Leah Steinmetz, Cameron Warner
1996 Gabe Benroth, Emily Bishop, Jonathan Edwards, Rachel Hilty, Shannon Kilpatrick, Daniel Kingsley, Kristi Metzger, Sarah Savage, Karen Suter, Andrew Wetherill
1995 Jason Benner, Crystal Bennett, Amy Bixel, Khea Ly Chin, Sarah Holt, Shanna Marsh, Matt Niese, Michael Powell
1994 Paul Kingsley, Jennifer Van Atta, Jeremy Wilch
Prior to 1994, the top students were noted simply as "honor students."
1993 Jannie Barhorst, Kea Voa Chin, Laura Edwards, Patricia Hart, Angela Montgomery
1992 Pamela Craig, Douglas Hammond, Eliza Jacoby, Angela Ream,Vickie Shafer
1991 Jonathan Herr and Troy Unterbrink
1990 Daniel Althaus, Jeffrey Bishop, Rachel Hefner, Erinn Osborn, J. Michael Reichenbach, Timothy Weidner
1989 Kristin Aasmundstad, Jennifer Amstutz, Megan Bowerman, Ben Chappell, Heng Chin, Lessie Rae Cockrell, Aron Derstine, Julie Friesen, Katie Jacoby, Caroline Kruse, Jennifer Lehman, Jana Mathewson
1988 Omar Bazzy, Kamala Geiser, Greg Reichenbach, Lisa Weaver
1987 Wendy Chappell, Jon Friesen, Kelli Gerber and Sonia Weaver
1986 Brigette Herr, Shari Benner, Steven Brunswick, Michelle Butler, Margaret Evilsizer, Adam Hoff, Julie Kahle, Niki Millager, Trisha Musser, Janet Schaublin, David Schweingruber, Wendy Smith, Kelly Stover
1985 Ana Greavu, Mark Richard, Julie Shelly, Lynn Stechschulte, Marc Augsburger, Steven Krehbiel
1984 Susan Burkholder, Janine Friesen, Mary Steiner, Michael Yoder
1983 Colleen Caskey, Bart Moser, Amy Osborne, Lisa Vercler, Eric Huss
1982 Mark Yoder, Laura Burkholder, Kay Ruth Kibele, Cheryl Pannabecker
1981 Tracy Fruchey, Jon Geiser, Greta Hiebert, Eric Kehler
1980 Doris Dyck, Bobbi Hey, Letitia Triplett, Peter Yost
1979 Gerald Hofacker II, Cheryl Kehler, Darryl Mathewson, David Mohr, Michele Snyder
1978 Lori Badertscher, Kathy Ernsberger, Carol Kaufmann
1978 Alisa Simons and Marsha Weaver
1976 Jed Marquart, Lisa Fritschi, Jennifer Hiebert. Bonita Kehler, Jon Krehbiel. Iris Neufeld
1975 Douglas Boehr and Garry Crites
1974 Gloria Bucher, Constance Kahle, Mark Phillips, Keith Reichenback, Roger Triplett
1973 Eric Andrews, Susan King, Mary Matter, Martha Mecartney, Debra Neff
1972 Wendell Miller, Anita Baker, Alice Moser, Cynthia Neufeld, Dean Reichenbach
1971 Joan Kreider, Stephen Lehman, Elizabeth Yost, Pamela Leedy, Martha Vercler
1970 Barbara Lehman, Hans Houshower, Gloria Lora, Michael Osborne, John Templin
1969 Karlyn Reichenbach, James Barnett, Ken Ehrman, Marion Shelly, Nancy Triplett
1968 Mary Jane Baker, Janice Lugibihl. Richard Emmert, Judith Lehman, Philip Yost
Prior to 1968, the top students were called "Scholarship Honor students."
1967 James Ehrman, Suzanne Hilty, David Smucker, Judith Suter, Margaret Weaver
1966 John Pannabecker, George Traucht, Janet Martz, Gregory Triplett, Patricia Klingler
1965 Philip Pannabecker, Charles Baker, Pamela Triplett, Mark Schumacher, Kathleen Osborne
1964 Elaine Naas, Sally Emmert, Jane Herr, Gayle Gerber
Between 1963 and 1961, there were only four Scholarship Honor students, and they were numbered.
1963 Thomas Brauen - 1
1963 Elaine Baker - 2
1963 Thomas Criblez - 3
1963 Gerald Weaver - 4
1962 Kenneth Graber - 1
1962 Elizabeth Raid - 2
1962 Rachel Hilty - 3
1962 Karen Bash - 4
1961 Charles Jordan - 1
1961 John Travis - 2
1961 Mary Smucker - 3
1961 Joyce Zimmerman - 4
1960 Betty Stratton
1960 Carol Bixel
1960 James Luginbuhl
1960 Jan Emmert
1958 Gloria Moser
1958 Timothy Diller
1958 Ann Stauffer
1958 Robert Wells
Prior to 1957, there are limited records. BHS yearbooks seldom noted the top graduating students, although it appears they were named valedictorian and salutorian. Where possible, the below are the students nominated to the National Honor Society. Bluffton's National Honor Society was charted in 1935. According to the 1957 yearbook, NHS members were "chosen by faculty on the basis of scholarship, leadership, service and character." The club consist of fifteen percent of seniors, who must have B average or better.
*Where a copy of the commencement program exists on archive, such as for 1947 and 1943, the Icon is able to list the actual valedictorian and salutorian.
1957 Judith Tschantz, Mary Jo Diller, William Herr, Ronald Geiser, Gary Lora, Paul Jorg
1956 Dale Hochstettler, Beulah Bixel, Shirley Burry, Rebecca Frankhauser, Jacqueline Berry, Ron Lora
1955 Frederick Thornton Lauriat Jr., Wilma Jean Jorg, Lillyette Sue Montgomery, Irlene Gierman, Dorothy Faye Stratton
1952 Joan Gratz, June Hochstettler, Robert Wenger, Don Triplehorn, Joe Smucker
1953 Kaye Matter, Sue Risser, Shirley Derringer, Carol Carmack, David Burkholder, David Gerber, David Beery
1947 Mary Kathryn Bauman - Valedictorian
1947 Alice Ruth Pannabecker - Salutorian*
1948 Marilyn Stratton, Marilyn Fett, Ted Bauman, Mary Burkholder, Harriett Burkhart, Dora Jean Luginbuhl, Jean Burkholder
1943 Robert T. Pannabecker - Valedictorian*
1943 Dorothy J. Anderson - Salutorian*
1942 Marcene Stonehill, Mary Stearns, Dorothy Anderson, Raymond Schumacher, Margery Niswander, Norman Biedler, Carol Bame, Neil Neuenschwander, Eloise Sommer
1941 Kenneth Oberly, Lois Schaeublin, Harriet Blome, John Stettler, Betty Steinman, Charlotte Santschi
1935 Lucille Hilty, Fern Hilty, Marjorie Hofer, David Kliewer, Robert Kreiden, James Miller, Letha Niswander, Margaret Triplett
Between 1932 and 1935, BHS actually named one or two "Best All Around Students." According to the 1934 BHS yearbook, these students were chosen "because they have taken an active part in almost every phase of school life. The selection of the most versatile students is based on a point system adopted by the Student Senate. This system includes leadership and membership in all scholastic as well as extra-curricular activities."
1934 Lucille Niswander and Konstantin Epp
1933 Gordon Alderfer and Eleanor Worthington
1932 Jane Miller and Robert Balmer
No records for 1931 available. Prior to this, BHS named Valedictorian (or First Honor) and Salutorian (Second Honor).
1930 Carolyn Romey - Valedictorian
1930 Mabel Miller - Salutorian
1929 Alfred Hirschler - Valedictorian
1929 Eugene Bigler - Salutorian
1927 Dorothy Quiring - Valedictorian
1926 Beulah L. Moser - Valedictorian
1926 Bernice Ewing - Salutorian
No records available for between 1925 and 1882.
In 1881, the first baccalaureate of BHS, Minnie Herrman had First Honor (valedictorian) and Helen F. Barnes was Second Honor (salutorian).
The list has been compiled through commencement programs archived by Bluffton High School and BHS yearbooks available at the Bluffton Public Library, and is not comprehensive.
Special thanks to Julie Oberly, HS secretary, who allowed the Icon access to these historic programs, and to the Bluffton Public Library for having so many BHS yearbooks available in their history room.
