Top academic seniors honored at awards event

<p>Approximately 500 people gathered at the Petaluma Sheraton Hotel on Tuesday, March 31 to recognize the scholastic achievements of 26 top academic seniors from Casa Grande, Petaluma and St. Vincent high schools.</p><!-- Nothing to do. The paragraph has already been output --><p>The top ten sophomores and juniors from each school were also honored at the 50th annual Herold Mahoney Family Community Achievement Awards. </p><p>James Leoni Jr., a former St. Vincent de Paul High School Community Achievement Award recipient from 2004, was the keynote speaker and told the 2008-2009 honorees about what has happened in his life since being recognized by the community for scholastic achievement. </p><p>He graduated from the University of California at Davis in 2008 and is currently employed at Thermochem in Santa Rosa. He plans to enter medical school at UC Davis in the fall of 2009.</p><p>The twenty-six senior students who received cash awards from community donors are: </p><p>Matthew Gallo, Charlotte Insull, Edwin Irizarry, Justin Lee, Dillon McEwan, Joseph McMahan, Anna Pieper. Daniel Vovchuk, Andrew Wang, Rachel Wiegardt-Egel and Julia Wu of Casa Grande High; Joaquin Carcache, Emily Coletta, Maria Fischer, Roberto Gonzalez Huerta, Kelly Lucchesi, John Sampietro, Shalena Srna, Aleah Wattenberg, Karen Wing and Kyle Yoshioka of Petaluma High; and Ryan Blais, Timothy Borjian, Anna McKenna, Ian Williams and Katy Wilson of St. Vincent High.</p><p>Chairman Michael Tomasini introduced the individuals, businesses and organizations of the community who donated the cash awards for these top students. </p><p>Donors of the cash awards for this year's students were the American Association of University Women, Petaluma branch; Bank of the West; Combat Veterans of World War II Memorial; Bonnie and Noel Diefendorf; Exchange Bank; Herold Mahoney Memorial; Dan and Carol Libarle; Elizabeth Marquardt; North Bay Construction, Inc; Petaluma Community Guild; Petaluma Educational Foundation (two awards); Petaluma Federation of Teachers (two awards); Petaluma Host Lions Club; Petaluma Kiwanis Club; Petaluma Rotary Club; Petaluma Woman's Club-Evening Group; Pisenti and Brinker, LLP; Don Ramatici Insurance, Inc.; Robert McDonald Family; Royal Petroleum Company; Martin & Dea Steigner; W.K. McLellan Construction; Craig and Jani Walker in Memory of Charles King; Wells Fargo Bank.</p>