Wednesday night, via ZOOM conference call, the Atascadero High School administration honored their Top 30 seniors from the class of 2020. Due to the concerns and strict social distancing orders from the COVID-19 pandemic, the school was unable to hold its annual banquet to honor these seniors and were forced to get creative in how they honor their hardworking students.

There are three main criteria points in which the students are graded to earn a spot on the Top 30, and each of the students selected exemplifies all three. The first of the three points is that he or she must demonstrate dedication to their community through community service activities and projects. The second criterion calls for students to show commitment to their school by actively participating in extracurricular activities and the third states that students must have exhibited perseverance in their academic endeavors.

“I can’t say enough about this year’s recipients of the TOP 30 award,” Atascadero High School Principal Bill Neely said Friday. “They are the 30th TOP 30 class at Atascadero. They are members of the senior class who had their senior year abbreviated due to the COVID 19 pandemic. But none of that diminishes any of their accomplishments and their unwavering commitments to their school, their community and their academics. They represent our school, their families and themselves as outstanding examples of young men and women, whom we are all very proud of.”

The Atascadero High School Top 30 (in no particular order) are:

Olivia Benda
Anneline Breytenbach
Mackenzie Bryson
Autumn Burkey
Cael Cooper
Bailey Doherty
Johnathan Dolan
Eric Fregoso
Mikenna Goldensmith
Jaycee Haynes
Emily Heckman
Laura Hernandez-Arvizu
Nathan Hontz
Madison Hosford
Brianna Jimenez
Logan Jones
Kacey Journey
Katherine Kershner
Eleanor McCall
JayCee McEntire
Katelyn McKinley
Mason McLain
Minako Nogi
Luke Olson
Kyle Pericic
Tara Prendeville
Gabriel Sandoval
Emily Thompson
Marli Watt
Mackenzie Wright