Byram Hills High School honored dozens of juniors and seniors at the annual Awards Ceremony, recognizing their individual achievements and accomplishments.
“Our students have been recognized this year in academics, arts, music, athletics, leadership, civic engagement, character and service,” Principal Christopher Walsh said at the May 27 ceremony. “That range matters because Byram Hills has never defined success in only one way. We’re proud of our academic excellence, of course, but we are equally proud of kindness, creativity, perseverance, teamwork, integrity and service to others and our community.”
For the seniors, he said, the ceremony is another milestone on the path to graduation.
“It’s a chance to recognize not only what they have accomplished, but also the character, strength and adaptability they have shown over the past four years,” Mr. Walsh said. “They faced challenges, adjusted to change, supported one another and continued growing into the productive and responsible citizens and leaders we know that they will become by the time they graduate.”
The night was a reminder to the juniors that their own senior year is quickly approaching.
“Continue to grow as learners, leaders, artists, athletes and citizens and enjoy the time you have left here, because it does go very quickly,” Mr. Walsh said.
The final award, the Hy Blatte-Jack Wollenberg Memorial Award, is the highest honor for a senior and recognizes a student with a humanitarian outlook, a willingness to extend themselves for others and an optimistic approach to life and its challenges.
The award was presented to Dylan Gasch, honored for being trustworthy, kind, friendly, dependable and for strengthening school spirit and student voice. He is a captain of the varsity football team, a peer leader, a member of the Acting with Integrity committee and vice president of Student Government.
“He’s the kind of person who shows up, does the work and supports the people around him and never needs to make it about himself,” Mr. Walsh said, adding: “His character is not something he turns on for certain moments. It’s not something he performs. It’s just who he is every day.”
In his speech, Dylan recalled moving to the District when he was going into eighth grade. He didn’t know many people and was nervous about how he would fit in.
“I told myself to treat people like they were having a bad day and it was my job to cheer them up,” he said.
He started playing football, made more friends, gained confidence and began having conversations with more people.
“I found you can talk to almost anyone, even if you don’t have much in common, as long as you’re kind and you smile,” Dylan said. “This simple approach helped me in so many ways.”
People think that to be a really social person, you need to be loud and talk a lot, Dylan said.
“But it’s really more about listening and connecting with one person at a time,” he said.
“I feel lucky to have had the opportunity to meet so many great people during my time at Byram Hills,” Dylan said. “If I could, I still wouldn’t change a thing about my years here. I look back on my time here with happiness, pride and gratitude. It costs nothing to be kind, but you get so much from it in return.”
Dylan will receive a $1,000 scholarship from the PTSA, and $100 to donate, which he said he will direct to the Wounded Warrior Project.
Dozens of students were recognized during the ceremony, where they were applauded by classmates, relatives and the school community.
The complete list of winners:
GUIDANCE AWARDS
JAMIE TESTA ONWARD AND UPWARD SCHOLARSHIP
Given to a senior who shows exemplary commitment to helping others and dedication to public service.
GIADA ROCCO
MICHAEL TYLER FISHER MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
Presented to a senior who demonstrates care for others and the community, as Michael had exemplified.
DYLAN GASCH
NORTH CASTLE POLICE BENEVOLENT ASSOCIATION SCHOLARSHIP
Presented to a senior who has shown academic excellence and a commitment to the North Castle community.
SPENCER BERKOWITZ
ARMONK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE EXCELLENCE IN BUSINESS AWARD
Awarded to a senior who has demonstrated impressive business acumen, responsibility and dedication either as an employee of a local business establishment or as an entrepreneur.
RODRIGO CANDELA LEVANO
ROGER CASE MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
Given to a senior for academic achievement and outstanding community service.
KIMBERLY EAGLE
THE NEW YORK STATE COMPTROLLER’S 2026 STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Given to seniors for academic achievement and outstanding community service.
ALEXANDER LEWIS
GIULIANNA VELLA
STATE SENATOR SHELLEY MAYER’S 2026 STUDENT IMPACT AWARD
Presented to seniors who have gone above and beyond through leadership, service and a deep commitment to making a difference. Students demonstrate their impact in many ways, including academics, athletics, the arts, civic engagement, community service and more.
TYLER BOYD
MADISON CLARNER
TULANE UNIVERSITY BOOK AWARD
Awarded to a junior who embodies Tulane’s motto “Not for one’s self, but for one’s own” and is a true servant leader.
ANDREW GRODIN
HARVARD PRIZE BOOK AWARD
Given to outstanding juniors who display excellence in scholarship, character and commitment to others.
KEIRA FAN
VASILY OUYANG-CHRISTIANSEN
UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA JEFFERSON BOOK AWARD
Presented to a junior who embraces creativity and innovation, and embodies the spirit of discovery, much like the University’s founder, Thomas Jefferson. The student is a demonstrated citizen leader who works to improve their community locally or globally.
INDIA EDWARDS
PRINCETON UNIVERSITY BOOK AWARD
Presented to an academically outstanding junior who demonstrates intellectual leadership and strong character. This student also best exemplifies the spirit behind Princeton’s motto, “In the Nation’s Service and in the Service of Humanity.”
EMMA DALLAS
DARTMOUTH COLLEGE BOOK AWARD
Awarded to juniors who exhibit excellent academic achievement and who contribute to the extracurricular activities of the school.
LILAH ALTMAN
EVAN THORSEN
UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO BOOK AWARD
Presented to a junior who has demonstrated outstanding academic achievement and scholarly research in a rigorous college preparatory program.
ALICE TARDIEU
YALE UNIVERSITY BOOK AWARD
Presented to a junior in recognition of outstanding personal character and intellectual promise with diverse skills and leadership qualities.
AARON CUSHMAN
CLARKSON UNIVERSITY LEADERSHIP AND ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS
Given to juniors having an academic interest in engineering, business, science or liberal arts.
Leadership Award: ANISHA BOBRA
Achievement Award: VEDANSHI RAVI
UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA BOOK AWARD
Given to a junior with outstanding character and high academic achievement, who provides important service to school or community.
BRETT LIPTON
BRANDEIS BOOK AWARD
Presented to an outstanding junior who demonstrates a commitment to civic engagement, community service, political activism, social justice or volunteer work.
EMERY MATUSOW
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF UNIVERSITY WOMEN OUTSTANDING STUDENT AWARD
CHARLOTTE SANDERS
ENGLISH AWARDS
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF UNIVERSITY WOMEN EXCELLENCE IN WRITING AWARD
LILLY ALONZO
SENIOR ENGLISH AWARDS
For outstanding senior English students.
CLAIRE MAUNEY
ALEXANDRA ZODDA
ED WALZER WRITING AWARD
This award was established by the family of Ed Walzer, a graduate of Byram Hills who went on to have a career as a writer. The family has asked that the English department present the award to dedicated writers in the hope that they will pursue their passion for writing.
NICOLE NASSAR
THE YEARBOOK AWARD
LUCAS YOON
SOCIAL STUDIES AWARDS
SOCIAL STUDIES OUTSTANDING JUNIOR AWARD
Awarded to an exceptional junior who has achieved outstanding scholarship in the subject of Social Studies.
VEDANSHI RAVI
SOCIAL SCIENCES AWARD
Given to a senior who has shown exceptional growth in the field of Social Studies.
ALEXANDER LEWIS
NORTH CASTLE HISTORICAL SOCIETY AWARD
Given to a senior who has excelled in American History, European History and/or the senior electives.
LILLY ALONZO
HISTORY AND SOCIAL STUDIES DEPARTMENT AWARD
Presented to a senior who is an outstanding and serious history scholar.
SOPHIA DEEKS
THE NORTH CASTLE HISTORICAL SOCIETY HISTORICAL RESEARCH AWARD IN HONOR OF RICHARD LANDER AND DORIS FINCH WATSON
Given to a student who has an interest and passion in historic research to honor North Castle’s late town historians.
ANGJELINA VATAJ
MATHEMATICS AWARDS STUDENT RECOGNITION PROGRAM
For outstanding achievement in Mathematics.
Outstanding Senior: ALEXANDER LEWIS
Outstanding Junior: AARON CUSHMAN
THE KEN HAMILTON MEMORIAL AWARD
Given to a senior who has displayed exceptional skills in software design, programming, systems analysis and hardware configuration, and who demonstrates excellent understanding and appreciation of computer science.
MAX CHARNEY
RENSSELAER POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE AWARD
For outstanding achievement in Math/Science.
LUCAS GARLAND
SCIENCE AWARDS
THE FARADAY AWARD
Presented to a senior who can manage long-term projects from inception to conclusion and create solutions in non-traditional ways.
GAVIN BUNTING
BYRAM HILLS AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN SCIENCE
Awarded to an outstanding senior for excellence in science.
ZIQI NIE
BAUSCH & LOMB AWARD
Presented to an outstanding junior science student.
KIRA ROSEN
BYRAM HILLS AWARD FOR POTENTIAL IN SCIENCE
Awarded to an outstanding junior for potential in science.
ALISSA BRICKEL
WORLD LANGUAGES AWARDS
WORLD LANGUAGE AWARD
Honors the senior that has demonstrated a superior command of the language.
For general excellence in French: ZIQI NIE
For general excellence in Italian: EVAN REISS
For general excellence in Spanish: KIMBERLY EAGLE
THE DUAL LANGUAGE AWARD
Awarded to a senior that has demonstrated a superior command of two upper level languages, taken concurrently.
DYLAN STOLTZ
FINE ARTS AWARDS
PTSA ARTS SCHOLARSHIP
NICOLE NASSAR
BYRAM HILLS HIGH SCHOOL ART AWARD
ZIQI NIE
SENIOR AWARD: COMMITMENT TO THE ARTS
SARAH BOGART
BOBCAT MARKETING AND MEDIA AWARD
JOSHUA HERR
THE NATIONAL SCHOOL ORCHESTRA AWARD
EVAN REISS
AVNI SUNDARAM
ALEXANDRA ZODDA
THE LOUIS ARMSTRONG JAZZ AWARD
STEPAN SARKISOV
THE JOHN PHILIP SOUSA NATIONAL BAND AWARD
JOSHUA HERR
THE NATIONAL CHORAL AWARD
SEBASTIAN MANGIONE
EMI NAGURA
PHYSICAL EDUCATION AWARDS
PHYSICAL EDUCATION AWARD
SOPHIA DEEKS
BRIAN DiPIETRO
PRINCIPAL’S AWARDS
VINCENT GRECO AWARD
Presented to a senior who has demonstrated resilience and has been a positive contributor to the Byram Hills High School community.
RODRIGO CANDELA LEVANO
MICHELE DELAMONICO MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP AWARD
This award celebrates the memory of a beloved teacher, colleague, mentor and club advisor at Byram Hills High School. The BHTA and the BHAA honor a senior student who exhibits the qualities that Michele was known for: resilience, love of learning, collaboration, service to others, sense of humor and academic engagement. Michele gave back to our community in many ways. She left behind a legacy of care, commitment and community building. The award is given to a student who personifies those ideals.
NICOLE NASSAR
PTSA CARUOLO LEADERSHIP AWARD
This award is granted to a senior on the basis of leadership, character, dedication, loyalty, humanity and interest in education.
MATTHEW GELLER
HY BLATTE-JACK WOLLENBERG MEMORIAL AWARD
This award goes to a senior who has a humanitarian outlook, a willingness to extend themselves for others and an optimistic approach to life and its challenges.
DYLAN GASCH