This year, Senior Awards were handled a little differently.

“We asked students how they would like to improve the event, and one of the suggestions was to have students be more involved,” said Guidance Secretary Mrs. Jessica Gibson.

Faculty Cup winners Jack Stokley and Addie Brown were announced early so that they could emcee the event on May 10th. This will start a new tradition at Dunbar in which the winners of the Faculty Cup will be the hosts of future events.

“The Faculty Cup is voted on by Dunbar faculty, and they choose the two students who excel at leadership, so the role of emcee fits,” said Mrs. Gibson.

Another change this year was also voted on by students who wanted a more interactive experience. PLD Lamplighter provided multimedia presentations for the event that included descriptions of each award as well as pictures and a short video.

Senior awards were split into day time and evening sessions due to the large number of students being recognized. Day time awards, for both underclassmen and seniors, included classroom awards and medallions for various school subjects like Algebra I or U.S. History presented by staff members, whereas evening awards were reserved mostly for presenters from the community.

In the evening ceremony, over 120 seniors were honored by colleges and community organizations such as Kentucky American Water and the Junior League of Lexington.

College and Community Senior Award Recipients (evening program):

Parker Abell: Transylvania University Scholarship

Sameer Ahmed: National Merit Finalist and Transylvania University Scholarship

Andrew Albrecht: National Merit Finalist

Rest Aliu: Senior Class Historian Recognition and University of Kentucky William C. Parker Diversity Scholarship

Sarah Allen: University of Kentucky Provost Scholarship

Alexander Alonso-Ibarra: Eastern Kentucky University Scholarship

Noah Andry: University of Kentucky Provost Scholarship

Valeria Ascencion-Santiago: Morehead State University Scholarship

Reagan Atchison: 11th Region Athletic Director’s Sportsmanship Award

Cesar Avila: University of Kentucky William C. Parker Diversity Scholarship

Mikah Bailey: US Army Reserve National Scholar Athlete

Jan Balk: Perfect ACT Score and National Merit Finalist

Adrian Bard: University of Kentucky William C. Parker Diversity Scholarship

Hunter Bargo: Morehead State University Scholarship

Seneca Blackford: YMCA Black Achievers Scholarship and Transylvania University Scholarship

Elizabeth Blair: University of Kentucky William C. Parker Diversity Scholarship and University of Kentucky Provost Scholarship

Brooke Bledsoe: Hannah Landers Humanitarian Writer Award and Western Kentucky University Scholarship

Catherine Bohnett: University of Kentucky Provost Scholarship

Addie Brown: PLD Faculty Cup 2017

Matthew Browne: ST Roach Scholar Athlete Award

Sadie Buck: The Lexington Singers Outstanding High School Choral Music Student Award

Anna Burch: Transylvania University Scholarship

Brandon Burford: University of Kentucky Provost Scholarship

Eric Cao: US Marine Corp Scholastic Excellence Award

Madeline Carter: Jesse Higginbotham Technology in Media Award, PLD Athletics Frank Watson Coaches’ Award, Indiana University Journalism Scholarship

Thomas Cheal: National Merit Finalist

Yoon Cho: Lexington Philharmonic Guild- Orchestra Award

Mackenzie Clay: United States Air Force Academy Acceptance Award

Ireland Coiner: University of Kentucky Provost Scholarship

Erin Connors: Luke Sink Award and National Society of Arts & Letters- Music Award

Kyle Cooper: Morehead State University Scholarship

Kaitlynn Craig: Western Kentucky University Scholarship

Ellen Danford: Western Kentucky University Scholarship

Corrie Davenstein: Kentucky Army National Guard Tuition Award Scholarship

Jayde Dellagnolo: University of Kentucky Provost Scholarship

Michael Di Girolamo: University of Kentucky Presidential Scholarship

Jessica Durbin: University of Kentucky Provost Scholarship

Emilee Egbert: National Society of Arts and Letters- Creative Writing Award and University of Kentucky Provost Scholarship

Lorraine Fay: Lexington Philharmonic Guild- Band Award

Hannah Fitzpatrick: Western Kentucky University Scholarship

Luke Florence: University of Kentucky Provost Scholarship

Steven Ford: University of Kentucky Provost Scholarship

Alivia Gasset: Sullivan University Scholarship

Jocelyn Geoghegan: University of Kentucky Provost Scholarship

Harrison Grabmayer: University of Kentucky Provost Scholarship

Annie Griffith: National Merit Finalist

Zachary Hall: Transylvania University Scholarship and National Society of Arts and Letters- Art Award

Sarah Han: National Merit Finalist

Lauren Harshbarger: University of Kentucky Provost Scholarship, Daughters of American Revolution Good Citizen Award, and American Legion Award

Carter Hayslett: University of Kentucky Provost Scholarship

Richard Haywood: National Merit Finalist, Air Force Academy Acceptance Award

Kallie Helard: Morehead State University Scholarship

Autumn Herriford: Dunbar Athletics 2017 Ms. Bulldog Award

Natalya Hippisley: Lexington Lions Club $500 Scholarship and University of Kentucky Presidential Scholarship

Taveion Hollingsworth: Dunbar Athletics 2017 Mr. Bulldog Award and PLD Athletics Outstanding Senior Athlete Award

Elizabeth Howard: National Merit Finalist

Matthew Inman: PLD Athletics Frank Watson Coaches’ Award

Samuel Jackson: Morehead State University Scholarship

Jasmine Johnson: Historic Pleasant Green Missionary Baptist Church Award

Raquel Johnson: YMCA Black Achievers Scholarship

Devin Johnson: Kentucky Army National Guard Tuition Award Scholarship

William Johnson: Northside Lexington Lions Club Award

Grace Kelly: US Marine Corp Distinguished Athlete Award

Tessa Kelty: Junior League of Lexington Volunteer Service Award 2017

Taylor Kemper: National Society of Arts and Letters – Dance Award

Cassidy Kemplin: University of Kentucky William C. Parker Diversity Scholarship

Benjamin Keplinger: University of Kentucky Provost Scholarship

Conor Kilgore: University of Kentucky Provost Scholarship

Joshua Kilian: Western Kentucky University Scholarship

Carlo Labianca: National Merit Finalist

Emily Liu: National Merit Finalist, Pat Esrael Media Award, Ripple Effect Scholarship from Kentucky American Water

Chad Livesay: University of Kentucky William C. Parker Diversity Scholarship

Alexis Logan: Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Loretta Nickens Award

Amit Lohe: National Merit Finalist

Francesca Macchiavello Cauvi: National Merit Finalist and Outstanding Senior Athlete

Dennis Mashindi: Coca-Cola Scholar and McConnell Scholars Program

Paul McIntyre: US Marine Corp Distinguished Athlete Award, University of Kentucky Provost Scholarship, and University of Kentucky William C. Parker Diversity Scholarship

Erika Melendez: University of Kentucky William C. Parker Diversity Scholarship

Nathan Merryman: Sullivan University Scholarship

Michael Merryman: Sullivan University Scholarship

Joey Michael: Senior Class President Recognition

Brian Miller: US Marine Corp Semper Fidelis Music Award and National Merit Finalist

Ananth Miller-Murphy: National Merit Finalist

Charlotte Muyumba: University of Kentucky William C. Parker Diversity Scholarship

Mallory Newman: University of Kentucky Provost Scholarship

Caleb Norris: University of Kentucky Provost Scholarship

Cameron Northcutt: University of Kentucky William C. Parker Diversity Scholarship

Nisarg Patil: National Merit Finalist

Arunmani Phravorachith: Lexington Herald-Leader Harry Reiser Journalism Award

Matthew Pitts: National Merit Finalist

Zachary Powell: National Merit Finalist

Terence Powell: University of Kentucky Provost Scholarship

Abby Rawls: ST Roach Scholar Athlete Award

Kaitlyn Reese: University of Kentucky Provost Scholarship

Javea Richardson: University of Kentucky William C. Parker Diversity Scholarship

Adam Rogers: Western Kentucky University Scholarship

Jimmy Rutherford: National Society of Arts and Letters – Drama Award

Daniela Sanchez-Gutierrez: University of Kentucky Provost Scholarship and University of Kentucky William C. Parker Diversity Scholarship

Meilin Scanish: Senior Class Vice President Recognition

Jordan Scholl: Senior Class Treasurer Recognition

Abigail Schweighardt: US Marine Corp Semper Fidelis Music Award

Mason Sheets: University of Kentucky Provost Scholarship

Jack Sheroan: PLD Athletics Cameron Mills Sportsmanship Award

Arya Shoa: PLD Lamplighter Media Award

Grace Slater: US Army Reserve National Scholar Athlete and University of Kentucky Provost Scholarship

Courtney Smith: University of Kentucky Provost Scholarship

Kamryn Stewart: University of Kentucky Singletary Scholarship

Jack Stokley: PLD Faculty Cup 2017 and UK Enoch Greham Memorial Journalism Award

Allison Susman: University of Kentucky Provost Scholarship

Ella Sympson: University of Kentucky Provost Scholarship

Victor Torres Gomez: University of Kentucky William C. Parker Diversity Scholarship

Natalina Vaccaro: National Merit Finalist

Michael VandenBerg: University of Kentucky Provost Scholarship

Mary Vezina: PLD Athletics Cameron Mills Sportsmanship Award and Senior Class Secretary Recognition

Chase Vickery: Jesse Higginbotham Memorial Garden Award, University of Kentucky Lester Scholarship and University of Kentucky Presidential Scholarship

Gbutue Vorkpor: University of Kentucky William C. Parker Diversity Scholarship

Dameon Walker: Western Kentucky University Scholarship

Amy Wang: US Marine Corp Scholastic Excellence Award and Senior Class Treasurer Recognition

Thirushan Wigna-Kumar: National Merit Finalist

Mikayla Wilson: Eastern Kentucky University Scholarship

Rozalyn Wingate: 2017 PLD Poet Laureate and Kincaid Foundation Scholarship

Taylor Wright: University of Kentucky Provost Scholarship

Benjamin Xie: National Merit Finalist and Senior Class Secretary Recognition

Markel Yeast: 11th Region Athletic Director’s Sportsmanship Award and Bluegrass Community Foundation Scholarship

Katie Yoder: National Society of Arts and Letters- Outstanding in Creative Arts

Autumn York: University of Kentucky Provost Scholarship