Spring Ridge Middle School Honors 224 Students At Inaugural Esteemed Harrier Award Ceremony

Spring Ridge Middle School Esteemed Harrier Award Ceremony 2026

LEXINGTON PARK, Md. — Spring Ridge Middle School celebrated academic achievement, strong attendance and positive character Thursday morning as 224 students were recognized during the school’s inaugural Esteemed Harrier Award Ceremony.

Held June 4, the ceremony honored students who consistently demonstrated excellence throughout the 2025-26 school year. To qualify for the recognition, students were required to:

Maintain at least a 3.0 GPA during every marking period.
Achieve a minimum attendance rate of 94%.
Demonstrate minor or no behavioral concerns.

School officials said the award was designed to recognize students who quietly and consistently meet expectations while contributing positively to the school community.

“Our hope is to make this an annual celebration that recognizes students who consistently show up, meet expectations and positively contribute to our school community,” Assistant Principal Dr. Brooke Anthony said in an interview with The BayNet. “We want these students to know that we see them, we care about them, and we celebrate their efforts and success.”

A total of 224 students earned the distinction, including 96 sixth-grade students, 55 seventh-grade students and 73 eighth-grade students.

Principal Charles Dunbar addressed students during the ceremony, emphasizing that success is often built through everyday habits and perseverance.

“You are being recognized today for maintaining strong grades, excellent attendance and making positive choices throughout the school year,” Dunbar said. “That takes hard work, responsibility and perseverance, especially during middle school.”

Dunbar encouraged students to take pride in their accomplishments while recognizing the effort required to achieve them.

“What I want you to know is that we see you,” he said. “We notice the effort that often happens quietly — the assignments turned in on time, the kind choices, the days you showed up even when you were tired, stressed or overwhelmed. Character is built in those everyday moments, and today we celebrate that.”

Throughout the ceremony, students were recognized by grade level and celebrated by family members, teachers, administrators and staff.

Sixth-Grade Students Recognized

Sixth-grade students recognized: Ada Abbott, Ichijo Miley Alano, Mickaylia Allen, Curt Altig, Miles Archer, Gracelyn Atkins, Naomi Barrett-Morris, Micah Bell, Aubree Berry, Elizabeth Boarman, Alicia Borrero Cruz, Logan Brause, Tessa Briscoe, Ka’Miyah Brown, Santanna Brown, Kyrah Butler, Nora Butler, Gabriella Calow, Arielle Carney, Alexis Carter, Deana Charles, Archer Chayka, Oliver Cin, Aubrey Comas, Michael Coon, Abel Crespo, Justine Curtis, Brianna Cutchember, Rasem Desrameaux, Cauliphe Engram, Luna Evans, Camden Ford, Katherine Guzman Lopez, Clara Gyorgy, Joshua Hall, Emery Haney, Dylenn Herring, Finley Hite, Alex Hou, Daphne Jennings, Jada Johnson, Eva Katzenberger, Carson Kodluboy, Samuel Lira, Carter Lopez, Autumn Loyd, Arie Mack, Elise Mantell, Elijah Marquez, Ariana Martin, Brystol Mayne, Reagan McBride, Joseph McGee, Avery Messer, Aryanna Molina, Ella O’Neill, Gabriel Odoi, Lucille Pek, Jaxton Pham, Deigo Pinckney, Gavin Pohlkotte, Zachary Polgreen, Nayla Pooley, Marchelle Queen, Markel Queen, Lillian Racine, Olivia Racine, Joseph Raley, Lucas Ramos Orellana, Heidi Ridgell, Isabella Roach, Rykin Robertson, Chrisette Robinson, Riley Rogers, Allison Ross, Jackson Samora, Laila Saxon, Alyssa Schlomer, Logan Schlomer, Caitlyn Shafer, Xaya Sims, Nathaniel Singh, Zaida Skinner, Chloe Smith, Luke Sohn, Kailee Sunjaya, Melanie Sutliff, Reid Tennyson, Keira Thomas, Lucy Townsend, Taraji Tyler, Johnny Vargas, Jackson Via, Eva White, Petra Wiest and Summer Wimberly.

Seventh-Grade Students Recognized

Seventh-grade students recognized: Keren Agyapong, Julia Bagaporo, Joseph Blackwell, Britanny Bonilla Betance, Denzel Briscoe, Aditi Chauhan, Madison Cranford, Elijah De La Torre, KaMyiah Dickens, Ainsley Dill, William Dowell, Kyla Faidley, David Gallegos Calderon, Amelia Galloway, Xian Garcia, Keelan Goss, James Gribble, Michelle Hernandez, Nicole Hernandez, Coltan Hevner, Kierin Howard, Laland Hunt, Fury Jackson, Xavier Johnson, Ja’miya King, Ezekiel Lemou, Nicholas Lively, Adriana Liwanag, Jacen Mascia, Cynne McCullough, Jesse Melillo, Phinnaeus Mikulewicz, Isaac Neall, Sady O’Neill, Elizabeth Parker, Maren Priest, Soraya Rinaldi, Nalani Rivera, Serah Ross, Alyssa Russell, Amaris Shick, Kilinahe Shirley, Madelyne Singh, Vivian Slade, Lahmye Stevens, Alexandria Swinton, Olivia Thelen, Vivienne Vargas, Emil Wagner, Marlee Walker, Ethan Weisner, Charlotte Williams, Gabriel Wilson, Camille Winings and Josephina-Marie Woody.

Eighth-Grade Students Recognized

Eighth-grade students recognized: Carlos Barco-Morales, Kira Basargin, Ayden Bell, Liam Boyd, Aliyah Bradshaw, Hayden Brass, Daijah Charlton, Jason Cheatum, Sage Ciuryla, Tea Combs, Bayyinah Craig, Andrea Cuellar Rosa, Ashlin Curry, Melody Davis, Andrew Ellerbe, Ian Ennis, Kyndall Feldman, Thomas Fucito, Alexander Gass, William Glotzbach, Everett Grabenstein, Kayla Gray, Alise Hamilton, Ethan Hardy, Aniyah Harrison, Jacek Hernandez-Chacon, Zoey Horner, Savannah Jerez, Talan Jones, Harmony Joyner, Abril Juarez Herrera, Ellis King, Jacob Lovelace, Rylin McBride, Morgan McCormick, Chase McGlothlin, Lester Melanson, Edgar Naiva, Nevaeh Neal, Oscar Neto, Avelynn Newman, Nathan Nilsson, Aubree Obermier, Thomas Pack, Hetvi Patel, Zabrina Redman, Sydney Reynolds, Tia Robbins, Joseph Ross, Madasyn Russell, Elizabeth Scull, Kiel Siu Toung, Tucker Smith, Madeleine Smith, Harper Strachan Smith, Grace Sohn, Landon Stritzel, Parker Summers, Ariana Sunjaya, Ty’Shaun Thompson, Logan Varela, Adam Venckus, Alex Vo, Aria Walsh, Reagan Weinstein, Mekhi White, Vera Wiest, Kaylah Williams, Ajani Williams, Takyra Wills, Kirsten Ygnacio and Devin Young.

Eighth-Grade Students Recognized For All Three Years (2023-26)

Eighth-grade students recognized for all three years (2023-26): Kira Basargin, Liam Boyd, Jason Cheatum, Tea Combs, Ashlin Curry, Andrew Ellerbe, Ian Ennis, Thomas Fucito, William Glotzbach, Everett Grabenstein, Alise Hamilton, Ethan Hardy, Zoey Horner, Talan Jones, Harmony Joyner, Ellis King, Rylin McBride, Morgan McCormick, Chase McGlothlin, Lester Melanson, Oscar Neto, Nathan Nilsson, Aubree Obermier, Tia Robbins, Joseph Ross, Elizabeth Scull, Madeleine Smith, Harper Strachan Smith, Grace Sohn, Parker Summers, Ariana Sunjaya, Logan Varela, Adam Venckus, Alex Vo, Aria Walsh, Reagan Weinstein, Mekhi White, Vera Wiest, Ajani Williams and Takyra Wills.

School leaders said the award reflects the values they hope to cultivate throughout the building, including responsibility, consistency, respect and perseverance.

Dunbar concluded by encouraging students to continue serving as leaders and positive examples for their peers.

“Keep showing up. Keep working hard. Keep being leaders in our school community,” he said.

The ceremony concluded with applause from attendees as students posed for commemorative photos with classmates and school staff.

School officials also extended special thanks to the many individuals and groups who helped make the inaugural Esteemed Harrier Award Ceremony possible.

Among those recognized were special guests Board of Education members Mary Washington and Dorothy Andrews, as well as Robin Schrader, supervisor of mental health services. Organizers credited the Spring Ridge Middle School Multi-Tiered System of Supports Team and the Esteemed Harrier Award Committee for planning and preparing the event. Committee members included Kimberly Hall, LCSW-C, MTSS facilitator and school social worker; Blair Doering, sixth-grade literacy lab teacher; Cayla Asadi, sixth-grade English language arts teacher; and Susannah Reynolds, sixth-grade math teacher and MTSS Tier 2 lead. School leaders also recognized Assistant Principals John Davis, sixth grade; Craig Jewett, seventh grade; and Zach Bush, eighth grade, for their support of the initiative. Additional thanks were extended to school counselors Barbara Bayne, sixth grade; Territa Washington, seventh grade; and Maria Bronzell, eighth grade, for their contributions to student success and the ceremony. Organizers also acknowledged Stephanie Saxon, who helped develop the concept and planning for the event. Breakfast for attendees was sponsored by the Community School of Spring Ridge Middle School, with support from Community School Coordinator Alexis Broom.

As Spring Ridge launches what administrators hope will become an annual tradition, school leaders said the Esteemed Harrier Award serves as a reminder that dedication, attendance, academic effort and positive choices deserve to be recognized and celebrated.