By Fancy Robbins
(Note: All positions are where the students stood at the end of the first semester this year. There could be some shifting after the final semester ends.)
- Nicki Southerland
Nicki, the Valedictorian, will be attending the University of Notre Dame to run track, cross country and study Biochemistry. She plans on becoming a dietician after she graduates. She’s inviting the Delta swimming coach, Coach Laura Seibold-Caudill, to the Top 20 Banquet because she’s supported Nicki in both swimming and running and has always encouraged her. Advice she would give to a freshman would be to work hard in class, get your work done and don’t procrastinate.
2. Corbin King
Corbin, the Salutatorian, is headed to Ball State University in Muncie after high school to major in Pre-Med. He wants to be an anesthesiologist after college. His favorite lunch at Delta is the orange chicken and rice. His favorite memory from Delta was during Mr. Lodl’s English class, where they had a mock basketball game intro, where they turned all the lights off and “announced” the lineup.
3. Brayden Stanley
Brayden is going to Ball State University to study business and he plans to become a financial advisor in the future. During his junior year, his 4×100 relay team in track placed 8th at state, which was his favorite memory at Delta. He is inviting Mr. Kurt Griffis to the Top 20 Banquet.
4. Grace Flowers
Grace is going to Purdue University in West Lafayette, where she will be in the Honors College and will study Political Science on a Pre-Law track in hopes of becoming a lawyer. If she could invite one celebrity to the Top 20 Banquet, she would invite her favorite actress, Jennifer Garner. Her favorite memory from high school was the 2023 Riley Dance Marathon, which she was in charge of. “I had a lot of stress, but in the end my close friends got emotional because they were so happy for me,” Flowers said. “I felt really loved in that moment.”
5. Ryder Turner
Ryder spends his free time studying, listening to music and working out. His favorite music artists are Kendrick Lamar and Kanye West. He will be attending Indiana University Bloomington and studying Pre-Med and hopes to get into med school afterward. “Try new things and ignore what people say about you,” Turner said.
6. Jacob Bilby
Jacob is going to Trine University in Angola, Ind., to golf and study Chemical Engineering. He wants to be a chemical engineer after college. If he could invite one celebrity to the Top 20 Banquet, it would be Kanye West because he thinks it would be funny. Instead, he is inviting his tennis coach, Tim Cleland. His favorite lunch at Delta is the chicken fajitas.
7. AJ Lewman
AJ is going to Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology to study Mechanical Engineering. His favorite music artist is Billy Joel, and his favorite song is Piano Man. He’s inviting Mackenzie Dye Conley, his track and cross country coach, to the Top 20 Banquet. “She’s had a large impact on my life,” Lewman said. “She helped me build my work ethic and be a better person.”
8. Evelyn Kress
Evelyn is going to Ball State University to study Speech-Language Pathology. She wants to work either at a hospital or a school after graduating. In her free time, you would probably catch her hanging with friends and family or baking. Study tips she would give someone would be to form good study habits and give yourself plenty of time to study for a test, even if you don’t think you need it. She added to stay organized.
9. Kayden Thomas
Kayden is going to the University of Southern California and will study business. If he could invite one celebrity to the Top 20 Banquet, it would be his favorite actor Heath Ledger. His favorite class at Delta would be all of the business classes, especially marketing. “I think I earned my rank by studying and just doing my homework,” Thomas said.
10. Abigail Lindburgh
Abigail is going to Ball State University where she is going to study Spanish Education and be in the Honors College. She loves thrifting, singing and eating out. Her favorite memories from high school have been hanging out with her friends. She enjoys leaving Muncie and eating at nicer restaurants and having bonfires. She also liked participating in homecoming weeks and talent shows.
11. Naomi Sherman
Naomi is going to Purdue University to study Chemistry. She wants to be a chemist after college. Her favorite class at Delta was Chemistry 2. “I learned a lot about chemistry and it’s a field I want to go into,” Sherman said. Her favorite teacher is English teacher Mr. James Lodl, because she said he’s just a cool guy.
12. Caleb Oliver
Caleb will attend Ball State University to study Urban Planning and Design. His favorite memory from high school was the homecoming picnics. In his free time, he plays video games like Minecraft. “It is a great way to just forget about everything that is stressful and get a break from everything that life throws at me,” Oliver said.
13. Layna Bowman
Layna is going to Taylor University in Upland, Ind., to major in Sports Management or English Education. Advice she would give to a freshman would be to make the most of high school. “Don’t let it go to waste,” Bowman said. She’s inviting a few of her old youth group leaders to the Top 20 Banquet. Her favorite class at Delta was Mr. James Lodl’s English class.
14. Hollis Klinger
Hollis is going to Syracuse University in Syracuse, New York to study Communicative Sciences and Disorders. In her free time, she loves relaxing by hanging out with her family and by gardening. She is inviting Spanish teacher Mrs. Mary May to the Top 20 Banquet. “She truly has been such a light that helped push me,” Klinger said.
15. Alyssa Burkholder
Alyssa will attend Ivy Tech Community College and is going to study nursing. Her favorite class at Delta is her choir class, and her favorite memory was earning a gold rating with the choir at Indiana State School Music Association.
16. Paizley Cool
Paizley is going to Ball State University to study Pre-Med. In her free time, she picks up as many shifts at her job that she can and enjoys doing activities outside. She likes listening to Iam Tongi, and her favorite song is Why Kiki.
17. Erika Minard
Erika is going to Vincennes University and will major in Conservation Law Enforcement. She’s inviting her agriculture teacher, Mrs. Nancy Kunk, to the Top 20 Banquet. “Don’t get behind on your homework,” Minard said.
18. Kelsey Temple
Kelsey is going to Ball State University to study Pre-Med and wants to eventually become a doctor. She’s inviting math teacher Mrs. Audrey Young to the Top 20 Banquet. She says to study efficiently you should write the key points of what you’re learning.
19. Brady Carrigan
Brady has enjoyed going to prom during high school. He will be attending Ball State University to study finance. If he could invite a celebrity to the Top 20 Banquet, he would invite Drake because he’s his favorite music artist.
20. Eden Terry
Eden is going to Purdue University and will study Pharmaceutical Sciences. She sees herself working in a hospital pharmacy in the future. In her free time, she’s always at the dance studio, but when she isn’t dancing she loves sleeping.
