California Area High School to graduate 71
California Area High School is set to have its graduation ceremony at 7 p.m. Friday, June 6, at California Trojan Field. The graduating class includes 71 students.
The valedictorians are Brianna Baker, Addison Gregory, Hannah Hall, Lucia Meiss, and Alexus Zimcosky. The salutatorian is Ella Neill.
Baker is the daughter of Sarah Shrum of California. She will attend Washington & Jefferson College and major in communication arts, specializing in media studies with the goal of becoming an investigative reporter.
Baker is a member of Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD), Relay for Life, and Trojan TV. She is a four-year member of varsity cheerleading.
She is the recipient of several awards and scholarships, including the Challenge Program Academic Excellence Award, California Area High School National Honor Society Service Award, Lori Confer-Martin Creative/Performing Arts Scholarship, Outstanding Achievement in Music, and the Ronald A. Paglia Memorial Scholarship, and the Anica Donnan Rawnsley Scholarship.
Gregory is the daughter of Stacy and Emilio Navarro of Coal Center. She will attend Pennsylvania Western University to study biology with a concentration in pre-dental studies and a minor in honor studies. Her career goal is to become an orthodontist.
She served as president of the National Honor Society and SADD, and was a member of Relay for Life and Future Ready Leaders, the Spanish Club, ABC Club, and California Area Musical Theatre. She was yearbook editor, and also captain of the varsity cheerleading team and varsity basketball team, and played varsity volleyball and softball, and was a member of the track and field team.
She was winner of Challenge Program STEM and an Inclusive Excellence PennWest Scholarship.
Hull is the daughter of Lindsay Noble of Brownsville and David Hull of Coal Center.
She will attend the University of Pittsburgh and plans to study engineering.
Hull is a member of Relay for Life and SADD Club. She served as treasurer of the National Honor Society and served as class treasurer. She played on the volleyball team.
She won several awards and scholarships, including the Charles Sowden Scholarship and PJAS Second Award.
Meiss is the daughter of Sarah and Paul Meiss of California. She will attend Indiana University Pennsylvania and major in pre-medical biology. She plans to become a doctor.
She was a member of Relay for Life, SADD, Envirothon, National Honor Society, peer jury and PJAS, and served as class president.
Meiss was a captain of the soccer team, and a member of the cross country, cheerleading, and track and field teams. She was the recipient of the Sutton Scholarship and California Foundation Scholarship, and placed first in PJAS two consecutive years.
Zimcosky is the daughter of Nicole and Keith Zimcosky of Brownsville. She will attend Western Pennsylvania Hospital School of Nursing to become a registered nurse.
Zimcosky was vice president of the National Honor Society and editor of the yearbook, and was a member of SADD, Relay for Life, and ABC Club. She was a member of the varsity cheerleading and volleyball teams.
She was recipient of the Class of 1984 Memorial Scholarship and was a Challenge Program Academic Excellence winner.
Neil is the daughter of Sarah and Benjamin Neill of California. She will attend Washington & Jefferson College to pursue a degree in nursing. She plans to become a nurse practitioner. Neill will compete on the college track and field team.
Neil was a member of the National Honor Society, Peer Jury, Yearbook Club, SADD, Relay for Life, Leadership in Learning, and League of Innovative Students. She was a member of track and field and cross country teams. She received all-county first team honors from 2022-25 in track.
She received several awards and honors, including the Toni Mariscotti Sportsmanship Award and the George Konick Memorial Scholarship.