Morristown Hamblen East High School held its annual Honors Night where students’ academic excellence was recognized.

Principal Randy Greene said Morristown has a lot to be proud about with these students.

“This group of students, they’re remarkable,” he said. “They have been through a lot. You know, we kept using the terms perseverance and this class really has shown that.”

He praised the work the students displayed as they grew into young adults.

“This journey did not begin with when they first walked through the doors of East High,” he said. “It began years ago, nurtured by the love, guidance, and support of the families, educators, and mentors who surround them today. As we honor our students this evening, I want to take a moment to commend them for their perseverance, their pursuit of excellence, and their resilience in overcoming life’s challenges.”

Greene would present the Teacher of the Year and Student of the Year awards.

“For the past 12 years, she has proudly served at her alma mater, making a lasting impact on students and staff alike,” he said. “After years in the classroom, she now serves as the school’s library media specialist where her passion for learning, kindness, and dedication continue to shine each day. Known for her warm spirit and unwavering support for everyone around her, she is truly loved by the entire school community.

“Please join me and all of us in congratulating our teacher of the year… Ms. Lindsey Davis.”

Next up was Student of the Year.

“This student was selected due to her outstanding character, academic excellence, and leadership,” Greene said. “She has demonstrated remarkable academic excellence, dedication, and perseverance throughout her high school career. Balancing a rigorous course load with her other commitments, she has consistently excelled in every area of student life.

“Her strong work ethic, positive attitude, and ability to lead by example have made a lasting impact on her peers and teachers alike. She is truly an outstanding student and exceptional individual whose future is incredibly bright. This is one of our most well-ranked students.

“She is a student athlete who also volunteers her time to assist those who are in need. This is a young lady that I’ve witnessed grow into the outstanding woman that we see here tonight. The Morristown Hamblen High School East Student of the Year Award goes to Ashley Sadlon.”

Prior to the main event of presenting scholarships, most of which are local, some national award/scholarship winners were recognized.

QuestBridge is a nationally recognized college access and scholarship program that connects highachieving students with leading colleges and universities and can provide full four-year scholarships. Yoshua Blanco Antonio is East’s first QuestBridge recipient and earned a full tuition scholarship to Skidmore College in New York. He is also a recipient of the Hagan Scholarship, which helps students graduate college debt-free.

The National Merit Scholarship Program recognizes top-performing students based on PSAT/ NMSQT scores, academic achievement, leadership and extracurricular involvement. Dorian Carpenter earned National Merit recognition.

The Dr. Irving Pressley McPhail Endowed Scholarship, sponsored by the Society of Manufacturing Engineers Education Foundation, supports students in manufacturing engineering and related fields. Alexis Tompkins received the $5,000 award.

The Horatio Alger Scholarship recognizes students who demonstrate perseverance, academic achievement and a commitment to higher education. Kimberlyn Sanchez Murillo received a $10,000 scholarship.

Other scholarships awarded include:

• Hamblen County School Nutrition Association Scholarship — Chelsie Turner • Noah Dean/Electric Shock Scholarship — $500 to Cade Richardson; $250 to Chloe Disanto; $100 to Ava Rypel, Chelsie Turner, Jaycee Hamilton, Ashley Sadlon, Kayley Gaby, Hayden Hall and Hannah Hall

• A & B Bunch Scholarship — Hayden Hall

• Andre “AJ” Kyle Memorial Scholarship — Hannah Hall • Canes Character awards — Juan Domingo Nicolas, Emory Galbreath, Ava Rypel and Kimberlyn Sanchez Murillo

• Ca r t e r- Hu c k a b y Scholarship — Dorian Carpenter • Clear Loop CTE Scholarship — Matthew Lawson and Gracie Seals

• Clear Loop STEM Scholarship — Cade Richardson

• Commercial Bank Spirit Scholarship — Brody Denbow

• Edward “Eddie” Charles Jr. Memorial Scholarship — Yoshua Blanco Antonio

• Endeavor Scholarship in Memory of Lisa Ann McDonald — Kimberlyn Sanchez Murillo, Jaycee Hamilton and Hayden Hall

• George Eddie Price Scholarship — Riley Forester

• Gilbert Breeding Art Scholarship — Christopher Lopez Mendoza and Vanessa Pino Garcia

• Haley Jean Rouse Memorial Scholarship — Hannah Hall

• HCEA Scholarship — Leah Rattler

• Hamblen County Republican Women Scholarship — Ashley Sadlon

• JC Freels Scholarship — Ella Hunt, Lydia Steinmann, Raeden Tindell and Cameron Verzosa

• Joint Economic and Community Development Board scholarships — Hannah Hall, Riley Forester, Daniela Pascual Ruiz, Alexis Tompkins, Chelsie Turner, Matthew Lawson and Jaycee Hamilton

• Jonathan Fluker Memorial Scholarship — Kimberlyn Sanchez Murillo

• KEEL Foundation math scholarships — Dorian Carpenter and Ashley Sadlon

• KEEL Foundation English scholarships — Emma Faxon and Ava Rypel • Lakeway Tennis Association Ron Bowlin Legacy Tennis Scholarship — Elian Perez Gutierrez, Jason Gomez, Emory Galbreath, Kaley Gaby and Alexis Tompkins

• Lions Club TCAT scholarships — Johnny Torquemada, David Escalante- Morales and Matthew Lawson

• Lions Club Walters State Community College scholarships — Riley Forester, Hannah Hall, Oscar Herrera Hernandez, Gracie Seals and Chelsie Turner

• LT Helton Scholarship — Jaycee Hamilton

• Lucille Courtney Litz Scholarship — Vanessa Pino Garcia

• Marshall Mills Memorial Scholarship — Riley Forester

• Military Appreciation Scholarship — $1,000 to Elise Reed; $250 to Chelsie Turner and Lydia Steinmann • Miss East High — Calli Price

• Morristown-Hamblen County Retired Teacher Association Scholarship — Chloe Disanto and Kaylee Dubois

• Pay It Forward Scholarship — Hayden Hall and Gracie Seals

• Safe Driver Scholarship presented by the Terry Law Firm — Samantha Altizer

• Science Award — Jaxon Hatfield Shirks

• Shelter Insurance Foundation Scholarship — Hayden Hall

• Stan and Thelma Plumlee Scholarship — Alexis Tompkins

• Yamaoka (Tuff Torq) Scholarship — Alexis Tompkins

• Bob Harbison Compassionate Youth Award — Chelsie Turner

• Salutatorian — Emma Faxon

• Valedictorian — Ashley Sadlon

• Student of the Year — Ashley Sadlon At the end of the night, Greene was beaming with pride.

“They have done a great job. I’m so proud of each and every one of them. I cannot wait to see where these kids wind up because they’re going to go out and do something special in the world.”