PENDLETON — Pendleton Heights High school recognizes the Top 10% of the year’s graduating class.

There are 32 students in that group for the Class of 2023. The countdown continues this week with Nos. 16 through nine. It will continue through a couple more editions of The Times-Post.

Ava Phillips

Ava Phillips

Ava Phillips is currently ranked No. 16 with a grade-point average of 12.3542. She is the daughter of Kirstin Phillips and Russ Phillips. Throughout her high school career, she has been actively involved in volleyball, basketball, unified track, Student Council, National Honor Society, Beta Club, Best Buddies, Arabian Allies, Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA), Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD), Spanish Club, Outdoor Adventure Club and Youth Leadership Academy. She likes to spend time with her friends and family, travel to new places, hike and read. She plans to attend college but is not yet sure where she wants to go. Ava is still making final decisions about what she wants to study but will go into an Exploratory Studies program.

Ricky Howell

Ricky Howell

Ricky Howell is currently ranked No. 15 with a GPA of 12.5098. He is the son of Rick and Angie Howell. Throughout high school, Ricky has played football, basketball and baseball. He is an avid sports fan and enjoys playing travel baseball and spending time with his friends and family. Ricky has a dual commitment to both Wabash Valley College and Indiana University. He will play and study at one college for a year or two and then transfer to the other college. Ricky plans to study kinesiology so that he may become a physical therapist.

Ben Caldwell

Ben Caldwell

Ben Caldwell is currently ranked No. 14 with a GPA of 12.5636. He is the son of Chandra and Todd Caldwell. Throughout high school, Ben has been active in tennis, Show Choir, WEEM, National Honor Society, BETA Club, Best Buddies, Student Council and theater. Ben also loves choreographing. He plans on attending Ball State University or Butler University in the fall. Ben is deciding between studying business or technology as he wants to have a career in the technology field.

Emily Benages

Emily Benages

Emily Benages is currently ranked No. 13 with a GPA of 12.5636. She is the daughter of Carolyn and Stephen Benages. Throughout high school, she has been active in Marching Band, Pep Band, Jazz Express, Jazz Ensemble, Wind Ensemble, Beta Club, Spanish Club, National Honor Society, Spanish National Honor Society and Cadet Teaching Program. Aside from her love for music, Emily loves to roller skate, which she does once a week. Her plan is to attend Butler and major in music education and minor in Spanish. Ultimately, Emily wants to be a collegiate or high school level music educator.

Whitney Warfel

Whitney Warfel

Whitney Warfel is currently ranked No. 12 with a GPA of 12.6182. She is the daughter of Nathan and Tiffany Warfel. She has been a member of the volleyball, basketball and track teams. She has also been basketball and track team captain. In addition to being involved in athletics, she has also been active in Arabian Allies, SADD, Beta, National Honor Society, Spanish National Honor Society, Youth Leadership Academy of Madison County and Balance. Whitney very much enjoys watching basketball at all levels especially girls youth. She plans to attend Mt. Saint Joseph University where she will play basketball and study biochemistry. Whitney hopes to become a gastroenterologist.

Sawyer Schill

Sawyer Schill

Sawyer Schill is currently ranked No. 11 with a GPA of 12.6415. He is the son of Eric and Lane Schill. Sawyer is self-motivated and finds a great interest in music, language and art. He enjoys playing the guitar, bass and piano. He has taught himself Japanese. He likes 2-D/3-D animation. In the fall, he will attend the University of Central Florida for digital media and minor in music and Japanese. Sawyer hopes to be a video game designer or a soundtrack producer.

Ellie Manchess

Ellie Manchess

Ellie Manchess is currently ranked No. 10 with a GPA of 12.6531. She is the daughter of Scott and Paula Manchess. She has been active in Beta, National Honor Society, Student Council, tennis and soccer throughout high school. Additionally, she enjoys being active in her youth group. Ellie plans to attend Butler and be part of their health sciences program and become a physician in a hospital.

Quin DeVault

Quin DeVault

Quin DeVault is currently ranked No. 9 with a GPA of 12.7347. He is the son of Kylie and Kyle DeVault. Throughout high school, Quin has been a member of the football team. He will be continuing to play football beyond high school at Denison University. Here, he will study law or neuroscience. He also hopes to study abroad for a semester in Japan. Quin hopes to own his own corporate firm one day and be a corporate lawyer.