Walton Central School has announced its valedictorian and salutatorian for the Class of 2024.
The valedictorian is David Gatchalian and the salutatorian is Isabella Yetto. Each is scheduled to speak during the annual graduation ceremony scheduled for June 29.
Valedictorian
An active student, Gatchalian has excelled inside and outside of the classroom. Along with a healthy dose of high-level classes, he has remained active in athletics and other extracurricular activities.
A consistent member of the superintendent’s list, Gatchalian has received academic awards in philosophy, pre-calculus, calculus, AP biology, physics, chemistry, physical education, psychology, English 9 and 10, Global I and II, Spanish III, and construction. He’s also been honored as a MAC scholar-athlete, which is given to student-athletes with the highest GPA on their given team.
Gatchalian is a member of the National Honor Society, and is part of many other clubs and teams. Those include varsity soccer (where he served as captain), basketball, wrestling, outdoor track and field, speech and debate, student council (also a class officer), travel club, science club, FBLA, the yearbook, and various musicals.
Over the time on teams and clubs, he’s earned several accolades including a top-10 finish at a state competition for speech and debate in original oratory, and the Section Four Character Counts award, the Jeremy G. Fletcher Sportsmanship Award.
Gatchalian, who hasn’t decided on a college yet, but wants to study mechanical engineering, is the son of Shiela Gatchalian and Joe Bivens.
Salutatorian
Yetto has constantly set herself apart both in the classroom and also on the fields.
She has received the superintendent’s award consistently for seven years, and earned academic awards in English 9, small animal care, animal science, personal finance, and Spanish IV.
A member of the National Honor Society, Yetto has also served as the FFA treasurer, and the indoor and outdoor track and field captain. Outside of school, she’s also a member of 4-H and is an avid horseback rider. Athletically, she has also earned MAC scholar-athlete awards, given to the student-athlete with the highest GPA on their team.
Athletically, she has earned spots at state qualifiers for indoor track and field in the 1500 as a junior, and 3000 this year. She has also been riding horses for more than a decade, and through FFA received the SAE grant scholarship, as well as the SAE proficiency award in equine science.
Yetto, who plans to attend SUNY Oneonta and study computer science, is the daughter of Tina and Luke Yetto.
Honor graduates
Walton has also announced its top honor graduates and they are as follows: Caroline Gorence (daughter of Brian Gorence and Tara Slauson), Jonica Green (daughter of James Green and Bernice Shelton), Ella Rhinehart (daughter of Robert and Lisa Rhinehart), Allene Vesterfelt (daughter of Rachel and Christian Vesterfelt), Brianna D’Addezio (daughter of Joe and Pam D’Addezio), Makenna MacGibbon (daughter of Matthew MacGibbon and Mirranda Grossmann), Seth Hunter (son of Ashley and Mike Crandall, and Cyle and Heather Hunter), Isabelle Driscoll (daughter of Jacqueline Driscoll and James Driscoll), Meka Merwin (daughter of Lorrie McNamara and Shane Merwin), Kyndra Church (daughter of Kyra Shew and Macky Church), Eve Foster (daughter of Brian Foster and Jessica Backus-Foster), Mackenzie Backus (daughter of James Backus Jr. and Jaime Backus), Colby Phraner (son of Mary and John Phraner), and Arianna Bohle (daughter of Angie Bohle).
