Bronco *GREAT* News c/o 2026
2023-24 10th Grade Edition- Semester 1
Recognizing Bronco Excellence in the 10th Grade!
First Semester Honor Roll
Congratulations to these 10th grade students for their academic achievement first semester-
with GPA's of 3.5-3.74, they have earned a spot on the honor roll!
Special Teacher Recognition -10th Grade
Emma Arruda
From Mrs. Selinger:
Emma is a hard working student and her writing is incredible!
Ajay Awasti
From Mr. Karimi:
Works hard, excellent essay writing, does all the work
Caleb Chism
From Ms. Gopal:
Caleb had a difficult time adjusting to classroom expectations but recently, Caleb has made improvement in this area. Keep it up!
Special Teacher Recognition- 10th Grade
Dylan Pagtakhan
From Mrs. Selinger:
Dylan works hard! I appreciate his attention to details and his writing!
Finn Ekberg
From Frau Nancy:
Finn always has a smile on their face, even when the material is hard and they don't want to work. They are always engaged and participating; they are not afraid of making mistakes and truly seem to want to learn. I love having Finn in the class, and hope they continue on in the program! Mach weiter so, Finn!
Gavin McKendrick
From Ms. Ledesma:
I appreciate how hard Gavin works! He asks for feedback because he values improvement and he cares about his work!
Special Teacher Recognition - 10th grade
Kaedyn Harish
From Ms. Kramer:
Kaedyn is not only incredibly hardworking, but she also is empathetic to those around her. She is willing to go above and beyond to help others.
Madison Lowney
From Frau Nancy:
Madison has made great strides from last year to this: she is excited to be in class, does her work diligently and learns from her mistakes. Because of her school involvement, she is often a little more often than I would like, but she is very good at making up work she has missed and getting help for concepts we covered in her absence. Mach weiter so, Madison!
Shane Malloy
From Mr. Kasdin:
Shane is diligent, respectful, kind and handles his business with the best of them!
Special Teacher Recognition - 10th Grade
Laila Menchaca
From Mr. Durazo:
Laila has been doing GREAT in my Aerobics PE class!! Her participation, effort, sportsmanship & working well with others is GREATLY appreciated!! Keep up the EXCELLENT work!!
Pepper Drinkwater
From Mr. Karimi:
Pepper has extremely impressive writing, gets all her work done, works efficiently
Sasha Perelman
From Mrs. Dillon:
Sasha is a born educator and leader. It is wonderful to have her as a student because she always knows what needs to be done and is always willing to help other students. She's a brilliant historian as well!
Special Teacher Recognition- 10th Grade
Carla Prado
From Ms. Selinger:
Carla is a creative writer and an insightful thinker! She speaks eloquently and cares about her work. She is a joy to have in class.
Justin Reimer
From Sra. Casillas:
I am so happy to have Justin in my Spanish 3 class this year. He is the ONE student who participates on a consistent basis and often the one responding for the entire class. He has a very teachable spirit, is always on task, and is an excellent example of an accountable and respectful student. Thanks Justin for all of your hard work and excellence in character.
Hannah Rennette
From Ms. Wullenweber:
For !etting her assignments done AND going to extra dance rehearsals for the Big Christmas show! Always with a smile and being kind to every one in class. Congradulations on a great opening night! So happy to watch you dance on stage!
Special Teacher Recognition- 11th Grade
Mackenzie Frick
From Mrs. O'Neil:
Mackenzie always contributes to our AP class in positive and insightful ways. I really appreciate the enthusiasm she brings to class daily.
Yotam Gayer
From Ms. Costello:
Yotam is a positive leader. He helps to get students on task by making jokes. Students gravitate towards him because of his funny and welcoming demeanor.
Gohar Mashal
From Ms. Starr:
Period 1 Roshambo winner! Gohar was also part of the team that won for the Tissue Project in Period 1. She is unstoppable!
Special Teacher Recognition- 10th Grade
Riley Williams
From Frau Nancy:
Riley is a conundrum. Right when I think he's completely confused, he gets a great score on a quiz, or comes up with the right answer on an activity! When I think he's day dreaming or a mile away in his thoughts, he grins at me and shows he completely understands whatever we are working on! He IS learning German, in his own way, so good for him!! Mach weiter so, Riley!
Amelia Rollins
From Ms. Selinger:
Amelia is an amazing writer who is kind and positive day in and day out!
Ava Scattergood
From Ms. Dillon:
Ava is not only incredibly bright, but she is kind, helpful, and always ready for challenges. She is a hard worker and never fails to show initiative for what needs to be done. She's a great part of my class!
High Honors
Congratulations to these 10th grade students for their outstanding academic achievement
first semester, they have made it to the high honors list with GPA's of 3.75-3.99.
Special Teacher Recognition - 10th Grade
Sven Grant
From Dr. Clemmons:
Maintaining a high academic grades while competing in skiing obtaning the Bronze Medal in his division.
Sheriff Able Thomas
From Mrs. Selinger:
Sheriff works extremely hard and cares about his work. He has improved greatly this semester!
Cameron Tijerina
From Ms. Selinger:
Cameron works hard and cares deeply about improving his writing. And, after having him last year, I can see that his hard work is paying off!
From Frau Nancy:
Cameron sits in the back and is quietly but consistently acquiring the German language. He struggles sometimes, but then comes up with the best answers and most eloquent (for his level) writing that I am flabbergasted! He probably should ask more questions, but seems to be doing well on his own. Mach weiter so, Cameron!
Elaina Rosen
From Mr. Litten:
It is with immense joy and admiration that I recognize a remarkable individual who has left an indelible mark on the hearts and minds of the performing arts community. It is my honor to recognize the exceptional talent and dedication of Elaina Rosen, our student director, who fearlessly took on the challenge of directing not one, but three casts for our production of "Little Women."
From the moment Elaina stepped into the role of student director, it was evident that she possessed a rare gift. Her passion for storytelling through theatre was infectious, inspiring everyone around her to give their best. With unwavering determination and a friendly demeanor that put everyone at ease, Elaina led each cast through countless rehearsals with grace and patience.
What truly sets Elaina apart is her ability to bring out the best in every actor she works with. She effortlessly created an environment where creativity flourished and each performer felt safe to explore their character's depths. Her keen eye for detail ensured that no nuance or emotion went unnoticed, resulting in performances that were nothing short of breathtaking.
Beyond her artistic talents, Elaina's leadership skills shone brightly throughout this process. She fostered a sense of camaraderie among all three casts, encouraging collaboration rather than competition. Her friendly tone and approachable nature made her someone whom everyone felt comfortable approaching with questions or concerns.
Elaina Rosen's exceptional work as student director has left a positive mark on our production of "Little Women." Her dedication, talent, and friendly demeanor have inspired us all to reach new heights. We are forever grateful for her contributions and look forward to witnessing the continued growth of this remarkable young director.
The Principal's List
Congratulations to these 10th grade students for crushing this first semester, with GPA's of 4.0 and above. They have earned their spot on the Principal's List!
Special Teacher Recognition - 10th Grade
Gianna Veis
From Mrs. Dillon:
Gianna is kind, patient, and brilliant. She is such a great part of the class every day, and I am so thankful for her contributions to the class each day.
Henry Vo
From Frau Nancy:
Henry is a great student: he always does his work (and has beautiful handwriting!), almost always pays attention in class (unless he's too tired:) ), asks great questions and is very knowledgeable when I ask questions. He's also much liked by his peers and I'm sure he will continue to be successful at Northgate.
Angie Yao
From Ms. Starr:
Period 6 Roshambo winner! Angie holds her own as a sophomore in an upper division class. She was part of the winning team for the tissue project and brings creativity to everything she does.
From Ms. Weer:
The first word that comes to mind when I think of Angie is - impressive. She is not only rocking APPC as a sophomore, but also leading a great group of students in the Women in STEM club. Angie's work, whether homework or assessments, is always top-notch! She is quite impressive in all she does!
Northgate Academic Honors
Northgate Academic Honors Students who earn a 3.5 or better each semester are celebrated in a progressive honor system, through their senior year. *Spring semester of senior year is not included due to timing
The tiers are as follows:
1 semester- Certificate of Accomplishment
2 semesters- Certificate of Commendation
3 semesters- Academic Letter- this is a tackle twill letter, similar to a Varsity letter for athletics- students who earn this achievement may select to purchase the letter for $10, and will be awarded a certificate as well.
4 semesters- Certificate of Academic Achievement
5 semesters- Certificate of Academic Excellence
6 Semesters- Certificate of Distinction
7 semesters- Northgate Academic Honors Cord to be worn at Graduation
Certificate of Accomplishment and Commendation
These have sophomores achieved a 3.5 GPA or better for one semester for a certificate of accomplishment, and two semesters for a certificate of commendation.
Students will receive a Certificate of Academic Persistence with GPA Improvements from semester to semester of .5 or better
The Academic Persistence Award
This goes to students who have improved their GPA from Spring 2023 to Fall 2023 by .5 or more, whether they are adding AP and Honors courses to their schedule, raising their game, or absolutely crushing it- these students have all seen a big jump, and that only comes with hard work, and yes- persistence.
Northgate awarded US News & World Report National Ranking- 8 years in a row!
Northgate High School
Email: cooperk@mdusd.org
Website: northgatehighschool.org
Location: 425 Castle Rock Rd, Walnut Creek, CA, USA
Phone: 925 938-0900
Twitter: @northgatehs