Liberty High School graduates accumulated close to $500,000 in scholarships and awards, announced Principal Benicia Bendele during a senior awards program on May 16 in the high school cafeteria.
The Top 10 percent of the senior class of 2019 was introduced and presented with gold stoles and tassels they will wear at commencement exercises on May 31, 8 p.m., at War Memorial Stadium in Liberty.
The Top 10 percent, led by Valedictorian Alexandria Smith and Salutatorian TaNia Donatto, is ranked in this order: Carter Haidusek, Emily Connelly, Jessica Williamson, Francisco Pacheco, Keaton Parker, Riley Mayo, Laura Moorman, Katelyn Mealer, Luke Evans, Morgan Crump, Reagan Russell and Madelyn Motschman.
Following the recognition of the Top 10 percent, graduates who earned cords from the National Honor Society, American Sign Language Honor Society, National Art Honor Society, National Spanish Honor Society, National Technical Honor Society and LHS graduates. Cords were clubs and service organizations also were presented.
TaNia Donatto and Keaton Parker were announced as the recipients of the American Legion Post 512 awards. This award is given to graduates who possess the high qualities of courage, honor, leadership, patriotism, scholarship and service.
Parker also was named the recipient of the Good Citizen Award from the Libertad Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
Hayden Groover earned his place in Liberty High School history as the first student to be selected for four years of membership in the Texas All-State Choir. Only the top 2.4 percent of musicians who initially audition become All-State musicians.
“There are 617 total members and only 18 choir members were in their fourth year as a Texas All-State Choir member,” Bendele said.
As the highest-ranking senior, Alexandria Smith was presented with the Texas Education Agency’s Honor Graduate Certificate, which provides her with a scholarhsip for tuition to any state-supported college or university.
The remaining awards and scholarships are as follows:
- Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Houston Area Scholarship of $20,000 to Avery Bendele
- Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo School Art Scholarship of $20,000 to Lark Walker
- Liberty County Texas A&M Mothers’ Club Scholarship of $500 to Laura Moorman
- Jean Elizabeth Lagow Memorial Scholarship of $500 to Avery Bendele
- Fine Arts Society of Liberty Texas scholarships for $1,000 each to Avery Bendele, Emily Connelly and Hayden Groover
- Rick Mearns Scholarship of $1,000 to Chasitie Evans
- Liberty ISD Board of Trustees Scholarship of $1,000 to J.J. Slack
- Liberty Masonic Lodge N. 48 A.F. and A.M. of $1,000 to Emily Connelly and $1,500 to Francisco Pacheco
- Prosperity Bank Scholarship of $1,000 to Jordan LeNormand
- Liberty Rotary Club Scholarships of $1,000 each to Avery Bendele, Emily Connelly, Xavier Davila, TaNia Donatto, Jordan LeNormand and Alexandria Smith
- South Liberty County Trust Scholarship of $675 each to several students
- Liberty Lions Club Scholarships of $1,250 each to Lauren Dugat, David Hebert, Jordan LeNormand, Katelyn Mealer, J.J. Slack and Kori Tulley, and $5,000 each to TaNia Donatto, Abigail Hajovsky, Catherine Moorman and Caitlyn Sepulvado
- Liberty Elks Lodge BP 2019 Rick Humber Memorial Scholarships of $750 to Abigail Hajovsky and $2,000 to Madalyn Pickett
- Chris Fregia Memorial Scholarships of $400 each to Maribel Martinez, Catherine Moorman, Reagan Russell, J.J. Slack and Drelon Tarver
- Transitioning Students to Achieve Independence Through Career Education Scholarship of $500 to Kayla Yeo
- 160 Riders Scholarships of $250 each to Lauren Dugat and Tytiana LaFleur
- Richard E. and Alice Vinson Memorial Scholarship of $500 to Avery Bendele
- Sonya Boyt Scholarship of $1,000 to TaNia Donatto
- Voris R. Burch Memorial Scholarship of $1,000 to Keaton Parker
- Executive Women International Scholarship of $2,500 to Caitlyn Sepulvado
- W.F. Odum Memorial Scholarship of $1,000 to Catherine Moorman
- Byron Jeffrey Scholarship of $1,000 to TaNia Donatto
- Rhonda Evett Dearbonne-Morris Foundation Scholarship of $250 to Essencess Arceneaux and $750 each to Carter Haidusek, Abigail Hajovsky, Katelyn Mealer and Madalyn Motschman
- Trinity Valley Expositions Scholarships of $1,500 to Avery Bendele and Luke Evans, $5,000 to Laura Moorman, and $6,000 to Carter Haidusek
- Texas Business Professionals of American Scholarship of $2,000 to TaNia Donatto
- Myra Elizabeth “Lisa” Allison Memorial Scholarship of $2,000 to Jordan LeNormand
- Governor Bill and Vara Faye Daniel Scholarship of $1,000 to Keaton Parker
- Cleveland Livestock Show and Dairy Day Scholarships of $1,000 to Madalyn Pickett and $1,500 each to Carter Haidusek, Laura Moorman and Kori Tulley
- Liberty ISD Food Service Scholarship of $750 to Lizzie Loften
- Fort Worth Stock Show Heifer Beef Challenge Scholarship of $8,000 to Carter Haidusek
- Teagle Foundation Scholarship of $10,000 to TaNia Donatto
- San Antonio Livestock Show and Rodeo Scholarship of $10,000 to Madalyn Pickett
- Taylor-Odom Scholarship of $20,000 to Kori Tulley
- DREAM US National Scholarship for $29,000 is awarded to Francisco Pacheco
- Liberty County Farm Bureau Scholarships in the amount of $2,000 each is awarded to Abigail Hojovsky and Laura Moorman
- National FFA Ford Built Tough Scholarship for $1,000 is awarded to Carter Haidusek
- Texas Academic Decathlon Team Scholarships in the amount of $500 each are awarded to: TaNia Donatto; Chasitie Evans; Rosa Garcia; Keaton Parker, Alexandria Smith and Sebastian Urbina
- Texas Academic Decathlon Individual Scholarships go to Chasitie Evans in the amount of $1,000 and to TaNia Donatto for $2,500
- L.J. Chachere Scholarship for $2,000 is awarded to Carter Haidusek
- Liberty Young Farmers Scholarships for $1,000 each is presented to Laura Moorman and Madalyn Pickett, and for $1,500 is awarded to Carter Haidusek
- LHS Do Re Mi Choir Scholarships for $400 each are awarded to Hayden Groover; Riley Mayo; Desiree Papillion; Caitlyn Sepulvado and Samantha Tello-Olvera.
- Dayton Capital Farm Credit Scholarship for $500 is awarded to Carter Haidusek
- Elaine Pruett Memorial Scholarship for $500 is awarded to Morgan Crump
- Liberty Youth Baseball Association Scholarship for $500 each to Abigail Hajovsky, Laura Moorman and Jessica Williamson
- LHS Band Scholarships for $250 each go to Xavier Davila and TaNia Donatto
- KSHN FM – M.J. Leonard Citizenship-Leadership Award for $300 to Keaton Parker
- W.L. and Esther Melasky Memorial Scholarship for $1,000 goes to Autumn McMillan
- Earl and Mary Lou Rice Scholarship for $1,000 is awarded to Alyssa Grubbs
- Class of 1978 Scholarship for $1,000 goes to Jessica Villegas
- Liberty Order of the Eastern Star Scholarship for $500 is awarded to Catherine Moorman
- Nick Vaught Memorial Scholarship for $500 is awarded to Luke Evans
- The Liberty Trivium Club Scholarship for $400 goes to Avery Bendele
- FLNB Junior Board of Directors Scholarship for $250 is awarded to Carter Haidusek
- The Susan Sunshine Scholarship for $250 is awarded to Keaton Parker
- CMSA Reggie White Scholarship of $500 each is awarded to Emily Connelly and J.J. Slack
- Texas State University scholarship of $2,500 to Avery Bendele
- Christian Service Scholarship of $3,000, Christian Leader Scholarship of $3,000 and the Presidential Scholarship through Dallas Baptist University for $12,000 is awarded to Alexandria Smith
- University of Texas, University Leadership Network Scholarship for $20,000 to Francisco Pacheco
- Southwestern Award for $22,000 and The Rockwell Scholarship for $3,970 to J.J. Slack, who has been accepted to Southwestern University
- Evangel University’s Alumni Scholarship of $1,000 to Emily Connelly, who also received the Fine Arts Scholarship of $2,000 and the Merit Scholarship for $40,000
- ETBU Christian Leadership Scholarship of $16,000 and the ETBU Honor Scholarship of $40,000 to Jessica Williamson
- Stanford Fund Scholarship of $66,438 to TaNia Donatto
- Nancy Johnson Evans Humanitarian Award of $1,000 to Luke Evans
- Mr. and Miss LHS – Keaton Parker and TaNia Donatto
Hayden Groover is congratulated by Liberty High School Choir Director Christie Bean for being the first student in school history to be selected during all four years of high school to the All-State Choir. 
Keaton Parker and TaNia Donatto, graduating seniors at Liberty High School, received the American Legion Post 512 School Award. 
Kelly Stretcher (right), president of First Liberty National Bank, presented the Liberty Rotary Club scholarships and the South Liberty County Trust Scholarships. 
The Top 10 percent of Liberty High School graduates is pictured left to right in ranking order: Valedictorian Alexandria Smith, Salutatorian TaNia Donatto, Carter Haidusek, Emily Connelly, Jessica Williamson, Francisco Pacheco, Keaton Parker, Riley Mayo, Laura Moorman, Katelyn Mealer, Luke Evans, Morgan Crump, Reagan Russell and Madelyn Motschman. 
Liberty High School Choir Director Christie Bean leads the choir in “The Lord Bless You and Keep You” during senior awards night on May 16 in the high school cafeteria.