GRIFFITH, IN —The school’s top 10 academic seniors were honored during an awards dinner April 30 at Little Italy in Dyer.

The annual event recognizes the graduating seniors with the highest academic rankings. Each student invites a teacher mentor or someone they look up to attend the dinner with them. Seniors also received framed certificates recognizing their accomplishments and class rank.

This year’s top 10 seniors, in order, were valedictorian Enas Issa, salutatorian Emma Kidd, Morgan Von Ogden, Ja’nessa Wheatley, Nadia Escobedo, Navada Smothermon, Nathan Visak, Jeremiah Fuentes, Nicholas Grahovac and Ivy Bannister.

Issa invited physics and chemistry teacher Jane Kohanyi-Villaroman, known to students as Mrs. KV, as her guest.

“I invited Mrs. KV because she was my chemistry and physics teacher, and since I’m going into STEM, I felt like they go together,” Issa said.

In previous years, the event was held at Jedi’s Garden in Griffith. This year, organizers moved the dinner to Little Italy after receiving additional funding from the Griffith Public Schools Educational Foundation.

“Due to the increase in funding, we were able to afford a more elegant venue,” organizer Cynthia Leber said.