BELLAIRE — St. John Central Academy Class of 2021 included seven seniors who graduated May 22 at the school gymnasium in Bellaire.

Graduates included Jeffrey Alan Bradac Jr., Kyla Jo Kull, Andrew Spencer Mendyka, Donielle Renee Ruza, Elizabeth Grace Schnegg, Abigail Marya Scott and Danniele Faith Yaegel.

The valedictorian is Elizabeth Schnegg. She will be attending Marietta College and will major in biology. She has aspirations of working for the FBI. Her parents are Brandee and David Schnegg, and her brother, Eric, will be a senior at the academy during the 2021-22 school year. They reside in Clarington.

Schnegg is a member of the National Honor Society, the National Honor Society of High School Scholars, and received the Congress of Future Medical Leaders Award of Excellence. She was elected as the 2021 St. John Central Academy prom queen.

She had been a member of the science club and High Adventure Club at St. John Central for four years. She was the 2019 Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership representative for St. John Central.

She has been on the principal’s list all four years and has taken honors classes since her sophomore year. Her academic achievement awards include: Catholicism 9, Spanish I, Algebra I, English 9, Religion 10, Spanish II, American History, and received the Top of the Class Award. In addition, she was the grand prize winner of the St. John Central Science Fair. She has been named to the OVAC All-Conference Academic Team for three years. She is a four-year letter winner as the varsity volleyball libero.

Schnegg is also a three-year-letter winner for bowling. As a freshman, she earned the Most Valuable Player on the varsity volleyball team. She was selected to the District 12 Volleyball Coaches Association Honorable Mention Team her freshman, sophomore, and junior years. As a senior, she received Second Team Honors and was chosen for the District 12 Volleyball All-Star Game. She was also named to the OVAC All Conference Volleyball First Team.

In addition, she was named to the All-Times Leader Volleyball Team her junior and senior years. Schnegg was also named to the All-East Ohio Bowling League Special Mention Team. She has been awarded the OVAC Clare Kapral Memorial Track Scholarship, the Edgar A. Burrows Good Citizenship Scholarship, and the Edgar A. Burrows Scholarship. In addition, she has been awarded a scholarship from the Knights of Columbus Council 5009.

Schnegg has been awarded the 1835 Founders Scholarship to attend Marietta College in the fall. She is a member of St. Sylvester Church, where she was an altar server for nine years.

The salutatorians are Kyla Kull and Abigail Scott.

Kull will be attending Bethany College and will major in pre-med. She wants to be a physical therapist. Her parents are Christine and Eric Kull. She resides in Yorkville.

Kull is amember of the National Honor Society. She has received various academic awards throughout her high school career, including Outstanding Chemistry Student Award and OVAC All-Conference Academic Award.

She played volleyball, was captain of the team her senior year, and lettered all four years. She played and lettered her junior year in basketball. Kull played softball and lettered her freshman, sophomore and senior years making OVAC and district teams.

Kull has been active in the High Adventure Club, science club, and sat on student council as the vice president. She enjoys her summers by playing travel softball the last five years for Extreme Powers and also going on rides with her friends.

Scott will be attending Marietta College and will major in political science and broadcast journalism. She wants to be a traveling journalist. Hermother is Kristina Scott, and her brother, Cody, will be a junior at the academy during the 2021-22 school year. She resides in Dillonvale.

Scott has attended St. John all four years of high school. She is a member of St. Adalbert’s Church in Dillonvale. She is a member of the Lady Irish varsity and junior varsity volleyball team, varsity bowling team, National Honor Society and student council president.

Scott has been on the principal’s list with honors and the principal’s list since her freshman year, has received an academic letter, taken honors classes since her sophomore year, and kept a 4.0 GPA all four years of high school. Abby has also received All-Conference Academic team her freshman and sophomore years and received special mention for the 2020-21 bowling season.

She has participated in the Cantata freshman, sophomore, and junior years, follies freshman, sophomore and senior years, and also taken part in St. Adalbert’s Christmas Program.

She has been a dancer at Studio MC for five years and Toni Zeakes for eight years. She was also the 2020-21 homecoming queen.

The commencement speaker was Principal Vince Gianangeli. He is a 1979 graduate of St. John Central and has been in public service for 37 years. What he likes most about these seniors is how they are like a close family, and he refers to them as small but mighty.