Franklin Towne Charter High School was scheduled to graduate Tuesday night at Temple’s Liacouras Center.
“We are proud of our graduating students and grateful to the hundreds of families who entrust us with providing more than 1,300 children per year the highest quality high school experience possible,” said CEO Brianna O’Donnell. “During its 25 years of serving Philadelphia’s families Franklin Towne Charter High School has educated students from every ZIP code in the city. As we look forward to welcoming in students for the 2024-2025 school year, there is no question, Franklin Towne Charter High School is here to stay, and will continue to live up to Niche.com’s accolade as one Philadelphia’s most diverse high schools for many decades to come.”
In all, there were 305 graduates.
The commencement speaker was Ryan Manion, CEO of the Travis Manion Foundation, host of the Resilient Life Podcast and author of Knock at the Door.
The valedictorian was Patricia Palanik, who will attend Princeton. The salutatorian was Savannah Goral, who will attend Holy Family.
The following awards were presented: Sgt. Christopher Fitzgerald Scholarship (Gabrielle Torres, Temple); Joseph L. Bianchino Jr. Scholarship (Ryan Sullivan, trade apprenticeship program); Mentor Award (Daniel Nogowski, Widener); Towne Student Award (Brandon Leaks, Penn State); Towne Service Award (Emma Dahl, Elizabethtown); Phoenix Award (Joseph Hill, U.S. Army); Math Award (Patricia Palanik, Princeton); Science Award (Felisha Nguyen, Arcadia); History Award (Meiara Staton, Maryland Eastern Shore); English Award (Gabrielle Torres, Temple); Foreign Language Award (Abigail Pennisi, Kutztown); Art Award (Hunter Stewart, tattoo apprenticeship program); Cosmetology Award (Lydia Taylor, Jean Madeline Aveda Institute); Videography Award (Dariel Gutierrez, Community College of Philadelphia); Woodshop Award (Pedro Lopez, U.S. Navy); Culinary Award (Meiara Staton, Maryland Eastern Shore); Music Award (Jermaine Carter, Southern California); Fashion Design Award (Hailey Ritsky, Widener); Scholar-Athletes of the Year (Samuel Garcia-Barrios, Villanova, and Emma Dahl, Elizabethtown); Athletes of the Year (Braedyn Clinton, Widener, and Meiara Staton, Maryland Eastern Shore); Warrior Award (Brandon Leaks, Penn State). ••
