Pahrump Valley High School seniors were recognized Wednesday, May 27 during the school’s annual Senior Awards Night and Scholarship Ceremony, as students, families, staff members and community supporters gathered to celebrate the accomplishments of the Class of 2026.
Throughout the evening, local organizations, businesses, clubs and scholarship donors honored graduating seniors for their academic achievements, leadership, athletic accomplishments, community involvement and future educational plans. The ceremony highlighted not only the hard work of the students themselves, but also the continued support of the Pahrump community, which annually contributes thousands of dollars in scholarships and opportunities for local graduates.
Among the evening’s top academic honors, Timothy Stutzman was named Valedictorian for the Class of 2026, while Naomi Schott earned the distinction of Salutatorian.
Several special athletic recognitions were also presented during the ceremony. Double M awarded Scholar Athlete honors to Tayela Brown and Josh Slusher, recognizing their success both in the classroom and in athletics. The Wulfenstein Family Outstanding Athlete Awards were presented to Benjamin De Santiago as the Outstanding Male Athlete and Jules Ondrisko as the Outstanding Female Athlete following standout athletic careers at PVHS.
One of the evening’s largest scholarship presentations came from AngloGold Ashanti, represented by Daisy Partey and Enrrique Valencia. The organization awarded scholarships to Aydon Veloz, Tayela Brown, McKenna Cunningham and Kayne Horibe.
Representatives from the Pahrump Masonic Lodge presented scholarships to Justess Maxwell, Kylee Siegmund and Savannah Thompson.
Valley Electric Association, represented by Amy Carlson, recognized several students with scholarships, including McKenna Cunningham, Aydon Veloz, Tayela Brown, Marayah Waller, Benjamin De Santiago, Kylee Siegmund and Emalee York-Bolling.
The Death Valley 49ers scholarship, presented by Joe McDonald, was awarded to Elizabeth Fuller.
Mr. Abbiss presented the Geraldine Scholarship to Andrea Piñon and the Kiwanis Scholarship to Andrea Piñon, Stefani Jimenez-Montoya and Tiffani Sartin.
Floyd Elementary School representatives Mrs. Hargis and the Student Council presented scholarships to Emalee York-Bolling and Zion Sutton.
Desert View Hospital, represented by Ryan Muccio, awarded scholarships to Timothy Stutzman, Benjamin De Santiago, Aydon Veloz, Emalee York-Bolling and Stefani Jimenez-Montoya.
The Kinthiseng Family scholarship, presented by Megan Kinthiseng, recognized Aydon Veloz, Lucy Smith, Marayah Waller and Kylee Siegmund.
CJ Byrom and Dore Foskey presented the Pahrump’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. scholarships to Kylee Siegmund, Lucy Smith, Tayela Brown, Marayah Waller, Timothy Stutzman, McKenna Cunningham, Aydon Veloz, Charity Broderick and Savannah Thompson.
The Pahrump Jr. Trojans Soccer scholarship, presented by Amy Carlson, recognized Kohlzin Park, Cayden Cowley, Staisha Perry, Benjamin De Santiago, Aubrey Williams and Natalia Vallin.
The Rotary Club of Pahrump Valley, represented by Barbara Thompson and Deborah Beatty, awarded scholarships to Kayne Horibe, McKenna Cunningham, Emalee York-Bolling, Kylee Siegmund, Aydon Veloz, Aubrey Williams, Charity Broderick and Tayela Brown.
Cindy Colucci, Terri Wulfenstein and Judy Maughan presented a scholarship for former Miss Pahrump participants. McKenna Cunningham, Tayela Brown and Lucy Smith were the recipients.
Great Basin College scholarships and recognitions were also presented. Delaney Abbatte received the Ward Dixon Scholarship, Noah Flores received the Margaret and Richard McBeth Scholarship, and Heaven Martin, Annabella Ondrisko and Matthew Vergara each received GBC Access Scholarships. Naomi Schott received the Anonymous Scholarship.
Additional scholarships and post-secondary opportunities listed during the ceremony included the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers scholarship, Teamsters scholarship opportunities, Promise scholarships, Western Undergraduate Exchange awards and university-specific scholarships.
In addition to scholarships and awards, many seniors also received graduation cords and honors stoles during the ceremony in recognition of their academic achievement, extracurricular involvement, leadership, community service and participation in various programs and organizations throughout their high school careers. The presentation of cords and stoles added another meaningful moment to the evening as students prepared for graduation later in the week.
The evening served as both a celebration and a sendoff for the graduating class as seniors prepared to take the next step into college, trade programs, athletics, military service and future careers. As scholarship recipients crossed the stage throughout the ceremony, the continued investment from local organizations and families highlighted the strong support system surrounding students in the Pahrump community.
With academic honors, athletic recognitions and scholarship opportunities awarded across a wide range of disciplines and interests, the night reflected the accomplishments and potential of the PVHS Class of 2026. The seniors will officially close out their high school careers during Pahrump Valley High School’s graduation ceremony scheduled for Friday, May 29.
*These photos and more are available for free at pvcnphotos.com.
