The Ravenscroft Upper School community gathered on Thursday, May 22, in Warner Arena for the annual Honors Convocation, a celebration recognizing Upper School students for their exceptional academic performance, leadership, and contributions to the school community.

The afternoon opened with a musical prelude by Maria Liu ’28. Following a welcome by Head of Upper School Aaron Sundstrom, Head of School Derrick Willard announced one of the most anticipated recognitions of the day: the Valedictorian of the Class of 2025.

This year’s honor went to Yuhang (Henry) Zhang ’25, whose academic excellence across his four years at Ravenscroft earned him the highest cumulative GPA in the senior class. Henry’s deep intellectual curiosity, paired with a humble and generous spirit, has made him a standout in and beyond the classroom.

That distinction was reinforced later in the program when Henry was awarded the school’s highest character honor, the Clarke Worthington III Outstanding Character Award. Created in memory of the Upper School’s first academic dean, the award is presented to the senior “whose character, integrity and treatment of other people best provides leadership by example,” celebrating those who embody the values of kindness, respect and unwavering integrity in every facet of their lives.

In presenting the award, Henry’s senior advisor, Karen Tinnesz, shared a glimpse into the impact he’s had across campus. “His kindness and humility are unmatched, and in advisory, he cheerfully participated in everything—solving Wordles, playing games, helping classmates, or showing me the latest graph he created in Desmos. In his senior year alone, he served on student government, led science demonstrations, repaired and used the school telescopes for stargazing events, mentored Lower School students, performed in musical ensembles, contributed to the yearbook, and led the board games club.”

Tinnesz also shared the words of a faculty member who taught Henry in multiple classes: “It’s impossible to overstate Henry’s impact on Ravenscroft, even setting aside his academic prowess. He models every positive attribute of character I can think of—integrity, kindness, resilience, good cheer, curiosity, perseverance. I’ve never seen a student embrace every aspect of the school experience the way he has.”

In addition to these top honors, Henry also received the Senior Scholar Award, which is given to one student per grade who is considered to be the most scholarly student. He was joined by:

• Carleigh Cates ’28
• Bella Weeks ’27
• Ellene Warner ’26
• Henry Zhang ’25

The Outstanding Student Awards, which honor two students in each grade who have maintained a high scholastic average and been actively involved in school activities, were awarded to: 

• Arianna Laughinghouse ’28 and Kinsley Earwood ’28
• Max Rein ’27 and Rainy Ye ’27
• Cashier Brooks ’26 and Grace Garney ’26
• Ethan Silverman ’25 and Elijah Smith ’25

Many other Upper School Ravens received well-deserved awards and distinctions at Honors Convocation. Read the full list of awards and honorees in the assembly program. View and download photos in our Flickr gallery. Congratulations to all!