Students in the Badin High School Class of 2023 received offers of nearly $23 million in academic scholarship dollars for college. They were recognized during the school’s 16th annual Academic Signing Day on Wednesday, May 17.

“Even as the landscape around college admissions has changed and the process to earn academic-based scholarships has become more difficult,” Badin Principal Patrick Keating said, “Badin students continue to earn scholarships to offset the cost of college. These students have worked incredibly hard at Badin and these scholarships are a great reward for that hard work.”

A total of 43 students in the graduating class of 135 members eclipsed the $250,000 mark, and numerous others earned academic scholarship offers, bringing the total offer to some $22.8 million.

“We understand that students are not using all of these academic scholarships,” Keating added. “At the same time, every bit counts when it comes to paying for college. We appreciate the fact that a Badin education has helped our students earn many scholarships in 2023.”

Badin’s Class of 2023, the school’s 57th graduating class, will walk on Friday, May 26, during graduation exercises at St. John the Evangelist Church in West Chester. That will be preceded by Baccalaureate Mass on Wednesday, May 24, at St. Julie Billiart Church in Hamilton.

Four students are tied for No. 1 in the class. They will share valedictorian honors at graduation – Emma Brecht, who will attend the University of Alabama and major in Pre-Med; J.J. Even, who will attend Indiana University and major in Neuroscience; Mary Giffen, who will attend Saint Louis University and major in Biology; and Jimmy Zettler, who will attend the University of Alabama and major in Mechanical Engineering.

Other members of the Elite Eight, and their college of choice, include: Anthony Abata (Miami University), Sydney Boomer (Northern Kentucky University), Megan Kirkendall (University of Dayton) and Janie Pierce (University of Kentucky).

Giffen and Zettler are National Merit Scholarship Finalists while Even is a National Merit Commended Student.

Two students – Ainsley Brandabur (Ohio University) and Drew Karwisch (Miami University) – received more than $1 million in academic scholarship offers.

The 43 students who are members of the $250,000 Club will be attending 22 schools in nine states:

Ohio (10) – Bowling Green State University, Marietta College, Miami University, Mount St. Joseph University, Ohio University, University of Cincinnati, University of Dayton, University of Findlay, Wright State University, Xavier University

Indiana (4) -- Ball State University, Indiana University, Marian University, University of St. Francis
Kentucky (2) – Northern Kentucky University, University of Kentucky
Alabama (1) – University of Alabama
Florida (1) – Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Illinois (1) – Olivet Nazarene University
Missouri (1) – Saint Louis University
North Carolina (1) – Elon University
Tennessee (1) – University of Tennessee

One member of the class – Jaiden Polly – has joined the United States Army and will report to Fort Sill, Oklahoma, in June. Two others have accepted full ROTC (Reserve Officer Training Corps) scholarships from the U.S. Air Force – Ty Berkely (Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University) and Ethan Gibson (Miami University).