THE MARIPOSA COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF 2010 VALEDICTORIANS ARE PICTURED, FRONT ROW, FROM LEFT, JAMES REICHHOLD, COLIN RITTER, JULIE WURZBACH AND RAYANNE OSBURN; AND BACK ROW, FROM LEFT, KAILEY GRANDIN, BRIDGET HANNA AND AMBER LUNDIN-HARTGRAVES. GAZETTE PHOTO BY JILL BALLINGER For the first time, Mariposa County High School’s graduating class has more than one valedictorian. In fact, there are seven this year. New guidelines that apply for the first time made it possible for all students who met a stringent academic criteria to have the honor.

“We are privileged to have such an amazing group of valedictorians representing MCHS,” said Principal Celeste Azevedo. “They are an eclectic group with vast interests, career goals and plans, but they are all dedicated, hardworking and passionate Grizzlies that will be successful in their future endeavors and continue to make Mariposa proud.”

This year’s valedictorians are James Reichhold, Colin Ritter, Julie Wurzbach, Rayanne Osburn, Kailey Grandin, Bridget Hanna and Amber Lundin-Hartgraves. Each has a weighted grade point average of 4.0 or higher and has completed four years of science, three of those as lab sciences; four years of math, with a minimum completion of pre-calculus, three years of the same foreign language, successful completion of two advanced placement courses and no study halls, teachers’ assistant or office assistant classes.

This year the school will be honoring the valedictorians, their parents and influential teachers/mentors of the students’ choosing at the first annual valedictorian dinner at Savoury’s on June 1. The dinner will be a special thank you and acknowledgement of the many contributions, sacrifices and commitments the valedictorians, their parents and their teachers have made.

Azevedo said Savoury’s is providing the venue for the night’s activities. Anyone who would like to help sponsor the dinner or donate items toward gift baskets can contact MCHS at 742-0260. “All donations are appreciated and will help send our valedictorians on to the next stage of their lives,” Azevedo said.

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