On To New Frontiers: Saluting the Class of 2025's top students

Graduation marks the end of the first frontier of life. From pre-kindergarten to high school, family and friends have helped the senior Class of 2025 embrace their victories, disappointments, goals and life lessons, steering from one to the next frontier.

For the Class of 2025, the new frontier is packed with opportunities, with several students already discerning religious vocations and pursuing science and technology careers. With their challenges and discoveries, these frontiers have no boundaries and change their lives, mold their futures and increase their faith, all preparing them for life on their terms in the light of the Gospel.

The Texas Catholic Herald salutes the accomplishments of the top students of the Archdiocesan graduating Class of 2025.

Cristo Rey Jesuit College Preparatory School

An Outstanding student from Cristo Rey Jesuit (CRJ) College Preparatory School’s 2025 graduating class is Khiem Nguyen. He will attend the University of St. Thomas in Houston in the fall, where he plans to pursue a degree in nursing.

At Cristo Rey, Nguyen participated in the Corporate Work-Study Program, which introduced him to healthcare while working at the MD Anderson Cancer Center.
He also participated in football, student orientation and the Boys and Girls Club. He was also an altar server, in Boys Scouts and the Vietnamese Scouts.

Another Outstanding student from Cristo Rey’s 2025 graduating class is Michell Lopez. She received a full scholarship to Grinnell College in Grinnell, Iowa, where she will double major in computer science and biology, focusing on advanced medical research and the progression of patient care.

At Cristo Rey, Lopez participated in the Corporate Work-Study Program, which introduced her to the rapid immersion of technology in medicine. She served as treasurer/secretary of the Wood Club project, student ambassador, and member of the Keystone Club and National Honor Society. She also played basketball and softball.

In the community, she volunteered at organizations such as Bread of Life, Hermann Park Conservancy and the Houston Food Bank. A particularly impactful experience was a junior year spring break mission trip to Eagle Pass, Texas, where she helped rebuild housing for migrants and assisted at the migrant center.

Duchesne Academy of the Sacred Heart

Addison Welo is the Duchesne Academy of the Sacred Heart Class of 2025 Valedictorian. This fall, she will attend the University of Texas at Austin and study accounting at the McCombs School of Business. Her goal is to complete the integrated five-year Master in Professional Accounting program, and then sit for the CPA exam and apply for licensure immediately after graduation.

Over the past nine years at Duchesne Academy, Welo has developed both leadership and service-oriented skills. She served as a school ambassador, was a member and captain of the Duchesne Charger Girls varsity dance team, and was inducted into the National Honor Society. Welo also volunteered as a teacher’s assistant at the Tuttle School and on-campus through Duchesne’s Global and Social Awareness program.

Cecilia Pritchett is the Duchesne Academy of the Sacred Heart Class of 2025 Salutatorian. She will attend Texas A&M University in College Station, where she plans to study engineering in the honors program. After earning her undergraduate degree, she hopes to pursue graduate studies in aerospace engineering and ultimately work for NASA in the space program.

Throughout high school, Pritchett volunteered at a local elementary school as part of Duchesne’s Global and Social Awareness program. This past year, she ran the volunteer tutoring program at Duchesne, helping students with their coursework. In addition to service, Pritchett was engaged in several organizations, including the debate team, where she competed in public forum events and ran the team as co-president this past year, the varsity swim team, and the National Honor Society, in which she served as vice president.

Frassati Catholic High School

The Frassati Catholic High School Class of 2025 Valedictorian Breelyn Miller will be attending Texas A&M University at College Station in the fall.
She was a CLT10 Regional Scholar, an AP Scholar with Honors and a National Merit Commended Student, earning also recognition on the Principal’s List and Honor Roll.

At Frassati, she was the president of the National Honor Society and has participated in and served in leadership roles in three different sports: cross country, soccer and track, for which she has earned many awards, including the Falcon Award and all-district honors. Miller also serves as a student ambassador, a peer tutor and has volunteered many hours for local charities and at her parish.

The Frassati Catholic High School Class of 2025 Salutatorian Amelia Payan is an AP Scholar with Honors, a National Merit Commended Student and also earned recognition on the Principal’s List and Honor Roll.

She has been an integral part of the school’s theater productions as a stage manager and was a leader on the cheer team as well as a four-year band member. Additionally, she was a member of the National Honor Society and Spanish National Honor Society and a student ambassador. Payan will be attending the University of Texas at Austin in the fall.

Incarnate Word Academy

The Incarnate Word Academy Class of 2025 Valedictorian Ruby Ramirez will be attending Trinity University in San Antonio and majoring in engineering and possibly minoring in astronomy with hopes of having a career in aerospace engineering.

Throughout her high school career, Ramirez has been active in her community through the hours she spent in service. She volunteered at Vacation Bible School for two summers, and she has served with the Stitching Angels group, crocheting baby blankets for young, single mothers in need of support.

At the beginning of her senior year, one of her friends and she co-founded the school’s chess club. Other organizations she’s participated in include clubs and sports like golf, book club, origami club and crochet club.

The Incarnate Word Academy Class of 2025 Salutatorian Erin Baumeister will attend Rice University and major in biochemistry with hopes of pursuing a career in medical research.
Baumeister served her community at DECATS and also volunteered as a grad assistant every summer in high school to help run the camp, support mentors in the courses and help young students explore new interests. She plans on working as a junior mentor this year and have an even more involved role in teaching courses.

Baumeister also participated in the National Charity League throughout high school, volunteering with a variety of philanthropy organizations, planning and running charity events, and participating in grade-level and chapter-wide meetings.

Baumeister was co-president of the Stitching Sisters crochet club for 2 years, co-president of the STEM+ club for 1 year, a member of the Environmental Club, a Falcon Ambassador for 3 years, captain of the tennis team for 2 years (and went to the state tournament three times), and a member of National Honor Society, Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica and Mu Alpha Theta. She also earned the National Merit Finalist and AP Scholar with Distinction awards.

O’Connell College Preparatory School

The O’Connell College Preparatory School Class of 2025 Valedictorian Juan Manuel Lance Callis will attend Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois, and study mechanical engineering, then aerospace engineering.

Callis has served his local community by serving at parish food banks and fish frys while also participating in beach clean-ups. At school, Callis has volunteered more than 100 hours for the music program, also raising more than $1,000 to benefit that program. He has also been involved in the National Honor Society, Student Council, student ambassador, and the NASA High School of Aerospace Scholars.

The O’Connell College Preparatory School Class of 2025 Salutatorian Pamela Cabada will attend the University of Houston this fall, pursuing a public health major with a minor in biology. She hopes to attend medical school and become a physician.

Cabada has worked at several food drives for the past several years. He volunteered more than 100 hours, raising $1,400 for the M.I. Lewis Social Service Center in Dickinson, where she interned for most of her senior year.

In school, Cabada was part of the varsity volleyball team for four years and served as captain for the last two, ran on the cross-country team, and was a manager for the school’s basketball team. As a member of the National Honor Society, she served as secretary and then vice-president. She was a member of the Student Council, also serving as class president during her junior and senior years. She was also a student ambassador since her freshman year.

St. Agnes Academy

Anika Harpavat is the St. Agnes Academy Class of 2025 Valedictorian. She will attend Stanford University in California in the fall to study biology and economics.

In school, Harpavat was involved in AP Mandarin, researched biosensors as a Welch Summer Scholar at the University of Texas at Austin and contributed to carbon-negative biotechnology during an internship at Solugen in Houston. She also served as student body president.

Alyssa Wang is the St. Agnes Academy Class of 2025 Salutatorian. She will attend Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, next fall to major in biochemistry.

At St. Agnes, she earned recognition as a National Merit Finalist and established the Biology Olympiad Club. Wang also pursued research as Welch Summer Scholars at the University of Texas in Arlington, the University of Houston and Baylor College of Medicine, presenting her research findings at international conferences.

In the community, Wang volunteered with Out Loud Dance, an organization that provides an inclusive environment for students with and without disabilities to create, collaborate and share through dance.

St. John XXIII College Preparatory

Roser Ginebra Saavedra is the St. John XXIII College Preparatory Class of 2025 Valedictorian. She will attend the University of Texas at Austin, where she plans to pursue neuroscience.

During her time at the school, Saavedra played volleyball for two years and was an active member of several clubs, including Key Club and the Spanish Club. Outside of school, she played club volleyball for four years and tutored math during the school year. 

Saavedra’s academic achievements include being recognized as an AP Scholar, a recipient of the National Hispanic Recognition Program award in her junior year, and a member of both the Science National Honor Society and the National Honor Society during her senior year. She was also a member of the Spanish Honor Society in her sophomore and junior years. 

Outside of school, she volunteered at the Brookwood Community, the Westview School, Vacation Bible School and the Houston Food Bank.

Anastasia Dementyev is the St. John XXIII College Preparatory Class of 2025 Salutatorian. She will attend Hillsdale College in Michigan on a full-tuition scholarship, majoring in chemistry with possible plans for a music minor, then pursue graduate studies in neuroscience. 

During her time at the school, Dementyev served as Key Club secretary and senior representative for Loreto House, a position she also held during her freshman and junior years. 

Dementyev was a member of the National Honor Society, as well as the Science Bowl and Quiz Bowl teams. She also showcased her talents in the school play during the spring semester. She was also a member of the varsity swim team for all four years, qualifying for the TAPPS State Meet each year. She earned recognition as a Commended National Merit Scholar, an AP Scholar with Distinction, and was a CLT10 National Award recipient. She was also honored as a U.S. Presidential Scholar candidate. 

In the community, Dementyev sings with the choir at St. Theresa Catholic Church in Memorial Park. She has served for two years as a core team leader for St. Theresa’s youth group, where she leads weekly faith formation sessions. 

St. Pius X High School

The St. Pius X High School Class of 2025 Valedictorian Vincent Avery Burns will attend Rice University in the fall to major in biosciences, studying biophysics, cell biology, and chemical and biomolecular engineering. He is also interested in studying epigenetics and the aging process. He hopes to continue his education at Johns Hopkins University and complete an MD/PhD program there to research the effect of quantum mechanics on chromosomal dynamics and gene mutations.

In the community, he and his family are involved in the Alport Syndrome Foundation (ASF), a nonprofit supporting those with a rare kidney disease. Last year, Burns helped scan some 300 mice kidneys for research and attended the organization’s national conference in Denver in support of his brother, who received a kidney transplant. His brother’s experience inspired him to create a website, Kidney Kid, to share their family’s journey.

In school, he was a member of the Book Club, Panther Peer Tutoring and National Honor Society.

The St. Pius X High School Class of 2025 Salutatorian Kathryn Kirby Gray will attend Texas A&M University in College Station in the fall to study nutrition on a pre-dental track with hopes of becoming an orthodontist.

Gray was involved in her church’s youth group and served as a small group leader on many retreats. She went on mission trips and was a part of a national charity league.

In school, she was involved in Student Council for all four years and was student body president her senior year. She was in the National Honor Society and a student ambassador. She also played volleyball as a freshman and sophomore and softball as a freshman and junior.

St. Thomas High School

Evan Wisnoski is the Valedictorian of the St. Thomas High School Class of 2025. This fall, Wisnoski will attend the University of Texas at Austin to study biomedical engineering, hoping to attend medical school and pursue a career in orthopedic medicine.

In the community, Wisnoski volunteered with the Star of Hope Men’s Development Center, Bread of Life, Challenger Baseball, and his home parish, St. Ambrose, where he was a lead altar server, earning recognition at the annual Bishop Sheltz Altar Server Mass.

At St. Thomas, he served as National Honor Society president, a four-year Student Council member, a Mu Alpha Theta tutor, a yearbook editor and a Senior Leader. He was also a three-year varsity letterman in baseball and earned First Team All-State honors. Wisnoski’s commitment to service also included roles in Round Up, campus maintenance and school events.

Mathew John Michael is the Salutatorian of the St. Thomas High School Class of 2025. This fall, Michael will attend Texas A&M University in College Station to study nutrition, hoping to pursue a career in healthcare.

An Eagle Scout, Michael organized and led over 150 hours of environmental restoration with the Galveston Bay Foundation, removing invasive species to support native ecosystems. He also volunteered extensively with HCA Houston hospitals, assisting in emergency and trauma departments.

At St. Thomas, Michael served as student body president, senior leader, an Eagle ambassador and altar server with campus ministry. He was Eagles for Life president, founded the Hispanic Culture Club, played on the rugby team, and served as Environmental Club secretary and Green Terra Project member.

Strake Jesuit College Preparatory

Henry Omanga is the Valedictorian for the Strake Jesuit College Preparatory Class of 2025. He will be attending the University of Notre Dame in Indiana to study philosophy.

At Strake Jesuit, Omanga was a two-year starter and team captain for the football team, a three-year letterman track athlete, the first-ever student leader for the school’s freshman retreat, and vice president of the Veterans Appreciation Club.

In the community, Omanga volunteered at a summer camp, fostering faith and leadership for middle school boys; served as an after-school mentor for middle school boys; and was a teachers’ assistant at Strake Jesuit’s summer enrichment program for middle schoolers from underserved communities.

Matthew Mejia is the Salutatorian for the Strake Jesuit College Preparatory Class of 2025. He will attend the University of Notre Dame, majoring in applied and computational mathematics and statistics with a planned supplementary major in medieval studies.

At Strake Jesuit, he helped found an elementary school math tutoring club. He was a four-year member of the orchestra — a first violin his last two years, a Crusader Crew member, Ciszek leader, Bellarmine House captain and Key Club president. Mejia also served the school community through his faith by leading freshman and Kairos retreats and by altar serving Strake Jesuit’s school-wide Masses.

Outside of school, he served St. Dominic Village, playing music to the nursing home’s residents. He was also a competitive foil fencer, having won three national championship medals.

After college, Mejia aspires to enter the seminary and follow his vocation to the priesthood in the hopes of serving God and His people through the Sacraments.