The Emmaus Woman’s Club recently announced its annual Girl of the Month awards.

Honorees are selected from outstanding Emmaus High School seniors. Recognitions are given for the eight months from September 2020 through April.

Accomplishments in art, business/computer applications, drama, family/consumer science, journalism, music, mathematics and science are recognized by the annual honors.

The Woman’s Club of Emmaus has presented the Girl of the Month awards since 1953.

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the annual celebration was held at the March meeting of the club in observance of National Women’s History Month. Awardees will be honored in June this year.

The 2020-2021 academic year honorees include:

Rachel Knappenberger, of Macungie, selected by the EHS music department for September 2020.

Knappenberger is a member of the EHS choirs Chorale, Acca Bella, Select, Belle Voce and Concert and serves as president of Acca Bella and secretary of Chorale. A participant in the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association’s festivals at the District, Regional and State levels, Knappenberger has earned first, second and third place honors in various categories.

Knappenberger also is the historian for the EHS Theater Department.

Knappenberger plans to study vocal performance in college and pursue a career in classical music, especially opera. Among her goals is to achieve a doctorate in music and teach voice at the college level.

Kristen Heilenman, of Emmaus, selected by the EHS journalism department for October 2020.

Heilenman is editor-in-chief of The Stinger, the student newspaper at EHS, rising through the ranks from an assistant news editor to head news editor. Her writing has received several state and national awards including a superior in the commentary writing category and an honorable mention in the current events/editing/headline writing category at the National School Press Association Conference Competition. Heilenman also earned first place in Pennsylvania for columns/blogs at the Pennsylvania Press Club/ NFPW competition, an honorable mention in columns/blogs at the National NFPW Competition and earned second place in caption writing at the Pennsylvania School Press Association Regional Competition.

Heilenman also is a member of the tennis and track teams at EHS, participates in Math League and the school orchestra.

Heilenman plans to attend Wake Forest University.

Lindsay Ott, of Wescosville, selected by the EHS art department for November 2020.

Ott’s talents in drawing and painting earned her recognition in the Scholastic Art and Writing Competition including a national medal, two Gold Keys, two Silver Keys and two honorable mentions in 2020 and two Gold Keys, an American Visions Award nomination, one Silver Key and two honorable mentions this year. Ott also earned a second place award in the 2020 Hope and Healing juried art show.

Ott’s club activities at EHS include Mud Club, Interact Club, Hornet Ambassadors, Chorale and Select Choir.

Ott plans to study art education at Kutztown University.

Nesiah Bertram, of Wescosville, selected by the EHS family/consumer science department for December 2020.

Bertram, captain of the EHS lacrosse team, was recognized as rookie of the year as a freshman and defensive player of the year as a sophomore.

Betram is involved in EHS organizations assisting other students, participating in EHS’s Peers Assisting Learning Support, Hornet Ambassadors and Freshman Mentors groups. Her academic awards include EHS’s Excellence in Literature award as a sophomore and Excellence in Personal Finance award as a junior.

Bertram plans to attend York College of Pennsylvania to major in nuclear medicine technology or business administration.

Sara Garces Ruiz, of Emmaus, selected by the EHS the business/computer applications department for January.

Ruiz holds an award for Excellence in Early U.S. History and the Principal’s Academic Excellence Award at EHS.

Ruiz also was recognized as Student of the Month in the English as a Second Language Department in September 2018.

Ruiz is a member of National Honor Society and Spanish Honor Society at EHS.

After graduation from EHS, Ruiz will pursue an associate degree from Lehigh County Community College followed by a college program in either psychology, international business or immigration. Ruiz plans to travel to explore different cultures and ideas.

Megan Hammer, of Lower Macungie Township, selected by the EHS drama department for February.

Hammer is the secretary of the EHS Theater Department and has appeared on stage as well as worked behind the scenes as part of the run crew.

Hammer also was involved in the EHS online 2020 fall show “Spotlight On” and “Life 2021,” a year-long comedy series produced by the EHS Drama Department.

Hammer also studies voice and performs with the EHS choral groups Chorale and Acca Bella.

Hammer plans to attend college to study neuroscience in the field of criminal psychology.

Caitlin O’Brien, of Macungie, selected by the EHS science department for March.

O’Brien, a USA Biology Olympiad national semifinalist, has earned top honors in the Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Sciences regional and state competitions as well as twice achieving first place in the Lehigh Valley Science and Engineering Fair and honorable mention in the Delaware Valley Science and Engineering Fair.

O’Brien is a member of the EHS Math Team and a drum major for the EHS marching band. She plays French horn in the EHS Concert Band and is a flautist in the EHS Flute Ensemble.

O’Brien is a National Merit Scholar® semifinalist and plans to participate in a Navy ROTC program during college where she intends to study physics and computer engineering.

Naqiyah Peatiwala, of Macungie, selected by the EHS mathematics department for April.

Peatiwala, a National Merit Scholar® semifinalist, is the secretary of both the American Computer Science League and Pennsylvania Math League clubs at EHS.

Peatiwala is a member of the EHS Pennsylvania Math League Team that won in the Math Madness competition bracket in 2020. Peatiwala has tutored in math and is member of the EHS Interact Club and Girls Who Code.

Peatiwala has been recognized with many EHS awards including: Excellence in Academic Achievement, Excellence in Math: Precalculus, Excellence in Writing, Achievement in Computer Science and Achievement in Physics.

Peatiwala plans to attend college to study computer engineering.