Ella Elizabeth Aaron is the valedictorian and Lilly Dawn Mahle is the salutatorian of the Clarion-Limestone High School Class of 2024.
Aaron, the daughter of Mel and Abbi Aaron, of Clarion, has a twin sister and another sister in seventh grade.
As a senior, Aaron leads many organizations such as the National Honor Society, Future Farmers of America and Future Business Leaders of America. She also is co-president of NHS and secretary of both FFA and FBLA.
Over the four years of her FFA involvement, she has competed in Horticulture, Aquatics and Interview competitions. This year, she won first place in the Interview section, making her a state qualifier. Similarly, Aaron has placed in FBLA competitions.
At regionals, she has won third place in Business Communications and first place in Business Procedures, qualifying her for the state competition.
Along with these groups, Aaron is currently on the STEM Team, which competed in the Powering Pittsburgh STEM competition. The team placed first at regionals both years and third at states in 2022 and then second in 2023.
Cheerleading and Track are Aaron’s favorite sports, and she also played basketball for eight years. Outside of school activities, she enjoys hiking and fishing, and is an avid reader. She also enjoys welding and anything chemistry-related.
She previously volunteered at the Clarion Hospital Pharmacy, where she learned about the pharmacy field and chemotherapy from the women there.
Her future plan is to attend Duquesne University in fall to earn a doctorate in pharmacy through the school’s Direct Pharmacy Program.
Mahle, the daughter of Jason and Nicki Mahle, of Clarion, is enrolled to attend Gannon University in Erie starting in fall. She plans to major in biology as part of the pre-medical track to eventually become an anesthesiologist.
Throughout her high school years, Mahle has been involved in many different activities within her school and community. She has participated in multiple varsity level sports, such as volleyball for four years, track and field for three years and cheerleading for four years.
She has been in multiple bands, including jazz, concert, district and marching bands since third grade. She has served as the president of the marching band for the past two years. She is also involved in many different honor societies and groups within the school.
She is currently a co-president of National Honor Society, which she has been a member of for three years; the secretary for two years of Tri-M Music Honor Society, which she has been a member of for four years; and she has been a member in the student council for three years.
She is senior class president, and was junior class president last year. She was also selected as one of the two students from Clarion-Limestone High School to attend the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards in summer 2023.
Although Mahle is involved in many different activities within the school, she strives to be an active member of the community.
Over the past four years, Mahle has performed over 150 hours of cumulative service within the community.
She enjoys helping organize children’s parties with the Fryburg Sportsman’s Club, working in the concession stand for Clarion Little League, and helping with different events in elementary school, such as the Santa Shop and track and field day.
