Nipmuc Valedictorian Sarah Tong during the annual Awards Day Ceremony
On Thursday, June 2, the Class of 2016 marched into the gymnasium two-by-two, wearing their caps and gowns for the annual Award Day Ceremony at Nipmuc Regional High School.
Nipmuc High School Principal John Clements welcomed the graduating class and the entire student body saying Awards Day gives “us an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of top students and our graduates.”
Clements noted 2016 has been a year of achievements for both the students and the district. He highlighted the many accolades the district earned this year including an impressive accreditation report and a granted membership into the National Consortium of Secondary STEM Schools (one of only 100 nationally). In addition to the great strides the district has made this year, Associate Principal Mary Anne Moran was named Assistant Principal of the Year.
Clements announced the class valedictorian, Sarah Tong, and salutatorian, Stephanie Poly.
Teachers awarded students who showed outstanding dedication and achievement in math, science, English and social studies.
Student Charlotte Burlingame announced the dedication of the yearbook to English Teacher Mrs. Pam Kirka, who is retiring after this year.
Here is a list of all students who received awards.
**Awards are presented to Seniors unless otherwise noted**
Nipmuc Art Department
- Craftsmanship Award – Marla DiPoto
- Creativity Award – Kelly Jionzo
Athletic Department
- Career Athlete Awards – Kayla Peabody and Kevin Hack
- Jack Gaskill Sportsmanship Awards – Kelsey Woods and Kyle Nocera
- Senior Athletic Leadership Awards – Grace Merten and Justin DiAntonio
- Class of 2016 Scholar Athletes – Carly Thibodeau and William Applegate
- Nipmuc Athletes of the Year – Hannah Barrows and Thomas Sperino
Band, Chorus, and Drama
- Louis Armstrong Award – Megan Mathieson
- National School Choral Award – Carly Egan
- John Philip Sousa Award – Isabel Desroches
- Excellence in Acting – Karley Collins
- Excellence in Technical Theatre – Evelynn Slavin
Business and Physical Education Awards
- Business Award – Samantha Capalucci
- DECA Award – Kathryn McManus
- Physical Education Awards – Alyssa Ciccone and David Murphy
English Department Awards
- Columbia Book Award – Katie Sauer (Junior)
-
Smith College Book Award – Kylie Gallagher (Junior)
- Saint Michael’s Book Awards – Viola Hibbit (Junior) and Connor Walz (Junior)
- Bay Path University 2016 Presidential Book Award –
renewable four year merit scholarship worth up to $17,000 per year to Bay Path
– Rene Venable (Junior)
- English Medal Award – Charlotte Burlingame
- Eileen Lucier Award – Ryan Nordquist
- Algebra II Award – Kira Segenchuk (Sophomore)
- Geometry Award – Erik Venable (Freshman)
- Calculus Award – Sarah Tong
- Economics Award – Zackary Lapointe
- Statistics Award – Karin Plante
- Computer Science Award – Viola Hibbett (Junior)
Science Department
- Biology Award – Kylie Gallagher (Junior)
- Chemistry Award – Max Robakiewicz (Sophomore)
- Physics Award– Viola Hibbett (Junior)
Social Sciences
-
History Award – Sarah Tong
-
Social Studies Award – Ruari Morrison
Special Awards
- DAR Good Citizen Award – Christopher Bechara
- President’s Volunteer Service Award – Jake Barefoot
- Dual Enrollment Recognition – Sam Jokela (Quinsigamond University) and Matthew Verrone (Johnson and Wales University)
- University of Rochester Fredrick Douglass & Susan B Anthony Award in Humanities and Social Sciences – ($10,000 per year for 4 years at UR) – Jillian Carey (Junior)
- Certificate of Academic Excellence (MA Assoc of Superintendents) – Sarah Tong
- Rensselaer Medal Award (merit scholarship for four years totaling $100,000 at Rensselaer) – Patrick Donelan (Junior)
- Bausch & Lomb Science Award ($40,000 over four years at University of Rochester) – Kylie Gallagher (Junior)
- George Eastman Young Leaders Award ($10,000 per year, totaling at least $40,000 over 4 years at University of Rochester) – Zackary Lapointe (Junior)
- Massachusetts Secondary School Administrators’ Association Student Achievement Award – Elizabeth Hilton
- Xerox Award for Innovation and Information Technology ($40,000 over 4 years at University of Rochester) – Logan Pazol (Junior)
- Academic Growth and Student Leadership in Learning Awards – Sean Kelleher (Junior) and Katie Sauer (Junior)
- Lawrence Technological University 2016 Award for Excellence in Science and Mathematics ($8,000 scholarship at LTU) – Dean Sheehan (Junior)
- Furman Scholar ($30,000 over four years at Furman) -Rene Venable (Junior)
- Elmira College Key Award ($80,000 over a four-year period at Elmira College) – Katie Sauer (Junior)
- National Scholar/Athlete Award given by The United States Army Reserve honors a senior student for academic and athletic excellence – Nolan Bradley
Senior Student Council Members were recognized
- Scott Estabrook, Kevin Hack, Elizabeth Hilton, Aaron Kearnan, Hannah Martel, Megan Mathieson, Grace Merten, Ruari Morrison, Matthew O’Brien, Jillian Penfield, Margaret Richardson, Bryan Seserman, Carly Thibodeau, Kelsey Woods, and Student Council President – Isabel DesRoches
The Honors Scholar Award recognizes the top 10% of the graduating class of 2016 The recipients in alphabetical order are:
- William Applegate, Samantha Capalucci, Abigail Colombo, Isabel DesRoches, Marla DiPoto, Kristina Dubois, Elizabeth Hilton, Aaron Kearnan, Kiley Larocque, Megan Mathieson, Mary Morcos, Karin Plante, Stephanie Poly, Julia Salvaggio, Amanda St Germain, Carly Thibodeau, Sarah Tong
Senior members of the Nipmuc Chapter of the National Honor Society
- William Applegate, Teresa Brossi, Brooke Bunkunt, Abigail Columbo, Marla DiPoto, Alison Goddard, Elizabeth Hilton, Kelly Hilton, Kelly Jionzo, Kiley Larocque, Grace Merten, Mary Morcos, Olivia Onorato, Jake Osgood, Jillian Penfield, Victoria Phillips, Karin Plante, Jared Plumb, Sarah Plutnicki, Stephane Poly, Angelica Puchovsky, Julia Salvaggio, Madison Sauter, Aryane Schiavo, Amanda St Germain, Carly Thibodeau, Joria Todd, Sarah Tong, and NHS President Kelsy Woods
STEM Scholars
- Isabel DesRoches, Scott Estabrook, Ciara Larence, Hannah Martel, Mary Morcos, Jillian Penfield, Karin Plante, Sarah Plutnicki, Stephanie Poly, Emily Sosnovsky, Amanda St Germain, Joria Todd, Sarah Tong, Kelsey Woods
Humanities Scholars
- Carly Egan, Alison Goddard, Matthew O’Brien, Victoria Phillips, Carly Thibodeau
PSAT Merit Scholarship – Ranking among the top five percent of all test takers
- Ruari Morrison and Sequoia TracyStone
Special Awards for the Class of 2016 vote on by faculty:
- Best All Around Student Awards – Carly Thibodeau and Justin DiAntonio
- School Spirit Award – Elizabeth Hilton
- Student Council Award- Isabel DesRoches
- Service Award – Lauren Jordan
- Joan M. Scribner Student Leadership Award – Isabel DesRoches
- Principals Award – Alison Goddard
Spanish Immersion Recognition
- Teresa Brossi, Samantha Capalucci, Shannon Dowd, Taylor Ellero, Jaime Hill, Alexa Mirageas, Kayla Scott, Jennifer St. John
Class 2016 Officers
- Secretary – James Rogan
- Treasurer – Maxwell Polay
- Vice President – Kathryn McManus
- President – Christopher Bechar
UPTON DAILY 