Flanders Elementary School, 100 Victoria Dr, Southington, CT 06489

Although it was on the agenda to appoint a new principal for Flanders Elementary School at the Board of Education meeting last night, Thursday May 25, the board tabled the motion due to uncertainty with the budget.

The BOE met on Tuesday night to discuss the proposed principal appointment, but did not want to officially appoint the candidate until they have a better understanding of the budget. Flanders’ former principal Pat Mazzarella retired in December, so the school currently has two interim principals – Sally Kamerbeek and Charity Baker – who are sharing the responsibility until a new principal is named by BOE officials.

Superintendent Timothy Connellan said the appointment will be made following the adoption of Southington’s budget. The Board of Finance is scheduled to meet June 8 and the Town Council is scheduled to meet June 12 to adopt the budget.

The BOE has a meeting on June 15, where there is a possibility of naming the principal.

Elizabeth Del Buono poses with the biology research that she presented at the National conference on Undergraduate Research in Memphis.

Southington’s Elizabeth Del Buono, a senior biology major, was one of 23 students from Eastern Connecticut State University to present her work at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) in Memphis, Tenn. in April.

Del Buono’s poster presentation was titled “An Investigation of Odd-Skipped Genes in C. Elegans” and was conducted alongside faculty mentor biology professor Amy Groth.

“I’ve been working on this project since Spring 2015,” Del Buono said in an ECSU press release. “I’ve stuck with this project because I wanted to understand my understanding of genetics. Dr. Groth has pushed me to do my best and has held me to a high standard while maintaining an encouraging attitude. I am thankful to work with someone like her.”

ESCU had more student representatives at the conference than any other college or university in Connecticut. College president Elsa Nunez said in the release that it was a testament to the school’s support of undergraduate research and its commitment to growing their liberal arts programs.

“Learning to conduct research is a major component of a liberal arts education,” Nunez said in the release. “That is why Eastern is committed to supporting our undergraduate students, so that they can conduct research and present it at regional and national conferences.”

NCUR was established in 1987 and is dedicated to promoting undergraduate research, scholarship and creative activity in all fields of study.

Ten SHS seniors were honored at a military appreciation luncheon for students enlisting in the U.S. military upon graduation. Front, from left, Jared Lacko, Shamus Geel, and Louis Gianacopolos Jr. Middle, Joshua Wyskiewicz, Matthew Nappe, and Damon Hatch. Back, Everett Sperry, SHS principal Brian Stranieri, Nicholas Kelley, and Adam Theriault. Missing from the photo: Dilan Howard.

By JEN CARDINES

STAFF WRITER

On Tuesday, May 23, 10 seniors from the Class of 2017 were honored at the annual Military Appreciation luncheon for enlisting in the United States military after graduation. School and town officials gathered in the John Weichsel Municipal Center meeting room, which was decorated with red, white, and blue balloons, table cloths, and flags.

Each year, Southington schools partner with the Veterans Committee to salute the graduating seniors that enlisted in the military. Principal Brian Stranieri presented the students with military cords as they were called up in front of their teachers and families.

Each student will wear the red, white, and blue cord during commencement ceremonies in June.

The American Legion Kiltonic Post 72 and the Women’s Auxiliary gave each enlistee a military challenge coin, a certificate, a blue star banner for their parents to keep at home, and a pocket flag.

Shamus Geel, Damon Hatch, Nicholas Kelley, Jared Lacko, Matthew Nappe, Adam Theriault, and Joshua Wyskiewicz will enter the United States Army. Louis Gianacopolos, Jr. will enter the Connecticut Air National Guard, while Dilan Howard will enter the United States Marine Corps and Everett Sperry will enter the Connecticut Army National Guard.

The event also included remarks by members of the Board of Education (BOE) and Superintendent of Schools Timothy Connellan, along with performances by the high school jazz band, while enlistees, alumni, veterans, and families enjoyed lunch.

“We value this as one of the most important events at the end of each school year,” BOE chair Brian Goralski said. “Our country is better off because of people like you making the choice you’re making to go on to serve.”

SHS civics teacher Joel Patrick Leger was chosen as this year’s guest speaker to address the students on entering the military.

“I realized that I had never done anything to earn a single one of those,” Leger said about the freedoms and privileges he had growing up. “They’d all been handed to me and earned by somebody else. So I made the decision to join the army and go out and earn some of those things that I had been given.”

Leger recalled his army years travelling the world and being on the frontline for the Iraq invasion. He was in Korea for training when his unit got word that the World Trade Center had been struck on 9/11, which changed the course of his military path.

“I realized I was doing things that would be written in a history book someday,” Leger said. “One of my students asked if I had seen any news footage from an invasion and I explained I was actually in the news footage.”

To comment on this story or to contact staff writer Jen Cardines, email her at JCardines@SouthingtonObserver.com.

Photos by JEN CARDINES

Early Childhood Collaborative of Southington
50 Spring Lake Rd #17, Southington, CT 06489
Phone: (860) 877-4049
www.southingtonearlychildhood.org

By JEN CARDINES

STAFF WRITER

The Early Childhood Collaborative of Southington (ECCS) director Joanne Kelleher took a different approach to an annual meeting by inviting the public to an informational presentation on Tuesday, May 16. “The State of Early Childhood in Southington” was delivered to an audience of local educators, preschool directors, library representatives, and more to alert people about the increasing need for early childhood care.

Kelleher said that according to ECCS by-laws, she needed to hold the meeting in May.

“I thought I would attract more people to attend if I could combine it with a presentation about the children in town and the work that is being done to support them,” she said. “Since future funding is a concern, I also was looking for a way to get more people involved.”

Major funders of the collaborative in previous years are not supporting ECCS in the upcoming fiscal year, which is a concern for the collaboration once this calendar year ends.

“I am very concerned about funding starting in January 2018,” Kelleher said.  “If funds are not received, the board will need to make some hard decisions about other fundraising options, returning to a completely volunteer organization, or potentially disbanding.”

With funding from various state and federal grants coming to a close, the main fiscal agent for the ECCS is the Community Foundation of Greater New Britain (CFGNB), a federally recognized 501c3 non-profit organization. But with the expiration of over $50,000 in grants, costs might be too much for CFGNB.

The ECCS is a group of committed educators, parents, grandparents, healthcare and childcare providers, business owners, civic organizations and members of the community who are deeply invested in the growth, development and academic success of young children in Southington.

According to Kelleher’s report, there are not enough childcare facilities to match the number of infants and registration for this fall is almost at full capacity. In addition, state budget issues caused cuts in the Care4Kids childcare subsidy. In June 2016, 121 Southington children were eligible for Care4Kids, but as of March 2017 the number was down to 93.

“It’s a trickle-down effect,” Kelleher said, noting that the decreased number of kids in daycare causes staff layoffs.

Since ECCS began in 2003, students entering elementary school have had improved progress, which could also be attributed to all day kindergarten which started about four years ago.

“The kids are definitely more prepared coming in,” assistant superintendent Steven Madancy said after the presentation.

Following Kelleher’s presentation, the director of the Family Resource Center (FRC) Krista Pisano and the Southington Library children’s department head Cindy Wall also spoke to the audience about what their programs do for early childhood.

The FRC offers free programs year-round to Southington residents where caregivers stay on site with the children. It is currently located inside of Hatton Elementary School but will be relocating to Strong School for the upcoming 2017-18 school year.

The children’s department promotes various reading activities and long-term programs for families to utilize and they are planning even more programs for the fall.

“We want to keep offering more because the demand is there,” Wall said.

To see the full ECCS presentation: 

Matthew McLaughlin talks about his team’s invention, the Modu Helm, which incorporates Bluetooth technology, solar panel lighting, and a Go Pro mount, so that operators can use their electronic devices while safely steering their bike.

By JEN CARDINES

STAFF WRITER

Future engineers filled the Southington High School auditorium on Wednesday, May 24 to demonstrate their inventions during the Project Lead the Way (PLTW) senior night event. Seven groups presented their final projects to friends, family, peers, and a panel of judges after months of research and design.

Southington was the first town in the state to implement a PLTW program and the first in the state to become accredited. PLTW prepares students to be successful in engineering and technology programs through project-based learning, leadership skills, and a comprehensive professional development program.

“They have each endured four rigorous years of Southington High’s engineering program, which focuses on science technology engineering and math,” said Justin Mirante, department leader and PLTW district coordinator.

For their senior capstone project, soon-to-be SHS graduates worked together to create mechanisms that add safety, accuracy, medical technology, and versatility to the world. They were evaluated by judges that included PLTW “founding father” John Ellsworth, Southington’s science curriculum coordinator John Duffy, a PLTW graduate who is now an engineer, and SHS faculty and department heads.

It was a close competition among the seven groups. “Border Patrol”—invented by Evan D’Agostino, Mateusz Gaciarz, Joshua Hilliard, and Brendan Taylor—is a sensor that improves the accuracy of volleyball calls made by referees because it detects exactly where the ball hit the ground.

“Impact Armor”—designed by Michael Loose, Turner Rodman, Matthew Sciota, and Stephen Vollaro—offers hockey players a safer helmet to properly protect them form head injuries.

Daniel Berube, Amanda Delorme, Matthew McLaughlin and Natalie Messner’s “Modu Helm” also created a helmet, but for bicyclists. It incorporates Bluetooth technology, solar panel lighting, and a Go Pro mount so that operators can use their electronic devices while safely steering their bike.

The “ZAT Case”—designed by Anthony Mondo, Connor Trzcinski and Michael Zera—solves Apple iPhone 7 users’ issue with the headphone jack. The case includes a built-in adapter and a kickstand to make cell phones more user-friendly.

Anthony D’Abramo, Andrew Premus, Jesse Rasten, and Nathan Simard tackled dugout inconveniences with the “Sun Strike.” The invention was inspired by a Southington baseball survey that found 87 percent of coaches and players report in-game inconveniences.

Brendan Shea, Brandon Stone, and Jeremy Spooner found that long term care patients develop pressure ulcers due to sustained strain on elderly patient’s skin. “Tri-Flate” is their solution to the problem, as it positions the body to prevent ulcers.

Of the 26 member capstone class, only six students were females, but it was the only all-female group in the mix that received first place. Ashley Nelson, Delaney Picard, Megan Walsh, and Natiya Washer won with their “Epi-Band,” a device that easily administers epinephrine when someone undergoes anaphylaxis (a severe allergic reaction).

Through their research, they found that 84 percent of American allergy patients, and guardians of the patients, have misused the traditional Epipen device, causing skin lacerations. Their device straps to a person’s leg before the medicine is injected. The patient never sees the needle, and misfires cannot occur because the device will not inject medicine until it is completely vertical, creating a 90 degree angle with the leg.

For their success, the girls went home with more than just first place bragging rights.

“This year we are going to be offering a $1,500 scholarship toward university expenses,” their teacher Kari Pesche-Luise said.

To comment on this story or to contact staff writer Jen Cardines, email her at JCardines@SouthingtonObserver.com.

Photos by JEN CARDINES

Connecticut Higher Education Trust (CHET)
www.ott.ct.gov/chet.html

Two Southington elementary students received contributions to their Connecticut Higher Education Trust (CHET) college fund after successfully entering a contest. Elliot Schatz from Derynoski Elementary School and Juliet Murphy from Kelley Elementary School were among 44 winners from across the state.

Earlier this year, the two Southington students entered the CHET “Dream Big!” college scholarship competition, where participants in kindergarten through third grade are asked to submit an original drawing that illustrates, “What do I want to do after I go to college?” Students in grades four through eight must complete an essay that answers the question, “How will I change the world after I go to college?”

The competition was open to students in kindergarten through eighth grade and drew more than 2,800 entries from schools in 106 of the State’s 169 municipalities.

State treasurer Denise Nappier was presented a CHET award to Elliot Schatz from Derynoski Elementary School.

Schatz’s picture depicts him as an underwater scientist, exploring animal life deep in the ocean. He received a $500 award for his entry, which will be added to his CHET account for his collegiate endeavors.

Murphy was one of the four grand prize winners to receive a $1,000 account contribution. She created a 3-dimensional drawing, depicting herself as an NBC news anchor.

In addition to their monetary award, Schatz and Murphy also had the opportunity to meet the Connecticut State Treasurer, Denise Nappier, at the Connecticut Science Center during a ceremony held on May 19.

State treasurer Denise Nappier presented a CHET award to Juliet Murphy from Kelley Elementary School.

The ceremony recognized all of the students who were awarded scholarships and also celebrated the 10th anniversary of the “Dream Big!” competition. Nappier presented certificates and took photos with each winner during the event.

Over the last 10 years, the CHET Dream Big! competition has made contributions to 724 accounts, totaling more than $239,000. Over 31,000 Connecticut students have shared their college dreams in Dream Big! entries.

Schatz’s mother, Elyse Krantz, plans to work with DES principal Jan Verderame to coordinate a school-wide effort to spread the news about the competition, distribute entry forms, and collect completed submissions. The school in each county that submits the greatest number of entries will win $500.

Southington’s Jordan Silva, left with St. Paul salutatorian Benjamin Czuprinski, graduated at the top of his class at St. Paul Catholic.

By LISA CAPOBIANCO

STAFF WRITER

For Jordan Silva, balancing homework, sports, and student activities was not easy, but remembering the sacrifices made by his family inspired the St. Paul Catholic High School senior to keep pushing through over the past four years.

When Silva, a Southington resident, was named valedictorian for the Class of 2017, seeing the look on his grandmother’s face was a special moment for him.

Silva said his grandmother did not have the opportunity to attend high school while growing up in Puerto Rico.

“Just seeing her face really made it special,” said Silva, who plans to major in biology at Harvard University this fall.

Silva said he knew his purpose in high school after seeing the sacrifices his parents made for his older brother to attend St. Paul.

“I saw the sacrifices they had to make for him to come here,” said Silva. “For them to make the same sacrifices for me, I knew I was here for a reason—to excel and to do the best I could, and to set an example for my younger brother who is going to be coming here next year.”

While achieving various academic awards, Silva immersed himself into a variety of leadership roles at St. Paul—from math team president to class president to captain of the football and wrestling teams.

Looking back on his high school experience, Silva said he particularly enjoyed these leadership roles.

As captain of the wrestling team, which he started with his older brother four years ago, Silva said he enjoyed watching his teammates grow.

“I’ve been wrestling since the second grade, so being able to take my experience and show it to them and watch them grow throughout the season was definitely really rewarding,” said Silva.

Noting how the tight-knit community at St. Paul provided a second home for him, Silva thanked the support he received from faculty.

Silva recently received the Summa Scholar Award from the Archdiocese of Hartford.

To comment on this story or to contact staff writer Lisa Capobianco, email her at LCapobianco@BristolObserver.com.

Southington High School officials announced the top three graduates from the Class of 2017. All three will speak at high school graduation on Tuesday, June 20. From left, essayist Laura Furtak, valedictorian Nickolina Doran, and salutatorian Nathan Simard.

By JEN CARDINES

STAFF WRITER

Amidst the 490 seniors in the Southington High School Class of 2017, three took their place at the head of the class. Nickolina Doran (valedictorian), Nathan Simard (salutatorian), and Laura Furtak (essayist) come from different backgrounds and social circles, but they all shared a similar passion during their tenure at SHS.

All three Southington scholars hope for a career in the sciences in one way or another.

Doran, who is pursuing a double-major in biomedical engineering and Spanish at Yale University this fall, said she was always drawn to the math and science track. In addition to her studies at SHS, she travels to Hartford for a portion of her day as a Greater Hartford Academy of Math and Science student.

“Both of my parents were math teachers,” she said. “They were always able to help me with it, so it’s something that I grew to love.”

Doran is no stranger to extra-curricular activities. A member of the SHS National Honor Society and Spanish National Honor Society, Doran can also be found on the lacrosse field where she’s excelled since elementary school.

She was a 2015 Apple Harvest Hostess and volunteers with the Key Club and Zion Lutheran Church, among others. She also served as the tutoring director for the National Honor Society.

Simard is just as good at juggling extra curricular activities and school work. His four-year stint with the boys’ volleyball team, along with his job serving as student manager for girls’ volleyball, didn’t stop him from challenging himself in the classroom with successful completion of 10 college-level courses. He also volunteered for St. Dominic’s Church and was an officer for the SHS Spanish club.

Simard was actively involved in Project Lead the Way (PLTW) over the last four years, a program that prepares students for success in the engineering field.

Southington’s highest ranked scholars managed accelerated courses along with sports, jobs, and leisure activities but still managed to come out on top. Doran called it “surreal.”

“It was such an enjoyable experience,” said Simard, who will be studying aeronautical engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI).

Furtak was just as active in and out of the classroom, preparing herself for a career in the veterinary sciences. She was accepted into the pre-veterinarian program at the University of Connecticut and said she hopes to one day become an animal doctor.

“I came from two [Polish] immigrant parents, so they couldn’t necessarily be who they wanted to be,” said Furtak. “But they inspired me to be who I want to be.”

Of course, Furtak fully embraced her roots, attending Polish schooling for most of her life before entering Southington High School. She also volunteered regularly at Polish community events and festivals.

In school, she serves as secretary of Southington’s Future Farmers of America chapter and participates in the organization’s competitions related to veterinary science.

All three of the top students have resumes filled with awards and accolades for their academic achievement, which will be recognized at graduation by the special cords hanging from their necks.

“It’s crazy how far we’ve come,” Furtak said. “It’s really an honor.”

The top three seniors all said they are worried about trading the familiar halls of SHS for big college campuses. Simard added that no one else from his class committed to RPI, so he won’t know his peers.

“But I’m excited for a fresh start,” he said.

Calling college a “whole new ballgame,” Doran said she was most excited about having freedom, but nervous about the lack of structure.

“I imagine it’ll be more flexible,” Furtak added.

The valedictorian, salutatorian, and class essayist will all address their peers with speeches during the commencement ceremony on June 20 at SHS.

The program begins at 5:30 p.m. on the turf field.

To comment on this story or to contact staff writer Jen Cardines, email her at JCardines@SouthingtonObserver.com.

By JEN CARDINES

STAFF WRITER

The Board of Education recently celebrated 27 Southington students in grades 4 to 8 for their science achievements at the state and national level. Through the Invention Convention, e-Cybermission, and Science and Engineering Fair, students created projects, many of which were winners.

“We do three major projects with the students from grades 4-8 and tonight we are here to recognize some of those outstanding performances,” said Southington’s science curriculum coordinator John Duffy.

Winners from each project were given certificates by BOE chairman Brian Goralski as families and teachers cheered them on. The Science and Engineering Fair, which is only held for seventh and eighth graders, had four award winners.

Professors and students from Central Connecticut State University come to Southington and assist with judging the student work.

The e-Cybermission competition is a group effort where teams of middle school students create projects that are judged. Eleven winners from three teams were recognized by the BOE during the ceremony.

Kennedy Middle School’s Angelina Micacci, Jenna Plourde, Brianna Solivan, and Molly Whitaker were awarded first place and each girl received a $1,000 savings bond. Another first place prize went to Benjamin Nagle, Collin Wilcox, and Brody Goodenough, who each received a $1,000 savings bond.

Remsha Hussain, Gwenyth Longo, Morgan LeBarron, and Isabella Warner each received a $500 dollar savings bond for their second place award at DePaolo Middle School.

BOE officials also honored the largest group of young scholars from the invention convention category. This competition is available for students in grades 4-8 and has numerous qualifying rounds that lead up to a national convention.

“We had 24 students go on to the regional event and qualify for the state event,” Duffy said during the celebration. Of those, we have 12 here tonight recognized at the state level and seven of those 12 were also selected to participate in the national Invention Convention in Washington, D.C.”

Just last weekend, Aravind Bhamidipati, Olivia Cascio, Jeffrey Cormier, Jillian Miller, Matthew Niro, Griffin O’Neill and Ryan Vargas participated in the national competition among 304 student competitors from 16 states.

Only 52 awards were presented following the competition and Cormier—DePaolo eighth grader—was one of them, bringing home third place in the seventh and eighth grade division.

“What most people don’t realize is that engineering starts in our schools through the STEM program as early as elementary schools,” said Goralski.

List of honored students:

2017 e-Cybermission Award Winners

• Cyber Warriors won first place ($1,000 savings bonds) for “A Cleaner Long Island Sound.” The Kennedy Middle School group included Jenna Plourde, Brianna Solivan, and Molly Whitaker.
• Kennedy Terminators won first place ($1,000 savings bonds) for “Portable Water Filtration System.” The Kennedy Middle School group included Benjamin Nagle, Collin Wilcox, and Brody Goodenough.
• Horsey and the Three Bears won second place ($500 savings bonds) for “Decreasing Water Pollution.” The DePaolo Middle School group included Remsha Hussain, Gwenyth Longo, Morgan LeBarron, and Isabella Warner.

2017 Science and Engineering Fair Winners

• Morgan Birdsey from DePaolo Middle School was a Pepsico Physical Sciences Awards finalist and a Physical Sciences CSF medallion winner (Grade 7) for “Snap, Crackle, Pop.”
• Ethan Lebo from Kennedy Middle School was a Pepsico Physical Sciences Awards finalist and a Physical Sciences CSF medallion winner (Grade 7) for “What quantity of dimples on a golf ball best contributes to flight distance?”
• Caleigh McDougall and Madison Johnston from Kennedy Middle School won third place in the Environmental Sciences Awards with CACIWC ($100) and the Henderson Award ($25 Amazon gift card) for “Oil Effect on Aquatic Plants.”

2017 Connecticut Invention Convention Winners

• Aravind Bhamidipati, a seventh grader at DePaolo Middle School, invented “Mailbot” to win the Microsoft Accessibility Award and qualify for nationals.
• Matthew Niro, a sixth grader from DePaolo Middle School, invented “W Squared Generator” to win the UCT Moving the World Forward Award and qualify for nationals.
• Olivia Cascio, a fifth grader from South End Elementary School, invented “The Busy Buddy Leash” and qualified for nationals.
• Jeffrey Cormier, an eighth grader from DePaolo Middle School, invented “ALBA—Adjustable Lawn Bag Apparatus” and qualified for nationals.
• Jillian Miller, a fifth grader from Derynoski Elementary School, invented “The Fab Trainer” and qualified for nationals.
• Griffin O’Neill, a fifth grader from Plantsville Elementary School, invented “Kid Mitt 5000” and qualified for nationals.
• Ryan Vargas, a fifth grader from Kelly Elementary School, invented “Sound Up” and qualified for nationals.
• Payton Turnquist, an eighth grader from DePaolo Middle School, invented “Fire Bright” to win the Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering Award.
• Sadie Garfinkel, an eighth grader from DePaolo Middle School, invented “The Detachable Walker.”
• Luciano Prado, a sixth grader from Kennedy Middle School, invented “Port-ector.”
• Hannah Provo, a fifth grader from South End Elementary School, invented “Desk Organizer.”
• Ewan Swidorski, a fourth grader from Thalberg Elementary School, invented “Backyard Buddy.”

Vance Upham, left, and Richie Rivera, left center, listen to Southington athletic director Greg Ferry talk about their impact on the Blue Knight football program. The pair committed to play next year at Southern Connecticut State University.

By BRIAN JENNINGS

STAFF WRITER

Tight end, Richie Rivera, and running back, Vance Upham, inked their names to continue their football careers as teammates at Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven. The pair signed letters of intent for the Division II Owls during a ceremony at the Southington High School library on Thursday, June 8.

“At first, Vance wasn’t sure if he was going to be at that school in the beginning,” said Rivera. “Hopefully, I talked him into it a little bit. Now we’re going together, and it’s going to be a fun experience.”

Upham initially thought about taking the prep school route, and looked at mostly Division II schools, like Assumption College in Worcester, Mass. But once Rivera told Upham that he was set on Southern, Upham told Rivera that he was going there with him.

“I was looking at all the places that were looking at me, and I had to take into consideration where those schools were,” said Upham. “I also looked at how much they would do for me financially. But Richie and a lot of other kids from Southington being there was also a big factor to it.”

Upon their discussion of schools to attend this fall, Rivera put a thought in Upham’s mind that Upham couldn’t disregard.

“That would be the last potential chance for us to play ball again,” said Upham. “I’m not going to be playing ball with any of my other old friends. So, I get another four years, and I’m going to do it.”

While Rivera helped in Upham’s decision to attend Southern, the Owl coaching staff and football program played a big part in Rivera’s decision.

“The coaches there are really nice, and I felt comfortable with them,” said Rivera. “I visited them while they played a couple games, and I like the type of football they play. They’re a tough team, and I want to play at a tougher level.”

Southington coach Mike Drury said that both Rivera and Upham will be dynamic players at Southern.

“Speaking with the Southern coaches in depth, I knew that they were very excited to get these two young men,” the coach said. “They know that these guys can potentially play at a Division I level. They’re that caliber of player.”

Last season, the Owls finished with an overall record of 6-5. Tom Godek is in his fourth season as head coach of the Owls after spending 13 seasons as the team’s offensive coordinator. A former Owl as a graduate of the class of 1988, Godek was officially named as the sixth head coach in the program’s history in April of 2014.

“The coaches do an excellent job, in terms of making sure the kids are taking care of themselves academically, first and foremost,” said Drury. “They play very competitive football, and they have awesome players there. Their program has been solid for decades.”

Rivera plans to study art education at Southern. Upham plans to study sports marketing and sports management.

As a three-year starter for the Blue Knight football team, Upham set the all-time rushing record in a single season and for a career at Southington High School. Upham broke the single-season rushing record after rumbling for 212 yards on 26 carries in a 47-20 win over Cheshire at home on Thanksgiving, passing Vinny Clements. Upham was also named the Southington and Cheshire Chamber of Commerce Apple Valley Outstanding Player of the Game.

A bruiser in the backfield, Upham finished this past fall with 1,950 yards and 25 touchdowns on 235 carries rushing. He also led the defense with 95 total tackles, including 54 assists. Upham leaves behind him a career of 3,832 total rushing yards on 458 carries and 49 total touchdowns (43 rushing), averaging 106.4 yards a game.

Rivera came off an injury he had sustained in his junior year, and became a huge target for quarterback, William Barmore. His physicality in blocking on the offensive line and ability to make big plays down the field earned him the Offensive Player of the Year award.

Like Upham, Rivera shined in the Thanksgiving game as well. He caught a 27-yard touchdown pass from Barmore to give the Knights a comfortable 34-20 lead with less than three minutes to play in the contest after the Knights were only up by seven. Rivera went on to lead all receivers in the game with 87 yards on four catches.

Rivera finished the season with 344 yards and five touchdowns on 27 receptions.

For more in depth coverage, see our weekly print edition. To contact sports writer Brian Jennings, email him at BJennings@SouthingtonObserver.com.

On Wednesday, June 7, Southington celebrated the best of the best from the Class of 2017 at the annual Top 25 dinner at the Aqua Turf. The event is sponsored by UNICO of Southington. Front, from left, Laura Furtak, Nickolina Doran, Nathan Simard, and Michael Loose. Middle, Carson Stifel, Marissa Matarazzo, Morgan Maccione, Victoria Duszak, Catherine Myers, Kimberly Stafko, Kaitlin Semmel, Megan Walsh, Samantha Purushotham, and Katerina Belales. Back, Matthew Sciota, Erik Kryzanski, Brendan Taylor, Kristen Mathew, Kata Erdei, Laura Calandra, Samantha Steeves, Rebecca Lo Presti, Mark Murdy, Jesse Rasten, Benjamin Russman.

By JEN CARDINES

STAFF WRITER

On Wednesday, June 7, Southington High School’s top 25 scholars arrived at the Aqua Turf for a longstanding traditional event. They were stopped at the door by members of the Southington UNICO chapter to be pinned with a corsage before entering the 72nd annual Top 25 Dinner.

Hosted each year by UNICO, the dinner celebrates those with the top 25 highest grade point averages at SHS. Principal Brian Stranieri said that this year’s class is an amazing group of young people.

“And as great as they are academically, they are better people,” he said. “It is always an honor to be at this event.”

Unlike the standard 4.0 grading system, SHS calculates on a 100-point system. An A+ in a class earns the student 100 points, but because advanced placement and honors classes are weighted higher than regular academic courses, the highest GPA one can receive is 120 points.

“This year’s top 25 stretches from 108 to 114 points,” Stranieri said. “So their average is over 100.”

With 490 students in the Class of 2017, the top 25 students only make up about 5 percent of the class, meaning they rose above 95 percent of their peers.

“They represent us well beyond SHS,” Stranieri said, adding that college plans for the top 25 include a number of prestigious universities, including Yale University, Columbia University, and the University of Connecticut.

The principal also noted that Southington’s achievements don’t stop with the Top 25. From top to bottom, the Class of 2017 has excelled in the classroom.

“The top 99 kids have over a 100 point GPA,” said Stranieri.

The top three students, Nickolina Doran, Nathan Simard, and Laura Furtak will deliver speeches at the graduation ceremony on June 20. For the other 22 students in the top 25, this dinner was a chance to celebrate what they’ve worked so hard to achieve.

The Southington scholars shined at more than just classroom assignments. They all took part in various extra-curricular activities and honor societies.

This year’s top 25 students included more than one Apple Harvest Hostess, including the 2016 AHF queen, Carson Stifel and AHF hostess Katerina Belales.

Samantha Steeves was one of three student representatives to serve for the Southington Board of Education.

Victoria Duszak was the Southington High School marching band drum major.

The list reads like a “Who’s Who” in the Southington community. The list is peppered with student representatives, civic leaders, high profile athletes, community volunteers, and more.

It only makes sense that after years of being in the same classes and serving the community, that the group has formed some great friendships. After posing for a group picture, many students stayed outside for additional pictures with their friends, laughing in between silly poses. They hugged and joked with each other as proud parents watched in the wings.

Finally, all 25 students were invited—as UNICO’s guests—to a formal dinner at the Aqua Turf where they were honored by community officials and of course, their families. Superintendent Timothy Connellan, along with BOE chair Brian Goralski and Stranieri, heaped praise and appreciation upon the soon-to-be graduates during the special occasion.

UNICO of Southington member and top 25 committee chair Joseph Peccerillo said it was UNICO’s signature event.

“We’ve held this since our inception as an organization,” he said. “It’s not only to honor their academic achievements, but also their extra-curricular endeavors.”

UNICO is a national organization that serves its local communities through its respective chapters. For the past 71 years, Southington’s chapter of UNICO has recognized outstanding academic achievement through the top 25 dinner.

This year’s top 25 students are: Nickolina Doran, Nathan Simard, Laura Furtak, Katerina Belales, Laura Calandra, Victoria Duszak, Kata Erdei, Erik Kryzanski, Rebecca Lo Presti, Michael Loose, Morgan Maccione, Marissa Matarazzo, Kristen Mathew, Mark Murdy, Catherine Myers, Samantha Purushotham, Jesse Rasten, Benjamin Russman, Matthew Sciota, Kaitlin Semmel, Kimberly Stafko, Samantha Steeves, Carson Stifel, Brendan Taylor, and Megan Walsh.

To contact staff writer Jen Cardines, email her at JCardines@SouthingtonObserver.com.

Are children more likely to conform/model than adults? Julia Mularczyk, left, and Jessica Piotrowski were ready with an answer at the AP Expo on June 6.

By JEN CARDINES

STAFF WRITER

How clean is your kitchen cutting board? Would you hug a stranger? What types of music help with memory?

These were just a few of the questions that were explored by Southington High School’s advanced placement (AP) students, and their answers were on display in the high school on June 6.

Natiya Washer holds a large ball moments before dropping it to demonstrate the impact of mass on velocity.

The annual AP Expo displayed 205 projects, completed by Southington’s AP students to showcase their work. Students spent the last month creating projects based on what they learned throughout the year to share with friends and families at the event.

Teachers must complete course curriculum by the first week of May so that students can take the corresponding AP exam in order to receive college credit. But what’s left to do during the last month of school?

“The expo is a collaborative effort that began with AP teachers after the exams were finished,” AP Biology instructor Dave DeStefano said. This was the seventh year of the program.

Ben Russman and Michael Mauro pose in front of their AP Political Science project regarding U.S. Presidential succession.

Students pair up and begin researching a relevant topic that interests them, and groups work together to complete a demonstration. The projects come in a wide variety depending on their courses of study.

The physics projects were composed of 3-dimensional, interactive models that explored the relationship between speed and velocity, while history and political science projects consisted of research-based posters and displays. IPads and laptops were plugged in to demonstrate the computer science students’ work, and there was even a robot circling the cafeteria floor.

Of the 18 AP courses offered at SHS, 10 were represented during the expo. Many students were enrolled in multiple AP classes this year, so if all of their classes assigned projects, they were seen scrambling across the cafeteria to help show their different projects.

AP teacher Richard Niro said the whole idea behind the event was to gather everyone in one space to share their work. “It’s just a way to honor the students,” he said.

Faculty members select two or three projects from each class for the “best in show” table, but students also had a voice for selecting the top picks. Niro said students were able to go online and vote for their favorite project from each course, and winners received small prizes.

Michael Mauro and Ben Russman’s political science project on presidential succession was one chosen for the “best in show” table. They examined what happens if a President of the United States becomes unable to perform his or her duties. Their project tracked the next 17 people in line for the job.

Their research was centered on the 25th constitutional amendment, which deals with succession to the presidency and establishes procedures for filling a vacancy in the office of the Vice President, as well as responding to presidential disabilities.

Another project, entitled “Let the Tooth Be Told,” explored proper dental care. A physics display hung items from a ladder to explore questions about motion and gravity.

Another project investigated environmental issues. Yet another studied tuberculosis in great details, including symptoms, treatment, and impact around the world.

Still another searched for psychological answers to the question, “Are children more likely to conform/ model than adults?”

Everywhere you turned, there were projects that answered these sorts of questions.

The annual event also serves as a course sampler for underclassmen that might be interested in pursuing advanced placement courses. The expo gave a wide sample of subjects taught at the school, and visitors could talk to current students.

DeStefano said he hoped attendees could get a taste of what’s offered at the school. The majority of AP students are juniors and seniors, but a small amount of sophomores are in the mix.

 To contact staff writer Jen Cardines, email her at jcardines@southingtonobserver.com.

Members of Team 195 CyberKnights tinker with a prototype during the preseason. The Southington robotics team faced their biggest test this season as they made back-to-back visits to the national competition.

By JEN CARDINES

STAFF WRITER

They are no longer the new kids on the block. They can no longer surprise anyone in competition. This spring, the CyberKnights had big shoes. So how did they do?

The dust has finally settled on the FIRST Robotics postseason competitions and all of the subsequent state competitions, and before the final switch was flung on the 2017 robot, members of the robotics program took time to review their season.

Southington was coming off of their first top 4 finish at the international competition, so no team has come into a season with higher expectations.

Each time “Knightro” took the field, Southington’s Team 195 CyberKnights walked away with awards and accolades. In their 20th season, the world-ranked robotics team showed the competition what they were made of, finishing with a silver medal in the Carson division at the FIRST Robotics international championship in St. Louis, Mo.

“The season started off rocky but improved greatly throughout the season,” team co-captain Natiya Washer said. “And we made it to the finals in our division at the world level.”

Titled “Steamworks,” the 2017 game allowed human players to be on the playing field for the first time ever. Participating teams had to construct a robot that could shoot balls into a goal, deliver gears, and climb up to an airship.

“The nature of the game pushed us to improve our scouting and data analysis programs,” said Washer. “Additionally, this year we spent five of the six possible weeks to construct the robot design, which left one week for manufacturing. This pushed the team to find new quicker ways to make parts, and to really drive forward when machining.”

Extra time designing Knightro proved successful for Team 195 on more than one occasion. With their rapid-fire turret, Southington was one of the best high goal shooters, achieving the 40kPa pressure mark in the autonomous period for most of their matches. The robot also earned a creativity award and an excellence in engineering award. The CyberKnights were the team to beat.

Washer said the main highlight this year was winning the New England Championship for the third year in a row, known as a “three-peat.”

“We were the first team to set that record in New England—and maybe the world—and we were ecstatic about it,” Washer said.

But Team 195 was never alone in the victory circle because teams were required to choose alliances at every competition.

“The beauty of the sport is working with other teams. The networking skills you build and the friendships that are forged are beneficial for a lifetime,” Washer said. “Our team is very close with other teams and they have become a part of our family.”

CyberKnight allies came from Connecticut, New England, and even Turkey.

Following the monumental regional win, Southington travelled to St. Louis where they faced teams nation-wide along with those from other countries. The alliance fought through the Carson Division playoffs, reaching the final four and advancing to the championship match.

It was there that the CyberKnight rally finally came to an end, but it didn’t stop Southington students just yet. Team 195 competed in off-season events that don’t count toward the FIRST competitive season, but are just a fun way to stay involved in robotics.

Looking back, the co-captain said the group grew a lot this season and while she’ll be away at college next year, she’ll be sure to check in with them, following the ‘Once a CyberKnight, always a CyberKnight’ mantra.

The team is focused on improving for next year, Washer said. “We are never satisfied and work to improve and better ourselves. I love this team because of its drive.”

To comment on this story or to contact staff writer Jen Cardines, email her at JCardines@SouthingtonObserver.com.

On June 6, UNICO of Southington hosted the National Italian Honor Society induction event at the Aqua Turf where 10 Southington High School students were honored. Katarina Aulbach, Gabby Bassi-Belanger, Nicoletta Belales, Medina Iljazi (not pictured), Alexa Imme, Mikaela June, Anthony Riccio, Isabella Scalise, Kayla Sica, and Julia Wells were inducted into the society for the upcoming 2017-18 school year.

Southington High School social studies teacher Candace Patten was recognized by school officials as Southington Public Schools’ 2017-2018 Teacher of the Year.

By JEN CARDINES

STAFF WRITER

Southington High School students have had the pleasure of being taught social studies by the district’s top teacher. Last week, Superintendent Tim Connellan, Town Councilor and DePaolo Middle School vice principal Chris Palmieri, and SHS principal Brian Stranieri paraded into Candace Patten’s room with a bouquet of flowers to give her some good news. Patten was named the Southington Public Schools’ 2017-2018 Teacher of the Year.

The honor is district-wide, so out of every teacher in Southington’s public schools, Patten was chosen for the distinction. “Honestly, the decision gets harder each year because we have such an amazing teaching staff in Southington,” said Palmieri, who runs the Teacher of the Year committee.

After being nominated by another teacher, Patten had to complete an application that was reviewed by a committee. Palmieri said that the application process is very rigorous and models the State of Connecticut’s Teacher of the Year application.

“She did a phenomenal job,” he said. “We were looking for someone with a great commitment to the profession, philosophies of teaching, and contributions.”

After earning her Bachelor’s Degree in Social Studies in 2002 from Central Connecticut State University (CCSU), Patten became a long-term substitute at SHS, where she was offered a full-time teaching position the following year. She then earned her Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership from CCSU in 2010 and returned back to earn her 6th-year Professional Degree in Educational Leadership in 2014.

“I am truly blessed to work with so many talented colleagues and because of our collaboration and teamwork, I am able to grow as an educator every year,” said Patten.

School officials recognized Southington Teacher of the Year Candace Patten with a formal presentation in her classroom.

Patten’s commitment to the district and her students spans far beyond teaching civics and psychology. She was a class advisor for four years for the classes of 2008 and 2012, was a co-advisor for the Best Buddies Program from 2014 until 2016, served as a member of the advisory committee from when it began until 2015, and has chaperoned numerous proms, dances, and sporting events since 2002.

Additionally, she serves on the district’s Healthy and Wise Committee, and was one of the first teachers to jump on board when Board of Education member and former social studies teacher Bob Brown sought volunteers to teach a lesson on homelessness. She altered the lesson plan to fit her freshman civics class and opened discussion about the impacts that homelessness has on society.

“My father told me that when picking a career, you want to enjoy what you do and I absolutely love teaching,” Patten said. “I drive to work excited to teach because of my incredible department, co-teacher, and each student who always walks into the classroom ready to learn with the greatest smiles on their face.”

Her service doesn’t stop there. The Teacher of the Year volunteered for Relay for Life with the SHS team for many years, including leading the team from 2013 to 2015.  She has volunteered at the Apple Harvest Festival with the multicultural club, led the walking club, and helped create videos for STEPS and STEM.  She is the co-advisor for Training for Tomorrow, and has conducted a food and clothing drive for a women’s shelter in Danbury.

Now, Patten can represent Southington in the Connecticut Teacher of the Year competition. She will complete another application, much like the one she did in town, to be considered a top Connecticut educator.

Southington Public Schools will recognize Patten at the 2017-2018 staff convocation on August 28, and will also honor her with a reception prior to a Board of Education meeting in September.

To comment on this story or to contact staff writer Jen Cardines, email her at JCardines@SouthingtonObserver.com.

Photo by Kelly May Del Debbio

Southington High School Class of 2017 valedictorian Nickolina Doran addresses her classmates during her commencement address at graduation. Doran will attend Yale University next year to study biomedical engineering and Spanish. On Tuesday, June 20, nearly 500 students received diplomas during commencement exercises.

Photos by KELLY MAY DEL DEBBIO

Contact her at Kellymay.d@me.com

By BRIAN JENNINGS

STAFF WRITERS

Scores of future Blue Knights poured onto the Southington High School sports complex on Sunday, June 11 for the third running of the Knights Cup meet. The annual event pits students from the town’s middle schools and elementary schools in a modified high school meet.

The students learn about various track and field events before plunging headfirst into competition. When the smoke cleared this year, Thalberg Elementary School collected 117 points to end the Derynoski dynasty and claim the 2017 elementary school title.

“I think that has a direct reflection on the Thalberg running club, which is really taking off,” said Blue Knight track coach Dan Dachelet. “The participation numbers are up, and they have great leadership. Derynoski is obviously the biggest elementary school, so it’s nice to see one of the smaller schools win.”

Hatton (48) finished as runner-up, followed by Derynoski (14) and Kelley (8), but Dachelet said that everyone comes away a winner—especially his Blue Knight boys and girls teams. The Southington coach has been watching his team grow in numbers each year, expanding so much that the outdoor track and field program was forced to add a stipend assistant coaching position this spring. Dachelet credits the youth programs and the Knights Cup.

As he prepared for this year’s event, Dachelet noticed a growing number of Knights Cup alumni that are currently leading the high school teams.

“That was the first time I saw that,” the coach said. “We’re starting to see some of the benefits of kids that participated in this at the middle school level. We do it for a lot of reasons, and certainly one of them is to create that energy to participate in high school track and cross country.”

Reuben E. Thalberg Elementary School

The following elementary athletes took home gold medals: Riley Prozzo (Thalberg) in the 100m dash (15.00), Chris Regalbuti (Thalberg) in the 400m dash (76.94), Jason Matthews (Thalberg) in the 1600m run (6:39.3), Kevin O’Neill (Thalberg) in the shot put (15’11”), Devin Grove in the turbo javelin throw (53’5”), and Alvi Bylykic (Hatton) in the long jump (11’8”).

Runner-ups included the following: Miranda Poirer (Hatton) in the 100m dash, Prozzo in the 400m dash, Kaylee Regabuti (Thalberg) in the 1600m run, Claire O’Neill (Thalberg) in the shot put, Matthews in the turbo javelin throw, and Ihor Voronchak (Hatton) in the long jump.

There were no entries for the softball throw.

John F. Kennedy Middle School

Kennedy (137) beat out DePaolo (81) by over 50 points to earn the honors of best Southington middle school.

The following middle school athletes took home gold medals: Sean Lafontaine (DePaolo) in the 100m dash (13.62), Jared Rivera (Kennedy) in the 400m dash (62.74), Drew Nafis (DePaolo) in the 1600m run (5:42.3), Ryan Ogren (Kennedy) in the shot put (23’4”), Evan Kristopik (Kennedy) in the turbo javelin throw (72’5”), Tralee Shea (Kennedy) in the softball throw (92’10”), and Kelsi Hourigan (Kennedy) in the long jump (13’11.5”).

Runner-ups included the following: Grayson Borla (Kennedy) in the 1600m run and long jump, Jake Nafis (DePaolo) in the 100m dash, Caitlyn Hourigan (Kennedy) in the 400m dash, Lincoln Cardillo (DePaolo) in the shot put, and Cameron Parke (Kennedy) in the turbo javelin throw.

With finals for school and end-of-the-year events happening, it’s tough to squeeze some free time into your schedule sometimes. During such a busy time of the year, Dachelet and his staff have yet to crack the code on when the best time is to hold the event.

However, that doesn’t mean that this year’s Knights Cup wasn’t a success, as Southington’s young running community continues to grow through the event.

“The kids that go to this have a blast,” said Dachelet. “The parents come up to us and tell us that it’s a great idea. Now, it’s just trying to spread the word a little bit better.”

 For this week’s box scores, click here: (southingtonobserver.com/2017/06/20/weekly-scoreboard-for-the-june-23-edition). To contact sports writer Brian Jennings, email him at BJennings@SouthingtonObserver.com.

The Southington High School athletic department presented their prestigious annual sportsmanship awards. From left, Val Leach Memorial Award winner Morgan Raymond, SHS athletic director Greg Ferry, and Spirit Award winner Mike DeFeo.

By BRIAN JENNINGS

STAFF WRITER

The Southington High School athletic department presented their annual sportsmanship awards, and this year’s winners are Morgan Raymond and Mike DeFeo. Raymond earned the Val Leach Memorial Award and Mike DeFeo earned the Spirit Award.

Morgan Raymond is the 2017 Val Leach Memorial Award winner.

Raymond could be described as one of the best female athletes to grace the halls of Southington High School by her coaches, but she’s much more than that.

Whether she was an outside hitter for the volleyball team during the fall or a center midfielder for the lacrosse team during the spring, Raymond either led or was near the top of almost every statistical category. But if Southington was down by a lot in a contest or there was a disputable call, she always stayed even-keeled.

“It’s not like I’m trying to go over the top in everything that I do,” said Raymond. “I’m just being myself. Even if I’m feeling down inside some days, I just try to push it out. Playing always makes me super excited and happy.”

Raymond’s class was never more evident than after Southington’s 3-2 collapse at Amity in last year’s girls volleyball Class LL quarterfinals.

“She talked to the underclassmen about that experience, and the girls just gravitated to her,” said Southington athletic director Greg Ferry. “She’s always bought into doing better, even after some tough, challenging losses.”

The Val Leach Memorial Award, started by the Class of 1971, is designed to recognize a student that best demonstrates the values shown by former Lady Knight Val Leach in her battle for her own life.

Mike DeFeo is the 2017 Spirit Award winner.

DeFeo put his body on the line for his team countless times.

If there was a 50-50 ball that needed to be won on the soccer pitch during the fall, DeFeo was usually the first one there. During the winter, he dove after loose basketballs on the hardwood at all costs to fight for possession.

“In all of my four years here, I worked hard to achieve excellence,” said DeFeo. “I always try to be the best that I can be, and it’s just nice that people noticed it.”

DeFeo is just as much of a team player off the playing field as he was on it. Whether it’s coaching kids at summer soccer camps or refereeing town basketball games, he’s always willing to help out the community in any way he could.

Whenever Southington athletic director Greg Ferry asked DeFeo to show new students around the high school, DeFeo never blinked an eye.

“I used to put him out of his comfort zone,” said Ferry. “But he’s just a good person, and always had a very good demeanor. I liked watching him perform because he never got real high or too low. His performance was consistent day in and day out.”

Each year since 1981, Southington High School coaches cast their vote for the male student-athlete that best demonstrates the qualities of sportsmanship, academics, and athleticism to bestow upon them the annual Spirit Award.

For more in depth coverage, see our weekly print edition. To contact sports writer Brian Jennings, email him at BJennings@SouthingtonObserver.com.

The Southington High School Class of 2017 graduated on Tuesday, June 20.

The following is a list of graduates from Southington High School’s Class of 2017. Students celebrated commencement exercises on Tuesday, June 20 (*High Honors, +Honors):

*Austin Donald Abacherli; Michael  Abbatiello; *Amir Hasson Agoora; *Madison Catherine Aldieri; *Abigail Victoria Alfieri; *Michael Joseph Allen; *Seth Andrew Almeida; *Hallie Mackenzie Altwies; Deep N Aluria; Alexandra Nicole Amoroso; *Kelly Christina Angeli; *Alissa Beverly Anglis; *Jake Noah Aparo; *Alyssa  Ash; *Abigale Ann Asklar; and Ariana M Audi.

+Jake  Babon; Jacob Daniel Badgley; +Owen Kindl Bajrami; *Lily Leanna Baker; +Michael Godspeed Balaoing; *Rachel Lauren Baldick; *Alivia Jamie Barbour; +Sean Michael Barile; *Ashley Nicole Barry; +Martha Cooper Barry; *Katherine Claire Bauer; Taylor Parker Beckham; *Katerina Victoria Belales; *Rachel Elizabeth Belanger; *McKenna Quinn Belury; Nicholas Paul Benham; Cam’Ron T Bennett; Timothy Nicholas Bernetti; *Jake Ryan Bertola; *Daniel M Berube; Raina Danea Bevans; *Kayla Elizabeth Birmingham; Hailey Marie Bishins; *Ryan James Bjorklund; +Zachary Jay Blake; Nicholas Dean Blanchette; *Skylar Jayne Blumetti; *Jenna Michelle Boccio; Emma Rylee Bolduc-Patterson; Daniel John Borkowski; *Alyssa Marie Boucher; *Sydney Janet Brault; +Dorina  Bregu; Dylan Todd Breutzmann; *Jennifer Theresa Briscoe; +Colton Patrick Brown; Lokshmi Ruth-Ellen Brown; *Taylor Ann Brown; Kerry Rose Buchanan; and *Robert Victor Bunting.

*Makenna Jane Calabrese; *Laura Catherine Calandra; Angelo Albert Califano; *Xaria Lynnez Callender; *Jason Robert Calvi-Rogers; Zachery Harold Caponegro; *William David Carbone; Zack Edward Cardoso; Matthew James Carlson; *Michaela Anne Carrera; Nicholas Michael Casey; +Jade Allison Cassidy; Andreas  Ceta; Matthew  Wayne Chandler; Lexi Mary Chasse; *Andrew Dana Chavez; Tanner P Chialastri; *Kyle David Chinigo; Haley Mary Chmura; *Nicole Krystyna Chuchro; Nicholas Joseph Church; *Alex  Ciaffaglione; *Meghan Elizabeth Cichon; *Samantha Mae Cocchiola; *Kamryn Lee Cochrane; Riley Natalya Colasanto; +Corin Li Coleman; *Megan Elizabeth Colleran; Mackenzie Rose Cook; +Brayden Alexander Cooney; *Dominic Joseph Coppola; *Kayla Nicole Coppola; Morgan Emily Cordani; +Kaitlynn Michelle Cordonier; Joshua Andrew Cormier; *Cameron Joseph Coulombe; +Payton Mary Courtmanche; *Kristen Claire Craven; *Christian John Crowley; +Adam Robert Curley; and *Tyler Jeffrey Cyr.

*Annelise Maria D’Abramo; *Anthony Mario D’Abramo; Dante Raffaelle D’Agostino; *Evan Charles D’Agostino; *Bianca  D’Amore; +Presley Lynn Dahn; *Erica Marie Daigle; +Emily Elizabeth Daley; Tyler William Dammling; Olivia Brynn Danielson; Ny’Asia Amani Davis; Dylan Michael Dean; *Dante Angelo DeCesare; *Michael Joseph DeFeo; Austin Jacob DellaVecchia; +Matthew Anthony DeLorenzo; *Amanda Marie Delorme; *Megan Kathleen Delorme; +Ryan Thomas Delorme; *Hannah Elizabeth DeMaio; Julia Michelle DeSimone; +Cassandra Lynn Dethlefsen; *Casey Jane Devin; *Isabella Rose DiBattista; Alexis Debra DiMauro; *Matthew James Dominello; Victoria Ann Donovan; *Nickolina Cecelia Doran; *Kenneth John Dowler; *Brian Patrick Durocher; *Victoria Alice Duszak; and Lindsay Rose Dzierlatka.

+Brianna Lynn Eigo; *Jasmyne Veronica Engman; *Kata Erika Erdei; and *Katherine Olivia Estell.

Noah Robert Falcetti; Katelyn Marie Falco; +Carol Jean Fannon; *Jared Adalid Fernandez; *Juliana Rose Ferreri; *Hunter Mason Forrest; Jeremy Shawn Fortin; Leah Denise Francis; Jesse Rueben Frankfurter; Nathan Joseph Frechette; *Michael Thomas Freeman; and *Laura Izabela Furtak.

*Mateusz G Gaciarz; Sarah Benita Gadarowski; *Rebecca Rose Gagne; +Andrew William Gallagher; *Sarah Elizabeth Gallo; Vraja Samirkumar Gandhi; Austin Frank Garuti; *Matteo Antonio Gaudio; Derrick Allen Gdovin; *Shamus L Geel; Emily Nicole Gendreau; +Louis James Gianacopolos; *Emily Coyle Gibney; *Erin Mary Gibney; Christian Ivan Gil; *Lyndsey Taylor Giudice; *Justin David Giumelli; Corrina  Goffredo; +Ryan Edward Goldstein; Martino Luis Gonzalez; +Andrew James Gorham; +Sarah Nicole Goulet; Thomas Basil Goutzos; *Kelly Ann Graff; Joshua K Gravel; *Jonathan Michael Gray; Stephanie Nicole Gray; *Samantha Leann Greenslate; Sarah Elizabeth Grycz; Alex Kenneth Gumprecht; *Matthew Kyle Gundersen; and Liam Matthew John Guthrie.

*Rachael  Haberski; *Daniel Charles Hackerman; *Paige E Hadlock; +Allison Nicole Hair; Andrew Jon Hall; Trevor Jay Hall; *Diana Elizabeth Halla; +Alexandra Nicole Harris; +Armand Joseph Harris; Tyson  Harris; +Mohamed Khalid Hashim; Damon Robert Hatch; +Veronica Maria Heigel; *Jordan Elizabeth Helton; +Kylie Victoria Helton; Kelvin Digno Herard Garcia; *Kyle James Hermann; *Kayli Ann Hernandez; *Lynia Lane Hilke; *Joshua James Hilliard; *Kailey Rose Hinckley; +Patrick Tyler Hoffman; *Evelyn Jordan Holbrook; +Ajah Marie Homar; Dilan Nathaniel Howard; *Rachel Maria Huff; and Ian Frederick Hughes.

+James Jude Iovanna.

*Hannah McAllister Jackman; Lawrence Alvarez Jackson; *Michael Paul Jagos; *Emma Elizabeth Jaworowski; Jeremy Michael Jehnings; *Kornelia Maria Jez; *Samuel Kelleher Johnson; Emma Madeline Johnston; +Lance Jay Johnston; *Lauren Kathryn Jones; and +Samantha Eaton Jones.

Norbert David Karon; *Jessica Nicole Karwowski; Rohan Niraj Kataria; *Catherine Marie Kates; *Katie Patricia Kelley; +Nicholas Stewart Kelley; *Caroline Grace Kemnitz; +Jacob Hugh Keroack; *H. Dustin Kilgore; Elise-Marie Lexy King; Adam Francis Kingsbury; +Steven T Kloss; *Kendra Helen Kochol; +Lucas James Kohli; *Allison Rose Krampitz; *Kelly Anne Kritz; Joshua Vincent Krochko; *Sydney Rae Kroll; *Erik Michael Kryzanski; +Patricia Rose Krzynowek; Cobey Gage Kulas; and Kamil Henryk Kuziora.

+Nathan Dominic L’Heureux; Jared Fitzgerald Lacko; Nickolis Edward Lada; *Jordan Danielle Lamkins; *Samantha Marie Lamkins; *Amanda Danielle Lavoie; Kylie Brooke Lawrence; Rachel Carina Lawrence; +Christina Rose Lebel; *Kimberly Ann Lebel; Austin Christopher Leland; *Lauren Taylor Levensaler; *Dylan Michael Levesque; *Lexie Reneve Lewis; +Jamie Alexis Lindsay; *Michael William Listro; *Rebecca A Lo Presti; Luke James Lombardi; *Michael James Loose; Saige Caitlin Lopez; and *Andrew Lester Luczak.

*Morgan Taylor Maccione; *Alexa E Maddalena; *Crystal Anne Madore; *Megan Elizabeth Mahon; +Ryan Michael Mailhot; +Janelle  Mangassarian; Wiktoria Oliwia Marchut; Alexander Nathaniel Marcuccio; Maegan  Mariani; +Christopher Alan Martin; *Samantha Lynn Martins; *Marissa Joan Matarazzo; *Kristen Elizabeth Mathew; Brandon Anthony Matta; *Marisa Alexandra Matthews; +Emily Diane Matukaitis; *Michael Dean Mauro; Connor Wayne McCarthy; Constance Elizabeth McConnon; *Connor Michael McDonough; Justin Reece McGovern; *Ryan Alan McIntyre; *Matthew William McLaughlin; Erin Lynn McManus; *Jordan Michael McMeans; *Kaitlyn Emily McNamara; *Mark Andrew Meade; *Matthew Joseph Meade; Tristan James Medina; *Margaret Rose Meehan; *Taryn Leigh Meenan; Alexander Vincent Meister; Samuel  Mena-Peralta; *Ryan Thomas Meneo; *Natalie Ann Messner; +Olivia Catherine Michalic; *Johnathan David Mikosz; *Joshua David Miller; +Rachel Anne Miller; *John Richard Mindek; *Sarah Helen Mirisola; *Katlin Joy Misiorski; +Sage Elizabeth Misluck; *Peyton Francis Mitchell; Scott Adam Mockler; *Sean Thomas Molgano; +Anthony Joseph Mondo; +Ashlee Irene Montefalco; Andrew Reed Monteleone; Fanny Rosa Moquete Trinidad; *Tyler Robert Moquin; *Amanda Carol Morach; Melissa Janet Morelli; *Morgan Victoria Mueller; *Julia Anna Mularczyk; *Gabrielle Katherine Mulholland; *Mark James Murdy; *Thomas James Murdy; Lindsey Joan Murphy; and *Catherine Linda Myers.

+Matthew Edward Nappe; *Samantha Paige Nardi; *Ashley Michelle Nelson; *Cameron John Nelson; *Bao-Anh Thi Nguyen; *Madelyn Jane Nichols; Ronaldo Enrique Nieto; Joseph Stone Nocera; Justin Rogerio Nogueira; and *Jillian Lee Noli.

Ann Marie Olender; +Tianna Marie Oliva; *Hannah Lyn Olsen; *Lars Joseph Olson; Shayla Shekira Ortiz; and *Madison Christine Osakowicz.

*Elysse Cassandra Page; +Albert Joseph Palumbo; +Anthony Andrew Palumbo; *Evyenia Christina Papageorge; *Vasoula Erene Papageorge; Michael Daniel Paquette; David Gary Pastor; *Anjali Alpesh Patel; *Chandni Jay Patel; *Chinkal R Patel; Matthew Robert Pattison; *Brianna Nicole Pellerin; Jared Ryder Pelletier; Jacob Allen Perkins; *Ariel Rose Perry; *Timothy Carlton Perry; +Benjamin Stephen Pestillo; *Brian R Petrucci; Alyssa Harmony-Rose Peyre; *Justin J Phen; *Delaney Ann Picard; *Jessica  Piotrowski; Griffin Evan Pisko; Lia Virginia Pizzitola; Anthony Domenic Plantamuro; Lindsay  Porter; *Andrew Joseph Premus; Garrison Randall Price; Dillon Marc Prive; Harrison Jarred Proch; *Samantha Shalini Purushotham; and Garr Kristofer Puzycki.

None.

+Thomas Aldo Ragozzino; +Brianna Denise Rainey; Brittany Sharon Rainey; *Paul J Ramsey; *Nathan Michael Raposa; *Nicholas Joseph Rappi; *Jesse Peter Rasten; *Morgan Jean Raymond; Matthew Christopher Reardon; +Abiose O Reid; *Michael Blake Ricciardone; *Joshua J Richardson; Leandro  Rivera; Richard Malik Rivera; *Bailey Joseph Robarge; Adriana Jacqueline Roberts; *Julian  Robles; +Alexyss Tiffany Roderick; *Turner William Rodman; Alex James Rodriques; Chloe  Rogala; *Kaitlynn  Rossi; +Abigail  Roy; Tyler Robert Ruoff; *Benjamin Edward Russman; Francesca Antonia Russo; and *Stephen Andrew Rutkowski.

*Samantha Rose Sagnella; +Joshua A Salgado; Jazmine Marie Santos; Kelsey Elizabeth Sargent; Alexia Karin Saturno; Joseph James Savage; *Joseph Gerald Savarese; Jeffrey Dylan Sawyer; Ellen Maighread Scafariello; Christopher William Scanlon; *Paul Lloyd Schweiger; *Matthew James Sciota; William Frank Seamon; +Jacob Sean Secondo; *Kaitlin Marie Semmel; *Kyle Stephen Semmel; *Brendan John Shea; Delilah Tieghernan Shea; *Ryan Patrick Sheehan; Joseph William Shilinga; *Tyler John Shoneck; *Kristen Grace Shubert; *Kayla Rose Sica; *Nathan Raymond Simard; Kiondre James Singleton; Ethan Alexander Sioch; +Julia Rose Skarzynski; Brandon William Slade; Zachary Ryan Smith; *Kyle Glen Solomon; Everett Patrick Sperry; +Joel Matthew Spinelli; *Jeremy Adam Spooner; *Kimberly Elizabeth Stafko; *Samantha Beatrice Steeves; +Michael Alexander Steminsky; *Carson Rose Stifel; Samantha Nicole Stocking; *Brandon Thomas Stone; *Grace Katherine Strillacci; +Brett Christopher Swanson; Andrew John Swift; Adrian Mark Swinicki; *Garrett Richard Sylvia; Jonathan Rocco Symecko; *Monique Regina Szabo; and Sarah Francesca Szymczyk.

*Caitlin Marie Taddeo; *Brendan Anthony Taylor; *Bianca Ashley Taylor-Soriano; *Noah Edward Tedeschi; +Mallory Brooke Terry; *Sean Michael Terry; *John Luke Testa; *Mark Anthony Testa; +Adam Hunter Theriault; +Alison Nicole Theriault; Jacques Giovanni Thillet; *Olivia Nichole Thomas; *John William Thompson; Shaun Michael Thompson; *Leann Marie Tonnotti; *Lauren Marie Torino; *Kristiana Alyssa Torres; *Lissette Ivelsse Torres; Kelly Joyce Tranchida; *Madison Marie Trask; and *Connor John Trzcinski.

Vance Joseph-Michael Upham

*Brooke Leigh Valentukonis; Ashley Rose Valerio; *Rylee Elizabeth Van Epps; *John C Vecchio; *Gabrielle Sophie Veilleux; Cristian Michael Verderame-Malachowski; +Victoria Louise Verrilli; +Joseph Robert Vitali; *Stephen J Vollaro; *Oksana Maria Voronchak; and +William  Voronchak.

*Megan Elizabeth Walsh; Jake Allan Was; *Natiya Virginia Washer; *James Patrick Cahalane Weil; *Hannah Mary Weir; *Madison Haley Whillock; Connor Doran Williams; Kameron Maleek Wilson; *Michelle Lynn Woodruff; Sedona Rae Worth; and Joshua M Wyskiewicz.

None.

None. 

Caitlin Mary Zajac; Zachary George Zakreta; Richard Matthew Zayas; *Alexa Christina Zborowski; Michael W Zbroja; *Michael Anthony Zera; and *Miranda Lynn Zygmunt.

Staff members at each of Southington’s schools, above, were honored with the Profiles in Professionalism award at the May 11 school board meeting.

By JEN CARDINES

STAFF WRITER

At the culmination of each school year, Southington Public School (SPS) officials honor members of the district that go above and beyond what they are expected to do each day. Through recognition ceremonies, faculty, staff, and volunteers are highlighted for their service to the students.

SPS recognized 14 recipients for the Profiles in Professionalism award last month. The honorees for the 2016-2017 school year were recognized by the Board of Education (BOE) in front of their families and colleagues during a meeting on May 11.

The annual celebration of excellence identifies those who were nominated by each school building and department within Southington Public Schools. Faculty and staff put together biographies for their chosen peers, which were read during the award ceremony, to demonstrate why they go above and beyond in their job.

During the BOE meeting, the administrative team individually recognized each recipient, and Chairman Brian Goralski presented each person with a certificate.

The following individuals were recognized: Lee Ann Miller from Southington High School; Marlene Carbone from Joseph A. DePaolo Middle School; and Amy Perry from John F. Kennedy Middle School.

From the town’s elementary schools, honorees included Kate Colonero (Derynoski); Deborah Crean (Flanders); Charity Baker (Hatton); Denise Sadowski (Kelley); Susan Smith (Plantsville); Jill Brilla (South End); Erika Mihok (Strong); and Dawn Brown (Thalberg).

Dan Patterson was recognized from the ALTA program; Christopher Bruton from the maintenance department; and Noreen Whyte from the central office.

On Tuesday, May 30, district officials held a luncheon at Hawk’s Landing Country Club for those who volunteer in the schools. Every school principal chooses five volunteers—many of which are parents—who have made a difference during the school year by donating their time in. The principals stood up and introduced their chosen volunteers during the luncheon, offering remarks about them.

The following individuals were recognized: Marie Nelson, Pasquale Herard, Joe Jenkinson, Jon Lamkins, and Steve Pestillo from Southington High School; Jennifer Lanci, Sue Whitehead, Tammy Joseph, Connie Scavone, Wally and Bette Ann Bailey from DePaolo Middle School; along with Lisa Martin, Shari Riedinger, Susan Aulbach, Merrily Lacombe, and Nicole St. Amand from Kennedy Middle School.

From the elementary schools were Casie Messina, Jennifer Walberg, Karen Corrado, Jennifer Nicoletti and Ann Micacci-Flynn (Derynoski); Christie Chipelo, Elizabeth Hagen, Wendy Lombardo, Jenn Hunt, and Jill Volmar (Flanders); Bonnie Frechette, Leigh Pechillo, Theresa Rocco, Michelle Cerra, and Stacy Marek (Hatton); Jolene Drechsler, Samantha Dudac, Heather Farr, Kristi Josephson, and Maureen Vargas (Kelley); Sandy Chavez, Shannon Fink, Heather Warner, Janet Zesut, Scott Gilbert, and Liz Chichon (Plantsville); Kristen Provo, Betty Lutz, Joanna Nagle, Renee Cascio, and Kim Davis (South End); Maritza Nadeau, Sara Tellerico, Kelly Flood, Amy Cogswell, and Angelique Bilodeau (Strong); and Rachael Gonzalez, Marge Saraceno, Mario Sarceno, Amanda Lester and Ashley Nutting (Thalberg).

Additionally, Christina Simms and Karen Smith were honored by the Alta program and Debbie Rice was acknowledged for her work with the SHS athletic department.

To comment on this story or to contact staff writer Jen Cardines, email her at JCardines@SouthingtonObserver.com.