Congratulations to Spaulding High's Top 10 Graduating Seniors

The Spaulding High School faculty and staff are thrilled to announce the top 10 graduating seniors of the Class of 2020.

Rankings are based on the cumulative grade point average throughout high school. The honored graduates are listed in alphabetical order, as the determination of valedictorian and salutatorian, based on grades for the entire four years of high school, will be calculated and announced at graduation on June 9th, 2020.

Chloe Duchesneau, daughter of Don and Kelly Duchesneau of Rochester, is the recipient of the Presidential Scholarship at Southern New Hampshire University. Chloe will be attending the Honors program at Southern New Hampshire University, where she plans to major in psychology with a minor in criminal justice. Chloe was also accepted into the Honors programs at Franklin Pierce College, Saint Anslem College, and Salve Regina University. Additionally, she was accepted into Western New England University and New England College--both with Presidential Scholarships, as well as to Colby Sawyer College, under the Founder's Scholarship.

Balancing a diverse range of commitments, Chloe is an active member of Class Council, Project SEARCH, National Honors Society, National Technical Honors Society, and French Honors Society. Ever conscious of giving back to her community, Chloe has served as Co-President of Spaulding's Interact Club for two years and enjoys volunteering at multiple Rochester Main Street events, including the Festival of Trees.

A talented dancer, Chloe serves as co-captain of the Spaulding Elite Dance Team and she has also been a member of Studio 109's Performance Troupe for the past seven years. Chloe also works as a beloved volunteer Teaching Assistant and Choreographer at her dance studio.

For her marked excellence in both mathematics and science, Chloe has been recognized with an award from the Society of Women Engineers. When asked about the most meaningful activity from high school, Chloe reflected on her time choreographing a play for other students at Studio 109. She recalls, "Getting to not only see my visions and ideas being turned into a reality by the kids but also being able to motivate and share my love of dance with all the children involved was truly a magical moment. Showing the students how to express yourself and have fun through dance and seeing them happily performing with excitement and pride was truly worth all the hard work and time put into putting the entire play together."

We are so excited to hear about all that Chloe accomplishes academically, personally, and on her pathway to helping others as she continues to move forward with excellence.

Timothy Grosky, son of Nathaniel and Shelley Grosky of Rochester, is the recipient of the Presidential Scholarship and the Gray-White-Shields Scholarship at the University of New Hampshire, where he will go on to study in the Honors program within the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences.Timothy was also accepted to Saint Anselm College under the Chancellor Honors Scholarship, Southern New Hampshire University under the Presidential Scholarship, and to Keene State College. Although currently undecided on his specific major, Timothy looks forward to obtaining a future career in the field of mathematics.

A prominent leader in the music department, Timothy serves as Co-President of the school band and he also works as the Spaulding High School Music Department facilities manager. Timothy is an avid member of Project SEARCH, where he was responsible for disseminating vital information gained at various lectures he attended at the University of New Hampshire. Devoted to helping others, Timothy is a member of the Mu Alpha Theta Honor Society, where he provides biweekly tutoring to his peers. With a keen talent and interest in the performing arts, Timothy is also an active member of Chorus and the Masque and Dagger Drama Club.

Prioritizing the importance of giving back to his community, Timothy volunteers at both Saint Mary's Catholic Church as well as the Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Rochester, where he has volunteered to help clean up yard sales, served food at Lenten Simple Suppers, and devoted his time to fundraising. Additionally, Timothy also volunteers at the Rochester Community Fellowship Kitchen, where he has helped prepare and serve food to others.

Timothy has been recognized for both his academic and musical talents throughout high school. He is the recipient of the Instrumentalist Magazine Merit Award for his outstanding contributions, leadership, and service to the school instrumental music program and the Music Achievement Award for his outstanding achievement in both chorus and band. He was also honored with the French 1 Award for his excellence in foreign language. Timothy is a member of the National Honor Society and is a recognized New Hampshire Scholar in both STEM and the Arts.

Timothy reflects, "The Spaulding High School Music Department was the most personally meaningful activity I participated in during high school. My four years in band, chorus, and drama helped me to grow as a person. I have made many good friends and have a lot of happy memories of my four years there. I enjoyed both singing in the chorus and playing in the band in Disney World at Orlando, Florida. Ms. Houston, Ms. Richardson, and Mr. Goodwin have taught me many lessons about hard work, dedication, excellence, and how to be a leader." Timothy emphasizes that he is very thankful for the support of his family throughout all of high school and to all of his teachers at Spaulding High School.

We are so proud of Timothy's accomplishments, and recognize how lucky Spaulding has been to have had such a stellar leader in academics, music, and in helping others in need.

Jaylyn Jewell, Daughter of Robynn and Gary Jewell of Rochester, is the recipient of the Presidential Scholarship at the University of New Hampshire. Jaylyn will go on to study nursing in the honors program at UNH, and plans to become a certified nurse practitioner. Jaylyn was also accepted to Southern New Hampshire State University and Colby-Sawyer College.

Devoted to helping both people and animals alike, Jaylyn volunteers at the FURRR Cat Shelter, where she is responsible for the care and feeding of all cats taken in, no matter their past experiences or expenses. Jaylyn's dedication to the well-being of others is evident in her future career goals, as well: Maintaining a keen interest in the healthcare field, Jaylyn strives to become a nurse practitioner who specializes in dermatology. As she points out, treating skin conditions is not only a practice related to physical health, but it also helps others to secure lifelong self esteem and confidence in others.

Throughout her time at Spaulding, Jaylyn has been a member of Project SEARCH, where she is committed to connecting with others in order to better understand differences in both background and experience. Jaylyn is passionate about learning new ideas and topics of discussion in order to share this knowledge with other high school students beyond the walls of Spaulding.

With a dedication to supporting others, Jaylyn has served as a juror on Teen Drug Court, where she helped fellow teenagers navigate through difficult times and taught others how to implement more positive decision-making tactics. Jaylyn reflects, "In high school, the most meaningful activity I participated in was Teen Drug Court. In this, I got to help other students navigate hard times and make better decisions. I got to exercise being a leader while also being compassionate and connecting with my peers."

We are so proud to know that Jaylyn will continue to apply her many talents and passion for helping others in both her future college and career endeavors.

Kayla McGary, daughter of Kirstie and Rob McGary of Rochester, is the recipient of the Presidential Scholarship at the University of New Hampshire. Kayla will attend the Honors program at UNH in the fall, where she will study biomedical sciences. Following this, she plans to go on to receive a Master's or Doctorate degree in clinical science. Ever passionate about the sciences, Kayla hopes to eventually become an embryologist. Kayla was also accepted to the University of Vermont and the University of Connecticut.

A valued leader at Spaulding, Kayla serves as Secretary of Class Council, and holds a seat as Treasurer of the French Honor Society. Through these involvements, Kayla has volunteered at the Gafney Home, and has helped out at local soup kitchens in the community as well. Kayla is an avid member of Mu Alpha Theta, Project SEARCH, and has additionally made wonderful contributions to Student Senate, where she works alongside her peers to improve school policies at Spaulding. With a strong passion for the work being done to eliminate marine pollution, Kayla has also volunteered with the Blue Ocean Society. Through this, she has made it her mission to make a difference along our nation's coastlines.

During her junior year, Kayla was recognized for her exceptional performance in mathematics and the sciences: She was recognized and awarded by the Society of Women Engineers. Kayla has also earned a Gold and Silver Key along with an Honorable Mention from the Scholastic Art Awards. Notably, Kayla also won both the school and regional rounds of the Poetry Out Loud Contest during this past year.

On top of all her commitments and passions, Kayla also manages to balance her schoolwork and activities with a 25-hour work week as a stock associate at Market Basket, where she works hard to save up money for college.

Kayla reflects, "For me, the most personally meaningful activity I participated in during high school was the Poetry Out Loud competition. I have always been the student to shy away from raising my hand in class, and giving presentations is not my strong suit. However, thanks to two of the most inspirational teachers I've ever had, I stepped out of my comfort zone and competed anyway. I ended up being the first student in five years to advance to states, and my participation in this event helped me gain the confidence I'll need to be successful."

We are thrilled by Kayla's hard work and know this is just the beginning of a lifetime of achievement in improving both the environmental conditions as well as the independent lives of others.

Noah Mitchell, son of Douglass Mitchell and Erika Mitchell of Rochester, is the recipient of Northeastern University National Merit Scholarship, where he will go on to study Electrical Engineering in the fall. Following this, Noah plans to obtain a Master's degree in electrical engineering, ultimately securing a career as an Electrical Engineer. Noah was also accepted to Worcester Polytechnic Institution, Colby College, the University of New Hampshire, Boston University, Rochester Institute of Technology, and the Wentworth Institute of Technology.

A role model to others, Noah volunteers his time as a math tutor to his peers at Spaulding through his involvement in Mu Alpha Theta. He is also an avid member of the National Technical Honor Society and skillsUSA, where Noah was part of a competition team through the engineering program. His team had prepared and planned to compete this year, but unfortunately were unable to do so due to school closures.

Noah is the recipient of the Springfield-Kimball Memorial Scholarship and has been nationally recognized for his exceptional PSAT scores, earning the Liberty Mutual National Merit Scholarship. He has also been honored as a United States Presidential Scholar Candidate for being one of the nation's most distinguished graduating high school seniors this year.

When asked to reflect on his most meaningful activity from the past four years at Spaulding, Noah described, "The most meaningful activity I participated in at Spaulding was Mr. Eberl's Engineering class. It helped me discover how much I enjoy engineering and STEM, which led me to choose electrical engineering as my major. I made some great memories and friends in that class, and without it, I wouldn't be where I am today."

Whether continuing to excel in math, science, engineering, or otherwise, we are thrilled to know that Noah will undoubtedly continue to thrive in all of his future accomplishments.

Katherine O'Brien, daughter of Christina and Glenn O'Brien of Rochester, NH, is the recipient of the Dean's Scholarship at Northeastern University, where she will go on to study health sciences in the fall. Katherine has also been accepted to the Honors program at Providence College under the St. Catherine of Siena Scholarship, to Tufts University, and to the College of the Holy Cross under the Magis Scholarship.

Passionate about public health, Katherine plans to work in the field of global health or epidemiology. Her dedication and compassion for others is also evident in her volunteerism and employment. Katherine has helped out at a local soup kitchen with her father once per month for nearly the entirety of high school. She also balances her commitments and stellar academic achievement with her job at Wentworth Douglass Hospital, where she works at least eight hours per week.

An admired leader at Spaulding, Katherine has served as president of French Honor Society and co-president of Mu Alpha Theta throughout the course of her senior year. She has also held office as Secretary of Interact Club for two years, and is an avid member of the National Honor Society and Project SEARCH at UNH. A talented athlete, Katherine has been a valuable member of the Girls' Varsity Soccer team for the past three years. She earned the Coach's Award during her senior year for hard work and dedication to the team. Representative of her future career passion, Katherine has also been recognized by the Society of Women Engineers for her excellence in both math and science.

Beyond school and volunteerism, in her free time, Katherine enjoys spending time with her family and scouring the internet for cheap airline tickets. She reflects, "My most meaningful activity was traveling to Costa Rica with my two favorite teachers and being able to experience a lifestyle so different from the ones we live in America. It was great to be involved in nature and spend a lot of time outdoors, even when it was unapologetically raining. I loved seeing animals that I will never see in New Hampshire. Also, I had the best pancakes I've ever had in my entire life in Costa Rica."

We are so proud of Katherine's truly exceptional achievements and can't wait to hear of all she accomplishes on her pathway toward bettering both the environment and the lives of others.

Lee Palaima, daughter of Nancy Palaima and John Palaima of Wakefield, will be attending the University of New Hampshire in the fall, where she plans to study Homeland Security.

In describing more about herself, Lee reflects, "To offer you a little bit more information that is vital to who I am is that I am Catholic and have a deep faith in God. 'Death before sin.' -Dominic Savio"

We are very proud of all of Lee's accomplishments and look forward to all of her future successes.

Emily Sherman, daughter of Jennifer and Scott Sherman of Rochester, is the recipient of the University of Tampa Merit Scholarship, where she will go on to study Allied Health next year, with the ultimate career goal of becoming a Physician's Assistant. Emily was also accepted into Keene State College, Plymouth State University, Salve Regina University, Saint Anselm College, University of New England, Husson University, Franklin Pierce University, and Southern New Hampshire University.

Emily is a prominent volunteer with the Helping Hands Foundation, a non-profit organization committed to providing services and community assistance to any population who may not otherwise have access to those services. Within this organization, Emily works to organize and coordinate youth meetings for kids with upper limb differences. Emily is passionate about this work because, as she explains, she herself has an upper limb difference, and feels it is necessary to share her experiences with the younger populations who may be struggling with various scenarios.

A valuable role model for her peers at Spaulding, Emily has been a member of the National Honor Society for the past two years, and she served prominently as President during her senior year. She is also an avid member of the French Honor Society and Mu Alpha Theta. A talented athlete, Emily has also played on the girl's varsity volleyball team as well as on the varsity and JV basketball teams for the majority of her time at Spaulding.

On top of all her commitments, Emily works 25 hours per week at Market Basket, where she has also been promoted to assistant manager.

For her excellence in academics, Emily has received the Honors award for French, the Honors award for Mathematics, and the Honors award for Science here at Spaulding. Additionally, she was the recipient of the Rochester Institute of Technology Book Award during her junior year.

Emily reflects, "Personally, I believe that running and being elected President of the National Honor Society was my most meaningful experience at Spaulding High School. Through this program I have developed leadership and organization skills that will be essential to my future success. NHS gave me multiple opportunities to voice my thoughts in the SHS community, but also gave me reliable, dependable, life-long friends. My fellow officers and advisors are some of the most hardworking people I have ever met, and to have been a part of their lives and have them been a part of mine has instilled in me the importance of networking and having people you can trust. The National Honor Society showed me the types of characteristics I aspire to show in myself: dedication, compassion, respect, and empathy. I have seen these qualities reflected in the people around me and want nothing more than to show the community what a true graduate of Spaulding High School and member of NHS entitles."

An example of compassion for others, we are so proud of Emily's dedication to bettering the lives of those in need and we look forward to hearing about all her future accomplishments.

Aden Taif, son of Tracy and Abe Taif of Rochester, is the recipient of the Presidential Merit Scholarship at the Rochester Institute of Technology. With a keen interest in the research and development of clean and renewable energy systems, Aden will be attending RIT in the fall, where he plans to pursue a degree in Electrical Engineering.

Throughout his time at Spaulding, Aden has been a dedicated member of the Latin Club, where he works to spread awareness of, participate in, and help to support fundraising activities for senior scholarships. Maintaining a humble awareness of the needs of others, Aden is actively involved in helping his neighbors and the community at large with neighborhood cleanup projects and lawn maintenance. He has also volunteered his time to assist in running a stand at the Relay for Life events.

On top of it all, Aden manages to balance his commitments with a 20-30 hour work week in his position at Kohls, yet he somehow still finds time to maintain an unwavering devotion to academic excellence.

Aden is the recipient of the National Honor Society Award for an outstanding performance in Latin. He has also been inducted into the National Junior Classical League for his exceptional achievements in his studies of Latin throughout high school.

When asked about his most impactful experience from high school, Aden reflects, "The most personally meaningful activity that I participated in during high school was spending mornings with my former AP US History teacher, Mrs. Quinn. Because of her warm and welcoming attitude, I was able to adjust to and grow in the environment of school. Without her guidance and constant support, it's hard to say that I would have done as well as I did. I was not only able to grow as a student because of her, but as a person as well."

We are so proud of both Aden's academic accomplishments, as well as the positivity and kindness he has brought to the Spaulding community at large. We can't wait to hear of all his future successes at RIT and beyond.

Casey Wohlers, son of Carol and Todd Wohlers of Rochester, is the recipient of the Presidential Scholarship at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, where he will go on to study Computer Science next year. Casey plans to become a future Software Engineer, and he was also accepted to the University of New Hampshire and the Rochester Institute of Technology, both with merit scholarships.

Maintaining a diverse array of personal hobbies and activities, Casey has been an avid member of the Chess Club for two years, and Latin Honor Society for four years, where he participated in numerous certamens, or Latin competitions. Compassionate about helping others, Casey has also served as an essential math tutor at Spaulding, as well as a committed member of Mu Alpha Theta. Through this, Casey served as a scorer at the annual Mathalon for grade schoolers, and met biweekly with other high school students for peer tutoring. In his free time, Casey loves to sport fence, play video games, and read.

Casey was the recipient of the Harvard Book Award during his junior year, and has earned the impressive honorship of being nationally recognized as a National Merit Scholarship Finalist for his exceptional scores on the PSAT.

When asked about the most meaningful activity he participated in during high school, Casey recalled, "My time in fencing has definitely been the most meaningful for me. I have developed so many important life skills like leadership and teamwork over the last four years of fencing, all while having a ton of fun, competing, and making new friends. Fencing is easily the most meaningful activity I have participated in because of these developmental moments."

We are very proud of Casey's accomplishments and are thrilled to recognize his outstanding achievements, especially given his humble character. We can't wait to hear about all of Casey's continued successes in the future.