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MONTAGUE — The Turners Falls High School gym was filled with family and friends on Friday night who gathered to watch the graduating class walk across the stage and enter a new chapter of life.
After the crowd stood for the National Anthem, Principal Annie Leonard welcomed the audience and congratulated the seniors on all their accomplishments as well as their ability to overcome obstacles throughout their high school years. She then asked the crowd to give the faculty, staff and family members a round of applause.
Class president Noah Cordonnier-Padilla and student council president Nadia Hasan then stood at the podium to congratulate their classmates and wish them well in the future. “Just remember: Follow your dreams and follow your gut,” said Cordonnier-Padilla, as he finished his speech.
Well known on the softball team as well as in the classroom, salutatorian Jenna Putala came to the stage to give a speech and say goodbye to all her classmates who are off to college, careers and to the military. “It is a great honor that I stand before you as class salutatorian,” she said. “Fellow classmates, let’s cherish this moment.”
Valedictorian Nevan Shattuck thanked everyone in the room for coming and thanked all the teachers and staff for their dedication. He told his classmates to remember to take risks, to fight for what they believe in and, most importantly, to be happy. “I will cherish all the time together and the memories we made,” he said.
Before the seniors were invited to walk across the stage, Superintendent Michael Sullivan reminded the students to try to build community wherever they land next.
The audience cheered and snapped photos as the newly minted graduates got their diplomas.
For the fourth year, the Gill-Montague Education Fund presented each senior with a rose, which they were then encouraged to give to someone special in their life.
Scholarships
Anna Garbiel Scholarship: Ryan Lenois.
Bete Fog Nozzel and Caddie Consulting Scholarship: Ryan Lenois.
Bill Petravage Memorial Scholarship: James Fritz.
Brian Boguz Athletic Scholarships: Jenna Putala, Ryan Lenois, Sydney Upham.
Edward Brown Memorial Scholarship: Sabrina Petrowicz.
Ken Brown Memorial Scholarship Award: Nadia Hasan.
Richard O. Guy Memorial Scholarship: Colby Dobias.
Community Foundation of Western Mass
Scholarship Presents The Michael A. Smiarowski, Memorial Scholarship: Jenna Putala.
Elizabeth Dorrance Memorial Scholarship: Colby Dobias, James Fritz, Ryan Lenois, Riley Palmer.
Everald Kate Zeno Nursing Scholarship: Sydney Upham.
Erving Parent Teacher Organization: Jenna Putala, Sydney Upham.
Erving Teachers Association Scholarship: Sydney Upham.
Franklin County Rotary Club Scholarship: Colby Dobias.
Fred R. Whitcomb Scholarship: Allison Cooke, Sydney Upham.
Friends of Gill Scholarship: Mackenzie Philllips.
Gill-Montague Education Association Scholarship: Destiny Torres.
GMEF Enrichment/Scholarship: Margaret Sroka, Sydney Upham, Yazziel Mercado-Cruz.
Gilmond Lamore Memorial Scholarship: Margaret Sroka, Richard Whiteman.
Harriot E. Tidd Memorial Scholarship: Nadia Hasan.
In Memory of Frederick S. Lego aka/Newt Guilbault Baseball League Scholarship: James Fritz.
H. Royer Collins Student Athlete Scholarship: Jenna Putala.
Madeline J. Carlson Scholarship, “In memory of Marion Packard Carlson: Rileigh Carlisle, Colby Dobias, Tarrah Dempsey, James Fritz, Margaret Sroka, Richard Whiteman.
Mary Stuart Rogers Scholarship: Colby Dobias.
Massachusetts Elks Scholarship, Rileigh Carlisle.
Mery O’Brien Scholarship: Ryan Lenois, Nevan Shattuck, Hailey Whipple, Molly Baxter.
Photography Scholarship: Mackenzie Phillips, Ryan Lenois.
Our Lady of Peace Scholarship: Jenna Putala.
St. Stan’s Scholarship: Jenna Putala, Ryan Lenois.
Symmes Maini & McKee Scholarship: Nevan Shattuck.
The Recorder Scholarship: Richard Whitman.
TFHS All-Sports Booster Scholarship: Jordan Meattey, Riley Palmer.
TFHS Alumni Scholarship: Rileigh Carlisle. TFHS Class of 1957 Bernard Plaza Service Scholarship: Margaret Sroka.
Tobin Scholarship: Colby Dobias.
Turners Falls Athletic Club Scholarships: Mackenzie Phillips, Ryan Lenois, Hailey Whipple, Jenna Putala.
Turners Falls Fireman’s Relief Scholarship: Nadia Hasan.
TFHS Student Government Service Scholarship: Nadia Hasan.
Wells Trust Fund Scholarships: Rileigh Carlisle, Allison Cooke, Tarrah Dempsey, Colby Dobias, Ryan Lenois, Mackenzie Phillips.
William Connelly Memorial Scholarship: Allison Cooke.
Women’s Club of Turners Falls Scholarship: Courtney Gochinski, Mackenzie Phillips.
Awards
Senior Class – Most Valuable Players,
Baseball Trevor Mankowsky, Boys Basketball Jalen Sanders, Girls Basketball Nadia Hasan,
Field Hockey Sabrina Petrowicz, Football Jalen Sanders, Golf Ryan Lenois, Ice Hockey Ryan Lenois,
Softball, Mackenzie Phillips and Jenna Putala, Boys Swimming James Fritz, Girls Swimming Mackenzie
Phillips, Volleyball Hailey Whipple.
Class of 1945 Joseph J. Sheff Memorial Award for all around athletic ability in Basketball and contributing to the team, Jalen Sanders.
Marston Baseball Award for all around athletic ability in Baseball and in contributing to the team, Tanner Jones.
Nate Lucas Award for the senior swimmer: Riley Palmer.
Mass Live First All-Western Mass Basketball Team Player: Jalen Sanders.
McDonald’s McScholar Athlete Awards: Jenna Putala, Ryan Lenois.
Academic Excellence In Art Award: Allison Cooke, Academic Excellence in Communication Design Award: Tristan Soucie.
Academic Excellence in Filmmaking Technology Award: Seth Leamy.
Academic Excellence in Film Editing Award: Richard Whiteman.
Academic Excellence in Manufacturing Technology Award: Akeeva Forcier.
Academic Excellence in English: Ryan Lenois, Academic Excellence in Mathematics: Nevan Shattuck.
Academic Excellence in Physical Education: Ryan Lenois.
Academic Excellence in Life Science Award: Riley Palmer.
Academic Excellence in Physical Science Award: Allison Cooke.
Academic Excellence in Social Studies Award: Hailey Whipple.
Music Excellence Award: Margaret Sroka.
National Honor Society Members: Rileigh Carlisle, James Fritz, Ryan Lenois, Riley Palmer, Mackenzie Phillips, Jenna Putala, Nevan Shattuck, Margaret Sroka, Sydney Upham, Hailey Whipple. The President’s Award for Academic Achievement: Rileigh Carlisle, Riley Palmer, Sydney Upham, Tarrah Dempsey, Ryan Lenois, Colby Dobias, James Fritz.
The President’s Award for Academic Excellence: Nevan Shattuck, Jenna Putala, Mackenzie Phillips, Alexxis Young, Hailey Whipple, Allison Cooke.
The Massachusetts Secondary School Administrators Association Award: Tanner Jones.
Turners Falls High School Class of 1947 English Award: Destiny Torres.
Class of 1953 for Excellence in Drama, Miss Alice Teed Award: Nevan Shattuck.
Society of Women Engineers of Boston, Jenna Putala.
Westerm New England University Book Award: Allison Cooke.
Turners Falls High School American Citizenship Awards: Margaret Sroka and Richard Whiteman.
Turners Falls High Service Award: Nadia Hasan.
Ellen T. Wrightson Memorial Award: “To the senior who best exemplifies the Spirit of Turners Falls High School”: Noah Cordonnier-Padilla.
Turners Falls High School Class of 2016 Scholastic Merit Awards: Nevan Shattuck, Jenna Putala, Mackenzie Phillips, Alexxis Young, Hailey Whipple.
The Salutatorian Award: Jenna Putala.
The Valedictorian Award: Nevan Shattuck.
Graduates
Matthew D. Brunette, Brennan G. Camara, Johnathan Joseph Cardona, Rileigh M. Carlisle*, Jacob A. Clark, Gabriel I. Coira, Allison Paige, Cooke, Noah Thomas Cordonnier-Padilla, Johnna D. Crockett, Tarrah C. Dempsey, Colby Dobias, Robert Parker Flandreau, Akeeva Forcier, James Clinton Fritz*, Gunnar Garcia, Courtney Jean Gochinski, Nadia Rose Hasan, Zachary W. Hillman, Tanner Jones, Seth Leamy, Ryan L. Lenois*, Alexander Lindgren, Jessica Marie Loynd, Trevor James Mankowsky, Jordan Nadine Meattey, Yazziel Mercado-Cruz, David Mulherin, Alison Melli Ovalle- Perez, Riley Bowen Palmer*, Sabrina Mae Petrowicz, Mackenzie Jean Phillips*, Jenna C. Putala, Devan I Rivera, Jalean Sanders, Jason A. Scott, Nevan Q. Shattuck*, Ira A. Simmons, Tristan M. Soucie, Margaret R. Sroka*, Jake E. Thornton, Destiny Elisa Torres, Sydney Upham*, Tatiana Vellon-Santiago, Hailey C. Whipple*, Richard C. Whiteman, Ashley M. Williams, Cullen M. Wozniak, Alexxis Jayde Young.
*National Honor Society Member