TURNERS FALLS — Most of them have taken a heavy load of advanced placement classes, many while juggling varsity sports, community service or a job, and, in the words of Mohawk Trail Regional School Superintendent Michael Buoniconti “show no sign of slowing down.”
He was talking about the nine area high-schoolers honored for their academic excellence by the Franklin County Area Superintendents’ Association during its annual awards dinner at the Franklin Technical School’s Apprentice restaurant Thursday night.
“I feel good about putting our future in their hands,” Buoniconti said of the students. “They’ve got the talent.”
Grace Rathbun has consistently chosen the most challenging classes at Pioneer, while participating on the indoor track team, school plays, and mock trial team. Rathbun is also the founder of the school’s Feminist Club and a class officer.
Rathbun, a member of the National Honor Society, holds a 3.90 GPA. She also works as a gymnastics instructor.
Tyler Rice is ranked second in her class at Mohawk with a 3.90 GPA. Since the beginning of her high school career, she’s taken some of the hardest classes, including advanced placement in U.S. History, World History, Literature and Composition, Calculus and Environmental Science, and Honors Statistics.
She has taken awards including High Honors, the Mount Holyoke Book Award, the Excellence in Mathematics Award, and is the recipient of a John and Abigail Williams scholarship.
Rice is a member of the school’s Student Council, Key Club and National Honor Society, a member of Select Chorus and a volunteer for the Iron Bridge Dinner. In sports, she skis, runs cross country and track, and plays soccer.
Sarah O’Sullivan was described by Greenfield Public Schools administrators as “the best of the best” with her 4.4 GPA, placing her second in her class.
In addition to taking high-level coursework, she’s also designed her own extra coursework, all while completing five AP/Honors courses and playing on three varsity sports teams.
O’Sullivan has also played 11 years of Women’s Ice Hockey, and serves as acting president of the Student Council, vice president of the Community Service Key Club, and is a member of the National Honor Society. She is the recipient of the Smith College Book Award and the Bernard J. Lovett, Jr. Citizenship Award.
Chad K. Williams holds a 3.8 GPA while simultaneously dual-enrolled at Greenfield Community College and working as a Computer Numeric Coding operator at KEO Milling Cutters in Athol.
A hunter, archer and German Shepard trainer in his spare time, Williams is also active in his church’s youth group.
Jonathan Delaney has a 4.17 GPA and six AP classes under his belt. He’s been awarded a Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Book Award and Merit Scholarship.
Delaney is a strong mathematics and science student who plans to move into civil or environmental engineering. He is the treasurer of his school’s National Honor Society, volunteers at the Greenfield Senior Center, works on a local farm all summer long and plays baseball, football, skis and is on the track team.
Olivia Ann Kimball has a 4.2 GPA and has passed a slew of AP classes, including biology, statistics and English composition. She’s also taken honors Anatomy and Physiology and Calculus.
She’s a John and Abigail Williams Scholarship recipient and holds a Richard Smith Achievement Award for excellence in science. She has participated in Best Buddies, Active Bystander Training, National Honor Society, and Varsity Cheerleading, volunteers at Franklin Park Zoo and works part-time at Market Basket and Red Apple Farm.
Jordyn Fiske holds a 110.4 GPA on a 100-point scale and ranks first in her class. She’s a member of the National Honor Society and has received numerous academic and athletic awards.
Fiske is an active Student Council member and created and coordinates the “Love My Dress” prom dress drive.
Two students from Ralph C. Mahar school district were chosen this year. Kacy Ninteau is the top of her class, completing numerous AP courses and landing a Bausch and Lomb Award for excellence in science and the Mount Holyoke College Book award for academic achievement.
She’s participated in Mock Trial, Training Active Bystanders, Student Council and the Junior Engineering and Technical Society. She works at a local nursing home, has served on the School Committee’s Education subcommittee and on Congressman Jim McGovern’s Youth Cabinet.
Yunjung Seo is active in politics, participating in government at the school, state and national level as a volunteer for McGovern, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s recent presidential campaign and the Democratic National Convention’s online fundraising operations.
She’s been an executive board member of the Massachusetts Association of Student Councils, and has completed various AP coursework in government and economics. She has also translated a book of her mother’s poetry from Korean to English and won various academic awards.
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