High honors

62 Cranston East juniors inducted into National Honor Society

By Pam Schiff
Posted 5/23/18

By PAM SCHIFF If it is springtime, it is awards and accolades season at Cranston's schools. On Thursday, May 10, Cranston East held the induction of students from the Class of 2019 into the National Honor Society. This June marks the 25th year that

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High honors

62 Cranston East juniors inducted into National Honor Society

Posted

If it is springtime, it is awards and accolades season at Cranston’s schools.  On Thursday, May 10, Cranston East held the induction of students from the Class of 2019 into the National Honor Society.

This June marks the 25th year that Cranston East has been a member of the National Honor Society.

Family members and friends filled the auditorium to share in the special evening of these high school juniors.

As the current NHS President, Brenna Rojek served as MC for the evening, welcoming guests and announcing the procession of inductees, award recipients and platform guests all escorted by the JROTC Honor Guard.

In addition, the National Art Honor Society inducted their members. This year's Art Society's officers were: President Casey Nolan, Vice President Eve Francazio, Treasurer Emily Mellor, and Secretary Leah Struminsky

The outgoing officers for the NHS this school year are: Secretary Maia Caito, Secretary Emily Mellor, Vice President Nathaniel Hardy, and President Brenna Rojek.

“Each of you has performed to a standard of excellence in the classroom and I congratulate you on that success.  Your dedication to becoming a highly educated member of society is something that you, along with our entire community, should celebrate.  Hard work has been the cornerstone that you have relied upon, and will be the hallmark that each of you will carry into your life beyond the walls of Cranston East,” said Principal Sean Kelly.

“However, academic success alone is not the only area in which you have excelled.  In order to be inducted, you also had to demonstrate a commitment to service, character, and leadership,” he said.

Representing Mayor Fung was his executive assistant, Mark Schieldrop.

"When I spoke to the Mayor about what he’d like me to say tonight, he had a simple message,” Schieldrop told the crowd. “He said he is so proud to see more than 60 students get inducted tonight and that you represent what is exceptional about our schools and our city as a whole. He said that the best part of being mayor for so many years – it has been nine years now – is to see the youth of this city grow and excel.”

James Dillon and Cranston School Committee member from Ward 3, Domenic Fusco, offered remarks and congratulations from Cranston Schools Central Administration.

The faculty tribute was given by Scott Maynard.

Rojek began the formal candle lighting ceremony.

"Induction of new members into the National Honor Society is an important event for the student, the chapter, and the school,” she said. “The ceremony provides an excellent opportunity to dramatize the purposes of the chapter. At the table is one lighted candle representing the eternal light of knowledge. It is flanked by four unlighted candles representing scholarship, service, leadership, and character. The officers of the National Honor Society will review these qualities for our candidates.”

Nathaniel Hardy lit the candle for Scholarship, Emily Mellor lit Service, Maia Caito lit the candle for Leadership and the last candle, for Character, was lit by Brenna.

After the candles were lit, Rojek had all the inductees stand, raise their right hands and recite the pledge of the National Honor Society.

Principal Kelly and Honor Society advisor Blake Danforth called the roll for the inductees to come to the stage and receive their certificates.

Art teacher Jill Cyr explained the National Art Honors Society.

"For more than 35 years the National Art Honor Society has provided national recognition and opportunities for students who exhibit outstanding scholarship in the visual arts,” she said. “Each member of NAHS had to meet specific criteria in the following areas: academic, both overall and in their advanced level art studies, civic and social expectations. The membership has created a living gallery and ongoing fundraiser through Artsonia and participate in the 2018 Bolt’s Bazara. With those funds raised, NAHS’s fall service-learning project was the Memory Project, which is a charitable nonprofit organization that invites art teachers and their students to create portraits for youth around the world who have faced substantial challenges, such as neglect, abuse, loss of parents, violence, and extreme poverty.”

Cyr went on to acknowledge the new officers, and presented them with certificates. She then called up President Casey Nolan to read the National Art Honor Society Creed and Mission.

"Color comes from the sun to all things on Earth. Line is the edge of all things on Earth. Form is the mass of the Earth. Texture is the surface of the Earth. Space is the void, the emptiness. Balance is equality and harmony. And, movement is time and energy passing," she said.

Secretary Leah Struminsky approached the podium and read: 

"New members, please rise and join our Society President by raising your right hands and repeating the NAHS Induction Ceremony Pledge: I will in my life, to the best of my ability through my talents in art, help to create a more beautiful world for myself, for humankind, and for all living things.”

Vice President Eve Francazio then went to the podium and read member’s names while President Casey Nolan gave out certificates and shook new members hands.

The 17 members of the Cranston East National Art Honor Society are:

Tammy Chen, Headher Fiallo, Genesis Jiminez, Kyla Gauvin, Taylor Grant, Roza Lay, Kailee Pearson, Maria Calderone Alzate, Gerilou Ebrada, Emily Fontes, Karissa Handrich, Dylan Horner, Antonio Lucchetti, Sokpearoun Lorn, Delia Maguire, Guillermo Nova and Michelle Phan.

Eve went on to acknowledge and thank all the art teachers at Cranston East.

The next part of the ceremony was the presentations of the book awards. Mr. Scott Maynard awarded the Pell Medal to Emma Boucher, and the recipients of the Saint Michael’s Book Award were Samantha Schleifer and Brandon Venda.

Assistant Principal Dave Aulenbach gave the Wellesley Book Award to Monaye Hinds, and Renedia Louis won the URI Book Award.

Sergeant Major Gerald Thifault awarded the United States Army Cadet Command Distinguished Cadet Medal for Scholastic Excellence to Natalie Butterfield, Amy Jimenez, Serena Mora, Jeshaias Quiroa, Eric Testa and Geryl Vargas.

Assistant Principal, Chris D’Ambrosio gave the Johnson and Wales Business Award to Noah Rennick, and the Brown Book Award was presented to Griffen Hill.

Sandi Matoian-Heard gave the Bryant University Book Award to Sokpearoun Lorn.

She also gave out the Excellence in Music award to the following students: Chelsea Amadio, Dylan April, Emma Boucher, Joshua Deland, Lily Frappier, Bernadette Linsangan, Jaelyn Mateo, Daniel Norridge and Samantha Schleifer.

Isa Tejada awarded the Dartmouth Book Award to Emily Fontes, and the Smith College Book Award went to Julie Chen.

Blake Danforth gave the Baush and Lomb Award to Delia Maguire. This year’s recipient of the Rensselaer Medal Award was Sarah Murphy.

Danforth gave the Harvard Book Award to Emma Boucher, and the Yale Book Award was presented to Lia Dietrich.

Lauretta Lunghi presented the foreign language awards. Italian was given to Andrea Miranda Duarte, and the Spanish award was presented to Shuichi Kameda Almeida.

Assistant Principal Joseph Potemri gave the George Eastman Young Leaders Award to Eric Testa, and the last award of the evening, the Frederick Douglass/Susan B. Anthony Award was given to Wildalis Almonte.

The incoming officers were installed by Matoian-Heard. She called President-elect Adriany Cruz, Vice President-elect Delia Maguire, Secretary Elect:Eleanor Trimm  and Secretary-elect Sokpearoun Lorn.

The full list of students inducted into the NHS:

Wildalis Almonte, Chelsea M. Amadio, Sarah Aughinbaugh, Emma Boucher, Alyssa Caldarone, Maria Calderon Alzate, Navelyn Carrillo, Nicholas Chea, Julie Chen, Adriany Cruz, Lia Dietrich, Gerilou Ebrada, Nicole Espinal, Emily Fontes, Alicia Francis, Lily Frapier, Salome Freulon, Emerson Gomez, Lauren Guzman, Karissa Handrich, Maclean Hanley, Griffen Hill, Monaye Hinds, Luke Hogan, Kaitlyn Idskou, Amy Jimenez, Shuichi Kameda Almedia, Mey Linh Kith, Yingqi Lei, Bernadette Ann F. Linsangan, Sokpearoun Lorn, Renedia Sarah Meronville Louis, Antonio Lucchetti, Luong Sam Ly, Delia Maguire, Paul Maguire, Jaelyn Mateo, Jacob Y. Medina, Aileen C. Membreno, Colin Miller, Abigail Monroe, Serena Mora, Sarah Murphy, Allie Notarianni, Jaileen Perez, Jeshaias Quiroa, Noah Rennick, Treanna Saing, Tola Sam, Emily Santiago, Samantha Schleifer, Alex Seng, Elinette Tavares, Eric Testa, Noraneath Than, Eleanor Trimm, Melanie Trindade, Geryl Sophia Vargas, Brandon Venda, Brianna Williams, Christine Wong and Nicholas Yau.

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