Top Scholars At Rockville High School Heading To UConn, Princeton

VERNON, CT - Rockville High School has named its is top two scholars for the Class of 2016.

Kylie Kearney, the valedictorian, is the daughter of Kevin and Maureen Kearney. This fall, she will attend the University of Connecticut, double majoring in mechanical engineering and engineering physics with a minor in creative writing.

Kylie has been actively involved in RHS athletics and the school community. She is a four-year member of the RHS Volleyball team and was named an All-Conference athlete and to the JI All-Academic Team twice, as well as a Student Athlete of the Month and a CIAC Scholar Athlete.

She also was a mentor for the Unified Sports team for four years.

Kylie has been a member of the RHS Peer Advocates, the LINK Crew, Students Seeking New Achievements Positively (SSNAP), the Writing Lab, and the National Honor Society.

She received many awards including the Harvard Book Award and the E. Stevens Henry Award.

She also was named a Governor’s Scholar semi-finalist and received a Scholastic Art and Writing National Medal.

Outside of school, Kylie is an active member in her church as a peer minister.

Vivian Ufongene, the salutatorian, is the daughter of Charles and Genevieve Ufongene. This fall, Vivian will attend Princeton University, majoring in molecular biology.

Vivian has been involved in an array of different sports, clubs, and extracurricular activities at RHS. She has been a member of the Student Council for four years and served as president for the 2015-2016 school year.

She played on Rockville’s soccer team for all four years, the softball team for two years, and the golf team for two years.

Vivian has also been a member of the Peer Advocates, LINK Crew, Students Seeking New Achievements Positively (SSNAP), Acts of Kindness Club, Relay for Life, and the National Honor Society. Vivian has received awards for excellence in English, Earth Science, Biology, Health, Foods, the Yale Book Award, and is a three-time recipient of the Connecticut Council of Language Teachers Award for excellence in Spanish.

She has received several awards for her creative writing, winning two silver medals and receiving two honorable mentions from Scholastic Art and Writing, as well as winning the Trinity Repertory “Write Here, Write Now” playwriting contest, which included having her original one-act play performed at the Trinity Repertory theater in Rhode Island.

Outside of school, Vivian is an ambassador of Girl Scouts of America and has received her silver award, as well as the Presidential Volunteer Service Award.