Needham residents graduate from The Rivers School in Weston

WESTON, MA—Eight Needham residents were among 90 students to graduate from The Rivers School in Weston on Friday, June 12.

Marissa C. Birne, a high-honor roll student, was elected to the Cum Laude Society and received the Columbia Book Award for Community Service and the Hooper Lawrence Memorial Prize at Prize Day on June 11. She was a member of the rigorous Conservatory Program, but also found time to start her own non-profit organization (Art to Heal), complete one of Rivers’ demanding summer science internships, and be named a National Merit Commended Scholar. She was an Alumni Council student representative and a Red Key tour guide. Marissa also received the Kenneth F. Benjamin Citizenship Award in 2012 and the Harvard Club Prize in 2014. The daughter of Greg and Nancy Birne, she will attend Tufts University in the fall.

Sydney A. Fisher was a high honor roll student whose various interests and inquisitive nature got her involved in all aspects of the Rivers experience. She was a three-year member of the track & field and Robotics teams, earned recognition from the National Latin Exam three times, and was one of a handful of girls to attend the first-ever Girls Advancing in STEM Conference at MIT as a senior. The daughter of Duncan and Marion Fisher, Sydney will attend Worcester Polytechnic Institute in the fall.

Jennifer H. Lowell, a high honor roll student and National Merit Commended Scholar, garnered numerous awards over the years, including the 2013 Johns Hopkins University Prize, the 2014 Williams College Book Award, and 2015 Dudley H. Willis Trustee Prize. In addition, this year she was elected to the Cum Laude Society and received the Robert W. Rivers Prize for English and the Three-Dimensional Arts Prize in Ceramics. A dedicated athlete who earned a 2012 Strength and Conditioning Award, she was a member of the varsity field hockey and JV ice hockey teams for four years, and played lacrosse or ran track in the spring seasons. She also helped run the Heated Lions club on the weekends and participated in a Rivers service trip to a reservation in Montana last summer. The daughter of Jim and Terri Lowell, she will attend Harvard University in the fall.

Meghan C. Morgan was a high honor roll student and talented artist, who was awarded the Two-Dimensional Arts Prize and was elected to the Cum Laude Society at Prize Day on June 11. She also earned a 2012 Scholastic Arts Competition honorable mention, a 2015 SISAL Third place award, and a 2012 SISAL honorable mention. A dedicated athlete, Meghan earned an ISL Honorable Mention in cross country in 2012 and went on to captain the team as a senior, receiving this year’s Rivers Cross-Country Award. She also was a member of Red Key, which offers campus tours to prospective families. The daughter of Ted and Charlotte Morgan, she will attend Cornell University in the fall.

Benjamin H. Pasculano, a high honor roll student with a strong interest in science and engineering, was a key member of the school’s Robotics Club. He was also a talented artist who won Silver Keys in the Scholastic Art Competition in 2014 and 2015, as well as a 2014 honorable mention. Ben was an avid member of the varsity ski team which won NEPSAC championships all four years. He also was a member of the football, cross-country, and tennis teams while at Rivers and managed the girls’ lacrosse team as a senior. The son of Mark and Deb Pasculano, he will attend Worcester Polytechnic Institute in the fall.

Benjamin S. Rogers was a talented golfer who captained the team this year, after winning the team’s Most Valuable Player Award in 2013 and Charles R. Metchear III Golf Award in 2014. He finished second at the ISL Championships in 2014. With a broad range of interests, he was a member of the Men’s Chorus and the Debate Team, as well as the Stock, Investment, and Entrepreneurship Clubs on campus. He also gave campus tours to prospective families as a member of Red Key. The son of Adam and Stephanie Rogers, he will attend Emory University in the fall.

Julia F. Strauss, a high honor roll student and National Merit Scholarship winner, won the inaugural Thomas P. Olverson Prize as a junior and went on to win the school’s highest honor, the Faculty Prize this year. She also was elected to the Cum Laude Society and was awarded the Science Prize for her accomplishments in the sciences. She was a member of the Conservatory Program for talented musicians at Rivers and played bassoon in the chamber orchestra. Julia was also co-president of Red Key and was a teaching assistant in the math department. The daughter of Larry and Michele Strauss, she will attend Harvard University in the fall.

Maria A. Zafiropoulos, an honor roll student, was a member of Rivers Givers, a student philanthropy group, as well as the Red Key tour group. She also served as a student representative to the school’s Alumni Association and was a founding member of the Autism Speaks club. She played on the varsity softball team for four years and served as captain this year. The daughter of Mike and Harriet Zafiropoulos, she will attend Trinity College in the fall.