Norton Seniors Prove to be High Achievers at Southeastern Regional Voc-Tech High School

Students from Southeastern Regional Vocational Technical High School received an impressive array of scholarships and awards during a Senior Awards Ceremony on May 22. The recipients included 83 seniors, who were given a total of $53,900 of scholarship money towards post-secondary education.  Other seniors and younger classmates received more than $7,000 of “toolships,” to help them purchase tools for their vocational fields.

Norton students did particularly well, with both Kyle Hudgins (Valedictorian) and Nicholas York (Salutatorian) receiving awards of achievement in a number of areas. Other Norton students who received honors included Ian Burrill, Nicholas York, Denis Feely, Adam Jurgilewicz, Sabrina Johar, Erika Monat, Thomas Cunningham, Justin Combis and Daniel DiOrio.

 The students were honored by local business people and community members, including many Southeastern teachers and administrators, who paid tribute to the students for their outstanding performances as students, athletes, and citizens.  

For the second year, the school was honored by keynote speaker Lt. Col. James Zumwalt, USMC (retired), who presented two scholarships to students for outstanding academic achievement in history, which were partially based on an essay contest.  The awards were given to Ian Burrill, of Norton, who wrote about the Civil War (first place), and Nicholas York, also from Norton, who wrote about the importance of working women during World War II (second place).

The awards were given in honor of Zumwalt’s father, Admiral Elmo R. Zumwalt Jr., who was Chief of Naval Operations during the Vietnam War.  Zumwalt said he chose to recognize history achievement because of his father’s love for the subject.

“His vision of the future was always linked to his knowledge of the past,” he said.

The ceremony marked the first event to take place in the school’s new state-of-the-art gym, which is part of the school’s three-year construction project.  The event also included opening remarks by Superintendent Luis Lopes, Principal David Wheeler, School Committee Chairman Mike Petrowski (Easton) and School Committee Representative Denis Feely (Norton).   The following awards were given after Valedictorian Kyle Hudgins led the Pledge of Allegiance: 

Zumwalt History Award:  Ian Burrill – Norton;  Nicholas York --  Norton   

Superintendent’s Award for Academic  Achievement:  Kyle Hudgins (Valedictorian) – Norton;  Nicholas York (Salutatorian)  -- Norton

Massachusetts Vocational Association  -- Vocational Student Achievement Award:  Kyle Hudgins --  Norton; Natasha James --  Stoughton

Ralph Armstead Toolships:  Kessy  Alves – Brockton;  Kyle Cronin – Stoughton; Jamie Denson – Sharon; Tiffany Janes – Foxboro; Deanna Miceli – Brockton

Ryan Orcutt Memorial Scholarship:  Sean Atchison – Mansfield; Daniela Couvertier – Brockton; Aidan Delgadillo – Sharon; Nicholas York – Norton

Stoughton Pennysaver Scholarship for Creative Excellence:  Kristina King – Foxboro

Good Citizenship Award:  Kyle Cronin – Stoughton

The American Legion Post 91 Scholarship:  Molly Merola – East Bridgewater; Kerry Ray – Bridgewater

Dunkin’ Donuts Scholarship:  Brooklyn Joseph – East Taunton

East Bridgewater Kiwanis Club:  Kerry Ray – East Bridgewater; Nicholas Talabach – East Bridgewater

Easton Police Association Scholarship:  Sean Atchison – Mansfield

The Fortnightly Club of Sharon Scholarship:  Merissa Cardoza – Sharon; Jamie Denson – Sharon

Mark Apostle Memorial Scholarship:  Sheri Vallee – Brockton

Richard J., Lila L., and Walter Donila Memorial Scholarship:  Kyle Hudgins – Norton

Stoughton Media Access Scholarship:  Courtney LaFrance – Stoughton

Raymond E.  and Arlene B. Tropea Scholarship:  Stephen Gillis – Stoughton; Tomas Plioplys – Stoughton

Richard Belanger Memorial Scholarship:   Nicholas Gargano – East Bridgewater

Margaret Adams Williams Scholarship:  Courtney LaFrance – Stoughton

Wheels of Time of Massachusetts Scholarship:  Tommy Andrade – Brockton;  Shane Gichel – Stoughton; Kaitlyn Guerriero – East Bridgewater; Natasha James – Stoughton

Baynes Electric Toolship:  Jason Galarza – Brockton; Melchior Joseph – Brockton; Shay Kilfoye – East Bridgewater; Geoffrey Martin – Brockton; Edwy Mascoll – Brockton;  Sheri Vallee – Brockton

Stephen R. Coulter Memorial Federation:  Adam Jurgilewicz – Norton

The James Goodwin Memorial Federation Scholarship:  Alexandra Steel – Foxboro

Teachers’ Federation Memorial Scholarship in memory of Mark Apostle:  Melchior Joseph – Brockton

Houlker Memorial Scholarship:  Nicholas Talabach – East Bridgewater

Katherine Douglas Memorial Scholarship:  Natasha James – Stoughton

Rose Stewart Memorial Scholarship:  Tiesha Jackson – Brockton

Wilho A. Ahola Memorial Scholarship:  Kyle Cronin – Stoughton

Cirellis Foods Scholarship:  Khaleel Abdul-Nur – Brockton; Justin Combis – Norton; Meghan Donnelly -- Brockton;  Dean Goddard – North Easton; Sabrina Johar – Norton; Molly Merola – Easat Bridgewater ; Erika Monat – Norton

Community Service Award:  Lenixza Monteiro Velez – Brockton

Red, White, and Blyue Scholarship:  Sharnell Anderson  -- Brockton; Keneisha Dolcin – Brockton; Kathleen Douglas – Brockton, Andrew Ellis – Brockton; Nicholas Gargano – East Bridewataer;  Tiffany Janes – Foxboro;  Breanna McNary – Brockton; Gabriella Mendoza – Brockton; Rebecca Miceli – Brockton; Jared Ruggles – Brockton.

David Balch Mayflower League Scholarship:  Blake Ayemoba – Brockton; Marco Lopes – Brockton

Easton Girls’ Recreational Solfball League Award:  Nora Piemonte – Brockton

Easton Pop Warner Scholarship:  Aronize Byrd – Brockton; Denis Feely – Norton; Demetrious Fontes Semedo – Brockton; Mariana Pereira – East Bridgewater

Allied Auto Parts Toolship:  Joshuah Sulham – North Easton

Balfour Inc. O’Brien and Johnson Award:  Mariana Pereira – East Bridgewater

Steve Brennan Scholarship Fund:  Nichole Benson – East Bridgewater

The Bridgewater Rotary Club Scholarship:  Michaela MacDonald – West Bridgewater

Bristol Norfolk Home Builders Scholarship:  Thomas Cunningham – Norton

Camille Burke Memorial Scholarship:  Samantha Deltufo – Brockton

Stephen Coulter Memorial Scholarship:  Tyler Sylverster – East Bridgewter

William Cummings Memorial Scholarship:  Alexander Brown – East Bridgewater

Easton Lions Club Scholarship:  Kenneth Hampston – North Easton

Eastside Improvement Association Scholarship:  Jared Ruggles – Brockton

Jason Farwell Memorial Scholarship:  Charles Derry – Sharon; Patrick Piemonte—Brockton

John H. Hamilton Memorial Scholarship:  Rebekka Lawton – Brockton

Eugene Kostecki Memorial Scholarship:  Alexandra Steel – Foxboro;  Marrissa Wakstein – East Bridgewater

Mansfield Bank Scholarship:  Dean Goddard – North Easton;  Thomas Simpson – South Easton

Modern Auto Body Scholarship:  Alexis Rosas – Brockton

Paul Morais Memorial Scholarship:  Daniel DiOrio – Norton

Norton Lions Club Scholarship:  Kyle Hudgins – Norton

Edna Paduch Memorial Scholarship: Rebekka Lawton – Brockton

Stanley Paduch Sr. Memorial Scholarship:  Monica Allen  -- Stoughton; Aronize Byrd – Brockton

Rotary Club of Mansfield Scholarship:  Ian Burrill – Norton; Thomas Cunningham – Norton; Kyle Hudgins – Norton

Althea Stetson Memorial Scholarship:  Courtney Celidonio – Brockton

Stoughton Town Spa Scholarship:  Lenixza Monteiro Velez – Brockton

Edward J. Thibeault Memorial :  Kaitleyn Guerriero  -- East Bridgewater;  Louis Perez – Brockton

Muffler Man Scholarship:  Joshua Sulham – North Easton

Cynthia Armstead Memorial:  Kerry Ray – East Bridgewater

Robin Armstead Young Memorial:  Kathleen Douglas – Brockton

Ralph Armstead Memorial:  Franklin Isiminger – South Easton

Walter Lewis Brown Memorial (Toolships to recognize outstanding students in electrical field):

Seniors:  Daniel DiOriio  -- Norton; Jason Galarza – Brockton; Shay Kilfloye – East Bridgewater; Geoffrey Martin – Brockton; Edwy Mascoll – Brockton; Christopher Sullivan – Brockton;  Juniors:  Nicholas Drago – Brockton; Brandon Gomes – Brockton; Luis Montero Brockton;  Samuel Pike – West Bridgewater;  Sophomores: Matthew Anderson – Brockton; Connor Camuso-Sullivan – Stoughton; Collin Richard – Norton; Cody Thellen -- Brockton