RMLD Honors Local Elementary School Students

Reading Municipal Light Department (RMLD) recently honored 14 elementary school students from the four towns in its service territory for their prize-winning entries in the Annual RMLD T-shirt Contest. RMLD General Manager Coleen O’Brien and RMLD Board of Light Commission Chair David Talbot, Vice Chair Phil Pacino and Commissioner Thomas O’Rourke recognized the students at a ceremony at RMLD in Reading.
A first, second and third place winner from each town and two honorable mentions from the Town of Reading were selected in the annual contest that encourages third and fourth graders to be careful around electricity and to become more energy conscious and aware of their own impact on the environment.
The contest coincides with RMLD’s annual Public Power Week/Energy Awareness Month activities. The students learned about electrical safety during their fall curriculum and how to save energy at school and home. Using this information, the Reading third graders and fourth graders from North Reading, Wilmington and Lynnfield were encouraged to turn their knowledge into creative works of art as part of the contest.
The 14 winners were selected based on their message and artwork that they created on the T-shirts.
The winning entries were displayed at RMLD’s Reading Office and on a calendar presented to the students and their families at the ceremony. Each participating student and their respective elementary schools in the RMLD service area have also received calendars.
The following students were honored at the awards ceremony:
Reading:
1st Place - Alana Berlin, Killam School
2nd Place – Bethany McGrath, Birch Meadow School
3rd Place - Julia Finberg, Barrows School
Honorable Mention - Avery Turner, Joshua Eaton School
Honorable Mention - Cailin Fennessy, Wood End School

North Reading:
1st Place – Sophia Parrett, Hood School
2nd Place – Jenna DiNapoli, Little School
3rd Place – Kayla Budny, Batchelder School

Wilmington:
1st Place - James Caples, North Intermediate School
2nd Place - Katie Manjourides, North Intermediate School
3rd Place – Ella Wingate, West Intermediate School

Lynnfield:
1st Place - Julia Ho, Huckleberry Hill School
2nd Place - Bianca Guarracino, Huckleberry Hill School
3rd Place - Lawrence Graffeo, Huckleberry Hill School

In addition to individual recognition, first place winners Alana Berlin, Killam School, Reading; Sophia Parrett, Hood School, North Reading; James Caples, North Intermediate School, Wilmington and Julia Ho, Huckleberry Hill School, Lynnfield also won a $200 art gift certificate from RMLD for their schools.

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Taking part in the celebration were the winners and representatives from RMLD, including (front row, left to right) Kayla Budny, 3rd place, Batchelder School, North Reading; Avery Turner, Honorable Mention, Joshua Eaton School, Reading; Alana Berlin, 1st place, Killam School, Reading; Bethany McGrath, 2nd place, Birch Meadow School, Reading; Jenna DiNapoli, 2nd place, Little School, North Reading; James Caples, 1st place, North Intermediate School, Wilmington; Julia Ho, 1st place, Huckleberry Hill School, Lynnfield; and Bianca Guarracino, 2nd place, Huckleberry Hill School, Lynnfield.

(Second row, left to right) Katie Manjourides, 2nd Place, North Intermediate School, Wilmington; Julia Finberg, 3rd place, Barrows School, Reading; Sophia Parrett, 1st place, Hood School, North Reading; Ella Wingate, 3rd place, West Intermediate School, Wilmington; Lawrence Graffeo, 3rd place, Huckleberry Hill School, Lynnfield; and Cailin Fennessy, Honorable Mention, Wood End School, Reading.

(Back row, left to right) RMLD Community Relations Manager Priscilla Gottwald, Commissioner Thomas O’Rourke, General Manager Coleen O’Brien, Board Chairman David Talbot, and Vice Chair Philip Pacino.

Accepting their awards during the recent celebration at RMLD are Lynnfield students (left to right) Julia Ho, 1st place; Bianca Guarracino, 2nd place; and Lawrence Graffeo, 3rd place, all students at the Huckleberry Hill School.