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PHS class:
Dream big
By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
PUTNAM --- Putnam High School principal Jacqueline Vetrovec urged the Class of 2016 to set high expectations.
"Think of what you'd like to achieve and then take it one step higher," she said. "Stand on your own two feet, she urged the 70 graduates and that includes speaking their minds and tapping into their strength, their inner light.
And then, "Dream big, pick a path to that dream and then take it," she added.
Vetrovec, who was assistant principal when the class began as freshmen and is now principal, said it "added to my soul to be with you these four years."
School Superintendent William Hull noted the world is filled with challenges and changes and while his generation is afraid of change, he's watched this class and said "you embrace change." He urged them to continue learning and continue to be kind and to "go forth and make your mark."
The valedictorian was Hannah Desrosiers and the salutatorian was Alyssa Saxton.
Other award winners include: Educator of the Year: Melissa Zablonski; Citizen of the Year: Pamela Geremia; Student of the Year: Shelby Grilo.
Graduates include: Lilly Allen (H), Dakota Elaine Anderson (HH, NHS), Shaun Becker, Stacey Jane Belliveau (HH, NHS), Peter Bembenek, Jennifer Lee Benoir (H), Elyse M. Bergeron (HH, NHS), Matthew Brisco, Richard Calderon, Jeivanny Camacho (HH), Marlone Derek Cardona-Hernandez, Isaiah Castro (H), Magdelena Anna Chzaszcz (H), Brandy Lynn Clark, Sara Elizabeth Clifford, Nathan Rex Cordell, Corianne Marie Crandall, Damony Crowell, Ryan Andrew Dauphinais, Michael Jacobi Davis, Courtney Alexis Denomme, Danielle E. Deojay (H), Hannah Lynn Desrosiers (HH), Darren Dionne, Eleana England, Zack Evans, Kaitlin Charlene Fafard (HH, NHS), Shannon Kathleen Fagan (HH, NHS), Deonte Fitzgerald, Nicholas T. Foucault (HH, NHS), Matthew Gardiner, Shelby Elizabeth Grilo, Amelia Shae Hanlon, Brevon C. Harmon (H), Sebastian Harris, Jay P. Hassett, Quinn Thomas Heppe, Joseph Aleksandr Ionkin (HH), Kassandra Kania (H), Heather King, Ashley Lafortune (HH, NHS), Marcus R. Lewis, Mackenzie Rae Livingston, Kyle Loomis, Caelin Mackenzie Ludka, Dylan Machado, Jacob M. Mason, Leslie Mercedes, Nicole Michaud (H), Trevor Michaud, Eric Matthew Moberg, James Alexander Morowski (HH), Damien Morris (H), Kristen Lee Moseley (HH), Gabrielle Lisa Nevedo, Jennifer Sarah Nichols (HH), Savanah Marie Nichols (H), Elizabeth Jeannette Partlow, Jeremee Perez, Jacob Phaneuf, Caitlyn Reed (HH), Sebasthian Ruiz Herrera, Forest Sargent, Alyssa Saxton (HH, NHS), Samuel Schwend, Gabrielle Susan Simpson (HH), Samantha Stone (HH, NHS), Jada A. Thomas, Grace Lamb Wilson (H).
H=cumulative average of 85% and above; HH=cumulative average of 90% and above; NHS=National Honor Society.
Awards include:
The Putnam Police Union Howard T. Babbitt/Donald Morrison Memorial Scholarship: Kassandra Kania
VFW Post 1523 Men’s Auxiliary Scholarship: Ashley Lafortune, Nicholas Foucault
Aspinock Historical Award in Honor of Gertrude Warner: Hannah Desrosiers
The Leo A. and Rita Bernier Memorial Scholarship: Caitlyn Reed
Steve Bousquet Memorial Scholarship in association with The Congregational Church of Putnam: Elyse Bergeron
The Casbo Award: Stacey Belliveau
The Community Service Scholarship: Ashley Lafortune
The Francis Curran ’24 Memorial Scholarship: Stacey Belliveau James Calvin Cutler Memorial Scholarship: Hannah Desrosiers E. Catherine Deary Memorial Scholarship: Madison Bates
The Gov. John N. Dempsey Memorial Scholarship: Brevon Harmon
The Susan McNally Everson Memorial Scholarship: Samantha Stone
Lucy M. Farrows Memorial Scholarship: Dakota Anderson
Richard W. Franklin Memorial Scholarship: Nicholas Foucault
John W. Gahan and Beatrice Delaney Scholarship: Dakota Anderson, Elyse Bergeron, Nicholas Foucault, Alyssa Sax
Gasiorek Family Scholarship: Ashley Lafortune, Caitlyn Reed, Damien Morris, Savanah Nichols
Jeffrey Greene Memorial Scholarship: Magdalena Chzaszcz
Coach James Greenhalgh Memorial Scholarship: Stacey Belliveau
Irish American Club of Putnam Scholarship: Shannon Fagan, Grace Wilson
Italian American Society Scholarship: Dakota Anderson
Connie Johnson Scholarship: Richard Calderon
Abbie Keith English Essay Award in Remembrance of D. Allen Hall, PHS 1940 Graduate: Hannah Desrosiers
The Dr. Rudolph E. Klare Memorial Scholarship: Nicholas Foucault, Alyssa Saxton
The Knights of Columbus Dr. Robert. R. Johnston Memorial Scholarship: Elyse Bergeron
Nathan Lavine Award: Brevon Harmon, Stacey Belliveau
Gilbert E. Morse Memorial Scholarship: Kyle Loomis
The Bonnie L. Perron Memorial Scholarship: Nicholas Foucault, Kassandra Kania Dr. Brenda L. Picard Memorial Scholarship: Nicholas Foucault, Samantha Stone The Casimir Pulaski Memorial Scholarship: Magdalena Chzaszcz
Putnam Administration Association Scholarship: Leslie Mercedes
PHS Athletic Alumni Association Scholarship in Memory of Steve Bousquet: Nicholas Foucault
PHS Athletic Alumni Association Scholarship in Memory of Gerry Vaillant: Elyse Bergeron
PHS Class of ’91 Annual Scholarship: Kassandra Kania
PHS Class of 2013 Scholarship: Nicholas Foucault
Putnam Education Association Scholarship: Kaitlin Fafard
Putnam Fire Department Essay Award: Nicholas Foucault
Putnam Lions Club Memorial Scholarship: Dakota Anderson, Elyse Bergeron, Nicholas Foucault, Samantha Stone
Putnam Lodge of Elks B.P.O.E. #574 Scholarship: Shannon Fagan
Putnam Music Association Academic Scholarship: Grace Wilson
Putnam High Plastic Competition Team Scholarship: Jennifer Nichols, Dylan Machado
QRS Compassion Scholarship: Kaitlin Fafard
QVR Rotaract Youth Leadership Scholar: Dakota Anderson
QVR Rotaract Club Scholarship: Elyse Bergeron, Shannon Fagan
Susan T. Rogers Memorial Poetry Award: Shelby Grilo
John O’Brien Putnam Rotary Scholarship: Dakota Anderson
Raymond Brousseau Putnam Rotary Scholarship: Hannah Desrosiers
Putnam Rotary Scholarship: Elyse Bergeron, Ashley Lafortune, Nicholas Foucault, Stacey Belliveau, Caitlyn Reed
Dr. Paula Scraba - Sports, Leisure and Exercise Sciences Award: Elyse Bergeron
Scraba Family Memorial Award: Samantha Stone
James Sylvia Baseball Scholarship: Nicholas Foucault
The Ella Jane Thayer Memorial Scholarship: Kaitlin Fafard, Madison Bates, Shelby Grilo
Frank H. Thornton Memorial Award: Michael Davis
The Charles L. Torrey Memorial Scholarship: Matthew Gardiner
University of Connecticut - Presidential Scholars Award: Hannah Desrosiers, Alyssa Saxton
VFW Post 1523 Auxiliary of Putnam Top Highest Average US History Award: Hannah Desrosiers VFW Post 1523 Auxiliary of Putnam 2nd Highest Average US History Award: Elyse Bergeron Kevin Waters Scholarship: Damien Morris
The Young Entrepreneur Award: Shannon Fagan