SWK/Hilltowns

Graduates receive awards

Robert LaFlamme

Robert LaFlamme

MARIAH COLLINS

MARIAH COLLINS

KYLE WILLIAM MORRISSEY

KYLE WILLIAM MORRISSEY

Local high schools bestowed not only academic honors on their graduates, but awards for community service and conduct that exemplifies the best in acts and deeds of the student body.
At Westfield High School, the Bronze Tablet was awarded, the Emerald Shield was awarded at Southwick-Tolland-Granville Regional High School, and Gateway Regional High School awarded the Golden Achievement Award.
Southwick-Tolland-Granville Regional High School’s Emerald Shield recipient was Mariah Collins. Collins has been a four-year honor student, and an integral part of the STRHS extra-curricular community participating in Student Council, Students Against Destructive Decisions, Spanish Club, Health Career Club, Interact Club and serves as a Student Ambassador. Collins has represented her class as Class President for all four years of high school. She is a member of the Varsity Soccer, Varsity Basketball and Track and Field teams. Collins will attend the University of New Hampshire. This award is given annually to the member of the graduating class who has made the greatest contribution to Southwick-Tolland Regional High School, in the opinion of the faculty and senior class. STGRHS narrowed the candidates from 13 to three finalists for the school’s Emerald Shield Award.
The three finalists were chosen by their peers from a field of 13 students nominated by the faculty.
Kyle William Morrissey won the Golden Achievement Award, Gateway High School’s highest honor. The award recognizes a member of the senior class who demonstrates outstanding leadership, scholarship and service throughout their high school career. Finalists are nominated by the senior class, and the winner is determined by a vote of the faculty.
Morrissey has taken advanced and honors courses throughout his four years of high school. He is a leader in the classroom and credits Boys State for helping him to hone those skills. As Class President for three years, Kyle organized and participated in many fundraisers. Continuing a long family tradition, he became a volunteer firefighter at age 16. Service to the community has always been important to Morrissey, and his work as a firefighter allowed him to help in situations ranging from car accidents to winter storms. Kyle will major in Arson Investigations at the University of New Haven this fall. He is the son of Donna and Michael Morrissey of Montgomery.
At Westfield High School, the Bronze Tablet is the school’s highest student award. This year, Robert LaFlamme received the honor.
In his essay on being nominated, LaFlamme reflected on his years at the school.
“When I ask myself what I have done for the welfare, good name, and progress of Westfield High School, I feel like I am reliving my high school experience all over again,” he wrote. “ Everything that we have each done for our school has brought us all closer together. The pride that our school has comes from the effort we put into making it a place that will always hold a special place in our hearts due to the things we’ve learned, the ways we’ve grown, and the friends we’ve made. “
LaFlamme said he hoped that not only had his activities made him a deserving recipient of the Bronze Tblet, but that they “left a lasting impression on Westfield High School.”

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