Merton Williams Middle School inducted 74 students into the Hilton Chapter of the National Junior Honor Society on February 14. The ceremony opened with Principal Tracie Czebatol welcoming the audience and inductees. “These students have passion; they have desire; they see beyond the average and the possible,” she said. “They aim to be the very best versions of themselves in every single thing they do.”
Danielle Mojsej, Abigail IpenVanZeilen, Madelyn Johnson, Alyssa Hockenberger, Abby Grinnell, Jessica Williams, Joel Morris and Matthew Mastowski participated in the candle lighting ceremony where they described the five characteristics of membership – scholarship, leadership, service, citizenship and character. Advisors Steve Cudzilo and Scott Meagher spoke about each inductee’s accomplishments as they walked across the stage to be congratulated by administrators, receive their pin, sign the registry, and then together recite the oath.
Criteria for induction include a 95 percent grade point average, two leadership activities and community service hours. Collectively, the new inductees contributed nearly 2,000 hours of community service to organizations, such as Foodlink, animal rescue organizations, Apple Fest, Special Olympics, Hilton-Parma Emergency Food Shelf and area churches, just to name a few, in addition to playing sports, participating in clubs, mentoring and many other extracurricular activities.
Advisor Meagher began his address to the students with a quote by author Marianne Williamson. “Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you.”
“We need to get over this believe that greatness is only for a chosen few,” said Meagher.
The ceremony concluded with the new inductees handing their parents personal letters of thanks.
The new inductees are: Sophie Amering, Kayla Anstett, Megan Barwald, Alexander Bisciotti, Dominic Brugno, Trevor Burkis, Natalie Byrd, Cody Cavuoto, Ryan Christ, Raena Christodaro, Shyla Connor, Aynsley Craner, Natalie Curatalo, Lia DelVecchio, Rylie DelVecchio, Jameson DiPalma, Claire Donohue, Kayleigh Enge, Calleigh Farley, Evan Fish, Shayna Flugel, Abby Grinnell, Benjamin Hassett, Samantha Hauck, Alyssa Hockenberger, Doron Indelicatom, Abigail IpenVanZeilen, Madelyn Johnson, Maya Johnson, Brayden Jones, Emily Jorgensen, Sarah Jorgensen, Nathan Kendrick, Erin Kent, Katelyn Korzenieski, Riley Letta, Leah Leverich, Cole Loewke, Andrew Marean, Ella Mascadri, Madalyn Mascadri, Maria Mascadri, Riley Mason, Matthew Mastowski, Hannah Meagher, Sydney Michalowski, Alayna Miller, Danielle Mojsej, Brooke Moore, Benjamin Moran, Joel Morris, Angelina Natale, Lexa Polito, Abigail Porter, Preston Prince, Laura Reigle, Cameron Ryan, William Salamone, Autumn Sample, Matthew Sarnov, Julia Sciortino, Sabrina Scoccia, Rylan Searley, Brynn Sidebotham, Audrey Smalling, Emma Smith, Jake Smith, Molly Standing, Caroline Steiger, McKenna Tydings, Andrew Vay, Riley Wheeler, Jessica Williams and Anthony Wiza.
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