Parents, Board of Education members, administrators, and staff gathered on January 26 at Hilton High School to honor the induction of 70 students – 54 juniors and 16 seniors – into the Hilton Chapter of the National Honor Society (NHS).
Advisors Dr. Carl Gaupp and Matthew Pietarinen welcomed attendees to the ceremony before Principal Dr. Jeffrey Green took the stage to thank parents, guardians, and family members for their part in helping to mold the fine individuals being honored. “All of the students here today are the difference makers of their generation,” he said. “Making a difference is not a path that can be checked off or accomplished like passing an exam or receiving a diploma. It is truly a lifelong pursuit. It is a daily decision.”
This year’s keynote speaker, selected by the students, was Mrs. Carol Hoffman, physics teacher. Hoffman has been teaching for over 30 years, the past 21 at Hilton High School. “If I can impart any little bit of wisdom on you today through my many years of life, please be the person that you as a young child would have looked up to,” she told the inductees. “Do the right thing, not always the easy thing. Choose the high road, not the low road. Think twice before you act and speak. You will be a better person for it.”
National Honor Society officers – President Adam Sheelar, Vice President Karly Suhr, Secretary Jack DiBitetto, and Treasurer Melissa Pauly – reviewed the four pillars of membership, which are scholarship, service, leadership, and character.
Each inductee was called up on stage to have a parent place a NHS pin on his or her lapel and to sign the registry. Students then lit a candle and together recited the NHS oath. A reception followed the ceremony.
The newly inducted members are:
Juniors – Morgan Adams, Aydin Aghaie, Gavin Anderson, Brandon Andracki, Sabrina Antonini, Trevor Balsamo, Jacob Buono, Meghan Buri, Sydney Carpenter, Elena Carr, Nikki Cavallaro, Robert Chaffee, Rachel Christ, Josh D’Angelo, Luke Danzig, Ethan Delles, Evan Delles, Jason Donatella, Stephanie Drew, Nathan Eccleston, Nathan Fox, Brenna Griggs, Sonia Harney, Sophia Haynes, Sydney Hayward, Jordan Helfer, Mya Henry, Anna Huber, Elizabeth Kidder, Ryan Kurtz, Alexis Lane, Andrew Leckinger, Emma Lissow, Emma McElwain, Bria Melrose, Matt Mojsej, Alexander Morreale, Mikayla Mull, Alexia Nelms, Alyvia Neu, Nadia Pentolino, Alex Pickering, Nicholas Randall, Hannah Robinson, Jaden Rosario, Hannah Scheffer, Annalise Smith, Emma Spelman, Alexia Turpyn, Isabella Valente, Victoria Valente, Shelby Vetter, Josh Wheeler, and Brooke Wilson.
Seniors – Nellie Amering, Emily Bishop, Kimberly Caster, Marina DelVecchio, Emma Donohue, Jordan Hay, Emily Laber, Grace McDowell, Landry Neidert, Dreem Ninnasopha, Kate Noel, Ruvim Poplavskiy, Zach Poplielarz, Alison Reigle, Charlotte Turner, and Reece VanAuken.
Provided information and photo
