Merton Williams Middle School inducted 71 students into the Hilton Chapter of the National Junior Honor Society on February 12.
The ceremony opened with Principal Tracie Czebatol welcoming the audience and inductees. “Your ability to manage and balance all that you have going on is quite impressive,” she told the inductees. “You move throughout your day with finesse and grace making it look effortless. Your hard work, dedication and motivation is quite noteworthy.”
Brooke Bell and Lucy Murphy spoke about the history of the National Junior Honor Society. Then Cayleigh Cady, Kendall Coyle, Vanessa Curatalo, Emily Feisel, Samantha Gionta, Natalie Hoyt, Blake Mott, and David Padoleski participated in the candle lighting ceremony where they described the five characteristics of membership – scholarship, leadership, service, citizenship and character.
Advisors Kirsten Meyers and Anastasia Stamoulacatos spoke about each inductee’s accomplishments as they walked across the stage to be congratulated by administrators, receive their pin, sign the registry, and together recite the oath.
Criteria for induction include a 95 percent grade point average, 25 community service hours, letters of recommendation, participation in leadership experiences, and a personal letter of interest. Collectively, the inductees achieved 1,775 hours of community service.
Bill Smith, Merton Williams art teacher, was selected as the guest speaker. “Your future isn’t written. It’s a complete unknown and that’s okay. You’ll find it,” he said to the inductees. “Being here tonight means you’re a dedicated, thoughtful learner. Being on this stage means that you are a student who cares about what you do and your accomplishments. You have the focus and stick-to-itiveness to make your future what you want it to be.”
The ceremony concluded with the new inductees handing their parents personal letters of thanks.
The National Junior Honor Society Inductees are: Skye Ammer, Ayla Batz, Maria Beghini, Brooke Bell, Christina Bettin, John Bianchi, Rylee Billings, Ryan Bishop, Caleb Brady, Cayleigh Cady, Gavin Cady, Isabella Capellupo, Chloe Cardone, Ella Clark, Kendall Coyle, Vanessa Curatalo, Giovanni D’Alonzo, Kyle D’Angelo, Reilly Deming, Olivia Donato, Emily Feisel, Marisa Fioravanti, Olivia Gallina, Aubree Garbowski, Brady Gerig, Mackenzie Gerig, Samantha Gionta, McKenna Goodrich, Brady Graupman, Timothy Graziano, Elaina Gugliotta , Meredith Harnden, Elisabeth Hassett, Abigail Hilburger, Aiden Hill, Samuel Hogan, Ethan Howell, Natalie Hoyt, Aiden Hryhorenko, Ethan John, Bronte Jones, Elizabeth Kent, Steven Kraus, Markus Kuzmanovski, Abigail Lane, Andrew Lenhard, Korey Lombard, Luke Manley, Alaina Mascadri, Logan Matthews, Maxwell Meagher, Dante Mesh, Blake Mott, Lucy Murphy, Anthony Natale, Shawn Nordstrom, Braden O’Neill, David Padoleski, Jake Palermo, Jason Pellechia, Brady Quill, Joan Reichert, Shayne Robinson, DeAnna Ryan, Carli Scarpulla, Grace Scottow, Olivia Siracuse, Ella Spillman, Avery Taddeo, Abigail Teal and Zackary Ward.
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