by Siobhan Richards
Photos by HHS photography students Sophia Proia and Sabrina Braga
Teachers from each department select students to be recognized as the student of the month. Below is a photo of each student with a description of why they were chosen.
Drew Patel ~ Wellness Department
“Our department has chosen Drew for a number of reasons. To begin with, he is always a positive light in any of our classes! He works well with ALL types of people and all ages. Drew is soft spoken, polite, and works very hard to do well. He is always willing to try new sports, and is an extremely good listener to adults and peers. His smile and kindness are one in the same. Drew graduates this year, and we wish him lots of luck in his future endeavors. Always stay true to the wonderful young man you have become.”
Emily McLaughlin ~ Science Department
“Emily has been a solid student in all science courses she has taken, but in addition to that scholarship, she has exercised significant leadership responsibility regarding this year’s Haunted Physics Lab. She has recruited and trained fellow Honors physics, astronomy, and AP physics students to build and present demos. She managed all the logistics for the event, only occasionally seeking input from Ms. Whitesel and Mr. Prior as needed. Finally, while undertaking this project, Emily earned great respect from faculty, staff, community members and her fellow students. All have been eager to follow her lead as the project moved toward the big day!”
Ben Plucinski ~ Business/Technology Department
“Ben is currently taking Introduction to Engineering Design and Engineering Development and Design. He has been consistently at the top of his class in all aspects of the courses. In addition to his own academic success this year, he has been very helpful to several younger students in class, helping and monitoring them in the Introduction to Engineering Design course.”
Danielle Joubran ~ English Department
“Danielle Joubran is an insightful student whose regular contributions to classroom discussions encourage others to think deeply about literature. In particular, her thoughtful questions demonstrate that successful students of literature go beyond easy assumptions and interpretations. Her annotations of classroom texts are nuanced and deliberate, and she is a model of effort and enthusiasm for her classmates.”
Ben Chaves ~ World Language Department
“In addition to being a diligent and hard working student, Ben regulary employs circumlocution tactics in the classroom to communicate his meaning in the Spanish language. He uses the language that he knows to express his thoughts, beliefs, and opinions in Spanish and to make himself understood. In addition, Ben demonstrates knowledge of and an appreciation for Spanish-speaking cultures and seeks to make meaningful connections to cultural information as well as to ask thoughtful questions. Furthermore, Ben demonstrates the attitude of a linguist in his willingness to rephrase, reiterate, and repeat his thoughts for his classmates while continuing to use Spanish.”
Seema Patel ~ Math Department
“Seema is a model student and representative of the math department Student Achievement Award. In class, Seema ask thoughtful questions, participates actively in discussions, and cooperates well with her peers. Outside of class, Seema comes after school on a regular basis to clarify her own understanding and persevere through problems with which she is struggling. She also voulunteers her time to help other students with their math learning by being a co-leader of the Math Center, giving her own time, and coordinating the schedules of her other student helpers.”
Emily Figueiredo ~ Social Studies Department
“Since the start of the year, Emily has taken a leadership role in her eighth grade social studies course. Emily regularly pushes class discussions to a higher levels with thoughtful questions and insight about the lesson material, often bringing in her own background knowledge or making connections to what students have learned in other courses. She also is a strong presence in the classroom, demonstrating sincere effort and focus in all of her work. Her peers know that they can always look to her for guidance, and she will clarify difficult concepts or instructions with patience and ease.”
Alicia Sagastume ~ Performing Arts Department
Alicia is the type of student who will go the extra mile for anyone. On several different occasions, I have watched Alicia seek out new students and invite them into her social circle, allowing them to feel welcome in their new environment. In class, her hard work and dedication inspires others and, in turn, makes their work that much stronger. She has performed in our after school program since she was an eighth grader. In fact, she has participated, in some way, with every show since her sophomore year. Through the arts and community service, Alicia has learned how to focus on the now while preparing for the future.”
Daniellen Fonseca ~ Visual Arts Department
“Dani was chosen not only because of her creative talents as an artist but also because of her ability to create a positive studio environment. Last year, Dani was an eighth grade Art History student mixed in with several upperclassmen. However, this did not hinder her ability to confidently volunteer, as she consistently shared invaluable insight to all of our class discussions. She has proven to be more than an intelligent and hardworking student in Introduction to Creative Fashion Design with her drive to create unique and beautiful works of art. The passion she shows while enthusiastically completing each assignment, not only helps inspire her peers but energizes Mrs. Johnson’s teaching practices as well.”