Scholar-Athlete team
DISTRICT A
Alison Occhialini, Lincoln-Sudbury
 HARVARD |
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When a a varsity field hockey coach is anticipating the day a fifth grader arrives at high school, something special is going on. And that’s exactly what happened after Vicky R. Caburian noticed Occhialini at a field hockey camp when Occhialini was still in elementary school. As Caburian put it, ‘‘She was a very talented field hockey player at the time, however, it was her personality and effort that stuck in my mind.’’ L-S athletic director Nancy O’Neil may have articulated Occhialini’s attributes even more strongly: ‘‘What is not to love about Alison Occhialini?’’ Occhialini was a team captain for the 2005 Division 1 state finalist field hockey team and was a two-year captain of the ice hockey team. She scored 730 on the verbal SAT and 780 on math, while scoring a 5 on AP tests in US History, English Literature, and the History of Art. Occhialini also has another prestigious award to her credit. She was also honored with the Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest award in Girl Scouts, earned nationally by only 3 percent of Girl Scouts. | |
Alex Jenny, Wayland
DARTMOUTH |
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Jenny’s accomplishments are those of an All-American kid; he is a football, basketball, and baseball star and has aptitude in every academic setting and a careful and sensitive approach to the community. ‘‘It is rare for a high school to have a scholar-athlete of the quality of Alexander Jenny,’’ said Wayland High principal Charles P. Ruopp. Jenny’s achievements on the field are most obvious on the football field, where he holds every game, season, and career passing record at Wayland High, with 4,679 passing yards and 49 passing touchdowns. He was selected to the Massachusetts All-State ‘‘Super 26’’ team, was a two-time Dual County League Offensive MVP, and was a Globe All-Scholastic. Jenny was part of the Freshman Connector Program, a Special Olympics volunteer, partcipated in the Walk to Cure Diabetes, and was a Pop Warner Volunteer Coach. Jenny maintained an academic standing that will bring him to the Ivy League when he attends Dartmouth in the fall. He scored a cumulative 2060 on the SAT, while scoring 720 on the Math I SAT II, 740 on the Math II, and 660 on writing. | |
DISTRICT B
Chelsea Choate, Malden
BRYN MAWR |
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Around town, in the classroom, and on fields and in gymnasiums, Choate simply did it all. Ranked 14th in a Malden Class of 2006 of 381, Choate played all-star defense for the soccer team, was a state qualifier in the 50-yard freestyle and the 100 free in swimming, and was an all-star pitcher and outfielder in softball. That tells just 3 percent of the Choate story, though. Choate, who ‘‘quietly sets a great example for other young women her age,’’ according to Malden High principal Dana F. Brown, was a member of SADD and a volunteer for Special Olympics. She plays the violin, trumpet, and piano. Among the top 4 percent of the class, Choate was a member of the National Honor Society and had an SAT composite of 2000. Perhaps senior year would have been the time to ease the pace Choate set for herself. Not so fast. Choate pushed herself again by taking three AP classes. Malden High guidance counselor Richard A. Malatesta said it best: ‘‘Chelsea’s challenge seeking permeates much of her life and usually leads to significant accomplishment.’’ | |
Alexander S. Garbier, Watertown
UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO |
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In many ways, when Garbier leaves for the Windy City, the city of Watertown will be losing a favorite diplomat. Garbier, with an overflowing resume of accomplishments on the track, the diamond, and in the classroom, has worked with Watertown residents, both young and old. Student Representative to the School Committee of Watertown, Garbier was also a Watertown youth coach in soccer and baseball. ‘‘I admire Alex’s quiet but direct approach to all of his endeavors,’’ said Watertown High headmaster P. Michael Noftsker, praising Garbier’s ranking of third in a class of 161. In addition, Garbier had SAT scores of 800 in critical reading, and a 700 in both math and writing. In cross-country, he was team cocaptain and finished ninth in the Division 4 meet and 25th at the All-State meet. In the winter he ran track and was second in the mile at the Division 4 state meet and 11th at the All-State meet. As a member of the baseball team, he was a Middlesex League All-Star. | |
DISTRICT C
Kristen Baldiga, Hopkinton
WILLIAMS |
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To describe everything that Baldiga is good at, there just isn’t enough room to write the entire story. There are chapters from basketball courts, tracks, fields, classrooms, testing centers, youth basketball camps, Special Olympics events, state science fairs, and peer leader meetings. There is one short story, however, that sums up Baldiga: She is good at most things she does. She’s a valedictorian with a 4.679 GPA on a 4.0 scale. She scored a 710 on two vastly different SAT II tests (US History and chemistry). She plays three different sports. As a forward on the varsity basketball team, she has been a three-year Tri-Valley All-Star and was this year’s conference MVP, as well as the two-time team MVP; a three-year Tri-Valley All-Star throwing the javelin and shot put for the track team, and a Tri-Valley All-Star and captain as a stopper on the soccer team. ‘‘Kristen’s success comes from continually making the right decisions and performing at her peak, regardless of the conditions,’’ said class advisor Michael A. Donahue. ‘‘It is this kind of competitive success that delineates Kristen from her peers.’’ | |
Daniel J. Cerqueira, Mansfield
CORNELL |
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‘‘Naturally intelligent’’ and ‘‘extra effort’’ don’t always mix. According to Mansfield boys’ cross-country and track coach Julie Collins, they do for Cerqueira. The valedictorian of his class with a 4.0 GPA, Cerqueira is a three-sport captain (cross-country, indoor and outdoor track) and puts in the extra work in academics, scoring a 2320 on the SAT. He then worked again to get an 800 on the Math II SAT II, 770 on US History, and 740 on Physics. Cerqueira didn’t stop there, getting a 5 on the AP US History test, and attained honors in nearly every subject he took, including Western Civilization, Asian Studies, and AP American History. He stayed in shape for the cross-country season, attaining Globe All-Scholastic honors after placing second at the EMass Division 2 championship. Then, during the indoor track season, he was third at the Division 2 championship with a blazing two-mile time of 9:52. He was a high honor roll student every time, and was rewarded with the Principal’s Scholar-Athlete Award and Frederick Douglass and Susan B. Anthony Award in Humanities and Social Sciences. | |
DISTRICT D
Meghan Brielle Leonard, MV
DARTMOUTH |
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She lives on Martha’s Vineyard, an island seven miles from the mainland, but Meghan Brielle Leonard is most certainly not overlooked. Martha’s Vineyard principal Margaret M. Regan has not overlooked Leonard, and called her ‘‘one of the most outstanding students to attend Martha’s Vineyard High School.’’ Guidance counselor Mary K. McDonald has not overlooked her, and called her ‘‘truly amazing.’’ Field hockey coach Lisa Knight hasn’t overlooked her and wrote that Leonard ‘‘left a mark in my heart and head.’’ Dartmouth College has accepted second-ranked Leonard (with a 5.90 GPA of 6.5) in its Class of 2010. Leonard has had a balanced career on the softball mound, selected as Rookie of the Year and then as MVP and captain in her junior year. She had an ERA of 1.63 in her senior season. Leonard was a captain of both the field hockey and basketball teams and also a member of the National Honor Society and Model UN. She also works at two of the Vineyard’s hot spots, the Carousel Ice Cream Factory and Farm Neck Cafe. | |
Jonathan Schreiber, Sacred Heart
BOSTON COLLEGE |
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Schreiber is ranked sixth in Sacred Heart’s Class of 2006 with a GPA of 3.92, but consideration of his ability to get along with faculty, administration, and peers, would put him at the top of the list, said Sacred Heart guidance counselor Marilyn Rennie-Stanton. Schreiber, who scored 2100 on his SAT, is a two-year captain of the golf team, a captain/point guard on the basketball team, and a captain/second baseman/outfielder on the baseball team. Like his statistics on the court (11 points per game, 7 APG, 4 RPG, 2 SPG), Schreiber knows how to divvy up his time in the community. He worked part-time at the town’s golf range, was a youth basketball coach, a Pembroke Community Center volunteer, and a Von Kettler Community Service Award winner in 2003 and 2005. John F. Enos III, Sacred Heart’s principal, has seen students walk through his halls for years, but said Schreiber is a force on campus ‘‘because of his academic achievement, athletic abilities, and leadership qualities.’’ Enos added, ‘‘Jonathan is the ideal of a Sacred Heart graduate.’’ | |
DISTRICT E
Corina Hopkins-Vacca, Gardner
MINNESOTA-TWIN CITIES |
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The résumé of Hopkins-Vacca, for both academics and athletics, is full and all but flawless. Her first-quarter grades in her senior year of high school? It seems absolutely necessary to examine, in detail. AP Calculus: 96. AP Physics: 100. AP English: 97. Anatomy and Physiology: 99. No wonder Hopkins-Vacca, an All-America swimmer for Gardner (which has won 13 consecutive state championships) has been ranked first in her class in each of her four years at Gardner. Her work ethic (waking up at 4 a.m. for swim practice) is so admirable that principal Michael R. Baldassarre felt it was important to state that he was making himself ‘‘abundantly clear’’ in his recommendation letter: ‘‘Corina has talent, has intellect, and works very, very hard,’’ he wrote. Hopkins-Vacca’s lowest grade ever was an A (93). Her community service and school-sponsored activities take pages to list, along with her academic awards. On top of her nonstop effort to succeed in class, she has improved each year in swimming, first being a point scorer and then achieving All-America status in her junior and senior years. ‘‘There is no doubt that this young lady will succeed in whatever she decides to do,’’ said Baldassarre. | |
Kraig Hengst, Quabbin
UMass |
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Hengst didn’t take long to get going on his superior student-athlete career at Quabbin Regional. A four-time league all-star in wrestling and a four-time sectional champion and three-time state champion, Hengst has been a notable athlete at Quabbin from the very start. As principal Bernard P. Audette wrote, ‘‘Kraig has done so well as a wrestler that his positive impact on the sport of wrestling extends well beyond the walls of our school to the entire state of Massachusetts.’’ His accomplishments in wrestling also include a fourth-place finish in the all-states, qualifying him for the New Englands. A center midfielder and two-time league all-star on the varsity soccer team as well, Hengst doesn’t spend all of his time on wrestling. Hengst shone in the classroom with a 4.01 GPA (5.0 scale), which was good for the top 8 percent of his class, and spent time as a Latin Club member, a camp counselor at wrestling clinics, and a teacher’s assistant at local art classes. He was an honor roll student for all four years and has been a member of the National Honor Society for three years. | |
DISTRICT H
Lauren Mahoney, Archbishop Williams
SOUTHERN CONNECTICUT |
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After demonstrating extraordinary skill on the soccer field, a high school athlete might be expected to spend the following seasons refining those skills and, perhaps, running track to gain endurance. Not Mahoney. As soon as she was done collecting the all-time soccer scoring record at Archbishop Williams (62 goals, 53 assists, 115 points), she was prepping for the basketball team (1,021 career high school points) and the softball team (.505 career average). Somehow, Mahoney was able to make sure that her rare athletic ability didn’t overshadow her classwork. ‘‘I can say, without hesitation, that Lauren is the finest student-athlete I have taught in keeping a respect for her studies in balance with her demanding athletic schedule,’’ said Kathleen Habel Loiter, who taught Mahoney in an American literatures honors class. Mahoney was ranked seventh in a class of 156, had a GPA of 4.179, and was a member of the National Honor Society, Admissions Council and a senior leader and tutor. Excellent academic credentials for a four-time league all-star forward and two-time league MVP in soccer, a three-time league all-star point guard in basketball, and a four-time league all-star shortstop in softball. | |
Michael P. Fitzgerald, Malden Catholic
MIT |
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His college major — chemical engineering — is often described as an intimidating course of study. To Fitzgerald, however, it’s just another piece of a puzzle he has been assembling since his first day at Malden Catholic. There aren’t many challenges Fitzgerald hasn’t taken on, including being a wide receiver/defensive back and Catholic Conference all-star/captain on the football team. He was a conference finalist on the indoor track team, particpating in the 300-meter run and long jump and was a captain/conference finalist on the outdoor track team, displaying more talent in the 200 meters and the 4x100 relay. His academic success is even more admirable. He’s ranked third in a class of 191 and has a GPA of 3.6. ‘‘He always displayed determination, tenacity, and heart,’’ said Brother Thomas Puccio, C.F.X., Ed.D, principal of Malden Catholic. Football assistant coach Jeffrey P. Smith relayed a story about how Fitzgerald, during his sophomore year on the team, was asked to move from quarterback to wide receiver. Fitzgerald’s response epitomizes how the Wilmington native responds to anything: ‘‘Whatever is best for the team.’’ | |
BOSTON
Shanika Bridges-King, Boston English
BRYN MAWR |
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It’s easy for Bridges-King to walk tall in the hallways at Boston English. And why not? She’s the school’s valedictorian and class president with a 4.63 GPA. Meanwhile, she plays three sports, all at a high level. As a member of the basketball team, she’s been an all-star player for four years, an MVP for three, and an All-Scholastic for two. On the indoor track team, she won the City Championship in the 800. Finally, she’s a pitcher and first baseman in varsity softball. As varsity girls’ basketball coach Ernest A. Green puts it, ‘‘She has that rare desire to finish first in both academics and athletics.’’ Bridges-King participates in LINK, which raises money for scholarships and community improvement in Boston. She worked at a summer camp offered to inner city kids through the Boston Youth Fund. She was a participant in college-focused programs such as Women of Distinction and Harvard Athena. But most importantly, Bridges-King will be leaving English with the knowledge that she has left an indelible impression on everyone. ‘‘Adults have long recognized her for her abilities,’’ writes guidance counselor Wendy Carter, ‘‘Her peers have now recognized her as well.’’ | |
Keith McNair, South Boston
BENTLEY |
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Most high school students know their priorities. Some find them in schoolwork, others in sports, and still others in extracurricular activities and work. Most try to find a balance and some succeed and some don’t. Enter McNair. The South Boston native is the epitome of a mature, strong-willed high school student. Ranked fifth in his class with a 3.71 GPA, McNair gave up a spot on South Boston’s baseball team during his junior year to support his family, working a 40-hour-a-week job at the downtown Boston real estate firm, The Mayo Group. How he found the time to balance all the activities in his life has amazed the educators in South Boston. ‘‘I have known Keith for over three years, and during that time, he has displayed a level of maturity well beyond his age, along with unwavering determination,’’ said guidance counselor Beth Bernstein. While McNair made the courageous decision to stop playing baseball, he remained an All-City running back for the football team. He led the Knights to a 7-4 record and was the fifth leading scorer in Division 3A. | |
The nominees
DISTRICT A
BOYS: Alex Jenny, Wayland; Pierre Haye, Andover; Tyler Tennant, Swampscott; Bryan Banville, Masconomet; Tyler Dolan, Triton; John McSwiggin, Dracut; Evan Caples, Billerica; Tunde Agboola, Methuen; John Powell, Lynn Classical; Benjamin Smith, Lynn Classical; Gregory Karambelas, Haverhill; Christopher Carroll, Lynn English; Dana Strum, Salem; Shawn Fendone, Central Catholic.
GIRLS: Alison Occhialini, Lincoln-Sudbury; Elizabeth Pisarik, Chelmsford; Lauren Balek, Masconomet; Michelle Twombly, Triton; Amanda Martori, Haverhill; Anne McNerney, Swampscott; Julianne Cargill, Central Catholic; Jessica Girard, Billerica; Lihlani Skipper, Boston Latin; Ashley Steeves, Salem; Shae Fitzpatrick, Lynnfield; Andrea Ferri, Dracut; Christina Lowe, Tewksbury; Ashley Donovan, Lynn Classical; Nicole Healy, Northeast Metro Tech; Brittney Ann Bigge, Lynn Classical; Manise Louinord, Lynn Classical; Mariel Jimenez, Lawrence.
DISTRICT B
BOYS: Alexander S. Garbier, Watertown; Daniel Finigan, Reading; Peter Forte, Everett; Paul Cavallaro, Medford.
GIRLS: Chelsea Choate, Malden; Stephanie Sachetta, Everett; Mandy Correale, Peabody; Jessica So, Josiah Quincy Upper; Stephanie Hon, Burlington; Katie Aylward, Watertown; Hannah Raila, Medford.
DISTRICT C
BOYS: Daniel J. Cerqueira, Mansfield; Jason Lyon, Barnstable; Daniel Bloom, Sharon; Sean Fitzmaurice, Hingham; Greg Faron, Whitman-Hanson; Steven Dry, Hopkinton; Michael Silverstri, Natick; Nils Sceery, Cohasset; Michael Ohrenberger, Middleboro; Scott Blumenthal, Stoughton; Kyle Sullivan, Dennis-Yarmouth; Brian Manning, Norwell; Henry O’Loughlin, Hull; Matthew Rybak, Sharon; David Doiron, King Philip; Kevin Costello, Franklin; Justin Pollard, Taunton; Mark Kelley, Medway.
GIRLS: Kristen Baldiga, Hopkinton; Stephanie Crisp, Whitman-Hanson; Erin Higgins, Mansfield; Jocelyn Traina, Hingham; Anna Spiridigliozzi, Natick; Lindsey Craig, Middleboro; Devyn DeDominici, East Bridgewater; Maya Spattling, Cathedral; Catherine Foley, Stoughton; Kisandra Ayanbekee, Randolph; Chantal Couture, Taunton; Emily Stefans, Dedham; Mia Leih-Lappen, Cohasset; Emma Porteus, Barnstable; Meaghan Quinn, Norwell; Krista baker, Medway; Caitlin Lawrence, Franklin; Leanna Lam, Quincy; Alison Marsh, Dennis-Yarmouth
DISTRICT D
BOYS: Jonathan Schreiber, Sacred Heart; Brendan Medeiros, Durfee; Edison Parzanese, Martha’s Vineyard; Jason Pelletier, Somerset; Tyler Jacinto, Wareham; Jeffrey Fernandes, Westport; Samuel Forgue, Old Rochester; Brendan Good, Bishop Stang; Matthew Farley, Coyle-Cassidy; Peter Cleary, Bristol-Plymouth; Alexander DaCunha, Fairhaven; Robert Carl Herbert Fredrickson, South Shore Voc; Steven Doherty, Tri-County; Ryan Goddu, New Bedford.
GIRLS: Meghan Brielle Leonard, Martha’s Vineyard; Tricia Sullivan, New Bedford; Meaghan Callahan, Apponequet; Greta Gaspar, Somerset; Ashley Botecho, Coyle-Cassidy; Kelsey Boothby, Holbrook; Sarah Sullivan, Bourne; Christienne Santos, Fairhaven; Sarah St. Martin, Westport; Brittany Page, South Shore; Donna Allen, Bristol-Plymouth; Jill Cruckshank, Bourne; Jennifer Le, Bishop Stang; Sarah Sibley, Sacred Heart; Carly Paling, Wareham.
DISTRICT E
BOYS: Kraig Hengst, Quabbin; Thomas Page, Littleton; Abraham Khorasani, David Prouty; Shane McCarthy, Clinton; Derek Migrants, Ayer; Michael Bellio, Fitchburg; Anthony Black, North; Michael Marcone, Milford; Adam Beliveau, Auburn; Gregory Sebastian, Uxbridge; Zaccarie Putis, Bay Path; Eli Meharg, Nashoba Valley; David Urella, Burncoat.
GIRLS: Corina Hopkins-Vacca, Gardner; Caela Provost, Murdock; Karen Clark, Quabbin; Erica Crory, Littleton; Carly Normandin, Gardner; Stephanie Caravella, Fitchburg; Heather Eldridge, Bay Path; Gina Raymond, Hudson Catholic; Sarah Croteau, Oakmont; Tracy Howell, Grafton; Kaylin Burke, Leominster; Alicia Caccavelli, Uxbridge; Kimberly Shooshan, Wachusett; Laura Mangini, David Prouty; Brooke Bortell, Ayer.
DISTRICT H
BOYS: Michael P. Fitzgerald, Malden Catholic; Justin Murray, Cardinal Spellman; Aaron Ahlstrom, Arlington Catholic; Timothy Connor, Marian; Christopher Morris, Bishop Fenwick; Fitzgerald Paul, Cathedral; James Caruso, Savio Prep; Brian Hughes, Catholic Memorial.
GIRLS: Lauren Mahoney, Archbishop Williams; Maya Spratling, Cathedral; Vanessa Razney, Bishop Fenwick; Kelly Egan, Marian; Shawna McArdle, Notre Dame Academy (T); Kara Griffin, Notre Dame Academy (H); Julianna Eagles, Fontbonne; Katelyn Carr, Savio Prep; Julie Sauchuk, Pope John; Ariana Ghom, Arlington Catholic.
BOSTON
BOYS: Keith McNair, Monument; Nayquan Robinson, Noonan Business Academy; Michel Pierre-Louis, Madison Park; Melvin Brooks, Madison Park; Joseph Johnson, Boston English; Brian Abbott, Boston Latin; Juan David Lozano, Madison Park.
GIRLS: Shanika Bridges-King, Boston English; Teresa Jesus Pina, Charlestown; Maria Rodrigues, Burke; Ensa Fleurimond, Parkway; Gabrielle White, Boston Latin.
