Bobcat Bulletin
SWHS Newsletter May Edition
Welome to the Bobcat Bulletin!
Message from the Principal
Dear SWHS Families,
Much like the last few weeks of school, the manner in which the accomplishments and distinctions of students and how they will be revealed will look very different. It is our intent to proudly share these with families closer to the end of the school year. In the meanwhile, we would like to take the opportunity to recognize and congratulate the Top 10 students of the Class of 2020. Every year, the Top 10 students are traditionally announced alphabetically on Senior Awards Night--they appear in the same fashion in this edition of the Bobcat Bulletin.
As selected by the Class of 2020, I wish to congratulate Deb Field for having the Yearbook dedicated to her. This is a wonderful SWHS tradition and is an extreme honor for staff members who are selected. Congratulations to Mrs. Field and see below for her personal message to the Class of 2020!
For members of the community who have not yet had an opportunity to view a special message by the faculty and staff at SWHS to our seniors, I have included it in this newsletter.
Be safe and be well.
Frank Rizzuto
Principal
Van Anh Tran
Elizabeth Malone
CLASS OF 2020 TOP 10 STUDENTS
Abhiram Gunti
Dedicated, humble and an overall outstanding young man. Abhiram Gunti’s accomplishments in the classroom have produced a cumulative weighted GPA of a 4.24 and remarkable SAT and AP scores. One of his teachers said, “I learned that Abhiram is a driven individual who truly understands how to stay focused on a goal and loves to solve problems. He is not deterred by mistakes, setbacks, or failures and instead uses them as opportunities for revision, iteration, and improvement. He is always ready for a new challenge, experience, or opportunity and his attitude is always supportive, encouraging, and positive.” I believe this quote exemplifies who Abhiram is. He is currently the captain of the school First Robotics team, Co-chairman of the Model UN, and a leader of the Science Olympiad and Interact Club. This past summer Abhiram secured an internship with a company based in Atlanta called HLC Robotics. His drive and dedication to Computer Science Engineering led him to reach out to different companies with the hope of working with someone in the field of coding. Through this internship he has learned a number of important skills not only the obvious programming and coding skills but also communication skills that are essential to working with a group of people so far away. This coming year Abhiram is taking his talents and leadership skills to University of Connecticut to study Computer Science Engineering with a potential focus on Artificial Intelligence.
Megan LeMay
Elizabeth Malone (Class of 2020 Salutatorian)
Zachary Manfredi
Lindsey Osit
Lindsey Osit is one of the most well-rounded, intuitive, and kind-hearted students at South Windsor High School. Not only has this student excelled in the classroom but she is a talented singer who has participated in Choral Spectrum and is a two-sport athlete on both the field hockey and lacrosse fields. Lindsey has been involved in several clubs within the school that have a service focus, including South Windsor for the Kids and Interact. Her involvement in clubs have helped her to develop her leadership skills, which were utilized as the school’s Student Council President. She continues her spirit of service outside of school through organizing an annual mini-golf fundraiser in memory of her late brother. As a result of her dedication to her studies and excellent character, Lindsey has been inducted into several honor societies within our school: Rho Kappa, Spanish Honor Society, and National Honor Society. She exhibits her passion for learning through her involvement in Model UN, a club focusing on global perspectives and alternate experiences, which has led her to consider a possible career in law. Congratulations to Lindsey who will be attending Fordham University next year!
Daniel Savidge
Hard-working, disciplined, and determined are three words commonly used to describe this extraordinary student. Throughout his high school career, Daniel has been a member of the South Windsor High School Swimming & Diving team, the LEHY Swimming Club and the South Windsor Sharks Swim Team. In his junior year, this student led his team to receive medals in the Class L finals, finishing in the top eight in the state. Daniel is a member of “Students Against Destructive Decisions” where he serves as a positive role model and encourages his peers to make positive and safe choices in high school and beyond. When he is not working hard in the classroom and pool, you can find him tutoring in our Academic Support Center, working as an assistant coach for the South Windsor Swim and Tennis Club, babysitting, serving as both an altar server and youth group member at his church, and life-guarding at the town’s private swim club. Daniel’s strengths are in the areas of math and science and he has taken many classes in these areas to prepare him to enter a career in computer science. Daniel Savidge will continue his educational journey next year at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
Neil Shah
A gentleman with immeasurable talent, Neal has excelled in the role of a high school student and member of the community. Talented and ambitious, Neal pursued and embraced opportunities throughout his high school career. His effort and dedication resulted in numerous accolades, which include receiving the Xerox Award for Innovation and Information Technology, RIT Computing Medal Award, earning honors status every quarter throughout high school, class president junior and senior year along with membership in the National Honors Society. Beyond Neal’s academic endeavors, he found time for involvement in various extracurricular activities including the varsity tennis team, Model UN, VEX Robotics, Math Team and Science Olympiad. Neal’s leadership potential was recognized sophomore year when he was chosen to attend the Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership conference. Additionally, the confidence in his leadership abilities by his peers was evident when elected class president consecutive years. His ability to lead is further seen in such positions as team captain of Science Olympiad and Assistant Senior Patrol Leader of his Boy Scout troop. Furthermore, building on his leadership and eager to help others, Neal was hired as a teaching assistant at a local college. In this role, Neal assisted teaching fourth and fifth grade students STEM concepts. As both a tennis teacher assistant and a volunteer at St. Francis Hospital and Foodshare, Neal consistently participated in programs and events to benefit others. Another notable highlight in Neal’s high school career is earning the rank of Eagle Scout. The perseverance Neal exhibits in all areas of his life are visible in his pursuit of attaining this most distinguished rank. Neal built a community garden at South Windsor High School, and the vegetables are to be used in the cafeteria. Increasingly more focused and goal oriented throughout high school, Neal is excited to continue his education at UMass Amherst. He is looking forward to beginning Artificial Intelligence research and Machine Learning as a computer science major.
Van Anh Tran (Class of 2020 Valedictorian)
Ambitious and a motivated leader, Van Anh is not your average high school student. Van Anh adjusts to every role and situation with ease and confidence. Academically, Van Anh has proven herself as a highly disciplined scholar-athlete, achieving high honors every quarter throughout her high school career. Her commitment to learning is evident through academic prowess and endeavors outside of the classroom. Examples of her commitment to helping others are apparent in her involvement as current president of the Interact club. As a club officer freshman year, she led the Mental Health Committee, and raised over $250 for the Connecticut Mental Health Association through bake sales and fundraisers. Additionally, serving as a peer tutor and volunteer in the writing center provides another opportunity for Van Anh to use her skills to benefit others. Although her transcript and resume are accurate depictions of Van Anh’s success, it only touches the surface. Van Anh’s many accolades include, AP National Scholar and Scholar with Distinction, Governor's Scholar Semi‐Finalist, Harvard Book Award, Science Olympiad Gold and Silver Medalist, Model UN Innovation Award and Best Delegation Award and Volunteer of the Year. Outside the classroom, Van Anh continues to excel. Independently, she discovered opportunities to expand her knowledge: she was one of the 40 applicants accepted to participate in the Inspiring Women in Engineering and Medicine Program. This day‐long workshop, hosted by the UCONN Health Center, is designed to expose high school girls to the future of medicine and orthopedics. Additionally, she attended the two week Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology Young Manufacturers Academy, which was an introduction to CAD systems and basic programming with robots. Her ability to balance all areas of her life is a testimony to her personality and lifestyle. Van Anh strives for a sense of meaning and purpose in a career. She is pursuing a career in the medical field where she looks forward to applying her knowledge every day. More importantly, she is focused on making a difference in people’s lives. Van Anh is an exceptional young lady who is excited to continue to build her skills and experiences when she attends Yale in the fall.
Sara Wills
Sara is motivated and proven to be the ideal student, daughter, friend and citizen. A distinguished scholar-athlete and musician, Sara never gives less than 100% at all times. Academically, Sara’s ambition for learning has resulted in numerous academic accolades, including induction into the French, Rho Kappa and National Honor Societies. In addition to academic success, Sara's participation in clubs, athletics, music, NHS, tutoring and employment are equally important. This includes Cross Country, Track and Field, Interact, Chamber Orchestra, 4th R Program Leader, church volunteer and the French Exchange Program. Beyond being an active participant, Sara’s ability to lead is evident in leadership roles. Highlights include National Honor Society Officer, leader of group projects such as the AP Government presentation at a state university in her junior year, mentoring freshmen girls on the cross-country team, or leading games with elementary school children in an after school program. Each year Sara consistently raises her standards and expectations. Her motivation to learn extends beyond the classroom. Last summer Sara interned in a research lab. Her job shadow at Jackson Laboratory had a significant impact in her life. During this time she was working with a graduate student on asthma research and the experience has strengthened her career goals. Sara is interested in Neuroscience and plans on becoming a biomedical researcher developing various medications, vaccines, and cures for diseases and illnesses. The area of research she is most interested in is cancer research. She will work towards running her own research laboratory. Sara will be attending Northeastern University in the fall.
Jia Yazon
Independent and mature, Jia is a positive role model for others. She is an ambitious learner, involved in myriad of activities. Academically, Jia has proven herself as a dedicated student and a scholar. Jia earned membership in both the National Honor Society and Latin National Honors Society. for academic excellence in the Latin language She took on a leadership role senior year as co-counsel of the Honors Society. Jia has consistently earned high honors throughout her high school career while building on other interests and activities. Jia’s athletic and artistic talents are just as remarkable as her academic ability. As a member of the varsity volleyball and tennis teams since grade, having been a tennis player for over nine years, her athleticism was recognized and awarded. Jia was chosen Connecticut All State for tennis and awarded CCC All Conference for 2017, 2018 and 2019. Furthermore, she was awarded CCC All Conference for volleyball 2018 and 2019. Beyond her athletic talent, her leadership qualities were recognized by her peers when elected to the position of captain of both teams. Additionally, Jia is a talented musician. She is a percussionist, whose performances have been admired by many who have seen or heard her play in the multiple year award winning high school Spectrum band. Much of Jia’s involvement in clubs, which include Robotics Club, Environmental Club and BRIDGES Club connect to her future goals. Jia is concerned about the future of our world and plans to focus her career choice on helping those less fortunate and improving the communities they are living in. Jia’s ultimate career goals are to combine her passion for social justice and the STEM field. She plans to become an engineer and create solutions for issues such as renewable energy, carbon emissions, proper waste management, cleaning our environment, advancing daily technology, and spreading the general usage of useful technology around the world, especially to those less privileged. She wants to be a part of ensuring that technology can fulfill its purpose in bettering all parts of the world. She will begin this journey in the fall attending WPI in the fall majoring in chemical engineering, as well as playing on the Varsity Volleyball Team.
Yearbook Dedication: Deb Field
Dear Class of 2020,
First, I’d like to thank you for the honor of the Yearbook Dedication this year. It is a surprising and humbling way to close out a very strange year. As much as I miss being able to share all the science with you, I think the hardest thing is missing the conversations, both in and outside of class. I’m not just talking to those of you in my classes now, but ALL of you who haven’t taken a class with me but had study hall, book club, Step Team, the Science Olympiad & Envirothon students who have sought me out, and those of you who found your way to the Fishroom "just because." I’ve been at SWHS for 25 years now - a lot has happened in the world in that time but this spring is unprecedented. The Class of 2020 has had to sacrifice so many of the events that students look forward to senior year for but you have been patient and flexible, and continued to learn. The thoughtfulness and kindness that I have seen from you, both in school and virtually is inspirational. And I fully believe that whatever our new “normal” becomes in the coming months, you will rise to the challenge with the same strength and positivity you have shown this spring. I wish you all the best and you’ll always be #BobcatStrong.
Peace, Love, and May the Forest Always be with you,
Mrs. Field, "the crazy fish lady"
Message to the Class of 2020 Video From Faculty
In addition, please CLICK HERE for a special message to seniors from the Career & Technical Education Department.