Use this search box to find articles that have run in our newspapers over the last several years.
Date: 11/26/2021
AGAWAM – Four Agawam High School seniors received academic awards during the School Committee meeting on Nov. 9.
The two awards that were presented included the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents Certificate of Academic Excellence and the National School Development Council Academic Growth and Student Leadership in Learning Award.
Superintendent Sheila Hoffman said, “Each year, the superintendent of schools, as the educational leader in the community, is privileged to present the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents Awards for Academic Excellence. The award is given to high school students who have distinguished themselves in the pursuit of excellence during their high school careers.”
She went on to say that the criteria for this award include a student’s three-year cumulative GPA, rank in class and overall school citizenship. Hoffman added that presentations of this award are made at the beginning of each senior year to allow for the inclusion of this “prestigious award,” along with the student’s credential package and counselor recommendation when applying for college.
The School Committee joined Hoffman as she announced this year’s award recipients.
The first recipient of the award was Grace Payne. Hoffman said, “Grace has taken four Advanced Placement (AP) classes and 13 honor classes in her time at Agawam High School.” Payne’s current GPA is 4.34.
Hoffman said Payne is involved in many extracurricular activities. She is president of the American Sign Language Club, secretary of the Save Club, an Agawam Chief volunteer, a member of the Springfield Youth Advisory Board, varsity indoor track athlete, varsity cross country runner, Empowerment Club member, peer tutoring member and a National Honor Society member. In addition to this, Payne has received many awards, including the Dartmouth Book Award, Excellency in AP and Environmental Science, Excellency in Instrumental Music Making, Excellency in AP U.S. History, first place for the Agawam Public Library’s poetry contest, along with several other recognitions.
The second recipient of this award was Autumn Jones. Hoffman said that throughout Jones’ time in high school, she has taken three AP classes and 11 honors courses. Her current GPA is 4.30. Some of Jones’ extracurricular activity involvement includes work, competitive dance, member of the National Honor Society, an Agawam Chief, a Best Buddies Club member, Future Teachers of America Club member, recipient of the Clarkson Book Award, Excellence in Algebra and French, and an assistant dance teacher.
“Because our district is affiliated with the New England School Development Council, I have been offered the opportunity to present another award to two deserving high school seniors,” said Hoffman. “The National School Development Council Award for Academic Growth and Student Leadership in Learning honors those high school students who have consistently pursued a high level of academic effort and have also served as positive role models for the student body.
The two recipients of this award were Marissa Hermans and Nicholas Donovan. Hoffman said they deserve a “special recognition.”
Hoffman said Donovan has participated in three AP courses, seven honors courses, and has a GPA of 4.28. In his spare time, he works as an assistant baker, and is a part of the student government, drama club, and won the University of Vermont’s Citizen Scholarship Award.
Hermans has taken three AP classes and six honors courses at the high school. Her GPA is 4.28. She has work experience in a variety of different positions including refereeing, volunteering as a coach for Agawam youth lacrosse teams, managing the boys varsity soccer team, serving as a peer mediator, and she won the Principal’s Award at the junior high school. Hermans is a part of the National Honors Society and plays varsity lacrosse, track and volleyball, added Hoffman.
ASAC is back
The director of the Agawam School Aged Child Program (ASAC), Andrea Cichetti, provided an update on the program. She said that prior to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the ASAC program was “thriving” and had the most students enrolled in the 16 years that it’s been running.
When COVID-19 shut everything down, ASAC moved its programs online to Google Classroom and hosted Google Meets. Cichetti said the program offered activities for the children including riddles, show-and-tell sections, science and art activities, scavenger hunts and even dance parties. Due to its services being altered and restrictions at the schools, ASAC temporarily offered its programs at Bethany Assembly of God. Throughout this time, Cichetti said, 40 students were enrolled.
This school year, Cichetti said, she’s “happy to be resuming” childcare services as they were prior to the pandemic. Currently, there are 181 students enrolled in the program. That is a decrease of only 25 from November 2019, she said. As the school year goes on, Cichetti said she expects enrollment to grow.