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Date: 6/8/2022
HUNTINGTON – At the Gateway Regional Senior Class Awards Celebration on June 1, High School Principal Jason Finnie announced that Leah Santiago is the winner of the Golden Achievement Award. Also announced were the valedictorian and salutatorian, as well as awards for each of the 44 seniors.
The Golden Achievement Award is Gateway’s most prestigious, recognizing a member of the senior class who demonstrates outstanding leadership, scholarship and service throughout their high school career. Besides Santiago, finalists this year included Nicole Hannigan, Ariana Marchese, Chloe Govoni, Katrina Nakaya and Leo Balboni.
Leah Santiago is the daughter of Valerie Strait and Jose Santiago III of Westfield. She is the president of the Gateway Gender and Sexuality Alliance, the class of 2022 treasurer, National Honor Society vice president, a member of the yearbook staff, trivia club, drama club and show choir. Her volunteer activities include the Gateway Education Foundation, class of 2022 events, director of the middle school play, assistant dance teacher at the Huntington Dance Centre from 2015 to 2020, and volunteering at the Village Closet.
Santiago has received several awards and recognitions, including the George Hart Leadership Award, National Rural and Small Town Recognition Program Scholar, National Hispanic Recognition Program Scholar, Jack Kent Cooke Scholarship semifinalist, Hispanic Scholarship Fund Scholar Program finalist, Hampshire County Eric Collins Memorial Award winner, Girls’ State delegate in 2021 and John and Abigail Adams Scholarship recipient.
Upon graduation, Santiago will attend Smith College with a plan to major in psychology and minor in Spanish.
The 2022 valedictorian is Chloe Govoni of Blandford. Her parents are Tambrey Fila and Jeffrey Govoni.
She competed as a member of the Gator softball team and was awarded Western Mass. honors. Outside of softball, Govoni is a member of National Honor Society, Best Buddies, yearbook committee and student council.
During her time at Gateway, Govoni volunteered as the girls basketball manager and scorekeeper, as a server during the senior citizens brunch, at the Three County 4-H booth, carpentry after-school program and with the Dr. Seuss Reading Day. She is a Girls’ State representative and received the Dartmouth book award.
Upon graduation, Govoni will attend Quinnipiac to participate in the physician assistant program.
The 2022 salutatorian is Nicole Hannigan. Daughter of Brian and Heather Hannigan of Chester, she is a proud member of the Gators softball team, and was named All-Western Mass. first team in 2021 and second team in 2019.
Along with softball, Hannigan was secretary of the student government in ninth and 10th grades, and president in 11th and 12th grades. She is a member of Best Buddies, the yearbook committee, the prom committee and Hampshire County 4-H Calvary Horse Club, serving as president from 10th to 12th grades.
As a member of 4-H, Hannigan volunteers at the Three County Fair and Big E, the Sunrise Horse Show and at the Westfield Soup Kitchen.
Hannigan will attend UMass-Dartmouth to pursue a degree in marketing.