WHS students honored for academic excellence
Newest members of Woonsocket High’s National Honor Society share spotlight
WOONSOCKET — The up-and-coming top students at Woonsocket High School were honored for their academic success Thursday night in a ceremony that also took note of the sadness overwhelming another high school in Florida.
High School Principal Carnell Henderson opened his remarks to the high school’s newest members of the National Honor Society from the Class of 2019 and Class of 2020 with a request for a moment of silence for those families affected by the tragic school shootings in Park- land, Florida.
And as he welcomed the local families present to see the group of 56 Villa Novan students inducted into the honor society, Henderson said the events in Florida also served as a reminder of just how precious a student’s time in high school was to the rest of their lives.
A school, he said, is more than just a place to learn, it is a community working together.
“And so, it is important that we, the school community, reach out and touch everyone in our school,” he said.
Success should not be for just those working
the hardest to achieve it, according to Henderson, but everyone in the school as a whole.
“Because it takes more that just 56 to reach our success,” he said.
The principal said he will be challenging each of the new students in the honor society to make a point of reaching out to their classmates in the months ahead so that their number can swell from 56 to 112 and more.
“We have to make sure that we touch others and make them part of the high school experience,” he said. “We want all students to look back and say ‘My time at Woonsocket High School is over and that was a great experience,’” Henderson said.
“This is a proud moment for you tonight but it will be an even prouder moment when these dividers are pulled back,” he said of the call for greater inclusion.
School Supt. Patrick McGee told the students their success in joining the National Honor Society and even the Rhode Island Honor Society “was no small feat,” but it was also a success coming with responsibility.
By achieving academic success, McGee said the students had also become student leaders within their school and would have to serve as examples to other students as they complete their stay at the high school.
“I challenge you not to rest on your laurels,” McGee said while encouraging the students to seek even greater in- volvement in their school.
Mayor Lisa Baldelli-Hunt told the class members her thoughts were also with the families affected by the tragedy in Florida and thanked Henderson for remembering them as he did.
To the new honor society members, Baldelli-Hunt said the 56 students had “achieved something special and you can hold your heads high and celebrate what you have accomplished.”
“You are an extraordinary group and in fact you are extraordinary students and with that comes added responsibilities,” she said. Baldelli-Hunt asked the students to take up Henderson’s challenge and reach out to their fellow students in the school seeking to find their own success.
“They will be looking up to you and like Mr. Henderson said with your help 56 can become 112,” the mayor said. “You have a responsibility to be student leaders and a responsibility to help others,” she said.
The evening also included the presentation of the United States and Rhode Island flags by an honor guard of the school Junior Air Force ROTC Wing-Cadet 2nd Lt. Omar Diedhiou, Cadet Capt. Bradley Beaver, Cadet 2nd Lt. Nicholas Iarossi, and Cadet Airman 1st Class Reynaldo Jorge.
Faith Rodriguez sang the National Anthem as the ceremony began on the auditorium stage.
Lydia Levenson, National Honor Society for the Class of 2019, emcee for night with the help of society members, Dulce Nunez, vice president, Paige Bibeault and Sabina Mercado.
School Committeeman Paul Bourget and William Webb of the Woonsocket Area Career and Technical Center joined the city officials and school staff on stage.
After signing the National Honor Society Register, the new inductees went on stage for the candlelight ceremony and the society pledge.
The new members are:
Class of 2019
Samuel Charpentier, Kathia Dioh, Fatyma Lo, Edgar Ponce and Claudia Stepien.
Class of 2020
Janet Adeyeye, Octavia N. Agyei, Evelyn Alobwede, Yadiel Antonio, Zachary Archambault, Ana Ayala, Stephanie Ayotte, Eric Bedoya Morgan, Kaleb Calore, Ajiehume Ceesay, Mawra Chanthavong, Avianna S. Cole-Ortiz, Jacob Costanza, Allyson Deziel, Katie Dion, Casandra Doiron, Stephanie Encarnation, Elizabeth Ferrenti, Alexander Figueroa, Zack Fink, Emily Flannery, A’sali Greene, Gabriel Guernon, Rachnie Iv, Mia V. Jordan-Torres, Matthew Katumba, Hannah B. Lemire, Josephine LePiors, Eric Lu, Jaliyah Monte, Hannah Moyen, Julia Nguyen, Ambar Oliver Mella, Lauren Peloquin, Minela Pimentel, Riley N. Phang, Nathaly Phrasavath, Faith Rodriguez, Isabel M. Rosario, Brett T. Rose, Benjamin Ross, Emma M. Ross, Zachary Sgambato, Souwone Souvannavong, Hilary Thilavong, Rashida Tiller, Anna-Trang Truong, Edward Tupper, Holly Viphakone, Madeline Virasak and Madison Virasak.