December’s Students of the Month
CHELMSFORD >> Six Chelmsford High School seniors were honored as Lions Pride/rotary Students of the Month for December, Principal Stephen Murray announced.
Sponsored by the Chelmsford Rotary Club for over 30 years, the Student of the Month program recognizes outstanding students from each of Chelmsford High’s three academic houses for their achievements both in and out of the classroom.
Emerson House
Twin sisters Jessica and Rachel O’brien, daughters of Terry and Sandra O’brien, were both chosen as Students of the Month.
Jessica has been inducted into four national honor societies and is enrolled in challenging courses such as AP Environmental Science, International Relations, Precalculus and Modern World Literature.
Along with her membership in the National Honor Society as well as the English, Science and Spanish honor societies, Jessica is a member of Leaders in Motion Everywhere (LIME), American Sign Language (ASL) Club, CHSTV and Women in STEM. She has served as LIME’S head of donations for its drive-through trick-or-treating effort as well as In-tune, a fundraising talent show. Simultaneously, she competes on the outdoor track and field team.
Jessica has also been active with Chelmsford’s Meals on Wheels and as a junior counselor for Summerfest. She plans to study and pursue a career in exercise or health science.
Rachel is a member of the National Honor Society, National English Honor Society and French National Honor Society, while thriving in such challenging coursework as AP French Language and Culture, AP English Literature and Composition, Honors Common Law and Trial Procedures and Introduction to Statistics (dual enrollment).
Last spring, Rachel was presented with the St. Michael’s College Book Award (“Lulu In the Sky: A daughter of Cambodia finds love, healing, and double happiness” by Luong Ung) for her academic success and service to the Chelmsford community. Her community service efforts include volunteering at LIME’S drivethrough trick-or-treating event as well as the Massachusetts Educational Theater Guild Drama Final.
Rachel is involved with the Melting Pot Club, Mock Trial Team, CHSTV, and Trim, a music mentoring program. An accomplished clarinetist, she was one of four CHS musicians selected to the Western International Band Clinic, which she attended alongside senior Sarah Buliszak Nov. 18-21 in Seattle.
She plans to study political science and pursue a career as an intellectual property attorney.
Hawthorne House
Nathaniel Murray, son of Michael Murray and Alycia
Howe, has maintained high honor roll status throughout high school and is a member of the National Honor Society and the Spanish National Honor Society, for which he serves as vice president. He is coursework includes dual enrollment Accounting and English, as well as AP Biology, AP Psychology and AP Calculus.
An executive board member of the Freshmen Mentor Program, Nathaniel is also a member of the GIVE Club, Class Representatives and the Dean’s Council. A captain of the Lions swimming team, he is a four-year Merrimack Valley Conference all-star and an honorable mention all-scholastic standout by The Boston Globe.
Nathaniel’s service extends beyond the CHS campus with his volunteer work at the Chelmsford Food Pantry and with National Honor Society efforts. He plans to major in accounting in college with designs on becoming a forensic accountant.
Nhyira Nkansah, daughter of Francis Nkansah and Rita Amoah, is a fixture on the high honor roll and is enrolled in four AP courses — English, Government, Computer Science and Research — as well as Physics and Pre-calculus.
A decorated vocalist, Nhyira is a member of CHS’S award-winning a cappella group The Crescendos, having led them to the Varsity Vocals International Championship of High School A
Cappella regional championship and national final in 2021, and a place in the regional round last spring. Nhyira serves as co-editorin-chief for the CHS Yearbook as well as the media manager/photographer for the CHS football team. She is also the co-president of the Black Student Union and a member of Women in STEM and Freshmen Mentors.
A captain of the track and field team, Nhyira is a standout thrower and placed first in a dual meet against Lawrence and Billerica. She plans to major in computer science.
Whittier House
Jash Bhut, son of Bhavesh and Vina Bhut, has been an honor student each semester and is an inductee in three national honor societies including the NHS, English and World Languages societies while thriving in rigorous courses such as AP Government and Politics, AP Psychology, AP Calculus and AP Literature and Composition.
Jash is the president and co-founder of the Chess Club and treasurer of the Class of 2023. He is also involved in the Student Council, Physics and Engineering Club, Investing Club, and LIME. In November, Jash helped spearhead a spinoff of the Mccarthy Middle School’s Project 300 holiday food drive which resulted in the collection of 1,553 pounds of nonperishable food items — enough to feed more than 1,200 people over the holidays. Jash is an active volunteer at the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir temple in Lowell, serving as the lead coordinator of children’s activities. He has also volunteered with blood drives and walkathons.
Jash plans to study business and political science and pursue a career in corporate law.
Julia Williams, daughter of Ken and Marie Williams, has been named to the honor roll in each of her terms and is a member of the National Honor Society, National English Honor Society and the French National Honor Society. Her coursework includes AP Research, Honors Mock Trial, Calculus, Physics, Senior Odyssey, and American History Through Film.
A three-sport athlete, Julia is a member of the soccer team and was named captain of the Billerica-chelmsford girls ice hockey co-op team. She is also a softball standout and, by graduation, will have earned 12 varsity letters during her tenure at CHS.
Julia serves as Secretary for the Class of 2023 and is a member of Freshmen Mentors. She has also volunteered with clean-up efforts through her church, the Jimmy Fund and Department of Children and Families. Julia plans to pursue communications and journalism with a concentration in sports.
and is a three-year recipient of the Academic Excellence Award. Isabella is a four-year member of the THS theater program, a member of the book club, Senior Sidekicks and the chess club. She is a fouryear member of the THS field hockey and softball team, and was named captain for both athletic teams. Isabella has received the MVP Award for field hockey as well as the Midwach Team II Allstar and Midwach Team I All-star. On the softball field she has received the Coaches Award and was named Midwach Team II All-star.
She has volunteered at the Tyngsboro Block Party, Zero Waste Days for the town, winter softball clinics and the Big Red wrestling tournaments. Isabella’s hobbies include writing, reading and performing. Her favorite subjects are AP Language, Writing Workshop and Guitar and Drum Set Lab and her future plans consist of going to a university and studying film and creative writing. She wants to create stories for people to love and enjoy.