Secondary accomplishments

Eight Windsor High School students competed at the Vermont STEM Fair at Norwich University last month. They were part of a group of 30 high school and 78 middle school students from around the state who attended the competition. The Windsor students – who were chosen after competing during Windsor’s science fair in January – developed their science fair topics during a class at the high school called “Science Research & Inquiry,” according to science fair director Catharine Engwall, who advises the class along with Jeff Bachey and Tim Maddalena-Lucey.

“They follow the scientific method which includes researching their topics, designing their experiments, presenting to an Institutional Review Board (IRB) or Scientific Review Committee (SRC) if they are including humans or biological hazards, carrying out their experiments, revising and recollecting data (if needed), statistical analysis, creation of a scientific poster and presentation of their projects in our local science fair in January,” Engwall wrote in an email.

The following students were awarded scholarships for the work they presented during the state science fair by the NH Academy of Sciences to continue their research during a summer program at the Lyme-based nonprofit organization: Emma Simino, $1,500 half scholarship; Sophia DuFour, $3,000 full scholarship; Helen Ennis, $3,000 full scholarship; and Joey Gaudette, $3,000 full scholarship. The four were also awarded a $1,000 scholarship to Norwich University, which is applicable if they apply and are accepted to the Northfield, Vt., school. Gaudette, DuFour, Riley Cahoon, Michael Lopez and Austin Xiao were awarded silver medals for their projects.

The students presented on the following topics: Dufour, “Shell or No Shell: A Novel Way to Hatch Chickens”; Ennis, “Antioxidants: Can They Increase the Efficacy of Antibiotics With Bacterial Infections?”; Lopez, “Home Court Advantage in the NBA: Significance in Wins Versus Losses”; Lyzel Pruden, “Charged Up: Do sports drinks provide more electrolytes than orange juice?”; Cahoon, “Music Versus Productivity”; Xiao, “Does Age Impact How a Person Perceives Emotion?”; Gaudette, “The Effect of Physical Activity on Concentration”; and Simino, “How Well Do People Determine Flavor Without the Use of All Five Senses?”

Liliana Dicks, a junior at Oxbow High School, was a finalist in U.S. Bernie Sanders 2024 State of the Union Essay Contest. Dicks’ essay was about mental health and social media.

Oxbow High School senior Matthew Corti has been awarded the Newbury, Vt.-based Oxbow Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution’s 2024 DAR Good Citizen Award. Corti also earned a Vermont State Society DAR Good Citizen Scholarship Award for an essay he wrote about civic responsibilities.

Post-secondary accomplishments

Lillian Hall, of Norwich, and Oliver Mustoe, of Windsor, made the Champlain College Trustees' List for the fall 2023 semester in Burlington.

The following Upper Valley residents made the president’s list at Champlain College in Burlington for the fall 2023 semester: John Groton, Sunapee, computer science and innovation; Lillian Hall, Norwich, creative media; Oliver Mustoe, Windsor, computer networking & cybersecurity; Noelle Rebusmen, Hartland, criminology and criminal justice; Anastasia Seregina, Lebanon, computer networking & cybersecurity; and Autumn Stickney, Claremont, early childhood/elementary education.

The following Upper Valley residents made the dean’s list at Champlain College in Burlington for the fall 2023 semester: Dawson Bovat, Springfield, Vt.; Alexandra Bradley, West Lebanon; Adra Gonzalez, Newport; William Howe, Vershire; Zachary Kilmer, Orford; Rhona Lofton, Springfield, Vt.; Jacob Mayotte, White River Junction; Jackson Miller, Newport; Brielle Nestler, Bridgewater; Xavier Olmstead, Randolph; Amber Prepost, Springfield, Vt.; Margaret Rose, Bethel; Anthony Saporito, Norwich; Kaiden Seymour, Newport; Reece Sheehan, Woodstock; Benjamin Tyler, Sunapee; and Courtney Walker, Enfield.

Educator accomplishments

Jeanette McKillop has been named Colby-Sawyer College’s next athletic director. She will replace baseball coach Tom White, who has served as interim athletic director since last summer. McKillop will join Colby-Sawyer on June 1 after five years at Franklin Pierce University where she has been employed as the associate athletic director for compliance and senior woman administrator.

Email academic accomplishments to schoolnotes@vnews.com.