Schools

Stoughton High National Honor Society Inducts Well-Rounded Group of Leaders

The Stoughton High NHS chapter added 39 new members during Wednesday night's ceremony, and inducted seven honorary members, comprised of current and former Stoughton educators.

“Always do more than is required of you,” Superintendent of Schools Dr. Marguerite Rizzi said, quoting General George S. Patton.

But she told this year’s inductees to the chapter of the that this was something they already knew—and something they already did.

The 39 students —27 juniors and 12 seniors— who were inducted into NHS during a ceremony held in the SHS auditorium Wednesday night, achieved success in and out of the classroom, as honor roll students, sports captains and class officers; as section leaders in band, editors of the school paper and volunteers in various religious groups; and as peer mediators, camp counselors and youth sports coaches. 

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“You have emerged here as leaders,” Principal Matt Colantonio said in his remarks.

“We take on these responsibilities because we have the drive to make this school the best it can be,” NHS President Lauren Cellucci said.

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The inductees joined the 36 current members of the Stoughton High NHS, an organization that emphasizes excellence in scholarship, leadership, service and overall character. 

“You are defined by your overall character,” School Committee Chair Joyce Husseini told the students.

She said character wasn’t something you could quantify with a score on a test or with the number of hours of community service. Rather, Husseini said character was the “sum of your actions.”

“Character is what you do when no one is watching,” she continued. “It is character that will take you further in life [than any other quality].”

Marilyn Berman, a longtime social studies teacher at the school delivered the keynote address.

This year the Stoughton NHS started a new tradition of having the keynote speaker inducted as an honorary member of the NHS. Advisor Kimberley Kellogg invited the educators who delivered the keynote addresses during her tenure as advisor (2005-present) to be the first class of honorary inductees.

The group included Berman and Colantonio; Joseph Dawe, retired North (now ) Elementary School Principal; , a current SHS English teacher; Molly O'Connell, a current SHS social studies teacher; David Tucker, a retired SHS social studies and American Studies teacher; and Ruth Weiner a retired SHS English, American Studies and journalism teacher.

Berman, who also founded the school’s peer mediation program (which is now run by Terri Croghan), said she values the rich diversity of the school and the community.

With this in mind, Berman, in her keynote speech, told the inductees that their families all had compelling stories to share, and it was their job to become familiar with these stories and pass them on to future generations.

“Tonight, surrounded by people who care about you, you are making history,” she said. “Someday the story of this night will be something you tell your children and your grandchildren.

“We all have stories,” she continued. “I urge you to embrace what your family has to offer…dig into your pasts, learn whatever you can and pass it on.”

With winter vacation fast approaching, and the holidays on the horizon, Berman told the students to take advantage of the fact they will have the opportunity to talk to their relatives.

“You carry their hopes and dreams into the future,” she said.

“Use your family to connect to the past—when you have the opportunity.”

To read coverage of last year’s NHS induction ceremony, click .

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Junior NHS Inductees

Jordan Angelos Brett Hoffman Ariene Ohimor Kerry Backman Nicole Kerman Alex Peixinho Daniel Block Sandra Khuu Brianna Shores Benjamin Call Kelsie LaFerriere Christina Solem Julie Chow Joy Liu John Stewart-Racicot Nicole Daniels Debora Lumene Victoria Tran Ava Dubovy Marie Maillet Katelyn Turner Niamh Fennessy Timothy McGrath Erin Walsh Ariana Hall Jessica Morse Emma Zuk

Senior NHS Inductees

Stephanie Amaral
Stephanie Herr
Reshma Patel
Andrea Chica
Shreeya Khatiwada
Elizabeth Roch
Alessandro Garcia
Danielle McCullough
Angela Vieira
Taylor Goodrich
Matthew Moore
Jeffrey Zeserson

Current NHS Members

Heather Baeta
Rebecca Goldberg
Sydney Matook
Jordan Benson
Nicole Hayner
Muhammad Mir
Kenneth Boykin
Mackenzie Hudson
Kevin Overko
Lauren Cellucci
Joseph Ialuna
Mitchell Price
Katherine Chlus
Kerlyne Jean-Baptiste
Julia Quatrucci
Alexandra Cohen
Anthony Jeudy
Rachel Resurreccion
Paul Comeau
Kristina Kozak
Julia Rodenbush
Joshua Dressler
Dahlia Kushinsky
Edward Ruddy
Danisha Dumornay
Jeremy Lim
Jasmine Scott
Adam Elmowitz
Loreen Louiny
Michael Silveira Zachary Finer
Cassandra Luce
Deidre Simms
Kayla Floro
Brittany Mahan
Leesa Snyder

SHS National Honor Society Officers 

President
Lauren Cellucci
Vice President
Jasmine Scott
Treasurer Loreen Louiny Recording Secretary
Heather Baeta Corresponding Secretary Julia Quatrucci
Advisor
Kimberly Kellogg

Honorary NHS Inductees

Ruth Weiner (retired SHS English, American Studies and journalism teacher)

Matt Colantonio (current SHS Principal)

Molly O'Connell (current SHS social studies teacher)

Joseph Dawe (retired Dawe Elementary School Principal)

David Tucker (retired SHS social studies and American Studies teacher)

John Denison (current SHS English teacher)

Marilyn Berman (current SHS social studies teacher)


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