Franklin County’s top students honored for academic, extracurricular achievements

MONTAGUE — Greenfield interim Superintendent Roland Joyal said that the eight students honored at the Franklin County Area Superintendents’ Association Annual Awards Dinner on Thursday remind him that the future is “in good hands.”

“When we can get cynical at times, all you have to do is think about the students who are in front of you today and realize that as we age, and some of us are getting up there,” Joyal said, “we are going to be in great hands.”

The awards are presented to one senior from each of the eight school districts in the county. The students are selected by their superintendents to receive the Certificate of Academic Excellence Award, recognizing their accomplishments based on the academic and extracurricular successes, as well as impact on peers and the surrounding community.

Below is a look at each of the eight awardees, as shared by their superintendents.

Franklin County Technical School District

Senior Maxon Brunette was honored by Superintendent Richard Martin, who said that he came out on top during interviews with students nominated for the award.

Brunette, an Orange and Erving resident, is in the electrical program and remains at the top of his class with a 4.5 GPA. He’s taken multiple Advanced Placement courses, and has gained electrical certifications, including his OSHA 10 certification, and has been sworn into the United States Air Force, where he plans to have a career in advanced avionics.

Outside of academics, Martin highlighted Brunette’s success as a student athlete as captain of the Franklin Tech Eagles football team, and as a leader with the wrestling team, helping to bring home a western Mass title last year. He’s also participated in other sports, including basketball, track and baseball.

Dean of Students and Athletic Director Joe Gamache, who coaches the football team, said Brunette is the “ultimate teammate,” and English teacher Maureen Grout said that he completes his assignments, is respectful in class and has leadership qualities.

“Maxon will demonstrate leadership excellence in whatever career he decides to choose after he gets out of the military,” Martin said.

Athol-Royalston Regional School District

Athol-Royalston senior Alana Dupont was recognized for her “intelligence, kindness, determination and humility,” as stated by Superintendent Matthew Ehrenworth.

Dupont is a 4.5 GPA student, having taken 10 dual-enrollment courses through Mount Wachusett Community College, and will take a dual major of finance and accounting at her first choice school, Bentley University.

Outside of her academic record, Ehrenwroth said that Dupont is a leader among her peers, serving as student council president and organizing in-school events, like the popular lip synch contest. She works with freshmen as a peer mentor to help them make the transition into high school, and was invited to participate at the Massachusetts Girls State at Stonehill College, to learn leadership and public speaking skills.

“She leads with a calm confidence and a genuine desire to bring people together — qualities that are rare and so valuable in a school community,” he said.

Frontier Regional School District

As Superintendent Darius Modestow spoke of Romy Leuchs-Curtis, he said he feels exhausted after reading her varied academic record.

Leuchs-Curtis is at the top of her class with a “4.5-something GPA,” Modestow said, adding how she’s “taking one of the most ambitious course loads in recent memory at Frontier,” taking eight AP courses, along with honors classes and electives, which “shows a deep curiosity of the world.”

Leuchs-Curtis has earned various academic awards, including the AP Scholar Award for Exemplary Test Scores, the Dartmouth Book Award and an honorable mention for her Profile of Courage essay through the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation. Her English teacher, Axel Anderson, said that he designs coursework in a way to give Leuchs-Curtis space to grow her intellectual interest.

Leuchs-Curtis also serves as the president of the National Honors Society at Frontier Regional, and as president of the Feminist Club, among various other leadership activities in school, and has personal interests in community fundraising and rock climbing. She’s applied early commitment to the Ivy League school Brown University, and Modestow said, “I have no doubt she will thrive, question the world around her and continue to push herself to new ideas and new challenges.”

Gill-Montague Regional School District

Estes Lemerise-Reinking was honored by Interim Superintendent Tari Thomas for being a “focused, compassionate and highly capable young leader,” Thomas said.

Lemerise-Reinking was characterized by Thomas as a driven student, showcasing his drive since eighth grade when he worked with counselor Beth Fortin in selecting high school classes. He insisted on taking advanced-level math classes that he eventually excelled in, Thomas explained.

Lemerise-Reinking maintains a 112.06 GPA on a 100-point scale, while also holding a 4.0 GPA through his dual-enrollment courses at Greenfield Community College. He also serves as president of the student council and helps tutor math at GCC. Thomas described how a trip to Panama this last summer through the Global Glimpse program “changed his life forever,” and he now acts as an ambassador to the program.

“I made my own opportunities and made my own path, especially with the math stuff, by saying ‘Hey, can I do that?’ and making it happen,” Lemerise-Reinking said about what he’s taken away from his four years at the high school.

When asked if he has any advice for the underclassmen coming up at the high school, Lemerise-Reinking encouraged students to be as engaged as possible.

Ralph C. Mahar Regional School District

Ralph C. Mahar and Union 73 Superintendent Dr. Elizabeth Zielinski spoke of senior Hayden Comeau, emphasizing just how positive she is as a person.

Zielinski spoke of Comeau’s personality while highlighting the rounded nature of her academic, extracurricular and personal achievements, saying how she’s laid the foundation for her future career in nursing with dual enrollment courses, AP and honors courses. She’s earned the Endicott Book Award for academic achievement and is a paid intern at Orange Elementary School while taking on leadership roles among her peers.

“Hayden seeks out challenging courses and rigorous teachings, and is open to learning all that she possibly can,” Zielinski said of the senior.

Comeau is also described as a driven athlete as a captain of the girls volleyball team, and has also played on the basketball team, earning the trust of peers and coaches, Zielinski said.

“When she gets free time, and I don’t know when that would be, but she finds the time to always support her family,” Zielinski said of her personal life. “Hands down, Hayden’s favorite place would be with the family, and I know this for a fact, watching football.”

Pioneer Valley Regional School District

Superintendent Patricia Kinsella said that senior Jacobia Tyminski represents the very best of the rural, tight-knit community of the Pioneer Valley Regional School District.

“She achieves at the highest levels academically. She excels in athletic and cultural endeavors, and perhaps most importantly, she has a moral compass and natural leadership qualities that have earned her universal respect among her peers,” Kinsella said of Tyminski.

Tyminski is a student athlete, musician, class officer and performer with a “sky-high” grade point average, Kinsella said. After graduation, Tyminski hopes to study neuroscience and find ways to help armed service members experiencing traumatic brain injury recover.

Rather than sharing her specific achievements, Kinsella shared how Tyminski differentiates herself from other high-achieving high school students through her calm and determined presence, earning her the respect of her peers

“Jacobia Tyminski is a talented and driven young person who will take full advantage of every opportunity given to her.”

Mohawk Trail Regional School District

Superintendent Sheryl Stanton said that senior Alex Niquette highlights what can be done in a life in which “their left brain and their right brain peacefully coexist.”

Stanton said that Niquette exemplifies both a creative and analytical personality, as they embrace the arts and sciences in equal measure. Niquette has taken multiple AP courses, serves as the president for the National Honor Society at Mohawk Trail, and is interested in pursuing a doctoral degree in marine biology.

“One may find them on stage in a theater production, or performing spoken word in an art collaboration with a local band,” Stanton said, “Conversely, Alex loves that science is objective and is a concrete answer to their sometimes messy creative side. Art and science offer Alex balance, outlets and room to grow.”

Stanon also said that they’ve found a balance in being assertive and collaborative, boosting their confidence and sense of self-worth.

“I was extremely proud of this, because it’s a reflection of how committed I am to my academics, as well as being a good role model and a person who is able to also handle a large, important leadership position,” Niquette said about being elected to NHS president.

Greenfield Public Schools

The final awardee of the night was senior Sophia Rotkiewicz, described by Joyal as the “best of the best” Greenfield has to offer.

Rotkiewicz was highlighted for her academic, extracurricular and community service success. She was nominated for the University of Rochester’s Bausch and Lomb Honorary Science Award for high achievement in science and math, and has achieved highly in numerous AP courses while holding leadership positions within the school.

Rotkiewicz is a student athlete, leading the varsity softball team with championship-winning seasons in 2022 and 2023. She provides community service through her church, and offers skiing instruction to special needs children and adults at the Mount Snow Ski Resort.

“I was not expecting it at all when I got presented with it, but it’s really just a great reflection on what I’ve done over the years, because people always say grades aren’t everything, and focus on yourself,” Rotkiewicz said about earning this recognition. “This totally proves it today, because it’s not only just the grades that have gotten me to right here, it’s everything I’ve done altogether.”