Student Feature Friday: Lindsey Franco

This week’s Student Feature Friday is Freshman Lindsey Franco, whose smile and positive attitude light up any room she enters. Lindsey is a dedicated athlete and musician and feels that these activities help her thrive. She has participated in Special Olympics gymnastics for the last 7 years. Each year she has competed at the state games at Harvard University and has won over 29 medals during her career. Although her gymnastics accomplishments are impressive, Lindsey’s favorite sport is basketball. Lindsey has needed to overcome many obstacles in her life and she describes basketball as the sport that makes her a stronger person and takes her mind off of her disability. She was thrilled this year to join the first Unified Basketball team at Holliston High School and can’t wait to play again next year.

Lindsey is a great advocate for her disability, Williams Syndrome, which is a genetic condition that can be characterized by medical problems, developmental delays and learning challenges. In 2018 Lindsey began partnering with Team Impact, an organization that pairs kids with disabilities with a college sports team. She was drafted by the Framingham State University Softball Team and she feels such a sense of pride as a member of the team. What is most striking about Lindsey is how strong she is and how much she cares about others. She is truly an inspiration and it is exciting to think about the impact she will have on HHS during her high school years. To learn more about Lindsey, visit the Student Feature Friday section of the Principal's blog.

Student Feature Friday: Matt Perera

This week’s Student Feature Friday is junior Matt Perera whose enthusiasm for life and general positivity is contagious. Matt is involved in so many activities, both at HHS and outside of school, yet he manages to achieve a healthy balance, while still striving to improve in all aspects of his life. Since picking up the trumpet in 4th grade he has been an avid musician, making it into Districts each year since 8th grade. Last year he earned the top trumpet spot in the CDMMEA Central District Festival. In addition to his participation in Concert Band, Jazz Band, Claflin Hill Orchestra, T-Tones & Act II, he has petitioned to take on an independent study this year writing his own music for the trumpet. His goal is to write music that brings more energy and melody to the trumpet. In other words, he wants to write music that will “get stuck in people’s heads and they can sing or hum along to.”

Matt is always looking for ways to step outside of the box and pave the way for others. He is a captain of the frisbee team and Vice-President of the class of 2021. He works hard to make sure others feel included and sees that as a huge responsibility of a leader. To learn more about Matt, visit the Student Feature Friday section of the Principal's Blog.

Student Feature Friday: Isabella Ceresia

This week’s Student Feature Friday is senior Isabella Ceresia whose passion for the environment has led to many interesting and rewarding experiences. Isabella’s interest in animals started at an early age when she would receive books from her cousins and would spend long periods of time reading and learning about all kinds of animals. She also spent quite a bit of time at the aquarium when she was younger and in 9th grade, was invited to participate in ClimaTeens, a group of dedicated teens 14 to 18 years old who care about the oceans and want to contribute to a healthy future. Through her work in this program she was twice invited as a panelist to educate the public on the environment and the power of engaging youth.

Isabella’s passion and care for the environment extended to her own community of Holliston when she coordinated a large project with NHS students, New England Aquarium Live Blue Ambassadors and the Town of Holliston Conservation Commission to remove 9 different types of invasive species from the Holliston Rail Trail. To learn more about Isabella visit the Student Feature Friday section of the Principal's Blog.

Student Feature Friday: Riley Robinson

This week’s Student Feature Friday is junior Riley Robinson whose positivity and joy for life is evident the moment your start speaking with her. Her participation in Best Buddies, Beautiful Minds Campaign, Culture Club and the Wellness Council are all connected by her compassion, kind heart and genuine desire to help others. She recently traveled to Kenya with her family to help build soccer fields and bring medical supplies to those in need. Her trip to Kenya brought together her love of travel, having visited several countries throughout the world, with her strong desire to make the world a better place.

Riley is passionate about Wellness, nutrition and the mind-body connection. She is an active participant in the Wellness Council and is working hard to share her knowledge with others. Knowing how difficult it is to make consistent and sustained changes towards healthy living, she has found great support and comfort in her crossfit community. Future plans for her include becoming a dietitian and helping others change their lives for the better through wellness and kindness. To learn more about Riley visit the Student Feature Friday section of the Principal's blog.

Student Feature Friday: Ryan Taylor

This week’s Student Feature Friday is senior Ryan Taylor, who is passionate about Robotics, Music, and the Vermont Adaptive Ski program. Giving back to others and mentoring younger students is what unites all three passions. Ryan is an active participant in band, playing Alto Saxophone, an instrument that his older brother introduced him to when he was a student in Holliston. Ryan is taking on the role of Vice-President Student Conductor this year and sees it as an opportunity to display his talents while supporting others in the band. In addition to HHS, he plays in the Blackstone Valley Community Concert band and the Lions All-State band.

When Ryan isn’t playing music he is heavily engaged in Robotics. As a Captain of the Robotics Team this year, he will be responsible for planning, scheduling and building a competition-ready robot with his team. The build season is intense and once they receive the parts to build the frame/chassis,  the team spends nights and weekends over a 6-week period to pull it all together. The team must follow strict guidelines with restrictions on the timeline, size, weight and even locations where they are approved to purchase additional parts for their design. This 6-week race to the finish leads them to competition and the excitement of seeing all their hard work come to fruition. Although Ryan will be graduating this year and pursuing engineering in the future, he hopes to come back and mentor a Robotics team one day and I have no doubt that he will make a significant difference to future generations. To learn more about Ryan visit the Student Feature Friday section of the Principal's Blog.

Student Feature Friday: Nico Doyle

This week’s Student Feature Friday is Nico Doyle, a fantastic senior who is involved in many facets of HHS. Not only is he an integral part of the morning Jam Band at HHS, but he is using his musical talent to bring joy to others. When we sat down to chat about his interests, I asked him why he was involved in music and part of the band. He responded, “ Watching other people do what they love is contagious.” This humble attitude to supporting others and respecting the unique talents that each individual contributes to the world is a direct reflection of the character that Nico exhibits on a daily basis.

Nico is the type of person who is curious about life, seeks solutions for problems to improve the environment for all and isn’t afraid to step out of his comfort zone. He is a founding member of the Rowdy Repair Shop, a student-led (with the assistance of Mr. Calais) group who honed their skills in construction technology and are now fixing broken or rundown furniture for teachers throughout the building. After presenting this group to the entire Faculty, he is hard at work fielding requests. Nico stated that, “There is no reward better than doing something for someone else and seeing that smile.” Although helping others provides a sense of reward, it is his love of rock climbing, hiking and guitar that keeps him motivated and happy on a daily basis. His future goals include finding a career that can combine these three passions while continuing to help others and I have no doubt that he will have a big impact on his community. To learn more about Nico visit the Student Feature Friday section of the Principal's Blog.

Student Feature Friday: Tristan Beck Torres

This week’s Student Feature Friday is junior Tristan Beck Torres who has a love for Crossfit and music. When Crossfit Firewall opened in Holliston, Tristan was the only teen there for the first few months but he persevered and has found a love of the techniques and the community. He loves seeing everyone in their own domain and appreciates being able to see his physical and mental strength as he progresses. He is hoping to partner with Mr. D’Avanzo for an internship next year to further develop his own skills, as he likes the idea of being a Crossfit coach. He describes Functional Fitness and Nutrition as an important class for him because it taught him how to adopt a lifestyle that really resonated with him.

Photo Credit by Henry Studios

Equally enjoyable for him is music, and in particular, music production. He began playing the clarinet in fourth grade and has since added piano and tenor saxophone to his repertoire. Participating in Districts in 7th and 8th grade alongside other talented musicians further solidified his interest in music. He is excited about his upcoming independent study with Mr. Bilodeau, where he will concentrate on music production and distribution. He loves recording music and sees it as a way to express himself, describing his style as “video game” music. Tristan shows a maturity and self-confidence that will serve him well in his future endeavors. To learn more about Tristan, visit the Student Feature Friday section of the Principal’s blog.

Student Feature Friday: Ashani Kurukulasuriya

This week’s Student Feature Friday is Junior Ashani Kurukulasuriya whose maturity and compassion for others is truly remarkable. When it became clear to Ashani that the school did not yet have a club to meet her needs, she partnered with a recent graduate from Harvard University to establish a chapter of Vision:Global Health at HHS. In addition to creating the club at HHS, Ashani and other members will be presenting at the Harvard Global Health and Leadership Conference this April. She is excited to attend the conference to learn more about food insecurity and human trafficking and how it affects local communities. Although the club is just beginning, they are already working with nearby food pantries to see what needs exist and researching speakers who can bring awareness to concerns about human trafficking.

Ashani just attended her first meeting of a seventeen week program with Youth in Philanthropy (YIP), which “...is an experiential leadership development program designed to empower and educate local youth to become our community’s next generation of philanthropists–those who give their time, talent and treasure for the common good” (https://yipmetrowest.org). This program will further develop her passion for community service and provide opportunities for her to learn more about obtaining grants and funding for causes that she feels strongly about. To learn more about Ashani, visit the Student Feature Friday section of the Principal's blog.

Student Feature Friday: Samantha Paquette

This week’s Student Feature Friday is senior Samantha Paquette whose limitless academic potential is matched by her unbounded compassion for others. Her recent starring role in Footloose highlighted her beautiful singing voice and her strong acting talent. Samantha began participating in theatre at Prana summer camp when she was 4 or 5 and has found a noticeable difference to her happiness when she is on stage. When speaking about singing, a large smile comes across her face and she says, “chorus lifts me up.” From the moment she started performing she was able to bring the characters to life through song in a way that allowed her to connect the words with the underlying message and share her talent with the world. Whether it is performing for large audiences or at small parties for young children, she is at home in the world of music. To learn more about Samantha, visit the Student Feature Friday section of the Principal's Blog.

Student Feature Friday: Roy Mitri

This week’s student feature Friday is Roy Mitri who is currently a student at Holliston High School receiving post-graduate services. Roy has been developing many skills throughout his time at HHS and has found a strong passion for cooking. He has earned his ServSafe Food Handler Certificate, Food Equipment and Safety Training Certificate (Feast) and Mass Food Allergen Certificate. Roy just recently accepted his first paying job at Bertucci’s, working in the kitchen washing dishes and is looking forward to developing his role as an integral member of the team. In addition to working at Bertucci's, he works at the Residence at Valley Farm, an independent Living, assisted Living & reflections memory care facility, Framingham Union and TC Scoops.

Roy has worked hard to find ways to get to work without a license and has found the MWRTA, which he takes to and from the Residence, so he doesn’t have to rely on his family and friends. He enjoys working at the Residence because of the cooking he is able to do but more so because of the people he works with and the sense of accomplishment he feels from the work. To read more about Roy visit the Student Feature Friday section of the Principal's blog.

Student Feature Friday: Will Flanagan

This week’s Student Feature Friday is senior Will Flanagan. Five minutes into our conversation it was hard not to be impressed by his maturity, genuine desire to improve his community and his love of learning. Will is currently the senior class president, athletic captain, club president, Eagle Scout, swim instructor and all around great person. Yet with all of these accomplishments he remains humble and ready to serve his community. Through tennis, which he describes as being introduced to by his grandfather when he “started walking”, gymnastics, and diving on the swim team he fulfills his need to be active and sees his constant improvement as incredibly rewarding. WIll’s academic focus is met through his rigorous courses, participation in Model United Nations and his membership in NHS.

Although his academic and athletic accomplishments are impressive, it is his drive to help others through community service that sets him apart. Will just completed his Eagle Scout project which focused on renovating the garage of a group home for autistic adults and turning it into a multipurpose room. To read more about Will visit the Student Feature Friday section of the Principal's blog.

Student Feature Friday: Jack Garvey

Our first Student Feature Friday this year is sophomore Jack Garvey and I could not think of a better student to start of the year. Multiple people recommended Jack for this segment and after spending a few minutes chatting with him, the reasons for the recommendation are clear. Jack is mature, thoughtful and kind and is already a role model for his peers. He spoke of two main passions: sports and working with Best Buddies. For more information about Jack, visit the Student Feature Friday section of the Principal's blog.

Student Feature Friday: Nandini Mandaloju

This week’s Student Feature Friday is sophomore Nandini Mandaloju who has devoted her time, energy and passion to helping others and exploring her culture through dance and music.

Since she was 6 years old, Nandini has practiced one of the classical styles of Indian dance called Kuchipudi. By her 4th or 5th year, she was developing her talent and love for dance. She describes being on stage as “acting as different characters, allowing her to express her emotions in new ways.” In addition, Nandini is an avid singer of classical Indian music. “Singing and dancing allow me to stay closer to my heritage by singing in multiple Indian languages. It’s a culture blast and lets me feel closer to my ethnicity.” 

For more information about Nandini visit the Student Feature Friday section of the Principal's Blog.

Student Feature Friday: Jayden Seto

This week’s Student Feature Friday is senior Jayden Seto. 

It is very apparent from talking to Jayden that he has a clearly articulated plan for the future, a plan that he has worked hard to create. As soon as a conversation with Jayden begins, it is hard to miss the maturity and self-awareness he exudes. Jayden is a self-described conversationalist and has found a path that will leverage his strengths and love of interacting with people, combined with a passion for politics. Next year he plans to attend Norwich University, participate in the ROTC program and major in political science. After graduation he looks forward to law school and feels that his time spent working with Mr. Marsden during his senior internship this year has solidified his decision to practice law. 

For more information about Jayden, please see the Student Feature Friday section of the Principal's Blog.

Student Feature Friday: Andrew Balestieri

This week’s Student Feature Friday is senior Andrew Balestieri. Andrew began to discover his love of comedy when he had to dress as the profession he wanted to be at the 6th grade career day. He attended school that day as a comedian and realized he could make people happy through laughter. He further developed his skills of comedy, acting and performance when he became involved in the after school theatre program. His interest in performing was solidified when he had a leading role in Legally Blond and “sang his heart out”, only to receive a roaring response from the audience. When Andrew was asked about his passion, he stated that “if he had been asked two months ago he would have said comedy, but now he believes his passion to be making people happy with performance in general.” For more information about Andrew, please visit the Student Feature Friday section of the Principal's Blog.

Student Feature Friday: Madeline Cerulli

This week’s Student Feature Friday is junior Madeline (Maddie) Cerulli. Maddie is an active participant in Best Buddies and is currently the Best Buddies chapter president, a responsibility she takes very seriously. She helps to match Buddies, looking for common interests that will develop into strong, dedicated 1:1 friendships. She also organizes events for the group including a basketball clinic with the Holliston Boys Basketball team, bowling events, and trips to the aquarium. This month the group is planning several events surrounding the “spread the word to end the word” international movement, focused on ending the use of the “r” word, instead choosing “respect” and acting respectful without judgment. Maddie is truly a caring a remarkable person who is leading by example. For more information about Maddie Cerulli and her work with Best Buddies, please visit the Student Feature Friday section of the Principal's blog.

Student Feature Friday: Kelsey Logan

This week’s Student Feature Friday is sophomore Kelsey Logan whose maturity and varied writing experiences far surpass her age. Kelsey is clear that she wants art to be a part of her life now and in the future and is currently focused on exploring various forms of writing. After being introduced to poetry in 6th grade, she realized the complexity and ability to dissect the poetry was something that she loved and she continues to develop her own style by taking classes at HHS and online through other organizations.

In April, Kelsey will be competing with her team in the Louder Than A Bomb poetry competition. After taking a slam poetry class she auditioned for the competition by reading two of her pieces and was chosen to compete on a team with 3 other individuals from the Boston area. Kelsey gravitates towards free verse poetry because it provides the most mobility in her writing.

Kelsey is impressive in her ability to intentionally step outside her comfort zone and participate in other experiences that push her to develop her skills, challenge her thinking and grow as a person. Her goal as next year’s co-editor in chief of Enigma Literary Magazine is to highlight all different art forms, thus allowing her to highlight the work of so many different students. There is no doubt that the literary magazine is in good hands. For more information about Kelsey, visit the Student Feature Friday section of the Principal's Blog.

Student Feature Friday: Morgan Perry

This week’s Student Feature Friday is senior Morgan Perry who exemplifies leadership skills in both the academic and athletic settings. Morgan is a mature, responsible, kind and caring person who believes in the importance of strong, positive role models. She goes out of her way to assist others and works hard to create an open and welcoming atmosphere. As a result of her patience, compassion and competence she was promoted to “Chief of Early Learning” at Kumon in Natick. Morgan works with 3-7 year olds instructing them with carefully designed individualized programs. Her face lights up when she describes the rewarding experience of working with these students and knowing that she is helping them progress at their own speeds. For more information about Morgan, visit the Student Feature Friday section of the Principal's blog.

Student Feature Friday: Sarah Kennedy

This week’s Student Feature Friday is senior Sarah Kennedy whose passion for music has become a major part of her life. In addition to singing, Sarah plays flute, guitar, piano and ukulele. She is a member of the band, participates in Act Two & Harmonics, and for the second year in a row, is representing Holliston at the All-State Festival. She enjoys expressing herself through music and being able to put emotion to the notes. To Sarah, singing in the choir is the best feeling because it allows for everyone's voices to come together to make one big, beautiful sound. She looks forward to continuing music in college and is thankful for the teachers who have strongly encouraged her to pursue her musical interests and talents. To read more about Sarah, check out the Student Feature Friday section of the Principal's Blog.

Student Feature Friday: Nathan Rutberg

This week’s Student Feature Friday is junior Nathan Rutberg who has found a passion for architecture and city planning. Nathan sees architecture as a tool to solve problems and describes it as tying art and function together in a cohesive way. His term project in Stress Management and Psychology focused on the connection between parks and mental health (his project can be seen below), specifically how city parks decrease the stress levels of individuals residing in the city.

In addition to pursuing his passion for architecture, Nathan is involved with music, sound engineering and running sound for school performances. Nathan is able to marry his love of architecture and design with his work in theatre. His theatre teachers states that, “He combines technical and analytical thinking with his creativity, which is perfect for the areas he works in at Theatre 370.” His sketches and set designs for the theatre Festival were, “well thought out, addressing the needs of the show, the feel of the piece and also trying to incorporate some historical architectural touches!”

For more information about Nathan, or to see his term project, please check out the Student Feature Friday section of the Principal's Blog.