Front row, from the left: Vice Principal Dianna Kolodziey, Gianna Brown, Aleah Bryant, Reagan Bennett, Leigha Johnston, Peyton Libby, Mya Johnson, Anna-Maria Nastase, Saanvi Nalla, Principal Kenneth Smith
Back row: Shaunak Ukidwe, Brady Woods, Arnav Ukidwe, Nathan Peskin, Dominik Tofil, Jack Ryan, Ethan Boldt, Aubrey Richardson, Sara Markova, Grace Sauer
Eighteen outstanding eighth-grade students were honored for citizenship and leadership on June 6 at Suffield Middle School. In addition to the audience, the educators were all smiles as everyone celebrated these young men and women. The following are the awards and their recipients.
- Connecticut Association of Schools Scholar-Leader Award, recognizing students who have distinguished themselves in scholarship and leadership in school and the community: Peyton Libby and Nathan Peskin.
- Connecticut Association of Boards of Education (CABE) Student Leadership Award, designed to honor students who exhibit exemplary leadership skills: Anna-Maria Nastase and Gianna Brown.
- Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendents Award (CAPSSA), acknowledging community service and service to others, academic prowess, and leadership service to the school community: Grace Sauer and Aleah Bryant.
- Connecticut Association of Schools (CAS) Leadership Award, recognizing students who have taken on traditional and non-traditional leadership roles within and outside the classrooms: Shaunak Ukidwe and Mya Johnson.
- American Citizenship Award recipients show a positive attitude toward classmates, school, and the school community, and display an understanding and appreciation of civic responsibility: Sara Markova, Ethan Boldt, Jack Ryan, Reagan Bennett, Brady Woods, Leigha Johnston, Dominik Tofil and Aubrey Richardson.
- Team Excellence Award recognizes the students who quietly stood out from their peers, demonstrating admirable independence, resilience, and intrinsic motivation. They consistently went beyond expectations: Arnav Ukidwe and Saanvi Nalla.
Also mentioned were exceptional Math Olympiads Arnav Ukidwe, Shaunak Ukidwe, Saanvi Nalla and Peyton Libby who finished in the top percentages of international peers.