Standing with members of the North Central Connecticut Chamber of Commerce the following Suffield High School students who were recent recipients of the NCCCC Kindness Award are L-R Carolyn Ducharme, Ava Taylor, Bobby Padykula, Quinci-Marie Milledge, Cayden O’Brien, Nathan Head and Devon Root-Blanchfield.
The North Central Connecticut Chamber of Commerce (NCCCC) recognizes an SHS student each month who has demonstrated exceptional kindness. For September, senior Carolyn Ducharme received the honor after nominations from SHS faculty and staff. Mr. Webb wrote, “Carolyn has demonstrated clear virtues of kindness inside and outside of the classroom. Inside the classroom, she is respectful to both her classmates and teachers in pursuit of providing an enriching environment for everyone. She is a very intelligent student who is humble in her work. Outside of the classroom, she demonstrates leadership on the playing field with her sports teams. However, I take much attention to the fact that she will stay after school to study with her peers and help them become better students. In my humble opinion, Carolyn is worthy of accepting such an award!” Congratulations Carolyn! The NCCCC is making a donation in Carolyn’s honor to the Alzheimer’s Association. If you would like to make a donation, please go to: alz.org/research
Sophomore Nathan Head received the Kindness Award for October. Ms. Radziewicz wrote, “Nathan is amazing at helping his classmates learn. He gently helps them understand when they are confused. He is a tremendous leader during group projects. He freely shares his ideas when his team is stuck. He explains concepts when they need it. He is patient, kind, and gifted. He is a natural humanitarian!” Congratulations Nathan! The NCCCC is making a donation in Nathan’s honor to the Trevor Project. If you would like to make a donation, please go to: thetrevorproject.org
Junior Cayden O’Brien received the Kindness Award for November. Mrs. Schrager wrote, “Cayden is always kind, but he was especially helpful in English class when he offered his spare Chromebook to a student without a device.” Congratulations Cayden! The NCCCC is making a donation in Caden’s honor to the American Cancer Society. If you would like to make a donation, please go to: cancer.org
Sophomore Ava Taylor received the Kindness Award for December. Mrs. Shea wrote, “Ava has such a sweet and kind soul. In class, she’s the first to offer help to others, give advice, and listen to truly hear her classmates. She is a loyal friend and will advocate for what is best for them. Ava also loves and cares for animals through working at Roaring Acres Alpaca Farm and participating in the Agriscience program at SHS. She is such a joy to have in class and I’m happy to be her teacher!” Congratulations Ava! The NCCCC is making a donation in Ava’s honor to the Suffield Agriscience program. If you would like to make a donation, please go to: shs.suffield.org/agriscience-center.
Sophomore Devon Root-Blanchfield received the Kindness Award for January. Ms. Radziewicz wrote, “Devon is an incredible young woman, and she is truly gifted when it comes to being with and supporting all students, especially those with learning differences. The friendship, enthusiasm, support, and joy she brings them is so heartwarming. Watching Devon be herself makes me grateful to be a teacher and proud to be a human; because to me, she represents the very best parts of us all.” Congratulations Devon! The NCCCC is making a donation in Devon’s honor to the Sandy Hook Promise. If you would like to make a donation, please go to: sandyhookpromise.org
Senior, Quinci-Marie Milledge received the Kindness Award for February. Mrs. Insero wrote, “Quinci is a leader at Suffield High School. She demonstrates a commitment to inclusion for all and seeks out opportunities that foster a sense of belonging and acceptance within our community. Whether it’s organizing events for the Black Student Union, being a leader in her Yearbook class, or finding ways to bring peace in heightened situations, Quinci goes above and beyond to create an environment where everyone feels valued and respected. Quinci’s kindness extends far beyond her immediate circle, as she works to promote empathy and understanding on a larger scale at SHS. She is committed to making the world a better place, one act of kindness at a time, making her truly deserving of this award.” Congratulations Quinci! The NCCCC is making a donation in Quinci’s honor to the Rich Dae Entrepreneur Foundation for underserved youth. If you would like to make a donation, please go to: richdaefoundation.org
Senior, Bobby Padykula received the Kindness Award for March. Mr. Barile wrote, “Bobby has exemplified kindness as long as I have known him. He encourages his teammates inside and outside of the class, and was elected a team captain on the basketball team for his leadership skills. Bobby always goes out of his way to greet Mrs. Barile and Mylo with a smile at basketball games which means a lot to them. Outside of school, Bobby volunteers at local community aid programs, serving others in need. We are lucky to have such a great young man in our program!” Congratulations Bobby! The NCCCC is making a donation in Bobby’s honor to ROCA Inc. “No Surrender Fund”. If you would like to make a donation, please go to: rocainc.org
Congratulations to each of these students for demonstrating exceptional kindness and setting a great example for others.