Congratulations to the winners of the 2023 Academic Awards!

Academic Excellence Award | Presidential Awards | Larry Wassink Award | Spirit Award | Triple C Award | Comptroller’s Award | Junior Awards | Department Awards | Honor Graduates

Academic Excellence Award

To receive an Academic Excellence Award, each student had to attain a 90% average for each marking period. First year award winners will receive a certificate of achievement and a letter patch. This letter H can be used to keep pins that represent each successive Academic Excellence Award in the following years. After each year of Academic Excellence, a student is awarded a different pin:

A silver bar for their second year A silver star for their third year A gold bar for their fourth year A gold star for their fifth year and a gold lamp for their sixth consecutive year.

First year

Seventh Graders

Lucia Argentieri, Nevaeh Avery, Mallory Berry, Molly Berry, Abigail Briggs, Chloeyanna Clark, Emma Clifford, Kelsea Criss, Jessen Dieter, Elana Doll, Peyton Eicher, Everleigh Gross, Abigail Grossman, Zoey Hartman-Gourley, Morgan Hasper, Jessica Hottois, Hannah Jacobs, Collin Jessup, Markus Kerr, Maura Khork, Joseph Kilmer, Ava King, Elliott Klees, Brody Mullen, Connor Newland, Larissa Oakes, Emily O’Donoghue, Della Olejniczak, Isabella Prescott, Tyler Rankl, Luke Ross, Alivia Ryder, Eli Santelli-Gay, Kylielyn Sauerbier, Addelyn Schmitt, Cadence Shuart, Arianna Sleight, Payton Smith, Alexis Stephens, Bailey Stephens, Delainey Thompson, Miriam Vetter, Trenton Vogel, Ashlynne Voss, Hunter Weitzel, Patrick Wing and Benjamin Woolever

Additional first year letters

Rileigh Alley, Wyatt Argentieri, Rian Buzzard, Braydon Campbell, Sadie Chace, Makayla Cullen, Layla Dacey, Jack Emo, Natalee Glick, Kai Griffith, Ryah Hutcheson, Bailey Johnson, Julia Kelleher, Brianna Kent, Melody Marcellus, Selena Martin, Kaden McGregor, Aaron McInerney, Ryan McLaughlin, Trey Meehan, Madison Morphy, Alexandria Morris, Connor Nelson, Ruthlyn Patrick, Alexandria Simpson, Alexander Smith, Haylee Smith, Eric Stiles, Larry Woodworth and Nicholas Woodworth

Second year

Stella Argentieri, Jasmine Avery, Elliot Bale, Elisa Bodin, Ashton Breed, Shae Bryant, Aiden Burritt, Cody Cardamone, Silvia Carretto, Elijah Chace, Sterling Chace, Marianne Colson, Ava Combs, Chloe Conner, Lara Connors, Kellen Crowe, Demayne Dixon, Lyla Dyring, Raegan Evingham, Adrianna Fortuna, Kasey George, Nicholas Gray, Nathaniel Gross, Julia Hadsell, Allisa Haley, Lily Harris, Riley Harwood, Kiana Hatch, Isabella Hennessy, Alan Hoffman, Cole Hopper, Isaiah House, Owen Hyer, Annye Jean-Louis, Xenon LaClair, Ryan Le, Selena Maldonado, Julianna Martin, Conner Meehan, Mason Monaghan, Kendal Mullen, Marrionna Passero, Landon Phillips, Kaylee Raish, Paula Therese Ranin, Kevin Regan, Dennis Rudenauer, Paul Schroeder, Alexis Smith, Blake Smith, William Smith, Maxwell Stephens, Evelyn Striker, Kaitlyn Teeter, Riley Tierney, Mariah Torres, Madeline Valentine, Christian Valle, Parker Weitzel, Ella White, Madison Whitney and Justin Zheng

Third year

Ava Argentieri, Isabella Barnes, Payton Bentley, Alexander Bezant, Stella Carretto, Tenille Cotton, Noah Dennis, Jordyn Dyring, Wyatt Evingham, Maddox Feenaughty, Ella Foreman, Parker Graham, Mia Nasca, Trinity Ormsby, Marco Picco, Marirose Pieklo, Claire Rose, Audrey Schmidt, Natalie Snyder, Dakota Soles, Chelsea Sylvester, Davvyn Thompson, Katherine Valentine, Enrique Valle, Sophia Vinluan, Olivia Vinluan and Alyssa Winant

Fourth year

William Cady, Zoe Cansdale, Jordan Carey, Madyson Conner, Kadience Gollnitz, Lucas Hancock, Chloe Harwood, Reese Harwood, Sophia Harwood, Amaya Hoffman, Rachel Holbrook, Christopher Hoyt, Lillian Hoyt, Michayla Hubric, Kathy Le, Lucille Logan, MacKenzie McDaniels, Zahra Mehr, Mia Mikolajczyk, Isabel Miles, Samuel Olix, Pasquale Picco, Lindsay Preston, Alaina Raish, Madison Rudenauer, Samantha Sexsmith, Arieanna Simpson, Logan Snyder, Calem Striker, Jaxson Tinker, Nathan Wise and Joanna Zheng

Fifth year

Quentin Bale, Kylee Bentley, Kaela Briggs, Taitum Buzzard, Brennan Delany, Savannah Dennis, McKenna Donlon, Laura Flaitz, Norah Foreman, Riley Hyer, Mackenna Kiley, Demetris Madamopoulos, Logan McGregor, Nolan McGregor, Lillian Miles, Hunter Mosher, Jaden Ohara, Emily Phillips, Gennaro Picco, Joseph Shick, Alexis Smith, Vivian Smith and Peyton VanCaeseele

Sixth year

Emmalene Amann, Kyle Bacon, Allyson Buckley, Ramsey Dean-Prince, Katie Do, Natalie Dodge, Elaina Flaitz, Jasmine Jarbeck, Makayla Kriner, Michelle Lian, Dominic Lockwood, Brenna Lovell, Delaney Meehan, Madelyn Moore, Alexis Patrick, Trevor Payne, Luke Sullivan, Dane Thompson, Reanna Tierney, Ava White, Trey Woolwine

Presidential Award

Presidential Award for Academic Achievement

The Presidential Award for Academic Achievement is presented to students that have an 88% or higher final average in the 7th grade and the first three marking periods of 8th grade.

Grace Parnell and Liam Strong

Presidential Award for Academic Excellence

The Presidential Award for Academic Excellence is presented to students that have a 90% or higher final average in the 7th grade and the first three marking periods of 8th grade.

Hailee Allen, Jasmine Avery, Elliot Bale, Elisa Bodin, Noemie Bouthiere, Shae Bryant, Hayden Burritt, Cody Cardamone, Silvia Carretto, Marianne Colson, Chloe Conner, Lara Connors, Makayla Cullen, Layla Dacey, Lyla Dyring, Raegan Evingham, Adrianna Fortuna, Kasey George, Kai Griffith, Nathaniel Gross, Julia Hadsell, Allisa Haley, Riley Harwood, Rylee Haynes, Cole Hopper, Isaiah House, Owen Hyer, Annye Jean-Louis, Brianna Kent, Ryan Le, Julianna Martin, Mason Monaghan, Kendal Mullen, Rainn Palmer, Marrionna Passero, Ruthlyn Patrick, Kaylee Raish, Paula Therese Ranin, Erin Ross, Dennis Rudenauer, Paul Schroeder, Alexis Smith, William Smith, Evelyn Striker, Kaitlyn Teeter, Jordan Tinker, Mariah Torres, Parker Weitzel, Ella White, Madison Whitney, Jaysen Wilson and Justin Zheng

Presidential Award for Academic Achievement

The Presidential Award for Academic Achievement is presented to Seniors with an 88% or higher final average in the 9th – 11th grades and the first three marking periods of 12th grade.

Stella Carretto, Xenon LaClair, Jacob Ponticello, Radley Ranin, Alexis Smith, Eric Stiles, Zachary Taft, Hakim Tigner, Olivia Vinluan and Alyssa Winant

Presidential Award for Academic Excellence

The Presidential Award for Academic Excellence is presented to Seniors with a 90% or higher final average in the 9th – 11th grades and the first three marking periods of 12th grade.

Emmalene Amann, Kyle Bacon, Isabella Barnes, Allyson Buckley, Tenille Cotton, Ramsey Dean-Prince, Brennan Delany, Gina DeSanto, Katie Do, Natalie Dodge, McKenna Donlon, Elaina Flaitz, Samantha Harkenrider, Sophia Harwood, Michayla Hubric, Jasmine Jarbeck, Makayla Kriner, Michelle Lian, Lauren Linehan, Dominic Lockwood, Brenna Lovell, MacKenzie McDaniels, Delaney Meehan, Madelyn Moore, Alexis Patrick, Trevor Payne, Marirose Pieklo, Abigail Sexsmith, Joseph Shick, Luke Sullivan, Dane Thompson, Reanna Tierney, Brianna Tingley, Ava White, Sophie Wilkins and Trey Woolwine

Larry Wassink Award

The Larry Wassink Memorial Award was established by the Hornell Educators Association in 1995. Mr. Wassink served the majority of his career educating students at the junior high level in the field of mathematics. He was also an active member of the Hornell Educators Association serving on behalf of his fellow teachers in numerous positions including president and retirement delegate. Therefore, modeling the dedication and accomplishments of Larry, the Hornell Educators Association proudly presents this award to two 8th grade students who exhibit high academic achievement, active participation in extracurricular activities, and who are friendly and helpful to others. The 2023 Larry Wassink Memorial Award recipients are: Elliot Bale and Riley Harwood

Spirit Award

The Spirit Award is an award is based upon various desirable qualities, determined by members of our faculty. Qualifications for receiving this award require a student to demonstrate self-determination and dedication to their education and the learning process. The recipients of this award have also been chosen for their integrity and work ethic. This year, the Spirit award is presented to a Junior High students and a Senior High student. The winner is Ruthlyn Patrick

Triple C Award

The New York State Attorney General’s Triple C Award recognizes the Courage, Character and Commitment of New York State’s outstanding students. Two students are nominated for this award by our Counseling Department. This year’s Triple C Award is presented to: Elaina Flaitz and Delaney Meehan

Comptroller’s Award

The New York State Comptroller’s Achievement Award is presented each year to students who have excelled academically and have also shown leadership potential by volunteering their time to serve the school or community. Comptroller DiNapoli sends his sincere congratulations and best wishes to: MacKenzie McDaniels and Dane Thompson

JUNIOR AWARDS

Wilkes

The Wilkes University Scholarship awards up to $8,000 for students who distinguish themselves above their class in high academic achievement. Juniors who receive this award are also eligible for additional Merit Scholarships should they attend Wilkes University. The award goes to: Amaya Hoffman, Mia Mikolajczyk, and Lillian Miles

Rochester Institute of Technology

The Rochester Institute of Technology would like to recognize these Juniors who are successful academically in challenging courses, are ranked in the 10% of their class, and are active and involved members in their community. RIT is awarding up to $76,000 for each award. The following students are recognized for their achievements:

The RIT Computing Medal goes to: Demetris Madamopoulos
The RIT Art And Design Award goes to: Kylee Bentley
The RIT Science & Math Award goes go: Riley Hyer
And the RIT Women in Stem award goes To: Kadience Gollnitz

Wells College

The Wells College 21st Century Leadership award is presented to outstanding students who embody the spirit, integrity and intellectual qualities of strong leaders and has an average of 90% or higher. The recipients will receive $10,000 per year at Wells College should they decide to attend. The Award goes to: Kaela Briggs and Natalie Snyder

University of Rochester

The University of Rochester recognizes Juniors who exemplify the standard of high academic achievement. Students who not only challenge themselves with advanced courses, but also those who possess characteristics that embody the individuality of their awards. From excellence in science and math, to their passion for social activism. U of R offers $5,000 per year for up to $20,000 total. The following students are recognized for their achievement: The Frederick Douglass and Susan B. Anthony Award in Humanities and Social Sciences goes to: Davin Oyer

The George Eastman Young Leaders Award

Goes to: Mackenna Kiley

The Xerox Award For Innovation And Information Technology

Goes to: Logan Snyder

The Bausch & Lomb Honorary Science Award

Goes to: Kevin Regan

Student Sage Scholarship

The Student Sage Scholarship is presented annually to students who display characteristics of academic excellence, student leadership, and community involvement. If the recipient decides to attend Russell Sage College they may be eligible for a Scholarship ranging up to $14,000 per year. The award goes to: Savannah Dennis, Iliana Ninos, & Autumn Newark

George H Ball

The George H Ball Award rewards students based on qualities that embody the values of Keuka College, including integrity, academic excellence, diversity, leadership, service, and social responsibility. This scholarship is awarded to FOUR Juniors this year, each qualifying for a $10,000 per year scholarship. The award goes to: Logan McGregor, Nolan McGregor, Arieanna Simpson, & Isabel Miles

Clarkson University

Clarkson Achievement and Leadership Awards recognize students with outstanding leadership qualities and academic promise. The winners qualify for up to $60,000 total, should they attend Clarkson University. The Clarkson Achievement Award goes to: Hunter Mosher and the Clarkson Leadership Award goes to: Norah Foreman

Elmira College Key

The Elmira College Key is presented annually to a Junior that demonstrates outstanding school and community leadership and maintains an average of 90% or higher. If the student applies to Elmira College, he or she may receive up to $20,000 per year. The award goes to: Taitum Buzzard & Peyton Vancaeseele

St. Bonaventure Bonnie

The St. Bonaventure Bonnie Scholar award recognizes student’s leadership qualities throughout their school and community. They must maintain a GPA of 85 or higher. The Bonnie Scholar award is $20,000 per year. The award goes to: Laura Flaitz, Gabriella Passero, Emily Phillips, And Gennarro Picco

Outside the Ordinary

The Alfred University Outside the Ordinary Scholarship awards a junior who maintains a 3.0 GPA. This scholarship embodies extraordinary characteristics that focuses on academics and leadership. Winners are eligible to receive up to $30,000 per year totaling $120,000. The award goes to: Quentin Bale

Rensselaer Medal

The Rensselaer Medal is awarded annually to an outstanding junior who is recognized for their academic achievement in Math and Science. Should this junior decide to attend R.P.I., he or she automatically qualifies for a guaranteed annual scholarship of $30,000 per year totaling $120,000. The award goes to Vivian Smith

Department Awards

Music Department

Each year, the HS Music Department staff struggle in our attempt to select a singular individual from a music department of almost than 300 students – and this year was no exception. One of the main criteria we look for in our selection is someone who has participated in Band and Chorus. As you can imagine, a handful meet this criteria. We then look at individuals who have sacrificed countless hours outside of school dedicating themselves to the various elite performance opportunities we offer – and still a few students remain. Lastly, we search for a student who, over the course of their career, truly poured themselves into music – someone who continuously worked to improve their craft in order to provide all of us meaningful, insightful, and memorable performances. This year’s recipient meets all the criteria…and more. This individual views themselves as part of a team – someone who understandings that their accomplishments were only possible if not for the dedication, joy, and desire of performing by their fellow ensemble members No matter the task or the difficulty, this student continuously surpassed all expectations. In 2021, he was selected to participate in the NYSSMA Conference All-State Mixed Chorus, the Top Chorus in New York State. However, that wasn’t enough for this student. Last year, among thousands of auditions, he was selected as a member of the NAME All-National Chorus. Musical accomplishments aside, this student serves as a model for our musicians and represents our music program with kindness, poise, and professionalism.

It is will great pride I present this year’s music department award to:
TREY WOOLWINE

Drama Department

It’s been a tough few years for Dramatic Performing Arts in the school district and while we got back to normal Choir concerts in band concerts in the second half of last year, stage performances only came back this year. We had a couple of starts last year trying to get a musical and play off the ground but safety requirements, expectations, and scheduling made it difficult. when looking for an individual to receive the drama award at Hornell High School we look first obviously for dedication as well a true joy in performing. Often going above and beyond what is normally expected. This year’s recipient not only has performed in both shows A Night of Suspense: radio Dramas” and “Godspell”, she w worked very hard at trying to get last year’s shows off the ground. Along with stage performances, she is also a member of several ensembles in choir and band. She is this year’s president of the drama club. She is entirely a remarkable well-rounded individual and it is with great pleasure that this year’s drama award goes to McKayla Kriner

Art Department

2D Award

The 2D art award goes to a senior who is incredibly talented, committed, detail oriented and super creative. It took a little convincing to get her to show up. Even though the military doesn’t place much emphasis on art, I hope she will continue to create and share her gift. I will be thinking about her while she is at Bootcamp this summer in Florida. Congratulations to Danielle Tremblay.

3D Award

In the epic poem by Robert Frost we are told of two roads that diverged in a yellow wood. The poem was written after Robert Frost and Edward Thomas had taken one of their walks. As the school days go by I am reminded of this poem by Robert Frost and his walk with Edward Thomas. The students and I are on a journey of exploration with each assignment and project. After an assignment is given the students are free to choose their own path and direction to complete the task. Most students take the easy and often traveled path when completing an assignment but there are a select few students who choose to take the more challenging route when completing the assignment. The more challenging path does not guarantee success and this path is often more frustrating. This year’s 3-D Art Award winner is one of those learning travelers who never takes the easy path but often chooses the road not taken by others. Her designs and ideas are often complex and intricate. While other students complete an assignment in a few days she is still starting her journey planning the solutions to any obstacles that may lay in front of her. This year’s 3-D Art Award winner was chosen not just because of her great accomplishments but rather because with every assignment she chose to take the path that no one else dared to take. She took the path less traveled and that is what has made all the difference. Sometimes it is not what you accomplish but sometimes it is the journey that you choose that separates you from the rest. This year’s 3-D art Award winner is Jayden Robinson.

P.E. Department

The P.E. award is given to the senior high student who best meets the following criteria consistently through their career at HHS:

• Demonstrates 100% effort most of the time
• Demonstrates sportsmanship/citizenship to the highest degree (NYSPHSAA 3C’s) civility, citizenship & character
• Demonstrates an understanding of the value of being active
• Is a leader in their class environment
• Maintains an 90%+ average in Physical Education Class

Although many of our winners over the years have been great athletes’ athletic ability is not part of the criteria. It is our intent to recognize students who embody the spirit of a physically educated student.

This year’s senior high P.E. department award winner embodies all of our criteria to the highest degree. I am proud to present this year’s award to Delainey Meehan

Business Department

This year’s junior award winner is a student who at first, appeared very quiet and reserved, but as the year progressed and she excelled in our business classes, her fun, outgoing personality began to shine through. She has a true desire to succeed and understands the importance of hard work, both in and out of the school. She has very high expectations of herself and isn’t satisfied with anything less than her best. A recently inducted member of the Business & Marketing Honor Society, she has set a goal of becoming a future businesswoman and with her self discipline and dedication, she will, without a doubt, achieve that goal! This year’s recipient of the Junior Business Award is: Kathy Le

This year’s Senior Business award recipient is a student that is hard- working, dedicated, motivated and willing to learn. I have had the pleasure to work with her the past few years in my classes and currently this year in ACE Accounting. She is our DECA Club President and she competed at the DECA State competition this year, where she was able to put her skills to the test. She is a newly inducted member of the Business & Marketing Honor Society. Her passion for Business is truly inspiring and she is pursuing a Business Degree in college in the fall. I have enjoyed getting to know her better this year. She is an asset to our business curriculum here at Hornell High School.

This year’s recipient of the Senior Business Award is: Natalie Dodge

Math Department

Junior High

Sometimes a student stands out because of their work ethic and success, or their kindness, or their manners. This student stood out for all of these reasons week one of school and continued to show up every day consistently giving her best effort to every task. She is confident yet humble and always kind hearted. She is always willing to put in the time and really enjoys learning. Her maturity and work ethic surpasses her peers. There is no doubt that she will do great things in her future. It was a privilege to work with her this year. It is with great pleasure to award the Junior High Math Award to Miss Riley Harwood.

Senior High

We are blessed to have many students who believe their education is important and thus work hard to broaden their knowledge of the world around them. I worked first hand with a group of students who took on the challenge of learning Calculus this year, the highest level math course offered at HHS. This student fits many of the traits we look for in the recipient…hard work, interest in the subject matter, high level of achievement, etc. This year’s recipient has consistently shown interest in the study of mathematics including its applications to computer science. She participated in learning Calculus and Coding this year and in addition, put in extra work to challenge the AP Calculus AB exam. She also competed in the Pi Day Trigonometry competition and was our division 2 champion! She will be attending RPI in the fall. It is my pleasure to name Michelle Lian the recipient of the 2023 Sr. High Math Award. Congratulations, Michelle!

Science Department

Physical Science Junior High

Paula Therese Ranin is new to our district and country this year. After much sacrifice, her family is emigrating here from the Philippines. She is an English Language Learner so English is her second language.. She has adapted incredibly well and loves her new home and school. She always has a smile on her face, loves to learn, strives to do her best, is helpful to others and a genuinely nice person. She is an incredibly hard worker. Not only does Paula excel in academics, she is involved in athletics and is very interested in becoming a Veterinarian.

Physical Science Senior High

This student is an intelligent and well-spoken individual. She has an incredible work ethic and is detail oriented. Her quiet demeanor mixed with a refreshing sense of humor presents itself well and she is always willing to help her classmates. A colleague, upon entering my room, commented when referring to this student that every classroom needs one of her. She was the classroom mom for AP Chemistry, don’t let her petite stature fool you. “Perhaps you should show your work? You might want to think about adding units.” I didn’t even need to say it, she was there. Mr. OMara was grateful that she would correct his mathematical errors in AP Physics. It is a pleasure for all of us to have a student who is a leader. She will be attending Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute as a chemical engineering major. It is with profound joy that the science department award for Physical Science goes to Michelle Lian.

Life Science Junior High

Adrianna Fortuna always strives to do the best she can.. She is hard working, compassionate, great personality, willing to work with anyone, helpful to her classmates and is a well-liked individual. Adrianna is very active in dance and the performing arts; she is also a class officer. She is dedicated to learning and a great example to those in her class that were less focused than herself. I have no doubt she will succeed in her future endeavors no matter what they may be.

Life Science Senior High

This student known to her friends and teammates as “Boogie” is a leader in the classroom as well as on her sports teams. She was a captain for the girl’s varsity basketball team and a captain in the classroom. In both arenas she played “big”. She would direct her classmates in group work and labs, help them out when needed and challenge them to rise to a higher level. I can say personally, that this young lady continued to work diligently and proved she has what it takes to be an independent learner while in remote learning. Her interest in biological science and prowess in AP Biology led her to admissions into the Brockport 3+3 early assurance program in conjunction with SUNY Upstate Medical. She will no doubt be successful as she pursues a career in exercise science and then continues further to acquire her Doctorate of Physical Therapy. It is with great pleasure that the science department awards the Senior High Life Science Award to Madelyn Moore.

Social Studies Department

Junior High

At the junior high level, the social studies Department teaches a two-year survey of American history from the pre-Columbus era to as close to the 21st century as we can get. This of course becomes a race to finish by the end of the year and history is taught at a rapid rate. The student who we enjoy hearing from is the one who asks the “what next question” or the “if this is true then why didn’t” question this is the student who engages in conversations and in some cases brings the class along with them. For the educator, those are good days. This year’s junior high social studies Award winner not only asks the question but also would research and bring information in to continue the conversation. I had him for study hall and many times he spent the entire period arguing with me over some issue of government or historical fact which also led me to then research the subject even deeper. The Social Studies Department. is proud to recognize and honor those students who help drive and inspire our instructional practices. This year’s Junior High Social Studies Department Award goes to William Smith.

Senior High

At this time, I would like to represent my colleagues in the Social Studies Department, as Department Chair, by presenting our 2023 Senior High Department Award. I’m honored to present this award to a student whose love and excitement of the subject we teach often rivals our own. He is inquisitive and energetic about history, regularly participating in class by asking questions that serve to drive our discussions and cause his fellow students to think about the social studies in new ways. This student is also extremely conscientious, always submitting work on time and of an exemplary quality! Finally, and not to be discounted, is the fact that this student had a particular interest in… geography! That’s right, the aspect of the social studies that is so often the bane of a high school student’s existence, was actually something that our recipient had an enjoyment and firm knowledge of – in other words, a social studies teacher’s dream! This year’s winner of the Senior High Social Studies Department award is Mr. Trevor Payne!

English Department

Junior High

The task of selecting a student to honor with this year’s Junior High English Award was incredibly challenging. The current 8th graders are an amazing group of young people – a group filled with students eager to use reading as a means to explore the world in which they live while creatively expressing themselves through their writing.

The criteria for this award boils down to four categories that are vital to success in the English classroom: reading skills, writing abilities, creativity, and drive to improve. This year’s recipient excels in each of them.

When it comes to reading, in both skill and volume, this year’s recipient is second to none. She chooses books that will challenge her abilities and her worldviews. She knows that reading the right text at the right time can be a life changing experience, and she’s always on the lookout for just the right texts.

Creative writing is perhaps the area where this year’s recipient shines most brightly. Her ability to write thoughtful and engaging fiction to engage with meaningful topics is impressive. Furthermore, she is a leader in the English classroom, and has on several occasions assisted her fellow students in breathing new life into their own writing.

In English, as well as other subjects, this year’s award winner takes learning into her own hands. She goes above and beyond to complete her work to the best of her ability and treats every academic endeavor as an honest opportunity to learn and grow.

As this student’s time in junior high draws to a close, the high school English Department looks forward to working with her. Her reputation as a reader, writer, and learner precedes her, and our department is excited to see her develop further over the course of her high school career.

It is my honor to present the Junior High English Award to Adrianna Fortuna.

Senior High

What makes a good writer? A kind of bravery, certainly — the courage to stand by one’s convictions and stake out clear positions, defending them with confidence and poise. An element of flair, as well — the knowledge of where to end a sentence or where to start one, the understanding why the word “expulsion” stings more than the word “removal,” the skill to bend rhetorical techniques to one’s will. A definitive clarity, too — the ability to take even the most abstract concepts and weave direct and comprehensive explanations out of words that any reader can grasp. In selecting a student on which to bestow this accolade, our department sought out all of these qualities and more. This year, the recipient of the Senior High English Department award is a student who not only possesses everything I’ve named, but who will assuredly use their skills as a writer to go on to do magnificent things. Their unweighted English average over six years at Hornell High School is an amazing 99.5, which includes some of the most rigorous courses the department offers. Note too that Senior High English teachers are infamous for their reluctance to give 100s, especially when it comes to writing compositions. And as our AP students can attest, from Shakespeare to Thoreau to Austen to Melville, whose writing couldn’t use a bit more revision? From Capstone papers to research presentations to class discussion, this student displays the kind of reading and writing talent that all of us, as interested citizens, should aspire to. I am therefore terribly proud to present the 2023 Hornell High School English Department Award to miss Madelyn Moore.

Spanish Department

Junior High

Buenas noches. I am Mrs. Keeley and I teach Spanish IV as well as all of the students in their first year of Spanish. This year, I have selected two Spanish I award winners. In the ten years prior to this, I have always followed the rules and selected just one student, but I simply could not do that this year. I have two young women in the same class period that are too incredible and I could not possibly award one over the other. Although they are very different people, they are both leaders in their own way. They are highly intelligent, hard-working, and incredibly personable young women. They are kind, confident, helpful, and not afraid to speak up. And of course, they are stellar Spanish students. I have overheard their classmates ask how they know so much Spanish and if they are going to be Spanish teachers someday. No matter what they decide to do in the future, they are going to change the world. Adrianna Fortuna and Madison Whitney, you are stars. ¡Felicitaciones!

Senior High

This year’s recipient is diligent, shows cultural appreciation and has a fantastic grade point average! This student is being recognized for going above and beyond every day! I am so proud of her and appreciate her so much!! It is with great pleasure that I give the 2023 Spanish 3 Academic Award to Ava Argentieri!!!

French Department

Junior High

The winner of this award is an excellent student of French. She works hard, participates actively by practicing the language she has learned and asks great questions. This young lady is also extremely cheerful and has a contagious laugh. Finally, she helps others whenever they need it and works well with everyone. It is my pleasure to present the Junior High French Award to Riley Harwood.

Senior High

The winner of the High School French Award is a fantastic language student. She always strives to use the language she has learned and, as a result, her speaking skills are rapidly improving. This student is also a hard worker. She always turns in work early so that she can get valuable feedback. She strives for excellence in everything she does. The winner of the High School French Award is Alaina Raish.

Technology Department

The Technology Department Award goes to the senior with the highest average of four or more courses taken in the department or has contributed significantly to other programs in the department. This year’s award goes to Ethan House. Ethan plans to study architecture next year at Alfred State College.

Honor Graduates

The designation of Honor Graduate is determined at the end of the first semester of a student’s senior year. To become an honor graduate, a student must have earned a 90 average or better through the first seven semesters of high school. This average is an unweighted average and includes the grades earned by the student in all subjects.

The 2023 Honor Graduates are:

Emmalene Amann, Kyle Bacon, Allyson Buckley, Tenille Cotton, Brennan Delany, Gina DeSanto, Katie Do, Natalie Dodge, McKenna Donlon, Elaina Flaitz, Samantha Harkenrider, Sophia Harwood, Michayla Hubric, Makayla Kriner, Jasmine Jarbeck, Xenon LaClair, Lauren Linehan, Brenna Lovell, MacKenzie McDaniels, Delaney, Meehan, Alexis Patrick, Trevor Payne, Marirose Pieklo, Abigail Sexsmith, Joseph Shick, Alexis Smith, Luke Sullivan, Dane Thompson, Reanna Tierney, Brianna Tingley, Ava White, Sophie Wilkins and Trey Woolwine

The 2023 Salutatorian is: Michelle Lian
The 2023 Valedictorian is: Madelyn Moore