2003-2004 AWARDS AND RECOGNITION Page
June, 2004
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Northeastern Conference All-Star Student Athletes
Eric Held 4.16 Grade Point Average Justina Alicudo 4.13 Grade Point Average
X- Country, Swimming, and Baseball Soccer, Basketball, and Softball
Ms. Pension, Eric, Justina, and Mr. Ruth
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LCHS ALUMNI NAMED AND ALUMNI SCHOLARSHIPS
Scholarship Recipient
1. John Belitsos Memorial Athletic Scholarship Douglas Mullins
2. Donald H. Anderson Memorial Scholarship Kerri Brennan
3. Lorraine Barbere Memorial Scholarship Sarah Soan
4. Martin Bloom Scholarship Brenda Som
5. Nicholas Charros Scholarship Mallori Ekstrom
6. Albert Conlon Memorial Scholarship Deborah Comeau
7. Rosemary Costin Memorial Scholarship Kristyn Curry
8. Bruce Coughlin Memorial Scholarship Kelli O’Donnell
9. Doris Cowdell Memorial Scholarship Matt White
10. Arthur G. Cronk Memorial Scholarship Jenette Persenaire
11. Carol Cronk Sullivan Scholarship Heather Lundrigan
12. Walter Cuffe Sr. Memorial Scholarship Paula McGinn
13. William Dragon Jr. Scholarship Sophie Zlatina and Kevin Nary
14. Hal Durgin Memorial Scholarship Wallerson (Wilson) Perjuste
15. Driscoll Family Scholarship Eric Held
16. Buddy Fennell Memorial Scholarship Lan Huu
17. Gandolfo Family Scholarship Staci Fleury
18. Kyros Family Scholarship Mary Baldini
19. Nancy A. Naugle- Langis Memorial Scholarship David Skahan
20. N. Janis Lasden Memorial Scholarship Stephen Lopez
21. Dr. Peter Mazareas Scholarship George Doulis
22. Muckian-Giovanniello Family Scholarship Amanda Texeria
23. Mulholland/ G.E. Scholarship Jenna Pelletier and Michael Slavin
24. Stella Panagopoulos Memorial Scholarship Lille Ridley
25. Peter Pedro Jr. Family Scholarship Joel Clabeaux
26. Rebecca Rogosa Memorial Scholarship Michelle King
27. James Scanlon Memorial Scholarship Iliana Velazques
28. Solimine Family Scholarship John Waldron
29. Spero Family Scholarship Cory Upton
30. Peter and Angelo Stavru Scholarship Amanda Richard and George Doulis
31. Brian Strasnick Scholarship Azmin Kahriman
32. Henry Titus Memorial Scholarship Nermina Dzebic
33. Nella Valeri Memorial Scholarship Olga Rodrigues
34. Michael Volo Scholarship Meline Green
35. Zimman Brothers Student/ Athlete Scholarship Justina Alicudo and Aaron Leong
36. Class of 1947 Scholarship Kassandra Gangi
37. Class of 1950 Scholarship Vanessa Lozzi
38. Class of 1952 Scholarship Colleen Phelan
39. Class of 1953 Scholarship Paulina Mwangi
40. Michael Agganis / Harry Agganis Foundation Scholarship David Skahan
LCHS Alumni Scholarships
1. Sara Lozzi 2. Adetokundo Owolewa 3. Jessica Coviello 4. Nicole Messina
5. Sophy Sok 6. Sheila Phyen 7. Elizabeth Taveras 8. Sarah Thistle
9. Rocco Della Croce 10. Cory Figliolini 11. Nhu Tran 12. Kevin Timlin
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May, 2004
Lynn Schools Band Plays to Win in Hershey, Pa. Competition
By Jill Ricker, The Daily Item of Lynn, Tuesday, May 18, 2004
The
Lynn All City Band celebrated first place win in a regional competition.
(Photo: Reba M. Saldanha)
LYNN -- It was November when the members of Lynn Public Schools High School Band began playing for money so they could attend this month's competition in Hershey, Pa. It paid off.
The band recently was named champions, taking first place in both categories of the competition - concert and jazz bands - and Classical High School junior Rafael Ardon took home the trophy for best jazz soloist.
The competition included 35 schools from Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maryland, Maine and New Jersey. It was sponsored by the Music Educators National Conference Education Programs Network.
Classical High School senior Sharon
German agreed. "It was shocking because we never got a title like
that before," she said. Fleury said bringing the trophies home was just
as exciting as being in the winner's circle.
"Everybody was really excited," she said. "We jumped off the
bus. Everyone was screaming." German said she was glad their bus
was met by Picano. "I felt really happy for Mr. Picano," she
said. "You could really, really tell the emotion on his face."
Fleury agreed. "I think he was the most excited," she
said.
As for Ardon, he said he was
shocked when he was named best jazz soloist.
"I didn't know they were going to call me,
so I was shocked," he said. "It was exciting. I was hoping to win
something." Ardon said he was glad to be a part of the
competition. "It feels good to be a part of the jazz band," he
said. "Music and being in the band has made my life better. Picano
said Ardon, who plays trumpet and sometimes clarinet, was deserving of the
award. "He's multi-talented," he said. "If we need him in
an emergency, he'd even sit on the drums. He's a very dedicated musician, he
has a lot of energy and I don't think he's ever missed a rehearsal. He
contributes strongly to the band."
Fleury said the band placing first after five years of third- and second-place finishes is a great end to her stint with the Lynn Public Schools High School Band. "It's a great ending to our years in band," she said. "We were just so excited. This is the perfect end to our senior year."
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Classical Student is Runner-Up in Speech Contest
On Saturday, Classical High School senior Sheila Payen was a statewide runner-up in the nineteenth annual Lions Club speech contest. The state finals were held in the scenic Sheraton Hyannis Resort, before an audience of Lions Club members from all over Massachusetts. Five high school students were honored as regional champions.
Payen’s success continued a Lynn tradition of excellence in public speaking. For three of the past four years a Lynn student has been one of the top five speakers in Massachusetts: Classical’s Elizabeth Tavares in 2003, and St. Mary’s Meaghan O’Hare in 2001.
Since October Payen had been unbeaten in five levels of competition. Although she did not win the statewide finals, her powerful speech was rewarded with a check for $500.00. She performed very professionally against competitors from all five regions of the state, and received many compliments for her poise and eloquence.
The students wrote their own 5-10 minute speeches on the topic: “Who is a Hero in my Life?” Payen’s prize-winning speech described her mother’s sacrifice in giving her up in Haiti at age four so that she could have a better life with her father in America. “Ever since then I have never smelled the same air she smelled or walked the same land she walked on.” Yet this loss has turned into a chance for growth. “Because of her heroic action I have unconditional love. . . She taught me to think of others and not of myself.” Payen hopes to put her speaking skills and emotional insight to work by getting a master’s degree in psychology.
The annual contest began in the fall when three winners were selected from Classical High School: Sheila Payen, Sophie Zlatina and Elizabeth Taveras. The first contest was organized by the Shoe City Lions Club. After being chosen as citywide winner over the competition from English High and Tech, Payen kept her winning streak unbroken through the local and regional levels of competition.
Classical High’s acting principal Richard Ruth observed, “Before I became acting principal, Sheila was a student in my Discrete Math class; she is a treasure. All of us at Classical are very proud of her accomplishments. She is a fine example of the quality of student we have here."
The statewide winner was Megan Elias, a sophomore at Bishop Feehan High School in Wrentham, where she is active in sports and peer ministry. The Lions awarded her a $1500 for her funny, touching speech about her grandfather, who was a sergeant under General Patton. "He crossed Germany to defend our country, and he crossed our back yard to push me on the swings."
The four runners-up were awarded $500 prizes for their impressive speeches. Hanuk George is president of the Respect Life Club at St. Mary's High School in Westfield, and hopes to become a medical doctor. George's father had taught him to improve himself by reading about great men. But in the end, "my hero is not Napoleon or Lincoln, but my dad."
Amanda Goodheart, who plans to be a history professor, is the president of the National Honor Society and vice president of the French Club at Seekonk High School. Her uncle died of AIDS, "thin and pale . . . a ghost of a human being . . . who endured pain, hardship and suffering while bringing joy into the hearts of those he loved."
Sean Collins, a senior at Bartlett High School, is the vice-president of the National Honor Society. He hopes to go to Law school and become president of the United States. He described his friend Adam Stone, who died of Ewing's Sarcoma at age 14. "Adam is my here because of the lessons he has taught me," especially "courage in the face of death."
The Lions Youth Speech Program started in Massachusetts in 1986. The Lions Club is an international charitable group of over a million businessmen and women. Their activities include an eyeglass-recycling program for the needy, help for the hearing-impaired, and the annual speech contest for high-school students.
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April, 2004
Elsadig Elsadig has been selected to enter the 2005 National Merit Scholarship Program. Elsadig is among the top 5% of the more than 1 million students who took the National Merit Scholarship Qualifying test last fall.
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The Key Club led by Mrs. Leslie has been named Volunteer School Group of the Year for its service to My Brother’s Table.
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Classical Athlete a Three-Sport StarLYNN -- Free time is a foreign concept to Paula McGinn. For the Lynn Classical three-sport star there is always a game to play, a practice to attend, or an assignment to be done. She wouldn't have it any other way.
''She only had a week off between the end of basketball season and the start of softball," said Lynn Classical head softball coach Chris Warren. ''One day she called me for our first practice time and she said, 'I'm going crazy.' She doesn't know what to do with free time."
Her aversion to idle time has been ideal for Classical. The 5-foot-2-inch senior has made a large contribution to the school during her athletic career. McGinn is believed to be the only female athlete in school history to be named a conference all-star in three sports in consecutive seasons.
Last spring she was a Northeastern Conference all-star in softball, helping to propel the Rams to the Division 1 North finals. She followed that up by scoring 22 goals last fall to earn conference co-MVP honors in soccer, and this winter she was named a basketball all-star, serving as a key contributor on Classical's juggernaut hoops squad, which captured the school's first NEC crown and finished the regular season undefeated (20-0). Now, McGinn is hoping to cap her career by leading the softball team to its first NEC title since 1982.
Not a bad career for someone whose goal was just to suit up for the varsity. ''I never ever thought of me being this great athlete like people say I am," said McGinn at a recent softball practice. ''I just knew I wanted to play varsity in all three sports."
McGinn was at a loss to explain where her athletic prowess comes from. Neither of the 17-year-old's parents were star athletes. Her older sister was a solid but unspectacular soccer player. But McGinn, who began playing softball and soccer at age 6, has always had a knack for sports. Where other players struggle to pick up the nuances of a sport or require hours of repetition, McGinn is like a sponge. She soaks up instruction and assimilates it almost immediately.
When McGinn made the varsity softball team as a sophomore, Warren decided to make a radical change in her batting style. He transformed her into a slapper -- the term given to softball players who intentionally hit the ball on the ground and use their speed to leg out hits. Blessed with blazing speed, McGinn was a perfect candidate for the slap style, except for one problem. She was righthanded. Slappers almost always bat from the left side because it saves them a step on the trip to first base. After batting righthanded all of her life, McGinn was asked to switch sides in her first season of varsity competition.
She responded by batting .462 and earning her first NEC all-star selection. Last year, she topped that performance by batting better than .500 for much of the season, before finishing at .492. Warren said he is in the process of converting two more players into slappers, both lefties, and that when they have trouble in the cage he points out that McGinn was a righty.
''It was amazing to watch her sophomore year," said Warren. ''Now, she looks like a true blue lefty and she's only had two years batting from that side of the plate."
It is that type of athletic aptitude that has allowed McGinn to jump from season to season and sport to sport without missing a beat.
''She's the most unique athlete that I've ever coached," said Classical girls' basketball coach Gene Constantino. ''Playing three sports she was able to get better in every sport each and every year without being able to dedicate a lot of time in the off-season because of the other sports. Basketball was her third sport in terms of preference and she became an all-star. That is incredible and a tribute to her hard work and dedication."
Constantino said the Rams' reputation as a strong defense team coincided with McGinn's arrival on the varsity scene three years ago. Although Constantino was unimpressed at first by McGinn's physical stature, he fell in love with her hustle and quickness and made a place for her on the team. No matter the sport, McGinn, who often stifled taller opposing players on the hardwood, has never viewed her height -- or lack thereof -- as a handicap.
While defense was McGinn's forte, she improved offensively every year and this year she emerged as a solid third option behind stars Monique Lee and Takeya Faison, averaging 10 points per game.
''We don't go undefeated during the season without her," said Constantino, who added that he thinks McGinn is good enough to play college basketball.
While McGinn made her mark on the softball diamond and the basketball court, Justina Alicudo, who is the only other athlete who plays soccer, basketball, and softball with McGinn, said the girl her teammates affectionately refer to as ''Red" because of her ruddy mane is at her best with a soccer ball.
The numbers back up Alicudo's assertion. A four-year varsity player, McGinn finished her career with 66 goals and despite her team's lackluster 3-15 record, the NEC coaches voted her co-MVP along with Swampscott scoring machine Nikki Shribman. She also earned EMass All-Star honors.
McGinn plans to cut back to just soccer and softball in college. Despite her athletic engagements, she has managed a 3.12 grade point average. She said she has narrowed her list of schools down to four, Merrimack College, Endicott College, Framingham State College, and the University of New Haven.
Even Alicudo, who has battled through knee injuries to keep playing, marvels at how McGinn is able to excel so easily in three sports. When asked how her friend does it she replied dryly ''steroids," before bursting into laughter. One look at McGinn's slender frame immediately makes the idea of her juicing up comical.
The only thing pumped up about McGinn is her list of accomplishments.
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MARCH, 2004
CHRYSTELLE LUKANDA WINS 1ST PLACE
Miss Chrystelle Lukanda, a junior at Classical High School, recently participated in a French Oratorical Contest sponsored by the Richelieu Club. This international organization dedicated to the promotion of the French language and to helping students, held its 7th annual local contest on March 1, 2004. Chrystelle won first place with her essay on the effects of President Mobutu and his programs on the Congo( ex-Zaire).
On March 27, Chrystelle competed in the New England Regional competition, where she once again impressed the audience with her language skills in addition to the content of her speech. Congratulations, Chrystelle, on a job well done!!!
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"Girls
Hero Award" Goes to Rebecca Castillo 
Girls, Inc., of Lynn is having their 16th Annual Celebration Luncheon at Danversport Yacht Club on March 25th. Rebecca Castillo, a senior at LCHS, will be presented with the Girls Hero Award. She has been totally involved as a member of Girls, Inc., since elementary school. Rebecca has also worked as a program assistant at the club. Rebecca will be studying Early Childhood Education at North Shore Community College this fall.
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FEBRUARY, 2004
Principal William G. Frost announces the Second Quarter Honor Roll for Lynn Classical High School ---
Grade 12 – Mary Baldini, Kassandra Christiansen, Azmin Kahriman, Olga Rodriguez;
Grade 11 – Nataly Delrosario, Luis Francis;
Grade 10 – Mimoza Hysenaj, Alice Lao, Anela Marjanovic, Ly Sok;
Grade
9 – Angela Christian, Minela Gacanovic, Phallin Heang, Maria
Plessas, Jazmine Ramirez, Melissan Suon
Honor Roll:
Grade 12 – Justina Alicudo, Christine Beyea, Kerri Brennan, Meredith Buckley, Lisa Butland, Kristyn Curry, Nicole Curry, Lucas Dean, Sean Donahue, Taylor Doucette, Mallorie Ekstrom, Borko Eleta, Takeya Faison, Staci Fleury, Kassandra Gangi, Raynilda Gonzalez, Melanie Green, Lindsay Herlihy, Lan Huu, Michelle King, Vanessa Lozzi, Heather Lundrigan, Megan Manning, Kaitlyn McCarthy, Paula McGinn, Eric McGrath, Nicole Messina, Erik Muchette, Kevin Narey, Amy Nelson, Stephen Pawlowski, Jenna Pelletier, Colleen Phelan, Amanda Richard, Susan Rin, Shannon Slattery, Michael Slavin, Brenda Som, Rebecca Tenney, Kevin Timlin, Ashley Whelan, Sophie Zlatina;
Grade 11 – Ludmilla Batalha, Bryan Batres, James Carter, Arame Diagne, Andegone Diamantopoulos, Elsadig Elsadig, Jose Gonzalez, Nilsa Gonzalez, Collin Hill, Katherine Hogan, Brian Janice, Tobias Kaindl, Demetrios Koutoulas, Edward Lim, Mai Mach, Ashley Maciak, Max Magao, Kenny Mazige, Jill McLaughlin, Abiola Owolewa, Andrew Patterson, Diane Perez, Jose Polanco, Angela Santora, Sothearoth Sar, Victoria Soto, Linda Thiem, Ryan Titus, Cetan Tyler, Sarah Vilaylak;
Grade 10 – Sabrina Acevedo, Tara Behen, Connor Calnan, Molly Cavanagh, Virginia Champigny, Aleisha Curneil, Stephen Delvecchio, Ashley Donovan, Richard Field, Georgios Georgoudis, Diane Gheringhelli, Jessica Herrera, Chuc Huu, Emily Jimenez, Wadih Kanj, Marinna Khon, Kunnary Lim, Layheang Ly, Shyla MacDuff, Georgie Martinez, Ashley Messina, Tiffany Morong, Nina Ny, John Powell, Andrew Richard, Yana Ros, Christopher Saras, Benjamin Smith, Dary Thorng, Elefteria Tsolias, Jackie Zimmerman;
Grade 9 – Edward Calnan, Corey Cheever, Nicholas Colon, Courtney Dentremont, Gerald Duffy, Jr., Amira Dzebic, Austin Feula, Michael Grant, Marien Hernandez, Angela Jackson, John Kellett, Calvin Keo, James Khun, Lauren Kolodziej, Sandra Korpalska, Paulina Koutroubis, Giang Le, Anthony Lim, Estefania Liriano, Samantha Lozzi, Jill Magner, Thanh Mai, Johnny Nguyen, April Parker, Justine Pasquale, Eric Polanco, Tanya Quinton, Nathan Smith, Sasha Sosa, Sinat Thach
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Justina Alicudo and Colleen Phelan Honored
On February 6, 2004, Massachusetts celebrated Girls and Women in Sports Day. The celebration took place at Fanueil Hall in Boston. Chosen to represent Lynn Classical were seniors and three sport athletes, Justina Alicudo and Colleen Phelan. Justina participates in Soccer, Basketball and Softball. Colleen participates in Tennis, Swimming and Softball. They were also selected because of their sportmanship, dedication and academic achievement.
Justina Alicudo and Colleen Phelan had their picture taken with Mary Pratt, who is in the Baseball Hall of Fame. Mary was a pitcher for the Rockford Peaches, whose story was told in the picture "A League of Their Own."
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Sheila Payen does it again !
Lynn Classical Student Triumphs in Speech Contest
Once again a Lynn student will go to the statewide finals of the Lions Club Youth Speech Contest. Classical Senior Sheila Payen won $1000 for college and a spot in the Hyannis contest in May. This win ranks Sheila as one of the five best student speakers in the state of Massachusetts.
The principal of Classical High School, William Frost, was proud of her accomplishment. "It is indeed gratifying to have two students in the finals of the speech contest two years in a row. I convey the best wishes of the entire Classical community to Sheila as she prepares for the finals in May."
Runners up included Hannah Hoy, a sophomore at Hamilton-Wenham Regional High School. Her speech, titled "My Angel," told how her sister Rachel helped her through tragedies such as the death of their sister, Sophie.
Runner-up Diana Blanchette, a senior at the Presentation of Mary Academy in Methuen, explained why her father was her hero. He was always there for her as she grew up, turning little acts of love into a fatherly heroism.
After the contest, the topic for next year's contest was announced. Next October, any high school sophomore, junior or senior can speak on "What is the Price of Education."
For three of the past four years, Lynn students have reached the state finals. Last year, Classical's Elizabeth Taveras also was one of the top five students in the state. In 2001 St. Mary's Meaghan O'Hare placed second in the state and won over $2500 for college. In May of this year, Lynn looks for Sheila to win again.
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Classical Students Excel in Speech Contest
Sheila, Mrs Mazzarella, Elizabeth, and Sophie
The Lions Clubs of Lynn are proud to report the public speaking achievement of Classical High senior Sheila Payen. Payen has won the Lions Club speech contests at the school level, the club level and the zone level. She will be competing at the regional level and has a chance to compete with selected student speakers from across Massachusetts.
This year's speech topic is "Who is a Hero to Me?" Some students produced tears in the audience, and others brought out laughter, as they proudly described those who have made a difference in their young lives.
In past years many of Lynn's students have made it to the statewide finals. Meaghan O'Hare of St. Mary's placed second in the state in 2001, and Elizabeth Tavares of Classical made it to the top five in the state in 2002. The Lynn Public School system is well represented by these talented young people.
The series of speech competitions started in October, inviting students from each high school in Lynn. Three top qualifiers were selected by the city's three Lions Clubs: Lynn, Wyoma and Shoe City Lions. These three students were Sheila Payen and Sophie Zlatina of Classical, and Christine Legal of English. These three competed at the zone level and Payen was chosen to advance to the regional level.
The Lions Youth Speech Program started in Massachusetts in 1986.
The Lions Club is an international charitable group of over a million businessmen and women. Massachusetts clubs host this statewide speech contest for high school sophomores, juniors and seniors.-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Classical Girls Hoop Duo Bound for College
By Steve Krause, The Daily Item of Lynn
Wednesday, November 19, 2003
Monique Lee, her Family, her Coaches, and Principal Frost at the signing
Takeya Faison, Principal Frost, LCHS Coach Constantino, and AAU Coach Ridley
Honor Roll Athletes-- Justina Alicudo,
Mary Baldini, Monique, Takeya, and Paula McGinn
Two of Lynn
Classical's key girls basketball players, Monique Lee and Takeya Faison, have
made commitments to attend college next year.
Lee, a center, has opted to attend Quinnipiac College in Connecticut, while
Faison, a guard, will take her game to Merrimack.
"We're awfully proud of both these girls," said Classical coach Gene Constantino. "They did a lot of the research themselves. We pointed them in the right direction, but they took it upon themselves to do their homework when it came to making these decisions. "Both Faison and Lee made the first-quarter honor roll, and both say that academics weighed heavily in their decisions.
"It (Quinnipiac) is academically very good," Lee said. "It's one of the top-ranked academic institutions in the country. "Lee will join former Classical standout Helen Ridley, and will play with her ex-Ram teammate next year.
"Helen was very instrumental in getting Monique down there," said Constantino. "She just raved about Monique to the people down there."
At first, Lee said, she wasn't sure about the school."The first time I went down there, I didn't really like it that much," she said. "But I went again, and it was completely different. "The team is very diverse ethnically, and that's just one more reason for me to go there," she said. "I like that."
Faison didn't want to go too far away -- but didn't want to stay too close to home, either."Also," she said, "I didn't want to go to a big school. "Merrimack (located in Andover) is a good Division II school," she said. "It has a good, competitive program. I felt as if it would be a good fit."
Lee acknowledges that while she plays the pivot in high school, she may be asked to switch positions once she gets to college."I'll probably play either a small forward or a power forward," she said. "I'm probably too small to play center in college. "But," she said, "I feel my strength is the way I play close to the basket."
By comparison, Faison is a slasher and ball-handler. "I think my strengths are that I complement the rest of the players on the floor," she said. "I know where my teammates are at all times and how to play with them."
Naturally, they're both looking forward to playing
their senior seasons for the Rams, but Lee, especially, is wary of any preseason
hype that may favor Classical over any other teams in the Northeastern
Conference. "I
liked it when we weren't favored," he said. "That way, when we did
well, we were a surprise. The other way, if you don't do good, it's 'What's
wrong with Classical?'"
In other Classical girls news, Paula McGinn is
undecided as of yet about college, but she did make the Eastern Mass soccer
all-star team, which will play Sunday at noon ... Justina Alicudo initially
thought she'd miss the entire season, but now, Constantino says, she's going to
try to play by the end of the season ... Classical may not only have one of the
better girls basketball teams in the NEC, it may have the smartest. Aside from
Lee and Faison, also making the honor roll were Alicudo, McGinn and Mary Baldini. -------------------------------------------------------------- Classical Alums are in NCAA
Division 2 Playoffs Anthony Seaforth , (LCHS 2001)
and Gerardo Perjuste, ( LCHS 2002) are players on the unbeaten Bentley College
Falcons football team. They helped the team become the Northeast-10
Conference Champions this year. ON Saturday at noon, 11/22/03, at Bentley, they
will face Grand Valley State College in the first round of the NCAA Division 2
Playoffs. Good luck, men... --------------------------------------------------------------
"Heroes for a New Millennium" by
Mrs. Mazzarella
Sophie Zlatina
Manise Louinard
Elizabeth Teveras
On Wednesday, October 15th, seventeen Classical High
students stood on stage to honor their heroes. It was a speech contest, and each
contestant had written a speech on the topic, "Who is a Hero in Your
Life?" Nervously waiting for their turn, the students sat in the front row
of the auditorium, ready to speak in front of an audience - something most
people can never bring themselves to do.
In a tearful moment, Classical Junior Manise Louinard thanked her heroes,
members of the Lynn Fire Department Rescue Squad who saved the life of her
sister Kathia. Louinard took the initiative to invite the four EMT's to the
speech contest, but most of them had been laid off. She presented a plaque to
Captain Steve Ancher on stage at the contest.
Adults may think young people don't appreciate them, but these students
expressed deep gratitude for the everyday heroes. They praised mothers and
fathers who work two jobs to put food on the table during hard times, sisters
who defended them against all odds, and grandparents who always show
unconditional love.
The first place winners, Sheila Payen and Elizabeth
Taveras, were highly articulate as they gave thanks. "My hero lay on the
cross in pain, and died so that I could live," Taveras said. Payen honored
her mother's sacrifice in giving her up to have a better life in America.
"The day I graduate, the college I go to, the career I have, the man I
marry and the woman I become are all because of my mother, the hero in my
life." Second place winner Sophie Zlatina praised her grandmother's
generosity, "Until the day she died of cancer, she helped anyone who
stumbled in her way in need of help." Payen and Taveras will compete in the
Wyoma-Shoe City Lions Club speech contest, and Zlatina will also attend as an
alternate.
Taveras is a veteran of the speech contest. From last October to April she
advanced through five levels of competition, reaching the statewide final at the
annual Lions Club convention in Hyannis. Principal William Frost commented,
"Following upon the success of Elizabeth Taveras last year as a state
runner-up, it is evident that the speech competition has become an invaluable
component of the Classical learning experience and reinforces the faculty's
willingness to involve students in activities that enhance students' chances of
success in college and beyond."
The Lions Club is an international charitable group of over a million
businessmen and women. Massachusetts clubs host a statewide speech contest for
sophomores, juniors and seniors. Freshmen speakers are preparing for next year
when they will be able to compete in the upper levels of the contest with the
Lions Club. Freshman First Prize winner Leslie Zavala praised her hero.
"Jennifer works hard to maintain the scholarship that she won. She is an
extraordinary human being and I'm proud to have her as my sister." Freshman
Roathana Kong won Second Prize, and Jennifer Magnuson was the Freshman Third
Prize winner. Freshmen winners were presented with checks.
Manise Louinard, Michelle Hacker, Andgie Remy, Colleen Beaver, Yelena Galperina
and Amaury Almonte received Honorable Mentions for outstanding ability. Almonte
completed his touching speech with the words, "My grandfather . . . my
beloved hero."
Freshman Anniah Crossley also participated in the contest. When it was over, she
searched for still more opportunities to improve her speech skills. The day
after the contest, Crossley started a Speech Club at Classical High School. She
is committed to recruiting students and raising funds for more frequent speech
contests, in addition to the annual Lions Club contest. It appears that many
freshmen are eager to give the older contestants a run for their money next
year.
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Perfect Scores
