The Addison Independent is proud to publish the Students of the Week from area High Schools each week. The students are chosen by teachers and administration from each school who would like to recognize their exceptional engagement in the high schools they attend.
OVUHS STUDENT OF THE WEEK
Otter Valley Union High School proudly names Lexi Hedding its Student of the Week. Lexi lives in Pittsford with her parents, Rick and Deb Hedding. Her older sister attends Castleton University.
Lexi is a member of the National Honor Society and is regularly named to the honor or scholars’ roll. In addition to advanced and AP classes, this summer she took a pre-college course at Marist College in fashion merchandising.
Lexi has played varsity soccer for four years and has been captain since junior year. She made All-State this past season and made the Marble Valley League All Team 1st team in grades 11 and 12. She has played basketball for four years, two on varsity, and also played lacrosse for two years. She has played for several club soccer teams and continues to play on an indoor soccer league. She also played AAU basketball in grades 9 and 10. In grade 10, she was selected to participate in the Vermont Principals’ Association’s Athletic Leadership Conference. She has been on Student Council for four years, was on Prom Committee in grade 11 and has been part of Otter Paws, a school-led community service group, since grade 10.
Lexi has worked at Songadeewin of Camp Keewaydin for several years. She volunteers with Brandon’s summer Youth Soccer Clinic and Brandon/Pittsford’s Youth Basketball Clinic. Other volunteer efforts include Rutland County Adopt-a-Family, Outreach Inc., and the Rutland County United Way’s “Catwalk for a Cause” fashion show.
Lexi enjoys playing club soccer and staying active in anyway possible. She also enjoys listening to music and traveling.
High school has taught her that “staying busy and pushing yourself academically is overall very rewarding. I think during high school you should strive to do your best and prepare yourself for college.”
Lexi plans to attend college and major in fashion merchandising and fashion media and journalism. She would like to study abroad and hopes to continue to travel in her career.
Mr. Dwyer says, “Alexis Hedding is a highly focused student and athlete who has followed a course of self-improvement. She excels at setting goals for herself and works hard to meet them.”
 
MAUHS STUDENT OF THE WEEK
Mount Abraham Union High School is proud to name Harmony Taggart of New Haven as its Student of the Week.
Harmony has earned high or highest honors since ninth grade. She was accepted into the New England Young Writers’ Conference last year and this year. She has taken an honors class in criminology and AP English, and is now taking AP History and AP Music Theory.
Harmony has been on the cross-country team since eighth grade, and was captain in grades 11 and 12. She also ran track in grades 7-9 and was on the dance team as a freshman. She has been part of the fall musical since seventh grade, and had the lead role this year. She will also be the lead in this spring’s musical. She has sung with Mount Abe’s Sweet Transitions a cappella group since grade 11. She was in the jazz band as a freshman. She participated in Poetry Out Loud in grades 9, 10 and 12. She has been in the District Music Festival Choir since seventh grade. She was in the Allstate Music Festival Choir last year and will soon find out if she has been accepted again.
Harmony works summers at the Storm Café in Middlebury. She has taken weekly voice lessons since seventh grade. She helps her dad with their small farm. She loves drawing and photography, playing guitar and writing songs.
In terms of what high school has taught her, she says, “I have learned to accept myself for who I am and to go after what I want.” Her advice for other students: “High schoolers are too busy thinking about what other people think of them to notice what people around them are doing, so do, wear, and say what you want. That is the best way to find friends that will last longer than four years.”
After high school, Harmony plans to attend college in New England, possibly to major in communications or advertising.
Spring musical director Justin Bouvier says, “Harmony is a joy to work with as an actor. Harmony is well prepared, ready to work, and not afraid of trying something new. She is the definition of grace and humility.”
The Mount Abe community wishes this talented young woman all the best in her future. 
 
Otter Valley Students of the week receive a gift certificate from the Book & Leaf Bookstore. Mt. Abe Students of the Week receive a free pizza from Cubbers. Students of the Week from all area high schools will receive a gift certificate from Vermont Book Shop.
 
With support from:
Barash Mediation
Business Telephone Systems
Cubbers
Champlain Valley Plumbing and Heating
Jackman’s Inc
JW DE Ryan
Martin’s Hardware
Paige and Campbell Insurance
United Way of Addison County
Vermont Army National Guard
Vermont Book Shop