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.
MUHS STUDENT OF THE WEEK
Middlebury Union High School is pleased to introduce Charlotte Keathley of Cornwall as its Student of the Week. Charlotte is the daughter of Beth and Christian Keathley and will soon graduate from MUHS after, using her words, “four rewarding years.” Teachers value Charlotte’s genuine sense of academic inquiry and her contributions in the classroom. A well-rounded student, Charlotte loves science and is a talented writer. She will enroll at Yale University in New Haven, Conn., in the fall.
Charlotte has spent time volunteering at Shelburne Farms as part of the “Steward in Training” program. She has loved her involvement in the children’s farmyard and working closely with the animals. She traveled to Iowa City, Iowa, last summer and enrolled in the Iowa Young Writers Workshop, where she immersed herself in the written word for two weeks. She delved into poetry, fiction and prose while participating in the program and loved every moment of the experience.
Academically, Charlotte has pursued a rigorous curriculum at MUHS and credits her science teacher, Cindy Atkins, as being a mentor and inspiring teacher. She took both Chemistry I and II with Ms. Atkins and found the subject matter fascinating. She says her AP Environmental Science course, with field trips to New Hampshire, were engaging. and the hands-on learning made the class dynamic. She’s taken two classes at Middlebury College: Introduction to Creative Writing and Environmental Writing. Both provided her with the opportunity to further expand on her love of composition. Reading is a passion of Charlotte’s, and she especially enjoyed reading Charles Dickens in her literature class.
MUHS is fortunate to have Charlotte as a member of the tennis team. She plays singles for the Tigers. She also serves as a Peer Leader and has enjoyed mentoring the ninth-graders during their first year at the high school. She plans to spend time this summer with her sister, who has just completed her first year at Emory University in Atlanta, Ga., hiking and traveling. They’ll spend time in Nova Scotia and exploring Vermont’s famed Long Trail. Together they’ll work on a short film documentary on a young person’s perspective of hiking the Long Trail.
Charlotte has been an active and engaged member of the MUHS community for the last four years and she will be sorely missed when she graduates. We know she has a bright future ahead of her and wish her well!  
 
VUHS STUDENT OF THE WEEK
Vergennes Union High School is pleased to recognize Lauren Scott as its Student of the Week. Lauren lives in Vergennes with her parents, Misty and Jay Scott. She has two older half-siblings, Tyler and Kirstin.
Lauren made honor roll each quarter here at VUHS including several high honors recognitions. She earned two German awards, one freshman year and one junior year, a digital photography award junior year, and the Xerox Award for Innovation and Information Technology from the University of Rochester in her junior year. This past December, Lauren submitted a few photographs as part of an international photography contest and was a finalist. The photo is to be published in Best of College and High School Photography 2017.
For all four years of high school Lauren has been in pep band and queer-straight alliance. Lauren has also been in yearbook each year and was the co-editor this year. Lauren has been on the light and sound crew for the musical for all of high school and most of middle school, and has been the captain for the past two years. Lauren is also a member of the math team.
Outside of school Lauren works at Small City Market. She has worked on the Ferrisburgh Children’s Theater production every March since 2015. Lauren started volunteering at the Bixby Library in February of 2016. She also ran the sound and helped with lights for the VUMS play last year, and she has run the sound and helped with the lights on the VUES plays for the past two years. Lauren’s biggest hobby is composing music. Recently two of her songs were performed at the VUHS Spring Concert, and she describes it as “the highlight of my life.”
Laurens says, “My high school experience has shown me how similar I am to other people in ways that I never thought. I have learned how to better communicate with people, and how to lead and help others. I’ve realized these past four years that I want to encourage others. I see so much judgment and misunderstanding all the time, and I want to be someone that stops that and someone that people can trust and look up to.”
“Lauren is passionate about music, and shares her enthusiasm with her peers,” says Susan O’Daniel, the band director. “Whether performing on a saxophone of any size or a tuba, in Symphonic, Marching. Pep or Jazz Band, composing vocal or instrumental works for band or chorus, or running lights and sound for a the musical production, Lauren gives 100 percent all the time.”
 Following graduation from VUHS, Lauren plans to attend the Plymouth State University and study Music Education and, most likely, Music Tech. The faculty, staff and students of VUHS wish Lauren the very best in the 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. Vergennes Students of the Week receive a free sandwich and drink from 3 Squares Cafe. Middlebury Students of the Week receive a free pizza from Green Peppers. Students of the Week from all area high schools will receive a gift certificate from Vermont Book Shop.
With support from:
Addison Central Teens
Addison County Economic Development Corporation
Business Telephone Systems
Champlain Valley Plumbing and Heating
Jackman Fuels Inc.
JW DE Ryan
Martin’s Hardware
United Way of Addison County
Vermont Book Shop