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.
MAUHS STUDENT OF THE WEEK
Mt. Abraham Union High School presents Aidan May as its first 2017-2018 Student of the Week. Aidan lives in Monkton with his parents, Sandy and Peter. His sister, Natalie, is a senior at UVM. An excellent student, Aidan has been awarded Academic Excellence every year, and has been on highest honors five times. Last year he took Advanced Placement Calculus and Biology. This year he is taking Advanced Placement United States History, as well as an introductory logic class through the University of Vermont. He was recently inducted into the National Honor Society. Last year he won the Vermont Brain Bee, a neuroscience competition, and went on to compete in the National Brain Bee in Baltimore. He was also awarded the Bausch and Lomb University of Rochester Excellence in Science Scholarship. Outside of academics Aidan keeps very busy. He has run cross country since seventh grade, and has been a captain for the past two years. Aidan skied with Mt. Abe’s nordic ski club for his freshmen and sophomore years, and now runs indoor track with Vergennes. He has been community council moderator since junior year and an active member of the Neuroscience club since his freshmen year. For the past three years Aidan has been a panelist on the Youth Risk Behavior Survey. He has been a member of the cast of the Mt. Abraham Fall Musical for six years. Aidan also is a member Monkton Maples 4H club, which runs the Monkton Recycling Center and does other community oriented projects. Aidan worked at Hannaford in Williston over the summer and also had an unpaid internship at UVM doing research with mesoporous materials. Aidan also is a substitute librarian at the Russell Memorial Library in Monkton. When he is not occupied with school and his numerous activities, Aidan enjoys spending time outside, reading, doing origami, running, and spending time with loved ones. When asked what he has learned for his high school experience, Aidan says “Take advantage of opportunities presented to you. Making the most of high school will make it more enjoyable, and open more doors for you. Don’t be afraid to take a risk or take on a challenge.” Upon graduating from MAUHS, Aidan plans to attend college and major in a biological field. When asked about Aidan, AP Biology Teacher Samantha Kayhart remarked, “Aidan is intelligent and an avid, engaged learner. He participates in academic discussions and enjoys being challenged. He has enrolled in as many academic, rigorous classes as he can and seeks to get as much as he can from his high school coursework. He is kind, caring and empathetic and has a sense of humor.” The MAUHS community wishes Aidan the best of luck in his senior year and in all his future plans.
 
OVUHS STUDENT OF THE WEEK
Otter Valley Union High School is happy to present Maxwell Williams as its firsts 2017-2018 Student of the Week. Max lives in Pittsford with his parents, Suzanne and Richard. His older brother,
Brian, is finishing out his master’s in Public Health, while working in a lab for UVM. His sister, Savannah, is a junior at University of Rochester, and his younger brother, Kieran, has just started in seventh grade at OV.
Max is an excellent student and active in other school activities. He has been on the Principal’s List all of freshman, sophomore, and most of junior year. He is a member of the National Honor Society and the valedictorian of his class. He managed to get a 5 on his AP Bio exam. With some difficulties, he has managed to take the most rigorous course load possible. He has also played varsity soccer all four years of high school, In addition, and has taken part in the theater department in the spring and winter since seventh grade.
When Max was four and his family moved back to Vermont from Texas, his father helped to start a program to teach soccer to local kids in the fall and spring. Starting in about the third grade, Max became one of the coaches. He also provided assistance to his father in coaching his younger brother’s basketball team. Although a large portion of his time is consumed by schoolwork, he does have non-school hobbies that he enjoys. An avid reader, Max loves to read books based in the high fantasy and science fiction genres. He also likes to play soccer any chance he gets, whether with the school, a club, or just in his backyard.
Max says, “High school has helped me to really develop as a person. It has helped me to open up a lot, and increased my perseverance and work habits. I believe that Otter Valley has really prepared me for college … my advice to other students would be to put your best effort into classes, and remember that teachers are people too.”
After high school Max plans to attend a four-year and after that get his master’s and Ph.D.
Social Studies teacher Jeff Jeskie commented, “Max is an outstanding student as well as athlete. He puts 100 percent effort into everything he does both in and outside of the classroom. His character is second to none. The possibilities in his future are limitless.”
Everyone at OVUHS wishes Max congratulations on his achievements and the best of luck in his future pursuits.
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:
Bourdon Insurance Agency
Business Telephone Systems
Champlain Valley Plumbing & Heating
Cubbers
Green Earth Energy
J.W. & D.E. Ryan
Jackman Fuels Inc.
Middlebury Antique Center
Peak View Eye Care
Tinker and Smithy Game Store
United Way of Addison County
Vermont Book Shop