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 is proud to present Brittany Stewart as its Student of the week. Britt lives in Brandon with her mother, Laura Lee Stewart. Her father and stepmother, John and Lauren Mohan, live in Benson. Britt’s sister, Robin Baird, graduated from Otter Valley in 2008.
Britt has been on Otter Valley’s honor roll for most of her high school career, and has received several academic achievement awards at OVUHS’s annual Night of Excellence. In the spring of her sophomore year she received the Innovation and Creativity Award from the Rochester Institute of Technology. Britt has been a member of Walking Stick Theater since freshman year. Until this year, she did mostly musicals, but has now realized she has a great passion for acting and everything that has to do with shows. Britt studies cosmetology and uses what she knows to help with makeup and hair for different shows throughout the year. In this year’s one-act play, “D.O.A.,” she assisted directors Jeff Hull and Anita Hughes with getting everyone’s hair done for the 1940s-’50s film noir style.
Outside of school Britt volunteers through her cosmetology program, as well as with her Girl Scout troop in Brandon. Her cosmetology class often visits many different groups and does manicures as well as helping with Stafford Technical Center’s leaf raking day. She currently works at Hannaford Supermarket in Brandon. She enjoys working with people and hopes that her experience in customer service helps with her goal of becoming a makeup artist.
Britt also enjoys singing, painting and drawing, as well as watches hair and makeup tutorials on YouTube to get inspiration. Then she recreates the looks she develops and photographs them for her portfolio.
“You can’t rely on what other people think in order to make yourself happy,” she says of high school. “If you know what you want to do in life, and you know what kind of person you want to be, if it’s gonna make you happy, then go for it. Don’t make your decisions based off of other people’s negative opinions.”
Once she has graduated from Otter Valley, Britt plans to go back to Stafford Technical Center in late 2018 to finish getting all her hours to sit for the State Board Exam for Cosmetology and get her license. Once she does that she plans to move to Florida, where she wants to go to the Vocational Academy of Makeup and Prosthetics, known as VAMPfx, a special effects and prosthetics makeup school in Orlando. “It’ll be a big change from living in Vermont,” she said, “but I’m looking forward to it!”
“Brittany is a kind, hardworking and creative individual. She thoughtfully expresses her unique perspective of the world through her art,” said teacher Francis Willard.
Everyone at OVUHS wishes Britt great success in pursuing her career.
MAUHS STUDENT OF THE WEEK
Mount Abraham Union High School is pleased to name Aine Alexander as its latest Student of the Week. Aine lives with her parents, Devon McLeod and Steve Alexander, in Lincoln. Her sister, Gaylen, graduated from Northeastern University in Boston in December.
Aine has been a consistently excellent student, earning high honors both semesters of sophomore year and highest honors both semesters of junior year and first semester senior year. During her junior year of high school, she spent a semester abroad with The Traveling School (TTS), where she was enrolled in honors classes and participated in cultural exchanges in Zambia, Botswana, Namibia and South Africa. Inspired by her experience, upon her return she helped co-create an alternative health class/sexual education curriculum for TTS. This year, she is enrolled in AP Biology, AP Calculus and AP Language and Composition. She is also a member of the National Honor Society.
Aine is very active in other school activities as well, including Nordic skiing, soccer, ultimate Frisbee and Math League. She also ran cross country, participates in Scholars Bowl, and is a member of the Environmental Action Group.
Aine has worked at the Bobcat Café in Bristol for four years. She also works at Apple Yard Arts, a multimedia-based summer art camp in Lincoln for kids. In 2015, 2016 and 2017, she volunteered at the Lincoln Town Meeting. This fall, she visited the Lincoln Community School along with Environmental Action Group leader Molly Funk, where they talked with students about the impact of plastic on the environment. In February, she volunteered at a blood drive with other National Honor Society members.
Outside of school, Aine enjoys hiking with her dog during the warmer months, and skinning and skiing during the wintertime. In her free time she loves exploring, being outside and screen printing along with other various forms of art.
“The most important thing I have learned from my high school experience is to push myself out of my comfort zone, and challenge myself,” she says. “Whether it be across the globe, or at Mt. Abraham, there are so many opportunities out there. Keep an open mind, and be curious.”
Aine’s advisor Jessica Little says, “Aine has one of the kindest hearts of anyone I know.” Her AP English teacher, Addie Thompson, adds, “Aine understands the value of hard work. More importantly, she understands that to be an excellent student requires more than attendance. She continuously seeks opportunities to practice and better her writing.” French teacher Jori Jacobeit says, “Aine’s open-mindedness, curiosity and sense of adventure lead her to seek out new experiences and challenges.”
After MAUHS, Aine will most likely attend the University of Vermont with a focus in psychology and the social sciences, or environmental sciences. All of us at MAUHS wish Aine the best of success in the coming years.
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:
Barash Mediation Services
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