Thank you!
Your support is sustaining the future of local news in our communities.
graduation

HVRHS Announces Senior Awards

HVRHS Announces Senior Awards

Senior awards for the HVRHS Class of 2026 have been announced.

Nathan Miller

The Housatonic Valley Regional High School senior awards were announced for the Class of 2026. The graduation ceremony was held Friday, June 19. Student speakers acknowledged the importance of community, as several reflected on overcoming significant adversity in their young lives.

Norma Lake Award - Shanaya Duprey

Frank N. Ruotolo Award - Alexa Meach

Eleanor Roosevelt Award - Madison Graney

Taconic Learning Center Adina Simonson Award - Mollie Ford

Taconic Learning Center Robert Rumsey Award - Anna Gillette

Gordon P. Heyworth Award - Shanaya Duprey

Le Prix Sandi Vanausdal - Victoria Brooks, Elizabeth Forbes, Alexa Meach Seal of Biliteracy for French - Elizabeth Forbes, Celeste Trabucco

Seal of Biliteracy for Spanish - Kevin Aguilar, Mia DiRocco, Eric Lopez Espinosa, Joseph Villa Arpi, Ayden Wheeler

National Choral Awards - Sara Ireland, Richie Crane

John Philip Sousa Award - Madison Melino

Eric Whitacre Student Composition Award - Elizabeth Forbes

CAS Arts Award - Alex Wilbur, Arianna Danforth Gold

Holly Adams Award - Gabe Sario

David B. Armstrong Memorial Art Prize - Sara Raber

Frida Kahlo Award - Madison Melino

Jack Sparling Memorial Award - Gabe Rooney

Ron Viafore ArtsAlive Award - Elizabeth Forbes

Henry P. Becton Scholarship - Silas Tripp

Berkshire Bank

Eleanor S. Sellew Scholarship - Lauren Sorrell, Wes Allyn, Cole Simonds, Chris Crane Magda M. Johnson Scholarship - Lauren Sorrell, Wes Allyn, Cole Simonds, Chris Crane

Berkshire Litchfield Environmental Council Award - Hayden Bell, Madison Melino

Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation

George and Lucille Buterbaugh Scholarship - Alex Wilbur

Margaret Derwin Scholarship - Mia DiRocco

Warren Prindle Visual Arts Scholarship - Alex Wilbur

Blue Star Mothers Scholarship - Lauren Sorrell

The Burgess Award - Francisco Mendoza Ratzan

Burkhart, Lindsay, Brockway Robotics Scholarship - Steven Barber

Canaan Northwest Lions Club Scholarship - Chris Crane

Cornwall Housatonic Valley Institute / Silas C. Beers Scholarship - Steven Barber, Everet Belancik, Graham Belancik, Hayden Bell, Simon Markow

Cornwall Woman’s Society Educational Grant - Steven Barber, Everet Belancik, Graham Belancik, Hayden Bell, Henry Berry, Mia DiRocco, Simon Markow

Couch Pipa Post #6851 VFW Scholarship - Wes Allyn, Chris Crane, Cole Simonds, Lauren Sorrell

Cranford Book Club Award - Lauren Sorrell

Anthony Dichello Scholarship - Wes Allyn, Olivia Brooks, Victoria Brooks, Madison Graney, Maddie Johnson, Anthony Labbadia, Simon Markow, Owen Riemer

Benjamin Guy Memorial Scholarship - Wes Allyn

Suzanne Dunn Memorial Scholarship - Maddie Johnson

Elliott Family Foundation Scholarship - Wes Allyn, Victoria Brooks, Madison Graney, Silas Tripp

Falls Village Scholarship Association - Mollie Ford, Silas Tripp, Madison Graney, Madeline Mechare, Ibby Sadeh

Richard Crane Award - Chris Crane

FFA Alumni Scholarship - Hayden Bell, Chris Crane, Taylor Green, Hannah Johnson, Riley Mahaffey, Madison Melino

FFA Chapter Scholarship - Chris Crane, Hannah Johnson, Riley Mahaffey, Madison Melino, Hayden Bell, Taylor Green, Lauren Sorrell

John Rice Scholarship - Chris Crane, Riley Mahaffey

Clark B. Wood Scholarship - Madison Melino

John Hoffman Scholarship - Taylor Green

HVRHS Alumni Scholarship - Wes Allyn

HVRHS Student Government Association Scholarship - Madison Graney

Housatonic Valley Regional Faculty Association Scholarship - Shanaya Duprey, Madison Graney, Mollie Ford, Hannah Johnson, Silas Tripp, Alex Wilbur, Wes Allyn, Olivia Brooks, Victoria Brooks, Simon Markow, Madison Mechare, Madison Melino, Cole Simonds, Lauren Sorrell

Jacobs Garage Technical Studies Scholarship - Daphne Paine, Hayden Bell, Chris Crane

Kent Center School Scholarship Fund

The Moira Dolan Award - Elizabeth Forbes

The James Gadiel Award - Celeste Trabucco

Donald C. Gibson Award - Abram Kirshner

Kent Grange Award - Peter Austin

The Kent Quilters Award - Taylor Green

Kent Lions Club Scholarship - Celeste Trabucco

Edward M. Kirby Scholarship - Wes Allyn, Madison Graney, Taylor Green, Madeline Mechare, Madison Melino, Chris Crane, Simon Markow, Ibby Sadeh, Cole Simonds, Lauren Sorrell, Tyler Roberts

Knights of Columbus Council #1520 Scholarship - Taylor Green

Adam S. Michalek Scholarship - Lauren Sorrell

Diane Knox Scholarship - Simon Markow

Mad Gardeners Scholarship - Hayden Bell, Chris Crane, Madison Melino

Thomas and Antoinette McBennett Memorial Scholarship - Hannah Johnson Charles and Antoinette Picken Memorial Scholarship - Madison Graney

NBT Bank

William Ash Scholarship - Wes Allyn, Chris Crane, Anna Gillette, Silas Tripp, Madeline Mechare, Lauren Sorrell

Harry Hyatt Memorial Scholarship - Simon Markow, Hannah Johnson, Maddie Johnson, Madison Melino, Olivia Brooks, Hunter Conklin

Rhoades-Robinson Fund Scholarship - Bailey Williams, Tyler Roberts

R. Frederick Perkins Scholarship - Richie Crane

Jean R. Perotti Scholarship - Madeline Mechare

North Canaan Elementary School PTO Scholarship - Shanaya Duprey, Hannah Johnson, Maddie Johnson, Lauren Sorrell, Wes Allyn, Chris Crane, Richie Crane, Cole Simonds

North Canaan Fire Company - Wes Allyn

Northwest Community Bank Scholarship - Sara Ireland

Salisbury Rotary Club Foundation Scholarship - Chris Crane, Maddie Johnson, Lauren Sorrell

Northwest Connecticut Community Foundation

Frances H. Ducci Scholarship - Victoria Brooks, Celeste Trabucco

Healthcare Auxiliary Scholarship - Shanaya Duprey

Olde Yankee Street Rods & Classic Cruisers Scholarship - Chris Crane, Lauren Sorrell

Pat Pallone Chamber of Commerce Scholarship - Hannah Johnson, Ibby Sadeh, Cole Simonds, Lauren Sorrell, Silas Tripp, Wes Allyn, Chris Crane, Richie Crane, Madison Graney, Cohen Cecchinato

Keri Perotti Memorial Sports Scholarship - Wes Allyn, Anthony Labbadia, Madeline Mechare, Silas Tripp

Tate Riva Memorial Scholarship - Simon Markow

Salisbury Pythian Building Fund Scholarship - Anna Gillette

Ann and Stanley Segalla Family Scholar-Athlete Scholarship - Wes Allyn, Ava Segalla Claudia and Stephen J. Segalla Memorial Scholarship - Olivia Brooks, Silas Tripp

Sharon Land Trust Earth and Environmental Sciences Scholarship - Hayden Bell Sharon Woman’s Club Art Award - Abram Kirshner, Simon Markow

Clyde G. Skelly Scholarship - Ayden Wheeler

Dr. Paul W. Stoddard Scholarship - Mollie Ford, Ibby Sadeh, Madison Graney, Maddie Johnson I.Kent & Fulton Scholarship - Olivia Brooks, Victoria Brooks, Anna Gillette The Alumni Pinnacle Award for Capstone Excellence - Mia DiRocco

USAF Outstanding Achievement in STEM Award - Shanaya Duprey

Kara Zinke Memorial Scholarship - Maddie Johnson

Citation Awards - Ibby Sadeh (Valedictorian), Alexa Meach (Salutatorian)

Aly Morrissey
Reporter
Aly Morrissey joined LJMN in 2025 as a reporter and photographer for The Millerton News, covering local government, community life and the arts across northeastern Dutchess County and northwest Connecticut before moving into newsroom leadership. A graduate of Quinnipiac University, she began her journalism career in Boston, working in radio before joining the Boston Herald as an editorial assistant and City Desk reporter covering breaking news. Her career spans nearly two decades in journalism, communications and professional photography. A lifelong theater enthusiast, Aly spent several seasons as production photographer for Sharon Playhouse and now happily embraces her newest role as a budding stage mom.
graduation

Latest News

Pet photo contest

Pet photo contest

Georgie, the resident office dog at The Lakeville Journal and The Millerton News.

Natalia Zuckerman

Few things bring as much joy to a household as a pet. Whether they're our loyal companions, our biggest personalities or the ones who somehow manage to run the household, they have a way of making life a little more fun.

From dogs who greet us like we've been gone for years to cats who remind us who's really in charge, our pets bring plenty of character, comfort and a whole lot of love into our homes.

Keep ReadingShow less

Harding concedes State Senate District 30 to Zimmer

Harding concedes State Senate District 30 to Zimmer

Just as polls close, Former District 30 State Senator Stephen Harding greets supporters at his election watch party at The Abby Restaurant & Bar in New Milford, CT, Nov. 3.

Patrick Stachniak

In an unprecedented midterm election the evening of Nov. 3, Democrats across the country flipped battleground races for federal and local representatives in what has been described as a blue tsunami. The results in Connecticut were no different.

Keep ReadingShow less

Small trout, big lasagna and bad movies

Small trout, big lasagna and bad movies

The Men of CACA. From left, the author, Steve DeSimone, and Tom Gallucio.

Gary Dodson

I recently convened the fall meeting of CACA, which stands for Cinema, Angling and Culinary Appreciation.

This takes place in Phoenicia, New York. We fish all day, make a bountiful dinner, and watch the world’s worst movies.

Keep ReadingShow less
fishing
google preferred source

Want more of our stories on Google? Click here to make us a Preferred Source.

Sharon ambulance captain carries on family tradition of service

Sharon ambulance captain carries on family tradition of service

Thalia MacMillan

Ruth Epstein

SHARON ­— Whether it’s in her professional work or her community volunteerism, Thalia MacMillan strives to advocate for others. She developed that instinct from her many family members who also have the same calling.

Many in the region know her dad, Stanley MacMillan, who served for decades as a building inspector and fire marshal. Her mother, Grace Kandefer, was a longtime nurse at Sharon Hospital. Both were active volunteer first responders. Her brother Stanley MacMillan, Jr., is a member of the Sharon Fire Department.

Keep ReadingShow less
people

Sharon plans replacement of West Cornwall Road bridge

Sharon plans replacement of West Cornwall Road bridge

SHARON — The Board of Selectmen and Planning & Zoning Commission have approved new plans to replace the West Cornwall Road bridge over Pine Swamp Brook, just south of the historic covered bridge over the Housatonic River in West Cornwall.

The project has been in the works for three years after a survey determined that the structure was nearing the end of its intended life-span. After passing the P&Z commission, the project now only needs approval from four property owners near the site to begin the bidding process.

Keep ReadingShow less
infrastructure

Salisbury Forum links science, religion and Earth’s future

Salisbury Forum links science, religion and Earth’s future

From left, Sam King, Mary Evelyn Tucker and John Grim discuss how religion and science can be used to address environmental challenges on Oct. 30.

Patrick L. Sullivan

LAKEVILLE — Religious scholars Mary Evelyn Tucker and John Grim and environmentalist, writer and former Hotchkiss teacher Sam King delivered a presentation at The Hotchkiss School Friday, Oct. 30.

Sponsored by the Salisbury Forum, “Change the Story, Change the World: A New Vision for an Ecological Era” explored how religious tradition and modern science can be used together to address environmental and spiritual challenges.

Keep ReadingShow less
salisbury forum
google preferred source

Want more of our stories on Google? Click here to make us a Preferred Source.