Region One Superintendent Award Winners

Each spring, students throughout Region One School District nominate a standout classmate for the Superintendent Award. This honor recognizes individuals for outstanding academic performance, commitment to school sports and clubs, and dedication to the community. Below are winners for 2024.

Leila Hawken

Allie McCarron

Kent Center School

By Leila Hawken

KENT — With a strong record of academic achievement, Allie McCarron was selected as the Superintendent Award winner at Kent Center School (KCS).

She is involved in the Student Council and the Litchfield Rowing Club where she engages in competitive rowing. She shares her talents readily with younger students, providing a positive role model with a positive attitude.

During an interview on Wednesday, April 10, Allie recalled that she entered Kent Center School for the Second Grade, her family having moved from Kennett Square, Penn. She has participated in the school band since the Fourth Grade, playing alto saxophone.

While she has enjoyed her time at KCS, Allie singled out the sense of community among her fellow students and the teaching staff as the highlight. She said that she has appreciated the spirit of collaborative service within the school.

Allie plans to attend HVRHS in the fall.



Patrick L. Sullivan

Logan Miller

Lee H. Kellogg School

By Patrick L. Sullivan

FALLS VILLAGE — Logan Miller is this year’s winner of the Superintendent’s Award from Lee H. Kellogg School. Logan is a trumpet player in the LHK and Region One bands.

He runs track, plays hockey and baseball, and serves as a hockey referee.

As treasurer of the Student Council, he runs the school store, and he is the man inside the Falcon costume at pep rallies.

He told The Lakeville Journal that he is headed to Housatonic Valley Regional High School, where he plans to get involved with the agriculture education program and the Robotics team.

Beyond high school, he is thinking about studying science at (perhaps) Boston College, Boston University, or Quinnipiac University. “Somewhere with good sports.”



Riley Klein

Nate Young

Cornwall Consolidated School

By Riley Klein

CORNWALL — An active participant in the community, Nate Young was selected by his classmates as Cornwall Consolidated School’s 2024 Superintendent Award winner.

Nate is an active Boy Scout and proud leader of the CCS morning announcements team.

For his eighth grade exploration project, Nate is repairing a 1974 Land Rover.

“It’s awesome,” said Nate. “I spent probably two or three hours this weekend draining the fuel system... it had like 15-year-old fuel in it.”

“The fuel was older than you?” asked a Lakeville Journal reporter.

“Yeah,” Nate responded.

Nate will be attending HVRHS next year and is looking forward to continuing his passions for baseball, cross country running, saxophone, chorus, and agriculture education.



Patrick L. Sullivan

Mia Belter

Salisbury Central School

By Patrick L. Sullivan

SALISBURY — Mia Belter, an 8th grader at Salisbury Central School, is described as “mature, polite and kind-hearted. She is a role model who starts each day with a smile.”

When asked why she won the 2024 Superintendent’s Award for Salisbury Central School, she thought for a moment.

Then she said, “I’m nice to people, and I get good grades.”

Mia plays basketball and soccer and plans to run track this spring.

She is a big reader, with fiction of any kind a favorite. She admits to having two books going at a time.

“I used to read during nap time.”

Mia plans to attend Housatonic Valley Regional High School.




Riley Klein

Federico Vargas Tobon

North Canaan Elementary School

By Riley Klein

NORTH CANAAN — Federico Vargas Tobon of North Canaan Elementary School has been chosen as the school’s 2024 Superintendent Award winner by his peers.

On what the award means to him, he said, “It means a lot because all the work I’ve done finally pays off.”

An academic leader who excels in all subjects, Federico takes pride in his efforts on the student council, sports teams, and theater productions.

Federico played the Prince in NCES’s recent production of “The Little Mermaid.” He looks forward to continuing his passion for drama at HVRHS next year.

Federico plans to play on both the basketball and soccer teams when he becomes a Mountaineer next year.



Leila Hawken

Jayden Milton

Sharon Center School

By Leila Hawken

SHARON — Students at Sharon Center School (SCS) have chosen Jayden Milton as the 2024 Superintendent Award winner.

Presenting himself well with strong communication skills, Jayden wins SCS praise for his commitment to learning and for his qualities for being consistently respectful and responsible. He displays strong habits of mind in academics and within the school community.

He said that he has enjoyed working with the early-Kindergarteners and Grade 4 students, sometimes reading to them, but engaging in other activities at other times. Jayden performs with the Jazz Club as a percussionist, and he is serving as stage manager for the school musical.

Interested in serving the larger community, he has recently become a Junior Firefighter and received training in hazardous chemicals and how to deal with them.

Jayden plans to enroll this fall at Oliver Wolcott Technical High School with an interest in the machine tool program. Eventually, he hopes to pursue engineering studies.


Click here to see more winners.

Latest News

HVRHS triple jumper places 9th in New England
Anthony Labbadia set a new HVRHS record with a 44-foot one-inch triple jump June 14. The distance earned him 9th place at the New England track and field championship, which this year was held in New Britain, Conn.
Photo by Riley Klein

NEW BRITAIN — Anthony Labbadia soared to 9th place in the triple jump at the 2025 New England track and field championships Saturday, June 14.

On his first attempt of the event he leaped 44 feet and one inch, qualifying for the finals and setting the new Housatonic Valley Regional High School record. The previous school record of 43 feet eight inches was set by Don Hurlbutt in 1967.

Keep ReadingShow less
Pirates go back-to-back as league champs

The Canaan Pirates pose as champions after defending the Northwest Connecticut District 6 Majors Little League title.

Photo by Riley Klein

THOMASTON The Canaan Pirates are champions once more.

In the Northwest Connecticut District 6 Majors Little League title game Friday, June 13, the Pirates defeated Thomaston JRC Transportation by a score of 6-2.

Keep ReadingShow less
Red Sox end season with comeback win

NORTH CANAAN — The Canaan Red Sox ended the season with a thrilling 14-13 win over the Tri-Town Phillies Thursday, June 12.

Canaan trailed for most of the game but kept it close. Ultimately, the Red Sox secured the victory with a final-inning comeback in front of the home crowd at Steve Blass Field.

Keep ReadingShow less
State Rep. Horn injured in running accident

State Rep. Maria Horn (D-64) was treated for her injuries at Sharon Hospital.

Photo by John Coston

The day after concluding what has been described as a grueling legislative session, State Rep. Maria Horn (D-64) had a running accident, leaving her with a broken pelvis and collarbone among other more minor bruises and abrasions. Despite the injuries, she is in good spirits and recuperating at home, eager to get back on her feet.

Horn said after spending weeks in the assembly hall, she was eager to get some outdoor exercise in, but perhaps pushed a little too hard too soon. She said she was excited to get a run in on the morning of Friday, June 6, but was still exhausted from her time in Hartford and in the final stretch of recovering from a meniscus repair surgery in December.

Keep ReadingShow less