Students at LHK take the next step

FALLS VILLAGE — The Lee H. Kellogg School eighth grade promotion exercise, held outside on the hill of the Falls Village campus, proved to be an emotional moment for Katelin Lopes. The class speaker and winner of the President’s Award for Educational Excellence was moved enough by the moment to let out a few sobs before collecting her breath and concluding her speech:

“Thank you, Kellogg. You are small, but you have a mighty place in my heart.”

Held on Wednesday, June 16, following a weather-related delay on June 15, the ceremony ushered the members of Lee H. Kellogg School’s Class of 2021 into the next chapter of their educational careers under unusual circumstances. 

The evening followed a strict distance-and-mask safety policy, making clear the lasting presence of the pandemic and the way it had affected the students in their final years at Lee H. Kellogg. 

But the five students in attendance (two members of the eighth grade class were unable to attend), the faculty and Principal Alexandra Juch instead chose speak on anything but their setbacks or current events. 

They remained positive, looked toward the future and focused on the core values one would expect in a promotion exercise in any normal year: personal growth, the pursuit of academic goals and extracurricular achievements, and, of course, in a town as small as Falls Village, ways to enrich and give back to the community.

 

Lee H. Kellogg School

Class of 2021

Austin Donald Bachman, Bernice Haley Boyden, Blaine Robert Curtis, Tessa Jane Dekker, Katelin Jeanette Lopes, Demetri Joseph Ouellette, Tristan Ernest Oyanadel

 

2021 Awards

President’s Award for Educational Excellence: Katelin Lopes; Tessa Dekker

President’s Award for Educational Achievement: Austin Bachman

Peter G Lawson Citizenship Award: Tessa Dekker

Tessa Dekker and Katelin Lopes were the dual winners of the President’s Award for Educational Excellence at the Lee H. Kellogg eighth grade promotion exercise on Wednesday, June 16. Photo by Alexander Wilburn

Members of the eighth grade who participated in Lee H. Kellogg’s promotion exercise included, left to right, Demetri Ouellette, Austin Bachman, Katelin Lopes, Tessa Dekker and Bernice “Birdie” Boyden. Photo by Alexander Wilburn

Members of the eighth grade who participated in Lee H. Kellogg’s promotion exercise included, left to right, Demetri Ouellette, Austin Bachman, Katelin Lopes, Tessa Dekker and Bernice “Birdie” Boyden. Photo by Alexander Wilburn
Related Articles Around the Web

Latest News

Final four finish for Mountaineers
HVRHS goalie Vi Salazar made 10 saves in the semifinal game against Morgan Wednesday, Nov. 12.
Photo by Riley Klein

NEWTOWN — Housatonic Valley Regional High School's girls soccer team's state tournament run concluded in the semifinals with a 4-2 loss to Morgan High School Wednesday, Nov. 12.

The final four finish was the deepest playoff push for Housatonic since 2014. Lainey Diorio scored both goals and keeper Vi Salazar logged 10 saves in the semifinal game.

Keep Reading Show less
Local writer shares veterans’ stories in Malcolm Gladwell’s ‘Medal of Honor’ podcast

Local writer shares veterans’ stories in Malcolm Gladwell’s ‘Medal of Honor’ podcast

Photo by Aly Morrissey

SHARON, Conn. — After 20 years as a magazine editor with executive roles at publishing giants like Condé Nast and Hearst, Meredith Rollins never imagined she would become the creative force behind a military history podcast. But today, she spends her days writing about some of the most heroic veterans in United States history for “Medal of Honor: Stories of Courage,” a podcast produced by Malcolm Gladwell’s company, Pushkin Industries.

From her early days in book publishing to two decades in magazines and later a global content strategist for Weight Watchers, Rollins has built a long and varied career in storytelling.

Keep Reading Show less
Salisbury honors veterans in snowy ceremony

Chris Ohmen (left) held the flag while Chris Williams welcomed Salisbury residents to a Veterans Day ceremony at Town Hall Tuesday, Nov. 11.

Photo by Patrick L. Sullivan

SALISBURY — About 30 people turned out for the traditional Veterans Day ceremony at Salisbury Town Hall on a cold and snowy Tuesday morning, Nov. 11.

Chris Ohmen handled the colors and Chris Williams ran the ceremony.

Keep Reading Show less
North Canaan gives gratitude to veterans

Eden Rost, left, shakes hands with Sergeant Nicholas Gandolfo, veteran of the Korean War.

Photo by Riley Klein

NORTH CANAAN — Students at North Canaan Elementary School saluted servicemen and servicewomen at a Veterans Day ceremony Wednesday, Nov. 12.

Eighteen veterans were honored, many of whom attended the ceremony and were connected to the school as relatives of students or staff.

Keep Reading Show less