The Top 10 academic achievers of Rockville High School’s Class of 2025 will collect their diplomas at Thursday evening’s graduation ceremony, but Wednesday afternoon was all about honoring them for their academic achievement.
Each year Rockville High School honors the Top 10 members of the graduation class at a special lunch. And each student honors a faculty member who has influenced them during their time in the Vernon Public Schools.
Some students talked about their teachers’ patience and willingness to answer question after question. Others talked about them as mentors and guides. Others said the teachers created classroom environments that helped them be successful.
Matthew Bannon, who is headed to UConn to study business and technology, brought math teacher Jim Shannon to the lunch.
Top 10 students and their teachers (standing behind them), left to right, Paul Westerberg and Deborah Halpryn, Ian Nevelos and Walter Nakonechny, Lorelei Hutchings and Erika Bahler, Abigail Fisher and Taylor Bonadies, Thomas Bannon and Peter McCann, Matthew Bannon and Jim Shannon, Jack Stein and Brian Forte, Rijja Rohaan and Maureen Ringrose, My-Ngoc Lai-Huyen and Michele Gonzalez and Sabrina Chen and Amy Matyseck.
“I never thought I’d be standing up here saying math class was the best part of my day, but Mr. Shannon made that happen,” Bannon said. “He had the rare ability to take something as dry and intimidating as math and turn it into something engaging, fun and actually exciting to learn. His classroom was a place filled with energy, creativity and laughter – a lot of laughter.” That environment helped Bannon succeed not just in math, but other classes at Rockville High School.
Jack Stein, who is headed to UConn to study business, brought social studies teacher Brian Forte to the lunch. He said he signed up for Forte’s modern European class and was disappointed to learn it wasn’t about the Meghan and Harry and other members of the royal family.
“I was pleasantly surprised by how intriguing and vivid you were able to make the most mundane 500-plus year old events sound,” Stein said, adding he was sorry he missed the opportunity to take other classes from Forte during his time at Rockville High School. “My biggest take away from your class was to see history as one continuous story.”
My-Ngoc Lai-Huyen, the class valedictorian who is headed to UConn to study actuarial science, honored math teacher Michele Gonzalez, who she said not only answer every question she asked, but made her love going to her class.
“We have some promises in the future,” she said. “When I have my own company, she’ll be my co-CEO.”
Rockville High School Principal Jason Magao, Superintendent Dr. Joseph Macary and Board of Education Chair Paul Grabowski praised the graduates for their high achievement.
“We celebrate you,” Magao said. “We’re proud of everything you’ve done and we can’t wait until we see what you guys do in the future.”
“To be in the Top 10 of the graduating class of 2025 is an enormous accomplishment,” Dr. Macary said. “We are proud of you. You are the best and the brightest of Rockville High School, the best and the brightest of the Vernon Public Schools.”
Grabowski told the graduations they’ve completed the long journey to graduation and in the process have “made Vernon proud.”
The other Top 10 students, their college plans and the teacher they honored are:
Thomas Bannon, who is also headed to UConn to study business and, honored Peter McCann, a social studies teacher.
Sabrina Chen, who is headed to Duke University, honored Amy Matyseck, an English teacher.
Abigail Fisher, who is headed to Fairfield University, honored Taylor Bonadies, a guidance counselor and cross country and track coach.
Lorelei Hutchings, who has enlisted in the Marine Corps, honored Erika Bahler, a vocational agriculture teacher.
Ian Nevelos, who is headed to UConn to study chemistry and engineering, honored Walter Nakonechny, a biology teacher.
Rijja Rohaan, who is headed the salutatorian and plans to attend the University of Hartford as a pre-med student, honored Maureen Ringrose, a math teacher.
Paul Westerberg II, who plans to attend the University of Massachusetts Amherst to study music, honored Deborah Halpryn, a Vernon Center Middle School reading teacher and drama coach.