GMU 2019 High School Awards
2018 Valedictorian and Salutatorian Medals
Valedictorian: Natalie Pistor
Salutatorian: Hunter Christian
Tyler Costello Memorial Music Award
This award recognizes two students (1 male; 1 female) who have a strong interest and ability in music. These recipients demonstrate respect for others and are positive contributors.
Recipients: Nina D’Amato and Corey Wilson
Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership Award
Each year the Hugh O’Brian Youth Foundation asks high schools to select one sophomore who possesses leadership abilities to attend a weekend leadership conference. This year GMU had two delegates.
Delegate: Theodore Sharkey
Alternate: Olivia Held
Girls & Boys State Representatives
From across NY State students are selected each year to participate in the American Auxiliary Empire State Program. It is a summer leadership program that focuses on the government process and the study of the Constitution. Students selected must be juniors in the upper third of their class, and possess the qualities of leadership, character, honesty and maturity.
Girls Delegate: Tavian Raymond
Alternate: Vanessa Nelson
Butternut Valley Grange Award
The students selected to receive these awards have a passing overall average, respect for teachers and fellow students, showing a degree of responsibility and the ability to positively influence others by example.
Grades 9-11 Ethan Charron Skye Wilson
Seniors Bruno Portes Sydney Swift
Liberty Bell Award
The recipient of this award has been recognized at the Otsego County Bar Association’s Law Day Ceremony for commemorating the importance of law, liberty, and justice.
Recipient: Natalie Pistor
National Association of Secondary School Principals Leadership Award
This award recognizes students who have the ability to influence others by example through day-to-day behavior.
9th Grade Payton Talbot Anika Christensen
10th Grade Kyle Meyers Olivia Held
11th Grade Samuel Piedmonte Vanessa Nelson
12th Grade Bruno Portes Hunter Christian
National Association of Secondary School Principals Citizenship Award
Citizenship involves steady contribution to the good of the community. Qualities include demonstrating care for the well-being of others, unselfish giving of time and energy to school or community service efforts, and the habit of taking responsibility for one’s actions.
9th Grade Lane Dibble Madeline Pain
10th Grade Theodore Sharkey Emily Hammond
11th Grade Brandon Harris Tavian Raymond
12th Grade Ian Labar Kelsey Pope
Presidents Education Award for Outstanding Academic Achievement – Silver Certificate
This award recognizes students that show outstanding educational growth, improvement, commitment and intellectual development in their academic subjects.
9th Grade Dalton Proskine Nicole Meyers
10th Grade Shane Christian Courtney Gross
11th Grade Colin Schultes Savannah Bresee
12th Grade Austin Oliver Isabella Ramos
President's Education Award for Outstanding Academic Excellence – Gold Certificate
This award recognizes students that demonstrate high motivation, initiative, integrity, intellectual depth, leadership qualities and exceptional judgment.
9th Grade Dylan McVey Maya Farwell
10th Grade Gavin Bonczkowski Apolonia Drapaniotis
11th Grade Sawyer Hinman Sadra Smith
12th Grade Corey Wilson Natalie Pistor
New York State Attorney General’s “Triple C Award” -
This award recognizes students who exhibit the qualities of “Character, Courage and Commitment” to both their school and their community.
Recipients: Hunter Christian & Isabella Ramos
Society of Mayflower Descendants in the State of New York
This is an award of excellence and given to students in recognition of their high achievement in the study of American History.
Recipienta: Natalie Pistor & Shalleigh Taranto
Office of the State Comptroller Student Achievement Award
The recipients of this award is given in recognition of hard work, dedication and success and have shown academic excellence and the potential for leadership through involvement in activities that improved the school or the community.
Recipients: Ian Labar
Kelsey Pope
Nina D’Amato
Shalleigh Taranto
Jazmine Brooks
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
This award recognizes achievement in math and science.
This recipient will receive a $25,000 per-year merit scholarship.
Recipient: Sawyer Hinman
RIT Computing Award
This award recognizes student accomplishments in computing abilities, involvement as a member of school and their community.
Students selected to receive the Computing award are eligible for a $32,000 scholarship.
Recipient: Ethan Charron
RIT Innovation and Creativity Award
The innovation and creativity award program recognizes high school juniors who have distinguished themselves academically and are active and involved members of their school and community and demonstrate outstanding achievement in innovation, creativity or entrepreneurship.
Students selected to receive the innovation and creativity award are eligible for a $32,000 scholarship.
Recipient: Vanessa Nelson
University of Rochester - Bausch and Lomb Science Award
This award is given in recognition of outstanding academic achievement and superior intellectual promise in the field of science.
If this recipient chooses to apply to the University of Rochester and is accepted, they will be eligible for a $40,000 scholarship.
Recipient: Sadra Smith
University of Rochester - George Eastman - Young Leaders Award
This award recognizes outstanding academic achievement with an extensive involvement in extracurricular activities.
Students selected to receive this award are eligible for a $40,000 scholarship.
Recipient: Samuel Piedmonte
University of Rochester Frederick Douglass & Susan B. Anthony Award
This award recognizes of outstanding commitment to social justice and dedication to continuing their unfinished life’s work.
The recipient of this award is eligible for a $40,000 scholarship.
Recipient: Vanessa Nelson
University of Rochester Xerox Award for Innovation & Information Technology
The recipient of this award has a strong interest and a high level of achievement in the pursuit of innovative approaches and an appreciation for the possibilities of technology.
The recipient of this award is eligible for a $40,000 scholarship.
Recipient: Kyli Odell
Wells College – 21st Century Leadership Award
This award recognizes the outstanding contributions made as a student leader. The recipient has demonstrated superior integrity, trustworthiness, self-confidence and intellect.
This award is a $40,000 scholarship for four years of study at Wells College.
Recipient: Samuel Piedmont
Kyli Odell
The Student Sage Award
This award recognizes students who are academic and social leaders. They are involved in the community and are able to balance numerous activities with enthusiasm while inspiring others to develop and grow.
The recipients of these awards are eligible for a $56,000.00 scholarship to Sage College.
Recipients: Tavian Raymond Vanessa Nelson
Kalvyn Cole Sadra Smith
Clarkson School Scholars Award -
The Clarkson Leadership Award is the highest honor at the University and is presented to a member of the junior class in recognition of outstanding leadership qualities and academic promise and is ranked in the top 10% of their class.
Should this recipient apply and be accepted to Clarkson, this award is worth $60,000.
Recipient: Ethan Newman
Clarkson School Scholars Award -
The Clarkson Leadership Award is the highest honor at the University and is presented to a member of the junior class in recognition of outstanding leadership qualities and academic promise and is ranked in the top 10% of their class.
Should this recipient apply and be accepted to Clarkson, this award is worth $48,000.
Recipient: Ethan Charron
Rotary Youth Leaderhship Award
The Rotary Club of Morris selects juniors from area schools each year to attend a District Rotary Youth Leadership Conference. This conference provides young men and women with an excellent learning experience. The focus is to enhance skills and promote learning in the areas of decision-making, critical thinking, ethics, public service, contemporary problems and career development.
Delegate: Airyana Wright
Alternate: Tavian Raymond