Pistor, Christian lead the top 5 students for Gilbertsville-Mount Upton Class of 2019
Natalie Pistor has been named valedictorian for this year’s graduating class at Gilbertsville-Mount Upton Central School. Hunter Christian is the class Salutatorian.
Natalie, who was Senior of the Month in September, is currently president of the Student Council and National Honor Society. She is also vice president of Women for a Change club.
She serves as treasurer of her class, having served for two years as president. Natalie is a member of Ski Club, Spanish Club, SADD, and Leadership Club. In her earlier high school career, she also tried her hand at Track and Mock Trial. She was on stage crew in her sophomore year, and she made her GMU stage debut last year as Officer Klein in Arsenic and Old Lace.
Natalie participated in HOBY this past June, and she is active in her church’s youth group. Natalie has interned at Catholic Charities for two summers; in addition to clerical work, she worked directly with clients, providing them assistance for emergency needs.
She has taken TC3 Accounting, TC3 Chemistry, and TC3 Economics and Government this year, among other courses. Natalie plans to attend Manhattan College to study business.
Hunter Christian is the class of 2019 salutatorian with the second-highest grade-point average.
She is currently enrolled in the rigorous New Visions Allied Health Program at DCMO BOCES. She is respected by her peers and teachers, and was the recipient of the Wells College 21st Century Leadership Award and was selected to participate in both the American Legion Girls’ State and HOBY.
She is Vice President of National Honor Society and the Class of 2019, and the Treasurer for SADD, STUCO, and Language Club. In years past, she has held many officer positions for her Class of 2019.
Hunter is also involved in GMU Academic Team, Women for a Change, Drama Club, Stage Crew, and several GMU plays and musicals.
Hunter was Senior of the Month in October. She will attend Hartwick College to study nursing.
Nina D’Amato achieved the third-highest average in the class of 2019. She was named Senior of the Month in December.
Nina is president of the Class of 2019, Drama Club, Chorus, Band, Students Against Destructive Decisions, and Women for a Change—which was created by Nina, who was inspired by a leadership conference. Inclusivity is something Nina feels strongly about. She wanted to create a club that could help the young women of GMU reach their potential in a supportive environment.
She also is a member of the Gay-Straight Alliance, Student Council, National Honor Society, Academic Team, and Mock Trial.
Nina is active in 4H, an ecumenical youth group, community church band and chorus, and is a Young Adult Advisory delegate for her Presbytery. Last summer she took a mission trip to Heifer International Global Village at Shepherd Springs in Maryland. She has also taken week-long mission trips to a homeless outreach ministry, Broad Street Ministry, in Philadelphia, and a Christian summer camp for youth and people with disabilities, at Camp Whitman in NY.
Nina is a talented musician, who plays both bassoon and trombone; she participates in symphonic band, chorus, jazz band, ladies ensemble, Susquehanna University Honors Band, NYSSMA solo festival, marching band, All-County band and chorus, Hartwick Honor Band, and Area All State Chorus.
Nina has taken TC3 Accounting TC3 Economics TC3Government, and TC3 Psychology.
She will attend Houghton College in the fall to continue exploring social justice as an Intercultural Studies major with a concentration in missions.
Hailey Cappiello earned the fourth-highest academic average in the class of 2019.
Hailey was named Senior of the Month for February. She joined our GMU family three years ago in her 10th-grade year.
Currently, she keeps a rigorous schedule: TC3 Biology, TC3 Psychology, TC3 Economics, and TC3 Political Science, Ladies Ensemble and Chorus.
She has been a participant in the prestigious Interscholastic Equestrian Association since 7th grade. She also shares her love of nature as a member of 4H for the past eight years. She excels at Hippology and competes in an equine veterinary and management knowledge contest activity that enhances learning for 4-H members by letting them exhibit their knowledge of equine science and husbandry in a competitive setting.
Hailey has been competing for eight years at both the state and national levels.
She also has been in Drama Club as a member of stage crew. She also made her first stage appearance at GMU in Mary Poppins in the fall. She was also in numerous productions at her previous school, Bainbridge-Guilford, and has been an active member in chorus since 4th grade.
Hailey was a founding member of GSA, the Gay-Straight Alliance last year. She is a member of Academic Team.
She will attend Hartwick College and study psychology.
Shalleigh Taranto has earned the fifth-highest average in the senior class.
Shalleigh is one of the most active students in her class. She serves as treasurer of Language Club and as a Student Council class representative, and is secretary for ther the Gay Straight Alliance.
She is a member of the National Honor Society, SADD, Marching Band, Symphonic Band, Mock Trial, and a Peer Mentor.
Posted: Tuesday, March 5, 2019