Rotary Club honors PIHS seniors

    The Presque Isle Rotary Club hosted the annual Presque Isle High School Senior Class Luncheon at the University of Maine campus center on May 14. Whitney Jandreau, class president, spoke on behalf of the seniors in thanking Rotarians for the luncheon and recognizing the impact that Rotary has on the community.
 A highlight of the meeting was the announcement of the Rotary Scholarship Committee award of $2,000 scholarships to the top senior boy and girl in this year’s class. The winners are selected based on the following criteria: rigor of academic program, class standing, involvement in student government, music and performing arts; and athletics.
    The top three female students were Emily Desjardins, Molly Hamel and Meghann Varnum while the top three male students were Adam Chandler, Gabe Cheney and Faizaan Shamsi. The winners of this year’s scholarships were Meghann Varnum and Adam Chandler.
    Eric Waddell, principal of PIHS and fellow Rotarian, recognized the following seniors for their accomplishments: Curtis Allen, Class Treasurer and Civil Rights Team Co-President; Abbey Atcheson, Zippel Elementary tutor and Special Olympics Area Management team volunteer; Nicole Ballard, All-Aroostook Chorus and Miss Presque Isle 2007; Tom Barnes, Class Vice President, Soup Kitchen volunteer and a science lab aide; Amanda Bruton, All-Aroostook in swimming, aquaculture/ag science lab aide; Katie Buckley, Zippel tutor; Katie Buob, Aroostook League All-Star runner; volunteer biology lab aide and Zippel tutor; Justin Burby, volunteer firefighter; Ana Cerqueira, Central Aroostook Mentoring Program volunteer; Adam Chandler, PVC Scholar Athlete skier, All-Aroostook band, and first place in Maine Public Service Earth Day Essay Contest; Gabe Cheney, Student Council Vice-President and Chairman of the School Events Committee, All-Aroostook All-Star soccer; PVC Second Team soccer, All-State soccer team, All-Aroostook Senior All-Star basketball, Big East Senior All-Star Team basketball, Scholar Athlete Award, Special Olympics volunteer, biology lab aide; and Rotary Youth Merit Award nominee; Janna Clukey, PVC second team soccer, BaskBig East Scholar Athlete basketball, third place in Keyboarding I at the Regional BEAM (Business Education Ass. of Maine) contest, and Presque Isle Middle School tutor; Spencer Deschene, PVC All-Conference Team and All-Aroostook All-Star in golf; Emily Desjardins, Class Secretary, NHS Vice-President, Varsity Club President, Principal’s Award winner, Maine State Diocesan Council of Catholic Youth Chairperson, All-Aroostook Chorus, and volunteer for the Catholic Youth of Maine.
    Also, Allesha Dockery, Civil Rights Team Co-President; Mitchell Dufour, volunteer firefighter for Presque Isle and Mapleton; Andrew Duplessis, FBLA Parlementarian; third place in Computer Fundamentals at the Regional BEAM contest; Brian Gilmer, second Place in Accounting II at the Regional BEAM contest; Sarah Gonsioroski, Student Council representative, PVC second team and Aroostook League All-Star soccer, second place in Basic Business Skills and in Keyboarding I at the Regional BEAM contest; Jacob Graham, All-Festival Cast for Regional Drama Festival; Molly Hamel, NHS Parlementarian; SkPVC Scholar Athlete skiing, All-Aroostook Band, All-State Orchestra, and high school volunteer; Jillian Hartley, second place in Accounting I at the Regional BEAM contest; Mike Hersey, PVC All-Conference Team and All-Aroostook All-Star golf; and second place in Maine Public Service Earth Day Essay Contest; Luke Ireland, Skills USA Bronze Medalist in Architectural Drafting; Whitney Jandreau, Class President, NHS President, nationally recognized through Earthwatch International, volunteered for two weeks on a scientific expedition; first place in Computer Fundamentals at the Regional BEAM contest; and Aroostook Teen Leadership Camp volunteer; Joey Johnson, All-Aroostook All-Star swimmer; Robb Johnston, PIRCTC Student of the Year, FFA Agricultural Services Proficiency Award and FFA State of Maine Treasurer; Chelsea Kaiser, Student Council Secretary Special Olympics Area Management Team volunteer; Meredith Kilpatrick, Big Rock Essay Contest Winner; Ben LeBlanc, third place in Accounting I at the Regional BEAM Contest; Trent Legassie, PVC First Team, All-State Team, All-Aroostook All-Star and NMBASO (Northern Maine Board of Soccer Officials) Butch Shaw Award in soccer, and Big East Spirit Award in basketball; Alyssa Littlefield, All-Aroostook Chorus; Robbie McCluskey, biology lab aide; Shawn McMaster, Skills USA Silver Medalist in Customer Service; Ben McPherson, Senior All-Star and Third Team All-Star in hockey; Amanda Nadeau, NHS member, All-Aroostook Chorus, Destination Imagination First Place Regional winner, Destination Imagination Third Place State winner, SAD 1 Music Boosters volunteer and biology lab aide.
    Also, Angela Norsworthy, PVC First Team, Senior Bowl East Team, Aroostook League All-Star, NMBASO Butch Shaw Award and Maine Soccer Coaches Award in soccer; and All-Aroostook All-Star, PVC Scholar Athlete, McDonald’s Senior All-Star Team, Big East Senior All-Star, Big East Player of the Year; Big East First Team All-Conference and top 10 finalist for Miss Basketball in basketball; Thomas Pinette, All-Aroostook Chorus; Sam Porter, biology lab aide; Lindsey Rockwell, KEY Club President; Skye Sawyer, Skills USA Gold Medalist in Photography and Biology lab aide; Faizaan Shamsi, PVC Scholar Athlete skier and National Merit Scholarship finalist; Marina Shermuly, Central Aroostook Mentoring Program volunteer; Megan Sturgeon, KEY Club Treasurer; and Skills USA Bronze Medalist in Prepared Speech; Seth Swanson, FBLA President; Victoria Tanenbaum, FCCLA Club President, FCCLA State reporter, FCCLA Silver Rating at State Star Events; Mark & Emily Turner Memorial Library Children’s Center volunteer and biology lab aide.
    Also, Meghann Varnum, National Honor Society Secretary and KEY Club Vice-President; Shaina Watananuchit, All-Aroostook All-Star, PVC First Team in soccer, Big East All-Star Team and All-Aroostook All-Star Team in basketball, First Place in Keyboarding I at the Regional BEAM contest; Nick Weeks, Band President and volunteer firefighter; Alex Willette, Student Council President, Chairman of State and Local Youth in Government, Third Place United States Senate Youth Program, GIFT Food Pantry volunteer and Eagle Scout Award; Ross Wolland, KEY Club Seargent at Arms and First Place at the Regional Debate Meet for Public Forum Debate; and Logan York, All-Aroostook All-Star and PVC First Team in soccer, All-Aroostook Senior All-Star, Big East Senior All-Star and Big East Defensive Award in basketball, Second Place in Computer Fundamentals and Third Place in Business Math at the Regional BEAM contest.
    In other business, the mystery Rotarians were: Dylan Guy — his favorite Charity is the American Cancer Society and $50 will go to them in his name from PI Rotary; and Mike Kelley, Sr. whose favorite charity is the NMCC Foundation.