Courtney Jurson
Courtney Jurson, daughter of K. Philip and Diane Jurson of Hodgdon has been named as the valedictorian of the Class of 2014 at Hodgdon High School.
Jurson has been an active member of her class, participating in National Honor Society for three years and being her class’ representative for Student Focus Group. She was a member of the girls’ soccer team for four years and was named All-Aroostook for soccer. She was a member of the girls’ basketball team
and captain for two years. In the fall of 2013, she was nominated as one of the female Wendy Heisman finalists for the state of Maine.
Jurson has been an active member of her community and church. She has been a Girl Scout for 12 years, receiving the Bronze and Silver Awards; seven years in the Northern Maine Soap Box Derby and two years in 4-H. Through her church, she has been a Sunday School teacher and an Adopt-a-Block intern, has traveled to California and New York City on mission trips and maintains an ongoing relationship with these activities.
During high school, Jurson received the Houlton Rotary Achievement Award, the Frederick Douglass and Susan B. Anthony Award from Rochester University, and has managed to accumulate 18 college credits. She is the recipient of the First Wind Scholarship for four years, the Presidential Scholarship from UMO and will be in the Honors College at UMO studying communication sciences and disorders.
Lauren Howell
Lauren Howell, daughter of Daniel and Kristy Howell of Ludlow is this year’s salutatorian of Hodgdon High School.
Howell participated all four years in the girls’ basketball program, rising to captain her senior year. She has been a member of the Houlton School of Dance for 12 years and will continue her love of dance at the University of Maine at Orono. While at Hodgdon, Lauren took advantage of Honors, Advanced Placement and Early College courses. She has been awarded the Presidential Scholarship at UMO where she will major in food science and human nutrition.
Hannah Chapla, daughter of Brian Chapla of Houlton and Julie Chapla of Amity, is Hodgdon High School’s first honor essayist.
Hannah Chapla
Chapla has been an active member of her class, was on Student Council twice, class president her junior year, was an active member of the Civil Rights Team, the Aroostook Substance Abuse Team, is a current member of the National Honor Society, and was a three-year member of Hodgdon High School’s Cheerleading Squad, captain during her junior and senior years.
She was a member of the Houlton School of Dance for 14 years and will be on the dance ministry team at her college. She took both private voice and piano lessons throughout her school career. Hannah has participated in both band and chorus all four years. Chapla was selected as a member of the All-Aroostook Chorus many times during her middle and high school career. Hannah has been in various show choir and theater productions. She also attended Maine Summer Youth Music Camp for three years. She plans to join vocal ensembles and continue with performing arts in college as well.
Chapla has been involved with her church in the past, serving on the worship team, helping with younger children, volunteering in the nursery, and has been involved with the ministry of singing at local nursing homes. She has also volunteered at the Cary Library Summer Reading Program.
She has taken many early college courses, earning 15 college credits. She also received the A. J. Gordon Scholarship of $18,000 per year from Gordon College, where she plans to major in psychology and study expressive arts therapies.
