HOULTON, Maine — Houlton Middle-High School Principal Marty Bouchard announced Monday evening the honor parts for the Class of 2017.
The valedictorian is Hannah Jacobs, while Kate Newman is salutatorian; Emma Peterson is first honor essayist; Brooke Howland is second honor essayist; and Hannah Foley is third honor essayist and class marshal.
Jacobs is the daughter of Daniel and Stephanie Jacobs of Littleton. She is vice-president of Houlton High School’s Chapter of the National Honor Society and is a member of the varsity cheerleading squad who earned the All-Aroostook Cheerleading Award and Penobscot Valley Conference All Academic Award.
Jacobs received the Principal’s Award through her academic career and was the recipient of the English, calculus, and AP U.S. history awards. She was also selected as a New England Student Leadership Conference delegate for 2015-16, and was chosen to represent the Houlton Rotary Club as a Youth Exchange participant, where she travelled to Italy in 2015. She is also a Maine Youth in Government delegate and has received the Houlton Rotary Club’s Certificate of Achievement throughout high school.
Jacobs’ volunteer work has been extensive with participation in Operation Christmas Child, area soup kitchen suppers, winter coat give-away programs, Houlton Humane Society fundraisers, caroling at local nursing homes, and building and yard work programs for the Church of the Good Shepherd and the elderly.
Along with teaching Sunday School, she also volunteers at the Aroostook County Action Program’s Early and Traditional Head Start Programs. Jacobs’ interests and hobbies include cheerleading and tumbling, volunteering, traveling, and reading. She will attend Boston College in Massachusetts where she will pursue a degree in finance.
Newman is the daughter of James and Andrea Newman of Ludlow. She is the president of Houlton’s chapter of the National Honor Society, Student Council secretary, a member of Houlton High School’s Civil Rights Team, and also competes on the varsity cross-country and the track and field teams.
Newman received the Principal’s Award throughout her time at Houlton Middle-High School and is a recipient of the Maine Principal’s Award, the Daughters of the American Revolution Good Citizen Award, and is a Penobscot Valley Conference All-Academic Scholar Athlete. She also earned the honor of Best in Class for Law Enforcement at Region Two School of Applied Technology and is a member of the National Technical Honor Society.
Newman earned the Donna Wheeler Social Studies Award, is a Williams College Book Award recipient, a Princeton Book Award nominee, and was selected as Student of the Month for Positive Leadership. Her contributions to Houlton High School also include being a New England Student Leadership Conference delegate who has received the Houlton Rotary Club’s Certificate of Achievement each year.
In addition, Newman is president of her 4-H Club and is the coordinator of the Everyone Cares Dinner Program. Her community service and work with food insecurity has earned her a Presidential Point of Light Award as well as being named a Prudential Spirit of Community Award Distinguished Finalist. As a life-long member of Aroostook County 4-H, Newman has also won numerous awards showing livestock and exhibiting projects. Her interests and hobbies include volunteering, travel, cooking, farming, and gardening.
She will attend Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania where she will pursue a degree in sociology.
Peterson is the daughter of Cindy Peterson of Houlton and TJ Peterson of Monticello. She is a member of Houlton’s High School’s chapter of the National Honor Society, a Maine Youth Leadership Ambassador and Junior Counselor, and is a Houlton High School Mentor. She was also selected to receive the Academic and Good Citizen Award, and has been awarded the Houlton Rotary Club’s Certificate of Achievement and the Principal’s Award throughout her academic career. In addition, she is a New England Student Leadership Conference nominee and earned the Maine Top Scholar Award.
Peterson has excelled in varsity sports throughout high school, playing on the soccer, basketball and softball teams. She is the senior class secretary and a member of the Maine Youth Leadership Team. Her interests and hobbies include watching baseball, participating in community service, and playing sports.
Peterson will attend the University of Maine at Orono where she will pursue a degree in communication sciences and disorders.
Howland is the daughter of Nichol Roy and Jason Howland of Houlton. She is a member of Houlton High School’s Chapter of the National Honor Society, was named Student of the Month for Excellence in Math and Science, and is a recipient of the Margaret Churchill Science Award and the Outstanding Achievement in Reading Award. She is also a New England Student Leadership Conference delegate who has been awarded the Houlton Rotary Club’s Certificate of Achievement and the Principal’s Award each year. Brooke also earned the honor of placing third overall in the 2015 Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Fair.
Howland was awarded Best in Class for the Emergency Medical Technician Program at Region Two School of Applied Technology and is a member of the National Technical Honor Society. She is a Bridge Year student, a Houlton High School mentor, and is also a six-year member of Student Council serving as secretary her junior year and currently as co-president. She also excels in music having been a member of the HHS band and serving as stage crew manager for the past three years, including assisting with junior high musicals and choreography. She is a member of the Houlton School of Dance and also works as a dance instructor. Her hobbies include volunteering at Potato Feast Days, the Riverfront Harvest Festival, and with music festivals and productions. Howland will attend the University of Maine at Fort Kent where she will pursue a degree in nursing.
Foley is the daughter of Robert and Renae Foley of Smyrna Mills. She is a member of Houlton’s High School’s NHS chapter, a recipient of the Secretary of State Citizenship Award, and she has received the Houlton Rotary Club’s Certificate of Achievement and the Principal’s Award throughout high school.
Foley has served as class treasurer for the past four years and was selected to be a New England Student Leadership Conference delegate and a Penobscot Valley Conference Leadership Summit delegate in 2015-16. She was also a member of the Student Council for two years, including serving one year as secretary.
Foley has been active on the varsity soccer and cheerleading teams for the past four years, being named to the All-Academic Teams in 2016 and 2017 respectively. She also earned a National Cheerleaders Association All-American nomination all four years in addition to being named varsity cheering co-captain in 2016 and 2017.
Foley also competes in varsity track and field, serving as captain in 2016, and has played softball and volleyball for the Houlton Shires. Her talents also extend to music as she was a member of the Off-Beat Band Ensemble for two years and she has served as band historian.
Outside of school, Foley volunteers at Adopt-A-Block, serving as a counselor at the Just 4 Boys Summer Camp. She is also a Sunday School teacher at the Military Street Baptist Church and volunteers at Vacation Bible School. Her hobbies and interests include traveling, athletics, and painting. She will attend Husson University majoring in occupational therapy.
