HOULTON, Maine — Houlton Middle-High School Principal Tim Tweedie released the student honor parts for the Class of 2021 at Houlton High School on Thursday, April 15.
Dina Koretsky has been named valedictorian, while Gabriel Fitzpatrick has been tabbed as salutatorian; Isabel Cyr is first honor essayist; Sidney Peabody is second honor essayist; and Morgan Graham is class marshall.
Kortesky, the daughter of Tatyana Ganikhina of Houlton, is a QuestBridge scholar and an AP scholar. She has received multiple academic awards such as the Principal’s Award during Junior year. She has achieved high honors consistently each year of her high school career. Kortesky also received a Best in Social Studies Award, a Best in History Award, and a Civil Rights Award.
Additionally, she has been the treasurer of the Houlton High School Civil Rights Team. She has been a member of the National Honor Society. Kortesky was also a member of the varsity tennis team.
Kortesky has applied to the following schools: Boston College, Bowdoin College, Colby College, Dartmouth University, Duke University, Princeton University, the University of Chicago, the University of Maine, the University of Virginia, and Vanderbilt University. Her dream school of choice is Princeton University.
Gabriel Fitzpatrick has been named salutatorian at Houlton Middle-High School for the Class of 2021.
(Courtesy of Houlton-Middle High School)
Fitzpatrick, the son of Jana and Steven Fitzpatrick of Houlton, has volunteered for the past three years for the Houlton Rotary program. Each year, he has helped get rid of 40-plus tons of electronic waste through the Rotary E-Waste day. He also volunteers at the Rotary Auction storeroom, delivering items to customers throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
Fitzpatrick also assisted with setting up the Houlton Chamber of Commerce Annual Banquet. He was also seen cheering on the participants for Houlton Regional Hospital’s Bridge to Hope/Cruisin’ for Cancer event.
During his freshman year, he was a member of Houlton High School’s Model State Team. He has also been active in the band program playing alto saxophone. He especially enjoyed the Pep Band performances.
Fitzpatrick was awarded the Maine Top Scholar Award by the University of Maine at Orono, where he will major in computer science.
Isabel Cyr has been named first honor essayist at Houlton Middle-High School for the Class of 2021.
(Courtesy of Houlton-Middle High School)
Cyr, the daughter of Joseph and Charity Cyr of Houlton, has been involved in many of Houlton High School’s musical programs and One Act plays throughout her high school career. She has also participated in Jazz Choir, All Aroostook Festival and District Jazz Festival during her sophomore year.
She has been a member of Houlton High School Civil Rights for her past four years. Volunteering is extremely important to Isabel. She has worked closely with the Vacation Bible School program for several years; donated her time at the Houlton Elementary School library; has helped at the Putnam House; and has put in many hours with younger children at the Military Street Baptist Church’s CHOICES after-school program as a part of the 4-H Tech Changemakers program.
Cyr has earned many academic achievements including the 2021 Houlton High School Principals Award; earned a State of Maine Seal of Biliteracy in Spanish; and received awards of Excellence in Spanish and Honors English her sophomore year. She has also served as a member and treasurer of the school’s National Honor Society.
Cyr will attend Roger Williams University in Bristol, Rhode Island, where she plans to double major in computer science and cultural studies.
Sidney Peabody has been named second honor essayist at Houlton Middle-High School for the Class of 2021.
(Courtesy of Houlton-Middle High School)
Peabody, the daughter of Daniel and Traci Peabody of New Limerick, has been an active member of the Houlton varsity cheerleading team, the Houlton varsity golf team, and the fall cheerleading squad during her high school career.
She has been involved with many music program activities including Jazz Band, Modern Band, and the annual fall musicals. Peabody attended the All Aroostook Chorus Festival for three years, and the All Aroostook Band Festival for one year. She also choreographed the middle school musical and contributed to choreographing the high school musical. Peabody has been a lifelong member of the Houlton School of Dance.
Peabody is currently president of Houlton High School National Honor Society. She is also the co-president of the Student Council. Peabody currently serves as a student representative for the RSU 29 School Board and also served as a student board representative during the 2019-2020 school year.
Sidney has achieved highest honors all four years of high school; received an Excellence in Spanish Award; earned a State of Maine Seal of Biliteracy in Spanish; and was part of a group of students selected to attend the Rotary Luncheon.
Peabody was also elected to attend the New England Student Leadership Conference based on her leadership in extra curricular activities in school. Peabody’s many volunteer contributions consist of helping at St. Mary’s Community Clean-Up Days, St. Mary’s Vacation Bible School, Yorks of Houlton Kids Day, the Houlton Beauty Pageant, and Houlton Elementary School’s Field Day and Spring Fling celebrations.
Peabody will attend the University of Southern Maine to major in nursing.
Morgan Graham has been named class marshal at Houlton Middle-High School for the Class of 2021.
(Courtesy of Houlton-Middle High School)
Graham, the daughter of Shawn and Angela Graham of Littleton, has been a team member of the varsity girls basketball team all four years of her high school career and has served as captain her senior year. She was part of the Northern Maine Champions/State Runner-Up team in 2018. She was also a member of the Division I Aroostook League runner-ups in 2021. Graham participated in varsity tennis her freshman year, and was a manager this year of the varsity girls soccer team.
Graham received the Principal’s Academic Award throughout all four years at Houlton High School, along with being on Highest Honors. She was among several students selected to be a Rotary Luncheon attendee for academic excellence. Graham received the Excellence in Honors Algebra I her freshman year.
Graham also earned the State of Maine Seal of Biliteracy in Spanish and is a member of Houlton High School National Honor Society, as well as the National Technical Honor Society from the Region Two School of Applied Technology where she has attended classes her junior and senior year.
Currently, Graham serves as a freshman mentor during advisory periods on Thursdays at Houlton High School. She has worked for several years at Mardens; been a volunteer as a group leader for the Vacation Bible School program at the Houlton Wesleyan Church for the past two years and is currently a volunteer for the Adopt-A-Block of Aroostook program food drive.
While attending classes at Region Two, she studied in the Health Sciences Program her junior year and is now a Certified Nursing Assistant. Graham has also been a part of the Rural U program at Region Two this current school year. She will become a licensed phlebotomist by the end of the spring semester.
Graham will attend Liberty University in the fall to major in nursing and has hopes of working as a pediatric nurse practitioner or as a nurse-midwife.
