HOULTON, Maine — Principal DeWayne Morse has released Houlton Middle/High School’s student honor parts for the Class of 2023.
Kenzie Hodgkins, the daughter of Seth and Holly Hodgkins of Houlton, has been named valedictorian. Kenzie has consistently earned highest honors throughout her high school career and has received numerous awards such as Excellence in English Awards 9, and 10, Excellence in AP Language and Composition, Excellence in Trigonometry/Advanced Mathematics, Excellence in AP US History, and Excellence in Spanish grade 9. A member of the National Honor Society, Kenzie also received the George Eastman Young Leaders Award for 2022, the Spanish Global Seal of Biliteracy Award, the 2023 Maine Principals Award, and was named a Penobscot Valley Conference Scholar-Athlete and Aroostook League Scholar-Athlete for 2023.
Kenzie has been active in many extracurricular activities. She has been a trumpet player in the jazz ensemble for four years and earned a rating of one for her solo at the state jazz festival in 2023. She played in McGill’s Community Band for the 2022 and 2023 school years and with the Houlton High School Musical Pit Band in 2019, 2021, and 2022. She has been a varsity cheerleader all four years and was a co-captain during her senior year. Throughout high school, she also participated in fall cheering, cross country, dance classes, and the outdoor club.
Outside of school, Kenzie has worked for Houlton Farms Dairy Bar since 2020 and also for Miller Farms, helping in the potato house during fall harvest. An avid baker, Hodgkins loves to take a recipe and make it her own and then share her delicious treats with others.
Kenzie will attend the University of Maine at Orono to study chemical engineering.
Natalie DeLucca, the daughter of Dan and Cindy DeLucca, has been named salutatorian. She has played on the soccer and tennis teams all four years of high school. While playing soccer, she earned many awards that reflect her athleticism, academic achievements, and character. These awards include: Penobscot Valley All-Academic, the Butch Shaw Memorial Award, All-Aroostook Girls Class B/C, Northern Maine Class C All Star Team, Northern Maine State Team, Penobscot Valley Athletic Award, and the Penobscot Valley Outstanding Academic Achievement. She also held the title of team captain.
Natalie is the vice president and treasurer of the Class of 2023, a member of the National Honor Society, and a member of the student council. She attended the Model State Youth in Government program her freshman and sophomore years. She also attended the Cohen Institute for Leadership and Public Service.
Natalie is an active member of the Church of the Good Shepherd where she volunteers her time during Sunday school. She has been a SAMHA Learn-to-Skate assistant coach and assisted at middle school soccer tournaments and church-related activities.
Natalie has earned many awards during her high school career. During her freshman and sophomore years, she earned perfect attendance awards. During her sophomore year, she earned the Science Award and the Spanish Award. Delucca was awarded the Susan B. Anthony Award and the Cohen Emerging Leader Award her junior year and was named student of the first quarter at Region Two. She also earned her state and national biliteracy in Spanish.
Natalie plans to attend the University of New England.
Hailey Quint has been named first honor essayist.
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Hailey Quint, daughter of Jon Quint and Hollie Barton, has been named first honor essayist.
Hailey has been an active student council member for four years and currently holds the office of vice president. She has also been the secretary of her class. She is a member of the National Honor Society and has earned highest honors each year of high school as well as awards in geometry, Breaking Ground, and history.
In addition to traveling to Spain and Portugal with other classmates, Hailey received the Global Seal of Biliteracy this year and had the honor of speaking at a world language conference in Portland.
Hailey earned the Maine Career Exploration badge by spending over 40 hours job shadowing with Destiny Russell at Modern Beauty Salon. She enjoys volunteering and has put in countless hours at the American Legion, Littleton Community Playground, Festival of Trees, and Adopt-a-Block.
Hailey calls the Houlton School of Dance her second home because she has been taking classes since she was four years old and has studied jazz, tap, contemporary, hip-hop, and ballet. This year she starred as Veruca from the movie “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.” Hailey has played tennis all four years of high school, and participated in fall cheerleading for two years, and varsity cheerleading all four years. She received an award for best jumps and was recognized as all-academic at the 2022 Penobscot Valley Conference.
Hailey works at T&S Market with some of her most valued friends and enjoys nature and spending time with family and friends.
She has committed to Aveda Institute in Augusta to become a certified cosmetologist and lash technician.
Madalyn Quirk has been named Second Honor Essayist.
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Madalyn Quirk, the daughter of James and Sarah Quirk of Littleton, has been named Second Honor Essayist. Madalyn has earned highest honors for all four years of high school and received the PVC All-Academic Award, the Williams College Book Award, and the Seal of Biliteracy Award for Spanish. She is also a class officer and the treasurer for the National Honor Society.
Madalyn participated in varsity golf and cheer all four years of high school and also managed the boys lacrosse team for two years.
Madalyn currently works for the Houlton Recreation Department. She has volunteered her time for the Littleton playground fundraiser, the Junior Golf Program, and at the Houlton Elementary School.
Madalyn will either attend Regis College for Diagnostic Medical Sonography or the University of Southern Maine for a degree in Occupational Therapy.
Mariah Peterson has been named class marshall.
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Mariah Peterson,the daughter of Cindy Peterson of Houlton, has been named class marshall. Peterson is the president of both the Class of 2023 and the student council. Mariah has taken numerous AP and honors courses throughout her high school career. A member of the National Honor Society since the end of her junior year, she has earned high honors all four years of high school.
Mariah has played varsity tennis for the past three years and has been in several musical productions. She also found time to volunteer for the district in all of the schools.
Peterson plans to attend Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston to complete her degree in interior design/architecture.
