Community Corner

Simsbury Student Achievements

A collection of graduation announcements, dean's list notices and more.

Aquarion Water Company announced the winners of its first annual Connecticut Environmental Champion Awards at a ceremony held at Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo.

The awards recognized volunteer projects that have significantly contributed to the improvement of environmental quality through the protection, conservation, restoration and/or stewardship of Connecticut’s water, air, soils, and plant and wildlife habitats.

Among the winners was Simsbury High School senior Natalie Valentin, who was selected as environmental champion in the student category and received a $1,000 savings bond. For two years, Valentin led the environmental club at Simsbury High School, working hard to increase its membership and presence within the school. She organized cellphone drives and other recycling activities, helped convince the school administration to switch to single-stream recycling, and found bio-degradable alternatives to Styrofoam in the school cafeteria, to name a few scholastic environmental achievements. Outside of school, Valentin has volunteered with the Farmington Valley River clean up, and recently started working at a small organic farm in Canton. She will attend Middlebury College in the fall with a focus in environmental policy.

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Alexandra N. Niezabitowski received a juris doctor degree from Western New England College.

The following local residents were among the 520 Union College students to graduate June 12: Daniel Schlicher and Andrew Davis.

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Ryan Bradford Brimmer received the juris doctor degree May 7 from Washington and Lee University School of Law.

Emily Bell graduated from Villanova University (Villanova, Pa.).

The following local students recently graduated from Stonehill College: Meaghan Elizabeth Griffin, Claire Helen Strillacci and Kimberly Elizabeth Oaks.

Stonehill College named the following residents to its dean's list for the spring 2011 semester: Stephen C. Hugel, Claire H. Strillacci, Sean W. Welsh and Kimberly E. Oaks.

Brian O'Connor graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a degree in civil engineering on May 22. He is the son of Barbara and Stephen O'Connor. O'Connor was also named to the dean's list during the spring 2011 semester. Students who achieve dean’s honors at Notre Dame represent the top 30 percent of students in their college.

Miami University awarded 3,967 degrees to students during spring commencement. Graduating were Meredith Jean Riordan and Kelly Jo Ferris.

Cornell University announced that the following students graduated with the class of 2011: William Lutz, Peter Chatigny and Zachary Gould.

Kevin Stanko and Laura Picard, both students at Simsbury High School, were awarded the 2011 Saint Michael's College Book Award for Academic Achievement with a Social Conscience. The award recognizes students who demonstrate a commitment to leadership in volunteer service and academic achievement.

Brian Keefe, the son of Jeffrey and Vita Keefe, graduated from Ithaca College's School of Business.

The spring semester dean's list at Bryant University includes the following residents: Rachel Goroff, Alexander McKelvey and Jordan Papadinis.

Eve Strillacci, a member of the class of 2011, was named to the spring 2011 dean's list at Loyola University Maryland.


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