Mildred E. Strang Middle School Students Recognized

More than 130 students, in grades 6 to 8, were recognized on Tuesday for their kindness, responsibility and positive influence or impact on the lives of others in their school and community.

Each sixth and seventh grade student received a $50 scholarship award; each eighth grade students received a $75 scholarship award. Five eighth grade students each received a $500 scholarship award from the .

The scholarship winners were selected anonymously by a committee of MESMS Student Council Leaders because they demonstrated extraordinary selflessness and outstanding commitments to personal values that exemplify the qualities of positive role models.

At the beginning of this school year, the MESMS Bullying Prevention/VIP Committee and the F. Cecil Grace Foundation sponsored the "Rachel’s Challenge and Legacy." These assemblies tell the story of Rachel Scott, the first person killed at Columbine High School, whose diaries, acts of kindness and compassion motivate positive change. Since then, the MESMS Bullying Prevention/VIP Committee and the MESMS Friends of Rachel/VIP Student Club have been meeting to develop and introduce a variety of activities for students to sustain the spirit and momentum of this education.

"The VIP club is for any MESMS student who wants to create a helpful, caring school community where students look out for each other," school principal Linda Grimm said. "These students help plan and initiate activities that share the message with all students that MESMS is a bully-free school."

Sixth grade students being recognized include:

Matthew Barbuti, Emma Bilton, Hannah Bilton, Victoria Bilton, Meaghan Brady, Michael Broder, James Brunner, Wesley Cancro, Thomas Cane, JosephCarbone, Justin Comerford, Samantha DeAcutis, Olivia DeCicco, John Del Priore, Antonietta DiMatteo, Jamison Embury, Hunter Embury, Madeline Ferri, Eden Gagne, Jessica Gerdis, Or Goren, Michele Gross, Brett Hanson, Julia Hirsch, Casey Huppert-Fishman, Dana Huppert-Fishman, Maci Kazin,Michaela Kyer, Meaghan McClure, Jack McKeown, Cristian Mejia, James Meisterich, JustynMikulewicz, Bridget Murphy, Deirdre Nuebel, Kaitlyn Nuebel, Caroline O'Brien, Ellen O'Callaghan, Keegan O'Connor, William O'Connor, Caitlin O'Donnell, Taylor Perry, Joseph Phelan, Jane Pietropaolo, Christopher Pinto, Louis John Ragusa, Olivia Reinkraut, Claudia Rufa, Shane Santucci, JuliaSchildwachter, Guillermo Sosa, Maddison Spiegel, Katelyn Vogel, Julia Wurzel and Hannah Zanon.

Seventh grade students being recognized include: Marissa Ammon, Jessica Arrigoni, Emma Atherall, Victoria Belliveau, Jenna Bender, Joshua Bloom, Kimberly Bourgeois, Jennifer Bradford, Samantha Caddauan, Devon Camillieri, Connor Clarke, Matthew Concialdi, Cameron DaRos, Nicole DeCicco, Samantha Drysdale, Amira Eissa, Daniel Finnegan, Toni Fiore, Lauren Gammer, Ethan Goodchild-Ortiz, Cassandra Green, Kyle Hanson, Thomas Harding, Richie Heckett, Emily Huang, Thomas Hynes, Emma Karnes, Kathryn Keiling, Deidre Kelly, Daniel Kramer, Thomas Louie, Kintashe Mainsah, Nisha Mirchandani, Spencer Pagliuca, Mareena Powe, Matthew Ryan, Harrison Schunk, Max Schwartz, Alyssa Skelly, Julianne Statler, Kenny Torres, Steven Veteri and Jackson Warren.

Eighth grade students being recognized include: Gabrielle Branciforti, Peter Brosnan, Robert Burke, Kevin Carroll, Kaitlyn Comerford, Ryan DiPierro, Anna Alexa Embury, Holly Ferrara, Lauren Gisolfi, Jenna Green, Andrew Greene, Grace Hurley, Sara Kelsey, Pradeepa Krish, Darren Lee, Maria Lemus, Andrew Levin, Samuel Levin, Juan Lubo-Diaz, Dylan Mariuzza, Kayla Melagrano, Sara Mongno, Gabriel-Angel Morales, Brandon Muccitelli, MaryKate Murphy, Jenna Naccarella, Rebecca O'Callaghan, Stephanie Ragusa, Lindsay Sabella, Mia Tucker, Anthony Vicari, Katherine Wartman and Shana Weiss.