Traip Academy names top students in Class of 2024
KITTERY, Maine — Jane Durgin, principal of R.W. Traip Academy, announces the valedictorian, salutatorian and Latin Honor students from the Class of 2024. Commencement exercises will take place on Friday, June 7, at 5 p.m., at Fort Foster Park in Kittery, Maine. If weather does not permit the outdoor venue, Commencement will be held in the Traip Academy Gymnasium. The commencement address will be given by Detective Rochelle Jones, community outreach coordinator for the Portsmouth Police Department. A ticket is required for admission to the ceremony.
Graduating Summa Cum Laude:
Terry Gagner
Terry Gagner, the son of Cecilia and Jeremy Gagner, personifies the phrase “renaissance man,” and brings together all of the values that we hope for in our high school graduates and in our best of friends.
Terry is the valedictorian for the Traip Academy Class of 2024. Of course, this makes him an outstanding student, but he is also an outstanding person, comfortable with others and comfortable to be around. He is not afraid to be himself, and in his own words, “I know who I am and will not waste what I have.” Terry is a natural intellect with a curiosity for learning. But although he is a natural, he wants others to know that it is his dedication and hard work that have brought him to his high academic standing. Terry has not sought recognition or accolades, and yet he has earned them. He has taken advanced, honors, and AP courses throughout his high school years and has developed a passion for math and science. Along with his academic interests, he has a love for music and the arts. He is a performer and a musician. He has been a member of the Traip Academy Band all four years of high school and has had leading roles in many Traip Academy Drama Club performances. His stage presence is memorable as he dances, sings and shines when he is on stage, or when dancing at Traip’s prom.
Along with Terry’s musical talents, he is also a leader for his peers. He has been part of student government for the past four years, serving now as vice president. He is an innovative thinker and supports his peers, bringing to student government a focus on what is best for the student body as a whole. For Terry, it is always a “team-first approach!” He describes himself as polite, and shows this through his willingness to thank others and respect the contributions others have made. Terry is also a strong athlete. He has played on the Traip Academy varsity soccer, basketball, and lacrosse teams. He has served as captain of each of these teams since the start of his sophomore year, taking his leadership role on the field or court seriously and guiding his teams towards success. It is exciting to watch Terry show his skills in all three sports. His senior year he was recognized with the Western Maine Conference Citizenship Award.
Terry has also worked at his family's restaurant since he was 14 years old. It is his strong commitment to his family values that keep him on track with his will to work hard and be true to himself. He truly is one of a kind. Terry will be attending Hofstra University in the fall with a major in forensic science.
Joseph Watts
Joseph Watts is the son of Brenda and Joseph Watts. Joseph is the salutatorian of the Traip Academy Class of 2024. Joseph is bright, insightful and extremely kind spirited. He is a hard-working, motivated student. His enthusiasm for learning is apparent as he moves through his day with a positive outlook and strong desire to succeed. Overall, he has compiled an impressive academic foundation in his years at Traip Academy. He is a well-rounded student who encompasses academic, athletic and leadership qualities.
Something that stands out about Joseph is his determination to be successful in whatever he strives to achieve. If there is an opportunity to excel in a particular area, he will put in the time and effort to reach the highest level. He has continued to maintain high grades throughout high school. He has challenged himself by taking advanced and honors level courses. He is a flexible learner and can adjust to any learning environment. His ability to take an online dual enrollment course, and maintain high achievement in his in-person courses at Traip show that he is able to balance a heavy academic workload with ease.
Joseph is not only an outstanding student in the classroom, he is also a leader among his peers. He is someone that works well in a group setting and is a supportive, helpful classmate. His commitment to his school community is apparent through his actions. He is positive, engaging and thoughtful in his social interactions with his peers. Joseph’s commitment to his school community is not limited to the classroom. Joseph is a talented athlete and has played for the Traip Academy varsity soccer and varsity lacrosse teams for the past four years. To nourish his passion for community service, he applied and was accepted to participate in the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (“RYLA”) Camp the summer before his junior year. He was asked to return to RYLA to participate in the volunteer program as a youth leader the following summer due to his strong connection with the other students invited to the program, as well as his engagement and leadership skills. No matter the situation, Joseph finds a way to participate and make strong connections with others. His friendly demeanor and his acceptance of his peers is contagious in the hallways at Traip Academy.
Joseph will be attending the University of Vermont in the fall with a major in business and a minor in psychology.
Quinn Butler
Quinn Butler is the daughter of Noelle and Adam Butler. Quinn is a strong, intelligent leader among her peers. She strives to be her best self all the time, and in the process, intentionally includes others and makes everyone she comes in contact with feel a sense of belonging and inclusion. It is this attribute that continues to bring her successes in her life. Quinn has only just started her journey of selfless work. Quinn has challenged herself with honors, advanced, and online classes, and even spent a year studying business at Sanford Regional Technical Center. Her passion for learning gives her the ability to be flexible with her academic environment. She has strong advocacy skills and is able to work through any difficult situation that comes her way. She also has a creative flare that gives her an “outside of the box” perspective on challenges she faces.
Her creative mind, meshed with her academic drive, makes Quinn a strong force among her peers, and able to take on many different challenges. Quinn has been a leader in student government since her freshman year. She has been the treasurer of her class for the past three years and this year, her senior year, she is the president of her class. She is also a member of the National Honor Society. She is secretary for the Traip Academy chapter of the National Honor Society. Her comfort in leadership positions is apparent in the activities she embraces outside of her academic courses.
Quinn has dedicated four years to field hockey and lacrosse and has been captain of both teams her junior and senior years. Quinn is a strong athlete, who works hard and has grown as a player on the field. She is inclusive of all of her teammates and guides them in her role as captain with respect and high expectations. She has high expectations for herself, but takes feedback with grace and works to improve at every practice and in every game. There have been many times in the past two years that referees would approach her coaches and compliment her athletic ability as well as her calm, focused, respectful demeanor on the field. A quote that Quinn holds onto is, “To love and to lose, and to still be kind.” She shared that even when enduring hardships, the most important thing is to continue to be kind.
Quinn will be attending the University of Delaware in the fall with a major in sociology.
Colby Christiansen
Colby Christiansen is the son of Marissa and Jonathan Christiansen. Positivity is an attribute that Colby lives by. It is important for him to look at life as being a glass half full. He is an optimistic power house, one could say. He strives to be a positive force and to have his outlook on life change the way that others see things. He is very humble in his interactions with others; in fact, he may not even know the positive impact that he has had on his teachers and peers. He is a strong, motivated student and a dedicated athlete. He approaches his days with a well-balanced, calm demeanor that exudes confidence and contentment.
As a student, Colby is motivated and driven. He has challenged himself by taking advanced level classes and he excels in math and science. He has talked about his strong role models at home: his family, who have helped him stay the course with his academics. One of his greatest academic accomplishments is receiving high honors in his junior year. He took challenging courses and at the same time was recognized for his achievement. He has reflected on this and has pride in the relationships he made with his teachers. Colby hopes to pave the way for his peers as a role model in class. When asked to describe himself, he used the word “adaptable,” which for Colby would seem to mean flexible and intuitive. He is able to adapt to many different situations and to stay on course to reach his goals. There have been many situations that he has faced that have required him to think carefully and adjust and reset his path. In doing so, Colby has kept others’ perspectives in mind while navigating a path forward. And through it all, Colby has stayed true to his moral compass.
Colby is not only an outstanding student, but he is a fantastic baseball player. He is the captain of the Traip Academy varsity baseball team. He is inclusive and respectful of his teammates and supports their improvement on the field. He takes his passion for baseball and shares it with budding athletes. He has volunteered to coach Kittery Little League and Babe Ruth baseball. He loves working with younger kids and helping them reach their full potential in a sport that he loves. Colby takes the stance that, “One’s future possibilities are endless; anything can happen depending on the decisions on where you want to go.”
Colby will be attending the University of Vermont in the fall with a major in international business.
Olivia Kenney
Olivia Kenney is the daughter of April and James Kenney. Olivia is a kind, compassionate, helpful person. She looks out for her peers and helps and supports them in any way that she can. When she was a sophomore she applied to Sanford Regional Technical Center, joining and becoming very passionate about the Health Occupations program. Although she knew that she would need to spend half of her school day at another school, taking time away from her friends and studies at Traip, she was motivated and stayed true to her goals that she set for herself. She was accepted into the program and was very successful. That same year she was inducted not only into the National Honor Society at Traip, but also the National Technical Honor Society for her work and dedication to her Health Occupations program. She is a bright light, one that is always there to help and support her friends and family and still balance her demanding academic and extracurricular schedule.
Academically, Olivia is a strong student. She has challenged herself by taking advanced and honors level courses throughout her high school years. She is conscientious and maintains academic focus. In Olivia’s junior year she was awarded Student of the Month in Advanced Modern American Literature, and she was part of the Traip Academy Interact Club and attended RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Awards). These are only a few of the activities that Olivia engages in on a regular basis. Her devotion to and volunteering in her community is one of her proudest accomplishments. She holds over 200 hours of community service. Even with this impressive resume, she is humble and grounded, never taking anything for granted and continuously working hard. Outside of school Olivia is a competitive dancer. She has been dancing since she was young and continues to dance at the highest level throughout her high school years. In dance she has gained confidence in her ability to be a leader and to mentor the younger dance students. She is truly a positive role model for all of her peers in dance. Although she has a great many attributes, Olivia would like her peers to remember her most as someone who is “always willing to try anything with a positive mindset and a kind and helpful attitude.”
Olivia will be attending Endicott College in the fall with a major in psychology and continuing her passion for dance as a member of the dance team.
Marie Lane
Marie Lane is the daughter of Sarah and Eric Lane. Marie stands out as someone who sets high expectations for herself and does not waiver, no matter the circumstances. It is her lifelong goal to perform on Broadway, and with her skills and drive, she might just do so! She is a passionate student with a fierce persistence to reach her goals, not letting anything slow her down. Academically, Marie is an incredible student, one who has a sophisticated approach to learning. She is not one to back down or go the easy route. She has taken advanced and honors level courses in person at Traip, as well as online and dual enrollment courses. She has a transcript that reflects her broad interests and a high level of performance. She is proud of herself for holding a high academic standing in the class of 2024, and she wants her classmates to remember her focus and her persistence.
Marie is invested in her education at Traip. She has spent time thinking about her course work and how she can take academic risks, while maintaining her grade point average. There is not much that she has not tried in school, including arts, music, theater, dance, challenging course work and leadership roles. Marie has been a member of the Traip Academy Student Council for the past three years and has been a strong asset to the group. Whether it is planning activities, helping with fundraisers or managing school-wide events, she is there with a smile ready to take on any role to help and support her peers. Marie has been accepted and recognized by the National Society of High School Scholars, and the National Honor Society. Her junior year she applied and was accepted to the Rotary Youth Leadership Award Camp. One of her proudest accomplishments from high school was performing in the Teen Repertory Academy, which included roles such as Fantine in Les Miserables, Cady in Mean Girls, and Martha in A Christmas Carol. Throughout her high school career, she has been working and volunteering for the Seacoast Repertory Theater as a camp counselor and teacher at their well-known theater camp. The summer camp has been very important to her, because she is passionate about being part of teaching young acting students about what their strengths are, and having the opportunity to mentor and share her love of theater with this highly impressionable group of youth.
Marie works hard to follow her dreams. There is no doubt that one day she will take a deep breath and step out onto the stage on Broadway, knowing that she is there because of her acting gifts, her drive and her determination. An important life lesson that Marie has learned is to take time to focus on herself. She has expressed, “Learning to love oneself is vital to being happy, and loving ourselves is important. Growing ourselves as humans is the best thing anyone can ever do for themselves.”
Marie will be attending Colorado State University in the fall with a major in journalism and media communications.
Connor Maurice
Connor Maurice is the son of Kristin and Andrew Maurice. Connor is a mature, driven, and focused student. He is kind and reliable, and a consistently loyal friend. He has maintained a strong academic standing by being prepared and invested in his performance in school. Connor prides himself on being an active listener. One of Connor’s strengths is that he listens and takes his time to respond. He is thoughtful with his words, and listens carefully to understand, rather than just to come up with a quick response. Connor is an intellect at heart and has a passion for math and science. Although Connor prefers his STEM course load, he strives for success in all of his classes. He worked hard and received an Academic Achievement Award for Advanced Modern American Literature his junior year. Connor thrives in his math courses as he has the mind of an engineer.
Connor has been on the Traip Academy math team all four years of high school. He has taken AP and online math courses and has been successful in both in-person and virtual learning. Connor is proud of his success in AP Calculus and AP Physics his junior year. He also took an academic risk and applied for a Precision Manufacturing course at Sanford Regional Technical School; he was admitted to the program and attended his junior year. Attending SRTC was an outside of the box move for Connor, which increased his flexibility in learning and his ability to excel in academics in a hands-on setting. Along with his ability to maintain high academic performance, Connor has invested time in music and athletics. He has been a member of the Traip Academy Jazz Band throughout high school and is a talented musician. Connor has a passion for running and has been on the Traip Academy varsity cross country team for the past three years and has committed four years to the varsity track team. He has held the title of captain on both teams. He medaled in all three of his events at the Class C Maine State Outdoor Track and Field Championship his junior year. He identifies as a student and a runner and has shared that these two descriptors are truly what matter to him. He wants his classmates to remember him as “someone with an amazing work ethic and one that is good to be around.”
Connor plans to attend the University of Maine in the fall with a major in mechanical engineering.
Graduating Magna Cum Laude:
Quinn Alessi; Caroline Carven; Margaret Farr; Caleb French; Hanna Jubay; Riley Nadeau; Samantha Saiauski; Kellan Weldy.
Graduating Cum Laude
Chayse Burns; Jacob DiSalvo; Isaiah Gianotti; Georgia Jackson; Brody Johnson; Addyson Keelty; Poppy Lord; Nicholas Martine; Jack McNamara; Angelina Murdock; Jayson Roth; Syd Satenstein; Mercedes Swanson; Matt Walker; Jack Zottoli.
This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Traip Academy names top students in Class of 2024
