Samantha Yap, Stamford
This junior has achieved a weighted GPA of 4.46 while taking AP and honors classes.
Samantha is a member of the girls cross country team, boys wrestling team, and she also runs outdoor track. She was named captain for cross country and is the first-ever female captain for the Stamford High School wrestling team.
Samantha became the first-ever female state wrestling champion during her freshman year, has been named scholar-athlete, and has achieved All-State First Team.
She also volunteers at Stamford Junior Wrestling Club.
Bella Andjelkovic, Wilton
Bella, currently the president of the National Honor Society, has maintained an unweighted GPA of 3.971 while taking multiple honors and AP classes.
She has been a member of both the girls volleyball and girls basketball programs. Bella was a JV volleyball team captain during her sophomore year and varsity volleyball captain as a senior. She has also won the Sportsmanship Award three years in a row.
Bella was the recipient of the Tulane University PTSA Book Award, a managing editor for the school newspaper, a mentor for Wilton’s PeerVention program, secretary of Amnesty International club, and founder of her school’s environmental club.
She spends much of her time volunteering and advocating for people suffering from severe food allergies (like herself), which she hopes to pursue in college by becoming an immunologist.
Lindsay Capobianco, St. Joseph
This senior captain of the girls gymnastics team, who is one of the best gymnasts, in the state has a grade average of 100.52.
Her freshman year she competed as an individual gymnast and was one of the members of the first gymnastics team at St. Joseph during her sophomore year. The team finished the 2020 regular season undefeated and was runner-up in FCIAC and state championship meets.
Lindsay was selected to the All-FCIAC First Team and All-State First Team three consecution years during her freshman, sophomore and junior years. During her senior season at the FCIAC championship meet she was runner-up in the all-around with score of 36.45.
She received the Saint Anselm College Book Award, the religion award, and the art award. Lindsay is also a member of the National Honor Society and Math Honor Society.
Lindsay volunteers with Special Olympics, the ALS Association, the Trumbull YMCA, and at her local church. She will study Elementary Education in the Honors program at Sacred Heart University this upcoming fall and plans on competing in club gymnastics.
Maggie Russell, Darien
Maggie has been a member of the girls gymnastics and girls outdoor track and field teams for all four years of high school, and is a captain of both teams this year. She earned All-FCIAC for track last year.
She has a GPA of 4.4, is president of the Mathematical Modeling Club, Tea Club, and JETS Club, and is vice president of Mu Alpha Theta, the national math honor society.
Maggie was the recipient of the Harvard Club Book Award and volunteers at Person to Person.
Karl Schmidt, Fairfield Warde
This senior co-captain of the boys basketball team has GPA of 3.8 while being enrolled in AP and Honors classes. He has been a member of the boys basketball and boys lacrosse teams all four years.
Karl has done extensive volunteer work through SASO, where he participates in food drives and setting up events.
His passion for basketball extends beyond the Warde gym – he has coached youth teams at the local Boys and Girls club for the past three years.
Karl is active in his church and volunteered his time as an altar server for several years.
Alex Blaha, Ridgefield
Alex is a member of the National Honor Society who has achieved a weighted GPA of 4.598 while consistently being a High Honor Roll student throughout high school.
This senior co-captain of the wrestling team is a two-time FCIAC finalist and he also advanced to the championship match of the CIAC Class LL Wrestling Tournament.
Alex serves as a tutor with the National Honor Society, and he has been a volunteer for a summer camp, youth wrestling practices, and virtual mRNA research.
Andrew Choi, Westhill
Andrew is a High Honor Roll student who has an unweighted GPA of 3.95 and a weighted GPA of 4.77. He is also a member of the National Honor Society, National Math Honor Society, and National Latin Honor Society.
Andrew has been playing on the varsity boys volleyball team since his sophomore year and has been a member of the boys swimming and diving team since his junior hear. Andrew has been a member of the Westhill Debate Team for two years, along with being a class officer for the student government.
He was a recipient of the Rensselaer Medal and is a captain of the Westhill Math Team. He has volunteered for two years at the Chinese Language School of Fairfield County and has also tutored his peers.
Andrew plans to study computer science at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
Max Andrews, Wilton
Max has made High Honor Roll for seven consecutive semesters while making High Honors for 13 quarters and has achieved an unweighted GPA 3.92 while taking AP and various Honor Roll classes. Max also has the Seal of Biliteracy for Spanish in Connecticut.
Max played soccer for the New York Red Bulls developmental teams during his freshman, sophomore, and junior years. While there, he was appointed captain of the U15, U17, and U19 teams.
Max is the current captain of the U19 Beachside Soccer team in Connecticut, and he also plays for Wilton High School’s varsity boys basketball team.
He is a member of Wilton’s Safe Rides and helps coach local youth sports within his community, such as basketball and soccer.
Max will attend West Point and play for its soccer team.
Jocelyn Sandoval, Bridgeport Central
Jocelyn, a senior captain for both the girls varsity soccer and girls varsity basketball teams, has achieved an unweighted GPA of 3.5.
She currently takes Honors, AP, and ECE courses with the University of Connecticut in the magnet program at Bridgeport Central High School.
Jocelyn volunteers at her St. George Catholic Church in Bridgeport, and she has tutored at the Boys and Girls Clubhouse.
Audra Hansen, Westhill
Audra, who maintains a 3.97 GPA consisting of Honors and Advanced Placement courses, is a member of both the National Honor Society and Spanish National Honor Society.
She is an active member of Stamford Education for Autism Club.
This three-sport captain as a member of the girls soccer, girls basketball and girls lacrosse teams was selected to the FCIAC Freshman All-Star Girls Basketball Team.
Audra, a winner of the Miami University of Ohio Book Award for strong academic performance and dedication to volunteerism in the community, volunteers as a coach with Stamford’s youth girls basketball and lacrosse teams.
Audra is committed to play Division I lacrosse at the University of Massachusetts Lowell.
Esme Fagan, Fairfield Ludlowe
Esme has been a member of Fairfield Ludlowe’s girls soccer and gymnastics teams all four years of high school.
She was a key contributor for the gymnastics program which won back-to-back FCIAC team championships in 2020 and ’21. Esme has earned All-FCIAC Second Team and the All-American Team for gymnastics her junior year.
Esme has a 4.3 GPA, taking Honors and AP classes, and is a member of the Math, English, and National Honors Societies.
Esme also volunteers at Leaps of Faith Adaptive Skiers during the summer, helping children and adults with disabilities learn how to waterski. In school, she has participated in the Red Cross Club, and UNICEF Club, and was awarded the Clarkson University Achievement Award her junior year.
John McNabola, St. Joseph
John has achieved a 4.0 GPA while taking multiple AP and Honors course and has made President’s Honor Roll all four years. He was inducted into the National Honor Society and Spanish Honor Society.
He is currently the captain of the boys ice hockey team and is also a member of the varsity baseball team.
John serves as a student ambassador and peer minister, working with underclassmen. John’s volunteerism consists of helping young kids learn how to skate and play hockey. He is also an umpire for Little League Baseball.
Shayenne Tomasik, Danbury
Shayenne is a distinguished Honor Roll student who has earned a 4.63 GPA while taking a rigorous course load of AP and honors classes.
She has been inducted into the National Honor Society, Science National Honor Society, and the National Math Honor Society. She is also vice president of her school’s HOSA Future Health Professional chapter.
She is a four-year member of both the field hockey team and the ski racing team. Shayenne was selected captain during her senior season in both sports. She made the FCIAC All-West Field Hockey Team this past fall and was named a Danbury High School Scholar Athlete.
Shayenne also attends a weekly Polish School where she advances her Polish language and knowledge of her parents’ country’s culture, history, and geography. She is a leader within her Polish community, participating in many competitions as well as volunteer functions.
Miles Bradley, Fairfield Ludlowe
Miles has achieved a 4.29 GPA while taking Honors and AP classes.
He is a senior captain of Ludlowe’s indoor track and field team and has competed at both FCIAC and state championship meet during both the indoor and outdoor track seasons.
Miles is the first chair cellist of his school’s chamber orchestra, and volunteers through Music Honor Society and SASO. Miles was a recipient of the Clarkson University Leadership Award and is a National Merit Scholarship semifinalist.
He will attend Duke University this fall to study engineering.
Javier Serra, Greenwich
The senior captain of the wrestling team has achieved a 4.96 weighted GPA entering his senior year.
Javier has received the Sportsmanship Award, and Grit and Toughness Award as a wrestler. He is also a four-year member of Greenwich’s baseball team.
Javier is an avid voice in student government. As senior class president, he speaks monthly at the Board of Education to update elected officials on the school community and advise policy modifications when appropriate. Javier served on the GHS Reopening Committee and offered a student perspective on how to best operate amidst COVID.
Javier is co-president of the Student Policy Initiative Club, where students advocate on local and state issues. He is passionate about reforming the electoral system to reduce hyper-partisanship and increase civic engagement.
Javier will attend Harvard in the fall.
Brenyn Boswell, Danbury
Brenyn is a driven student-athlete who is as hardworking as they come and that reflects both on the field and in the classroom.
He achieved a 3.96 GPA and is a High Honor Roll student with a rigorous schedule all four years consisting of all Honors and AP courses. Brenyn is striving for that goal of having that 4.0 by the end of his senior year.
Brenyn, a varsity athlete since his freshman year, is passionate about giving back to the community of Danbury. This has been done through multiple aspects such as voluntarily helping coach and “waterboy” youth football teams, as well as refereeing elementary school basketball games for three seasons.
Siovhan Moroney, Ridgefield
This National Honor Society member has achieved an unweighted GPA of 4.42 and has made High Honor Roll all four years of high school via her challenging and unique course load.
Siovhan has been a four-year member of Ridgefield’s girls volleyball, girls basketball and girls lacrosse teams and has been named a senior captain of both the volleyball and basketball teams. She was a key contributor for the girls basketball program which won two consecutive FCIAC championships, including an undefeated season in 2021, and was selected All-FCIAC Honorable Mention in basketball. During the spring season she made the All-FCIAC Second Team and All-State Second Team in lacrosse. Siovhan was also a two-time recipient of the Tiger Pride Award.
She is an active member of the RHS Unity Club, Girls Scouts, and Lions Heart. Siovhan also volunteers for Ridgefield Youth lacrosse and coaches Ridgefield Youth Travel Basketball.
Jade Hutchinson, Stamford
This senior has achieved a weighted GPA OF 4.135 while taking all Honors and AP courses, including NCC courses.
Jade has been a member of the girls varsity basketball and outdoor track and field teams since her freshman year.
She is a club member of NEHS (National English Honors Society), NSHSS (National Society of High School Scholars), ECS (Early College Studies), and U-Knighted Nation.
Jade was an intern at Ludlowe Commons, as well as a volunteer at Stamford Hospital, FHEC (First Haitian Evangelical Church), Food Pantry, and UConn Stamford.
Matthew Taylor, Darien
Matthew, who has achieved a GPA of 3.8, is a versatile athlete who has been a member of the football and track and field teams for four years.
This year he is a co-captain for both the indoor and outdoor track seasons. Matthew has won a state championship with the football team and has qualified for seven total track and field events in FCIAC and state championship meets in the past two years, placing in five of them. He also placed 12th last spring in the CIAC Boys Decathlon Championships.
Mathew has been a part of the Helping Hands Club and Global Philanthropy Leaders for three years.
Josie Dolan, Staples
Josie has achieved a 4.14 weighted GPA while taking AP and Honors classes and is a three-season captain for the cross country, indoor and outdoor track seasons.
This year she placed eighth in the 3,200 at the FCIAC indoor championship meet. As a cross country runner this past fall, Josie placed 10th at the 2021 FCIAC Cross Country Championships to secure her spot on the All-FCIAC First Team and then she was 16th at the CIAC Class LL state championship meet. As a junior she made the 2020-21 Pandemic Year FCIAC All-Central Region and All-State First Team. She helped Staples win the FCIAC championship last spring in outdoor track and field and was a member of the 4×800 relay team that was All-FCIAC First Team.
Josie is a member of the Science, Spanish, and Math National Honors Societies. She is a Link Crew Leader, a mentor for her Church youth group, and a member of the Stars of Hope club.
Josie is committed to Middlebury College and plans to run cross country, indoor and outdoor track.
Benjamin Van Steen, Brien McMahon
Benjamin has made High Honor Roll every quarter of his high school career and received a 4.36 GPA for his first three years with a 4.57 for his senior year.
He is enrolled in primarily AP and IB courses while also being part of the IB Career Program.
Benjamin has been a varsity wrestling starter all four years and was named a captain for his senior years. He plays for the baseball program during the spring and has been a varsity team member the past two years.
He is a co-founder of the Brien McMahon Investing Club and was a volunteer of the Green Ledge Lighthouse Preservation Society. Benjamin also volunteers for several more community organizations such as Filling in the Blanks, Al’s Angels, the Junior Rowayton Civic Association, and Senators Helping Seniors.
Patrick Burdzicki, Norwalk
Patrick is a senior co-captain who has been a four-year member of the Norwalk/McMahon boys swimming and diving team from 2018-22, a period in which he qualified for the state championship meets every year.
He has achieved a 4.41 GPA (weighted) and is a High Honor Roll student while taking mostly AP and Honors classes.
Patrick was inducted into the National Honor Society last May and the National Spanish Honor Society this past September. He is a recipient of the Dartmouth College Book Award (2021), Connecticut Swimming Scholar-Athlete Award (2020, 2021), and Silver Medal in the National Spanish Examination (2019).
For the past seven years he has been on the Zeus Swim Team.
Patrick, who plans on swimming in college, works as a part-time lifeguard and volunteers for several community organizations.
Claire DeMato, Fairfield Warde
Claire has achieved a cumulative GPA of 4.02 while taking Honors and AP courses throughout high school.
She is also a member of the National Honor Science Honor Society, the Science Honor Society, and the Math Honor Society.
Claire is a vital four-year member of Warde’s excellent varsity dance team who has contributed significantly to her team winning two state championships and being both regionally and nationally ranked. She was awarded the MVP dancer for the 2018-19 and 2020-21 seasons along with being selected as a member of the UDA All-American dance team during her sophomore and senior years.
Claire is also co-president of the Cinderella Project club after being a member all throughout high school.
Kiera Henry, McMahon
Kiera, the best female pole vaulter the school has ever had, has been a High Honor Roll student throughout high school and was awarded with the Chatham University Rachel Carson Book Award and Frances Warde Service Award.
She competes in both the pole vault and long sprints for McMahon’s girls track and field program and owns the pole vault school records for both the indoor and outdoor teams.
Kiera has volunteered to tutor local students, deliver food during COVID to high-risk individuals, and she organized a toy drive for the past holiday season.
Freud-William Maignan, Trumbull
Freud has an unweighted GPA of 4.1 and has been accepted into the National Science and Math Honor Society.
He takes multiple AP and Honors classes including one dual enrollment UConn course.
Freud has done indoor and outdoor track throughout high school, earning All-FCIAC Second Team in the 4×200-meter relay and the 4×400 relay along with All-FCIAC Third Team in the 600.
He also plays the alto and tenor saxophone for the concert band. Freud is a member of the Interact Club, French Club, and Trillium (the Trumbull High School yearbook club). He also volunteers at the Trumbull Library.
Juliana Sassano, Trumbull
Juliana, a senior who has been a member of the cheerleading team for all four years, has a weighted GPA of 5.04 and is a member of the Math, Italian, and National Honor Societies.
She was All-FCIAC First Team her junior year and captain of the varsity cheer team her senior year.
Juliana has received the Trinity College Book Award, a Seal of Biliteracy in Italian, and is a National Merit Commended Scholar.
She volunteers for Unified Cheerleading and Trumbull Pop Warner Youth Cheerleading. Juliana plans on studying nursing to become a nurse anesthetist.
Alexa Nakanishi, Greenwich
Alexa is a High Honor Roll student and an accepted member of the National Honor Society with a cumulative GPA of 4.84 and was named as a 2022 Regeneron Science Talent Scholar for her research on learning disorders.
She is four-year member of the fencing team who was named a team captain for her senior year, and she’s also played on the girls volleyball and girls golf teams.
Alexa is the Editor in Chief of the Greenwich High School Compass Yearbook, has been accepted into the Western Regional Orchestra for all four years, and she volunteers at the Greenwich Library and with the Help 4 the Homeless Club.
Isaias Gonzalez, Norwalk
Isaias is a senior at P-Tech Norwalk and has a GPA of 3.2 while holding a consistent job and playing two sports. Most of his classes the last two years are either AP or dual enrollment classes with Norwalk Community College.
He is also the varsity captain of the Norwalk High boys basketball team.
Isaias was accepted into the Western Regional Music Festival this year for his vocal expertise.
Michael Brody, Staples
This senior captain of the boys basketball team has achieved High Honors for all 14 quarters of his high school career and has a 4.4 GPA.
Michael, a National Merit Scholar semifinalist, is a member of the National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta (Mathematics), Rho Kappa (Social Studies), and Spanish Honor Societies.
During his junior year he was a recipient of the AP Scholar with Distinction and the University of Pennsylvania Book Award.
Michael is a four-year member of the boys basketball and baseball programs, a varsity player his last two years. He’s also a four-year member of the Staples Mock Trial Team.
Michael volunteers for Special Olympics for Connecticut and the Bobby Valentine Sports Academy.