Louis M. Nicoletti is valedictorian of the Class of 2014 at Ansonia High School, Principal Joseph Dobbins has announced.
Louis and the other top 10 students of the class will be honored at a banquet, hosted by the Ansonia Board of Education, on June 9 at AHS, and they will lead their classmates during the commencement exercises scheduled for June 18 at the Nolan Field complex.
The son of Tina and Louis Nicoletti Jr., Louis is a leader in many academic and scholastic activities. He is president of the AHS Class of 2014 and the Valley United Way Youth Leadership Council and captain of the AHS baseball team. Louis is a member of the National Honor Society, the Spanish Honor Society, Student Governance Council and the Human Relations Club. He is a CAPT Scholar, and AP Scholar and a CIAC Scholar.
Louis has earned college credit by taking and successfully passing tests in AP Statistics, AP Biology, AP Chemistry, AP Language and Composition and HCC Pre-Calculus. He is presently enrolled in AP Physics, AP Calculus, AP Literature and Composition, and HCC Accounting.
In the community, Louis has volunteered at the Spooner House in Shelton, at Harvest House, at Special Olympics Bowling in Milford, and several other activities with student government and the Valley United Way. Louis will be majoring in economics at Harvard University this fall.
Salutatorian: Karalyn Meineke
Karalyn Meineke, daughter of Susan and Richard Meineke, is salutatorian.
She has held several leadership roles, including serving this year as co-president of the AHS band, a representative for student government, and intergenerational program officer with the Human Relations Club.
Karalyn, a CAPT Scholar, is also a member of the National Honor Society, the Spanish Honor Society and the yearbook committee and is co-captain of the AHS volleyball team.
Karalyn participates in the Yale Model United Nations/Hemispheres Program and has won the Harvard Book Award, was selected as the AHS Volleyball Scholar Athlete, and for the Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendents’ Award.
Karalyn has taken numerous AP and HCC courses at AHS, earning college credit for AP/ECE Chemistry, HCC Algebra II and HCC Pre-Calculus, and she is enrolled in three AP courses this year.
In the community, she works at KFC in Derby, teaches Sunday School, helps with Vacation Bible School, and is a nursery attendant at the Zion Lutheran Church in Orange. She has also volunteered at the Westport Memorial Day Parade. She will be majoring in secondary education mathematics at UConn in Storrs this fall.
Morgan Westine
Morgan Westine, daughter of Susan and Jeff Westine, is third in her class. A three-sport athlete, Morgan is vice president of the Class of 2014, editor-in-chief of the AHS yearbook, and is a member of the National and Spanish honor societies.
She is captain of the volleyball, basketball and softball teams at AHS. Morgan is a CAPT Scholar and an AP Scholar and she was selected as the New Haven Tap-Off Club Scholar Athlete and as a CIAC Scholar Athlete.
Morgan has enrolled in numerous AP and HCC courses, earning college credit for successfully passing AP Statistics, AP Chemistry and AP Language and Composition. She is presently enrolled in several advanced courses.
In the community, she has volunteered for TEAM’s Toys for Kids and the Men Who Cook fundraiser, and she has volunteered for the American Red Cross Blood Drive. Morgan will major in physical therapy at Simmons College in Boston this fall.
Cailee D’Amico
Cailee D’Amico, daughter of Mary and Frank D’Amico, is ranked fourth.
A CAPT Scholar, she has held several leadership roles, including director of education for the Human Relations Club and treasurer of the National Honor Society.
She is also a member of the Future Business Leaders Club, Spanish Club, Chess Club and Spanish Honor Society and was selected for a Charger Pride Award.
As part of her work with the Human Relations Club, Cailee has volunteered at the Ansonia Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony, the intergenerational programs with members of the Doyle and Derby senior centers, and anti-bullying education programs for elementary and middle school students in Ansonia and Derby.
Cailee has taken advantage of the numerous college-level courses offered at AHS, successfully earning college credit for AP/UConn/ECE Chemistry, AP/UConn/ECE Physics, HCC Pre-Calculus and HCC Algebra II. She is also enrolled in several advanced courses this year. Cailee will be majoring in forensic science at Western New England University in September.
David Widel
David Widel, son of Marek and Janina Widel, is fifth in his class.
Vice President of the National Honor Society, a CAPT Scholar and a senior class representative, David is also a member of the Human Relations Club.
He has been a member of the AHS soccer team for four years and is captain this year.
In the community, David has volunteered more than 60 hours at Griffin Hospital.
David has earned college credit by successfully passing the AP Chemistry test, the AP Language and Composition test, and HCC Marketing test. He is presently enrolled in HCC Accounting, AP Literature and Composition, AP Physics and AP Calculus. He will major in engineering at Boston University in September.
Alexa Picheco
Alexa Picheco, daughter of John Picheco and Tricia Barto, is sixth in her class.
She is treasurer of the Class of 2014 and is a member of numerous school clubs, including the National Honor Society, the Spanish Club, Chess Club, Yearbook Committee, Spirit Club, FBLA and DECA.
She is captain of the AHS Varsity Cheerleading Squad and volunteers as a coach with Ansonia Youth Cheerleading. She also volunteers at Holy Rosary Church and for Toys for Tots.
A CAPT Scholar and AP Scholar, Alexa has earned college credit in AP Chemistry/UConn Chemistry and AP/UConn Physics. She is also enrolled in several AP and HCC courses this year.
Alexa will be majoring in marketing at Suffolk University in Boston this fall.
Melissa Pannone
Melissa Pannone, daughter of Susan Sperling and Lester Pannone, is ranked seventh.
A CAPT Scholar, she is a member of the National Honor Society, the Spanish Honor Society, and the Human Relations Club and was a member of the Forensic Club for two years.
She is captain of the AHS Girls Soccer team and has been a team member for four years.
Melissa has taken several AP and one HCC course at AHS, earning college credit for AP Statistics, AP/UConn Chemistry, HCC Pre-calculus and AP Language and Composition. She is currently enrolled in AP/UConn physics and AP Literature.
Melissa will major in forensic biology at Western New England University.
Reaghan Alexandria Bennett
Reaghan Alexandria Bennett, daughter of Rupert A. and Stephanie N. Bennett, is ranked eighth.
She holds numerous leadership roles, including serving as co-president of the Human Relations Club and president of the Interact/Rotary Club, secretary of the National Honor Society and senior editor of academics for the yearbook committee.
Reaghan is a member of the Cooperative International Studies Program, a member of the concert, pep and marching band, and is a member of the AHS girls soccer team. She is also a member of the Yale International Relations Association and the Yale Model United Nations and Yale Science Pathways programs.
She has taken numerous AP and HCC courses, earning college credit for successfully passing tests for AP US History, AP Language and Composition, AP Chemistry, HCC Algebra II, HCC Pre-Calculus/Trigonometry, and AP Physics. She is currently enrolled in two AP courses. Reaghan is an AP Scholar, a CAPT Scholar, a CIAC Scholar Athlete and a Julian A. Taylor Scholar.
Reaghan is also an active volunteer in the community, having accumulated more than 150 hours of community service. She has volunteered at the Plumb Memorial Library in Shelton, working with children on their reading skills, and at David Street Arts and Academics Interdistrict Magnet School in New Haven, tutoring students in math, science, English and music. Reghan will major in Management and Engineering for Manufacturing at UConn this fall.
Jessica Cegelka
Jessica Cegelka, daughter of Marilyn and Stephen J. Cegelka, is ninth in her class.
Historian of the National Honor Society, and secretary of the AHS Band, Jessica is also a member of the Spanish Honor Society and the Yearbook Club. Jessica is a CAPT Scholar and won the Spanish Excellence Award. She is captain of the AHS Varsity Cheerleading team this year.
She has taken several college credit courses, earning eight college credits for AP/UConn/ECE chemistry and four credits for AP/UConn/ECE physics, and she may earn four additional credits by the end of this school year for that course. She is also currently enrolled in AP Literature and Composition, AP Statistics and HCC Accounting.
In the community, Jessica has been a lector at Holy Rosary Church for two years, has volunteered at the Holy Rosary Italian Festival and tag sales, and she works at KFC in Derby. She will major in pharmaceutical sciences at the University of Rhode Island in September.
Thomas Majchrzak
Thomas Majchrzak, son of Bozena and Czestaw Majchrzak, is ranked 10th.
A two-sport athlete, he is captain of the Boys Basketball team and was selected for the Robert E. Ewen Memorial Award this year, given to the AHS football offensive lineman of the year. Thomas is a New Haven Tap-Off Scholar Athlete and New Haven Football Foundation Scholar Athlete.
He is president of the Chess Club and is a member of the National Honor Society, FBLA and DECA. Thomas volunteers for the fundraisers and picnics at St. Michael’s in Derby, for Toys for Tots, and for the Joseph Crisco Senior Fair.
Thomas has earned college credit for AP/UConn Chemistry and is currently enrolled in AP Physics and AP English Language and Composition.
He will major in engineering at UConn this fall.
