ANSONIA — Ansonia High School is excited to announce the Top Ten Students for this year’s graduating class. Principal Paul Giansanti is “extremely proud of what these students have accomplished after starting their freshman year with COVID and being hybrid the following year. They were always focused on the importance of their schooling, involvement in after school activities, and community service. Each one of these students are leaders in many different ways. They are also very humble.”
Ansonia Public School Superintendent, Dr. Joseph DiBacco, said “First I would like to congratulate our students regarding this incredible achievement. This group of students is filled with well-mannered, quiet hard workers; they’ve let their success make all the noise. Once again, congratulations on this exceptional honor.”
1. Dana Usarz (pictured above), daughter of Monika and Jerzy Dziedzic, is the valedictorian with a 4.08 GPA. The recipient of the Yale Book Award, Dana is the Secretary of the National Honor Society and serves as a Senior Mentor to freshman students. She is a member of the National Business Honor Society and DECA and serves as editor on the AHS Yearbook Staff. Additionally, she participates in Read Across America where she volunteers her time to read books to elementary students. Throughout her high school career, Dana has challenged herself by taking 8 AP/ECE or dual enrollment courses. As a result of Dana’s hard work, she has been accepted to seven universities, but will bring her 26 earned ECE credits with her to UConn. Having earned one of two prestigious Presidential Scholarships, Dana plans to study Nursing in the fall.
2. Chanmonita Rith, daughter of Sophorn Keo and Sokhoeun Bou, has a 3.97 GPA. Chanmonita is a member of the Mu Alpha Theta Math Honor Society and also serves as treasurer of the Ansonia High School National Honor Society. She has been a member of the AHS band for four years. Additionally, she volunteers her time to offer childcare at Ansonia Family University nights. Chanmonita has been accepted to UConn, Quinnipiac, University of New Haven, Sacred Heart University, Southern Connecticut State University, University of Bridgeport, Western Connecticut State University, and Central Connecticut State University. Chanmonita will attend UConn as a Presidential Scholar in the fall to study Finance.
3. Samantha Rotteck, daughter of Melissa and Jeffrey Rotteck, has a 3.95 GPA. Compassionate, motivated, analytical, and personable are words teachers use to describe Samantha. She holds a leadership position in the National Honor Society as Vice President and is a member of Soccer Club, Senior Mentors, 5 AM Warriors Judo Fitness Program, and Future Educators Club. She is also a volunteer for Junior Achievement’s High School Heroes Program where she delivers JA programs in elementary schools. Samantha is a triathlete as a member of Track & Field, Varsity Soccer and Varsity Basketball. In her senior year, she received the honor of captain of the Varsity Girls’ Soccer team and Girls’ Basketball team and earned All Copper Division Honors for soccer. She is dual enrolled at both Southern Connecticut State University and Quinnipiac University as a student in the Education Pathway Program where she will earn a combined 10 credits in education courses. Samantha is expected to earn an additional 18 college credits as a result of taking 6 AP/ECE courses. Samantha will major in Elementary Education at Quinnipiac University.
4. Christian Schloemer, son of Jamie and Charles Schloemer, has a 3.89 GPA. Christian holds several leadership positions at AHS as the President of the National Honor Society, Secretary of DECA, and Vice President of Student Government. He is the senior life editor on the AHS Yearbook Staff and serves as a member of the Ansonia Cultural Commission. He also is a Senior Mentor to freshmen where he talks to advisories about academics, goal setting, and making good decisions. He is well respected among students and staff and has been described as “incredibly smart, persistent, and demonstrates a remarkable amount of intellectual curiosity.” Accepted at seven colleges, Christian will attend Southern Connecticut State University and major in Film, Television, and Digital Production and minor in Social Media.
5. Sabrina Angelina Ortega, daughter of Jenny and Winston Ortega, has a 3.87 GPA anchored by 7 AP/ECE courses and has earned 26 credits from UConn. In addition to her academic achievement and intellect, Sabrina is particularly in tune with her classmates and peers, serving as the class president for the duration of her high school tenure. She is the high school representative to the Board of Education where she participates in monthly meetings keeping the Board informed about activities and events at Ansonia High School. She is the recipient of the Charger Pride and Charger Champion awards, a member of the National Honor Society and the National Business Honor Society, president of DECA, captain of the girls’ basketball team and member of the tennis team. Last summer, Sabrina was selected on behalf of Ansonia High School to attend a summer Data institute at Quinnipiac University where she spent two weeks living and learning on campus immersed in the field of Data Science. Sabrina will attend UConn to study Finance.
6. Megan Howard, daughter of Shannon and Barry Howard, has a 3.86 GPA. Megan is artistic, dedicated and incredibly passionate about the clubs that she participates in. At Ansonia High School, Megan is the Art Club president, is a member of the National Honor Society, National Chinese Honor Society, National Art Honor Society, and is also a member of the GSA. Megan currently serves as a Senior Mentor to freshmen. In addition, she volunteers her time to offer childcare at Ansonia Family University nights. Megan has challenged herself with 6 AP/ECE courses at AHS that she will take with her to Southern Connecticut State University in the fall. Megan plans to major/minor in Art History and Anthropology and has a career goal of being an Archivist.
7. Aidan Sheehy, son of Jeannette and Chris Sheehy, has a 3.85 GPA. Dependable, reliable and remarkably consistent, Aidan is the captain of the Varsity Baseball Team, and member of both the National Honors Society and National Business Honors Society. He is the recipient of the CIAC Scholar Athlete Award, SCASA Recognition Award, and earned All-Copper Division for the 2022 NVL baseball season. Aidan completed the Criminal Justice, Homeland and Cyber Security Pathway, and through a partnership with the University of New Haven, took Macroeconomics on their campus every Monday and Wednesday in the fall of his senior year. Aidan has academically challenged himself by taking 13 AP/ECE or dual enrollment courses throughout his high school career. He is a Senior Mentor to freshmen where he spends one morning a week speaking to freshman homerooms about topics ranging from academics to goal setting and decision making. Aidan will attend the University of Hartford to study Business Management.
8. Matthew Haas, son of Melissa and Kurt Haas, has a 3.79 GPA. He is a member of the National Honor Society and National Business Honor Society and has served as a class officer for Student Government for four years. Matthew is also a Senior Mentor to Freshmen students. He is a three-year member of the soccer team and a two-year member of the baseball team. Matthew has challenged himself academically by taking several AP/ECE or dual enrollment courses including AP Calculus and AP/ECE Biology, a dual enrollment Cyber Security course for Post University, Pre Calculus and Composition and Rhetoric for University of Bridgeport, and Project Lead the Way Intro of Engineering Design and Principles of Engineering. Matthew will attend the University of Vermont to study civil engineering.
9. Elif Ugurlu, daughter of Zeynep and Ismail Ugurlu, has a 3.79 GPA. Elif is a member of the Mu Alpha Theta Math Honor Society, National Business Honor Society, and the National Honor Society. Additionally, she volunteers her time to offer childcare at Ansonia Family University nights. Elif has challenged herself academically throughout her time at Ansonia High School by taking a wide variety of honors and AP courses, such as UCONN/AP Chemistry, AP English Language and Composition, UB Pre-calculus, UB/AP Calculus AB, Post University Cybercrime, UB College Writing, and HCC Advanced Computer Concept. Elif has been accepted to Southern Connecticut State University, Sacred Heart University, University of Connecticut- Storrs, Rochester Institute of Technology, Eastern Connecticut State University, University of New Haven, University of Bridgeport, Western Connecticut State University, and Central Connecticut State University. Elif will be attending Southern Connecticut State University in the fall to study Computer Science.
10. Jaden Saleh, son of Rosemarie and Sahed Saleh, has a 3.71 GPA. Jaden is president of the Ansonia High School chapter of the Future Business Leaders of America, parliamentarian of Ansonia High School’s National Honor Society, a member of the Spirit Club, and a Senior Mentor. Jaden also serves as a volunteer at the Ansonia Public Library each week. Jaden completed the Criminal Justice, Homeland and Cyber Security Pathway and has challenged himself by taking 11 AP/ECE or dual enrollment courses at AHS. Reflecting on his time as a Charger, Jaden states, “I have loved my four years at AHS and am very thankful for every one of my teachers throughout the years.” Jaden has been accepted to the University of New Haven, Holy Family University, Pace University, SUNY Albany, Rivier University, and St. John’s University. Jaden will attend St. John’s University to study Cybersecurity.
