National Honor Society Induction
The National Honor Society (NHS) is the nation's premier organization established to recognize outstanding high school students.
More than just an honor roll, NHS serves to recognize those students who have demonstrated excellence in the areas of scholarship, service, leadership, and character.
The Vermont Academy induction ceremony was held on Monday, February 24 at 7 p.m. in Aldrich Lounge. Existing members recited the four pillars of the society: scholarship, leadership, service, and character. Then each sponsor spoke about the accomplishments and character of their new member and welcomed them into Vermont Academy’s chapter of the National Honor Society.
Matt Sorenson ’21 sponsored Jazmyn Creamer ’21
Matt noted that in Jazmyn’s freshman year she played key minutes on one of the best hockey teams he had ever watched play. She stepped up on the soccer field playing goalie and leading her team to a NEPSAC championship this year. Academically, she was ahead of the rest of the freshman during her first year at VA and she has continued to pursue a challenging academic path while remaining successful in all her classes. Jaz recently took on a prominent leadership role serving as co-class president of the junior class.
Lauren Eppinger ’20 sponsoring Lauren Goll ’20
Lauren Eppinger noted that Lauren Goll aims to treat everyone she meets with kindness, which is coupled by her contagious smile and engaging personality. Lauren is incredibly dedicated to everything she does. Having had the pleasure of living with Lauren for two years, Lauren Eppinger assured everyone that Lauren Goll has no issues with school work. Although taking on a challenging workload this year, Lauren is not deterred. She is engaged and committed in class, and often finishes homework assignments hours before her dormmates. That commitment does not just remain in the classroom, though: Anyone you ask will give you the same descriptors; kind, driven, supportive, and fun.
Taylor Hennum ’20 sponsoring Mia Hennum ’22
Taylor noted that his sister is kind and outgoing. She is passionate and works hard at what she loves. Mia is not only a scholar but she is also a dancer and an actor. She has acted lead roles in plays and sang solos in the vocal ensemble. Mia has worked hard to balance her passions with schoolwork. Doing independent studies for dance, she regularly travels back and forth from campus to Keene, all while staying on top of her schoolwork. Mia also has a passion for literature. Often times she will be reading an Agatha Christie novel on our way to school, quickly finishing it and moving onto the next one. Mia has a passion for growth and knowledge.
Evan Zorman ’20 sponsoring Maggie Hodgson ’21
Evan described Maggie as “a renaissance woman -- plain and simple.” She is a three-season varsity athlete in soccer, hockey, and lacrosse, a tutor, and a talented writer who has received multiple honors for her writing, including most recently winning the all-school writing contest. Maggie has been no stranger to VA for most of her life yet she has found a way to make it her own, blossoming from a shy freshman into a confident junior who makes people feel welcome with her warm smile or a friendly wave. Maggie Hodgson is also not afraid to take up a challenge. In Spanish class, Evan has regularly seen her look up in confusion for JUST a moment, then furrow her brow, search deeply for the answer, and respond before the rest of the class can even process the question. He wanted to let her know that every time she has flashed her smile or eagerly waved at him from across Alumni field, she has given him the spirit to do the same as he’s sure she has done for countless others.
Hannah Sethi ’20 sponsoring Caroline Keller ’20
Hannah noted how Caroline Keller has made the most of her three years at Vermont Academy, calling her “a dedicated, considerate, and empathetic person who has worked hard for all of her success here at VA.” One of Caroline’s best attributes is her undying positivity. Whenever Hannah sees Caroline on campus, Caroline greets her with a wave and a smile. As co-captain for equestrian, Caroline has grown as a leader and as a role model for the community. In addition to her leadership on the equestrian team, Caroline is also a proctor for her dorm and manages to balance her leadership roles with an intense course load while maintaining honors-level grades. Caroline’s determination and positivity will be a wonderful addition to the National Honor Society.
Siyang Wang ’20 sponsoring Ruihan “Candy” Li ’21
Siyang explained that the scholarship, service, leadership, and character that Candy has cultivated make her a deserving member of the National Honors Society and also a valuable member to the VA community. He said Candy has demonstrated her intelligence and rigor as a scholar through her academic excellence at VA. Candy’s excellence extends beyond the academic world. Her ability to challenge herself physically is no less than that intellectually. Being a devout member of VA’s crew team and long-trail hikers, Candy’s physical strength and her mental toughness are astonishing. She has also volunteered to be the mentor of the Jumpstart program, helping incoming international students adapt to the new environment. Last year, Candy also joined the Ecuador trip, committing to an arduous amount of community service there. The patience, commitment, dedication, and leadership Candy has demonstrated in these activities are impressive.
Gigi Wood ’20 sponsoring Danielle McCarthy ’22
Gigi noted that Danielle immediately took part in all that Vermont Academy has to offer. She became the freshman class president and began to fundraise for her class and help organize fun activities on campus. She is always the first one to volunteer to run concessions and often does this work without asking for any help. Whether it’s giving multiple tours in one day or helping peers with her homework, she always finds a way to be there when people need her the most. She always goes above and beyond what is expected of her, and Danielle never misses an opportunity to challenge herself in the classroom. Danielle takes the hardest classes she can while continuing to strive for success. She manages to keep all A’s even with her busy schedule. Overall, Danielle has been a great role model to have on-campus whether she is on the field, in the rink, giving a tour, in the classroom, or in her dorm she is always working hard with a smile on her face.
Maggie Adams ’20 sponsoring Annie Moore ’21
Since coming to campus her sophomore year, Annie has worked hard to challenge herself,
always doing her best and encouraging others to do the same. She is diligent in her academic work and has been recognized as scholar of the month. Annie helps others to achieve their academic potential as a tutor in our writing center. This is in addition to pursuing her musical and theatrical talents as a member of vocal ensemble as well as prop manager and performer in theater productions. She is a crucial member of the vocal ensemble and a key leader, helping lead warm-up and rehearsals when Ms. Storrow can’t be there. This is only one example of Annie’s responsibility and thoughtfulness that she is so well known for. Her character shines outside of the Vermont Academy community as well, she is an active member of UCC Youth group and has traveled with them to do service work in Chicago.
Miao “Jerry” Lin ’20 sponsoring Emma Ostiguy ’20
Emma has been successful and well known at Vermont Academy since the day she entered
school. Emma’s academic success is well known among the community. Emma also serves as an important member of the school during summer when she helped the VA global symposium every year and she even acts as a counselor last summer during the symposium. Meanwhile, athletically, Emma gradually became a core member of the JV soccer and JV hockey teams. She also won athlete of the week during her sophomore year. During her free time, Emma dedicates time to help new international students to get more involved in our VA community by encouraging them to participate in more school activities and to step out of their comfort zone. Last Thanksgiving, Emma went to Ecuador and she helped to paint a beautiful mural on a sustainable homestead while volunteering her time building adobe bricks, learning local crafts, and connecting with a traditional Ecuadorian family.
Alex Paluszek ’20 sponsoring Sarah Robinson ’20
Alex described Sarah as an athlete, an artist, a writer, and a scholar. She joined crew and, through steady work, became the varsity coxswain and captain of the team at the prestigious Head of the Charles in Boston. She has grown from a great artist to a phenomenal one motivating those around her. She’s has won a Scholastic Gold Key for her painting ‘Summer’s Drive’ and her work has also been exhibited in numerous venues in Southern Vermont. She has also won the all-school writing contest three years in a row. Sarah has also been a very important part of the theater program, as she has devoted much of her time towards at least five plays bringing her own voice into each character she has played. Sarah also excels in academics, taking challenging courses while keeping a high GPA. Challenging herself, she has taken three years of Chinese and Honors and AP courses.
Sarah Annis ’20 on Yiwen “Eva” Wu ’21
Sarah described being struck by Eva’s maturity and dedication to everything she does. She said Eva excels in challenging classes, including taking four AP classes as a junior but is never afraid to ask for help when needed or give it. Sarah didn’t know how she would have gotten through her final project in Chinese last year without Eva. Eva has tried just about every activity that VA has to offer; from skiing and crew to art and Jazz Ensemble, it is hard to find something that she hasn’t made an impact on. Once she starts doing anything, Eva does not stop until she’s accomplished her goals. Outside of school, Eva is one of the most compassionate people Sarah has ever met. Recently with the coronavirus, while many people panicked or did nothing, Eva dropped everything and worked to coordinate a group of students raising money to buy medical supplies and send them to Wuhan. They ended up sending tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of masks halfway across the globe.
Head of School, Dr. Jennifer Zacarra concluded by congratulating all of the new members of the National Honor Society and adding a few remarks about their impact on campus.
Vermont Academy is a coed college preparatory boarding and day school in southern Vermont, serving grades 9-12 plus a postgraduate year.
