Hoosac Valley Names Top Students for 2014

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CHESHIRE, Mass. — Krystyna M. Cochrane and Sean P. Ryan-Kut have earned the distinction of being named as co-valedictorians and Connor D. Wotkowicz as salutatorian for the class of 2014 at Hoosac Valley High School.

Commencement exercises will be held on Friday, June 6, at 7 p.m. in the high school gymnasium.

Cochrane is the daughter of Diana Stokes of Adams and Robert Cochrane of Cheshire. She was the vice president of the Leo Club, secretary of the Student Council, and a member of the National Honor Society. She has received numerous academic awards for Honors and Advanced Placement courses, and in her junior year was awarded the University of Rochester (N.Y.) Bausch & Lomb Award.

She was a member of the varsity soccer, cross country and Nordic ski teams as well as concert, jazz, Western District and All-State bands, and the pit band for the school musicals. She played "Maureen" in the musical performance of "Rent." She has volunteered for Special Olympics, Life is Good Festival, Cradles to Crayons, and many other organizations and clubs.

Cochrane will attend New York University in the fall and will major in neural science.

Ryan-Kut is the son of John Kut and Cheryl Ryan of Adams. He was vice president of his class, president of Student Council in his senior year and vice president in his junior year, and a member of the National Honor Society and Leo Club.  He has received numerous academic awards for Honors and Advanced Placement courses, and in his junior year was awarded the Rensselaer (N.Y.) Polytechnic Institute medal for excellence in math and science.



He was captain of the soccer team in his senior year, captain of the basketball team in his junior and senior years, and a member of the baseball team. He was named the iBerkshire athlete of the week for soccer, All-Berkshire and All-Transcript all-star team for soccer in his sophomore and junior years, and iBerkshire athlete of the week in his sophomore year for basketball. He has volunteered with the Dana Labbee Summer Basketball League, the John Paul Charity Center, the Art Hathaway dinner and many other organizations and clubs.

Ryan-Kut will attend RPI in the fall and will major in chemical engineering.

Wotkowicz is the son of Holly and Frank Field of Adams and Chad Wotkowicz of New Hampshire. He was president of National Honor Society, editor-in-chief of the Eye of the Hurricane, and a member of the Leo Club. He has received numerous academic awards for Honors and Advanced Placement courses and was awarded the University of Rochester's Frederick Douglas & Susan B. Anthony Award and Scholarship in Humanities and Social Services as a junior and the John Phillip Sousa Band Award as a senior.

He was a member of the track and Nordic ski teams as well concert, jazz, Western District and pit bands, chorus, Berkshire Theatre Group and the Drama Club. He also starred as "Roger Davis" in the musical performance of "Rent." An accomplished musician, he volunteers at St. Stanislaus' Church services, and works at Haflinger Haus Restaurant. He has also participated in the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts band, Stockbridge Symphonia, and many other organizations and clubs.

Wotkowicz will attend Boston University in the fall and will major in music.


Tags: graduation 2014,   HVHS,   val & sal,   

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Hoosac Valley High School is Moving and Shaking

There have been some major shifts within the Hoosac Valley Regional School District recently, all of which have focused on enhancing the student experience to make it a place where ALL students can find their path.
 
In 2023, Hoosac Valley High School was designated an Innovation Pathway School by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and has since restructured the Program of Studies, utilized creative scheduling, and expanded internship opportunities. Part of this transformation includes participating in a "Portrait of a Graduate" cohort alongside four other Berkshire County schools to determine a collective vision for student success, in partnership with the BARR Foundation.
 
The Innovation Pathways at HVHS are designed to give students coursework and experience in a specific high-demand industry, such as technology, engineering, healthcare, or life sciences. Currently, Biomedical Science & Healthcare and Environmental Studies have received official state IP designation. In addition to the IP designated pathways, HVHS offers programs in Engineering & Technology, Business & Entrepreneurship, Arts & Entertainment, Education, and Sports Medicine. The result is that students have an opportunity for a transformative experience – enabling them to build essential skills, gain awareness of future career opportunities, and make informed choices about post-secondary education in promising fields.
 
Principal Colleen Byrd notes, "What makes our program special is that entry into the Pathway of your choice allows a student to access Advanced Placement and dual enrollment college courses, as well as internships in the community to set them up for success after high school."
 
The Portrait of a Graduate initiative consists of a team of Hoosac educators and students who exemplify the essential skills, practices, and beliefs that define learning experiences across the district. They work to outline the competencies, values, skills, and knowledge that define our vision for student success – keeping in mind that not every student's pathway will look the same. The District's goal is to ensure that all students graduate as responsible people, prepared individuals, lifelong learners, global citizens, critical thinkers, and thoughtful communicators.
 
Another recent change district-wide in grades K-12 is the "Crew" culture. Teachers and students now have time each day to create positive connections and build authentic relationships with one another. Through Responsive Classroom at the elementary school and Crew at the middle and high schools, students and staff gather for 30 minutes each day to engage in meaningful experiences rooted in mutual and shared interests. 
The Crew block is a prioritized structure that allows staff to support all students socially, emotionally, and academically – anchoring them and promoting the Portrait of a Graduate competencies. Crew takes many forms at the high school, such as gardening, bird watching, yoga, and sports talk with visits to college games.
 
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