Harrisville Central announces Class of 2019 leaders

HARRISVILLE, NY — The Harrisville Central School District has announced its academic leaders for the Class of 2019.

Valedictorian – Phillip Kramer, son of Andrew and Dorothy Kramer, Harrisville,
NY, has earned the highest academic award of Valedictorian, for the class of 2019.
Phillip plans to attend Rochester Institute of Technology in the fall to major in
physics. Phillip aspires to become an astrophysicist.

At graduation in June, Phillip will receive a Regents Diploma with Advanced
Designation with Honors and Mastery in Math and Science.  Phillip’s seven semester academic average is 96.2. Phillip will earn advanced placement credits in United States History. He will have dual enrollment credits through North Country Community College in U.S. History, Pre-calculus and English 12 and through SUNY Potsdam in French IV.  Phillip also has earned college credits in psychology through Hudson Valley Community College distance learning.

Phillip’s favorite extracurricular activity is American Kang Duk Won Karate.  He has
been involved in karate for over 10 years and is dedicated to the art. Phillip is
currently a brown belt.  He has also worked with his instructors to assist when
teaching younger students. Many young students look up to Phillip as he encourages them to continue with their own martial arts experiences.

Phillip has been active in many other school groups.  Phillip is a former member of
the National Junior Honor Society and a current member of National Honor Society, where he has served as president his senior year.  Phillip is serving as vice-president of his senior class. As a junior, Phillip attended the Adirondack Youth Climate Leadership Conference, Project Challenge at Clarkson University and became a regional finalist in the National Chemistry Olympiad.  As a sophomore, Phillip attended HOBY (Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership Seminar) at Utica College. During his senior year, Phillip has expanded his interests into the music department. He joined high school chorus this year, participating in NYSSMA solos and acted in the musical production of Singing in the Rain.  For all four years of high school, Phillip was a member of the Green Team, where he acted as both treasurer and president. Yearbook Club was another activity that he took part in and acted as secretary. He was a member of the archery team during his sophomore and junior years.  Phillip spends his summers working at his family’s Cedar Knoll Farm. Community service hours were spent working on roadside cleanup projects and at the Harrisville Volunteer Fire Department.

Phillip’s honors include:  WWNY TV 7 Academic All-Star, University of Rochester
Bausch and Lomb Science Award,  Rochester Institute of Technology Science
Medal and Computing Medal, Clarkson University Leadership Award, and Harrisville Central School High Honor Roll.

Salutatorian – Peyton Schmitt, son of Eric and Tennille Schmitt, Harrisville, NY
has earned the second academic award of Salutatorian, for the class of 2019.

Peyton’s academic grade point average for seven semesters is 93.4 and he will
receive an Advanced Designation Regents Diploma at graduation in June.
Peyton plans to study environmental studies and/or biology at St. Lawrence
University in the fall. His ideal careers would include a wildlife biologist or an
environmental conservation officer.  Peyton will earn advanced placement credits in United States History and Calculus AB. He will receive dual enrollment credits
through North Country Community College in English 12, Pre-Calculus, and US
History.  He will also receive dual enrollment credits through SUNY Potsdam for
French IV.

Peyton has been active in many school groups and sports.  He is a former member of the National Junior Honor Society and a current member of National Honor Society.  As a freshman, Peyton was a member of the high school chorus. For his junior and senior years, he was a member of the Student Representative Assembly.

Freshman year, Peyton played JV soccer and then spent the next three fall
seasons playing Varsity football with Gouverneur High School, earning the position
of captain senior year and was awarded the Don Petty Memorial Award.  Peyton has played on the JV and Varsity basketball teams for four years, also in the position of captain his senior year. His team won the New York State Class D Basketball Championship during Peyton’s senior year, his third trip to the NY State final four tournament in Binghamton, NY.  In the spring, he played Varsity baseball
sophomore year and was on the Varsity track team in Gouverneur for junior and
senior years. Peyton has earned Section X All-Northern Awards in both basketball
and football for each season of the last three years.

Peyton’s favorite activity has been his experience volunteering for Lewis County’s
Shop with a Cop Program.  He really enjoys seeing the kids happy and being able to help make their Christmas better. Other community service activities include
volunteering at the Rock Shanty Haunted Trail and the Homeless Tree Initiative.

He has also worked during the summer as maintenance help at Harrisville Central
School.

Peyton’s honors include: University of Rochester George Eastman Young Leaders
Award, Harrisville Central School Academic Letters and High Honor Roll,
Presidential Fitness Award, and Section X All-Northern Athlete of Distinction Top 2-Year.

Vocational Award – Lacey Sixberry, daughter of Jeff and Darlene Sixberry, Harrisville, NY, has earned the Highest Vocational Award for a senior in a two-year program for the class of 2019.  Lacey has an overall GPA of 87.31 and will receive a Regents Diploma at graduation in June. She will receive dual enrollment credits through North Country Community College for English 12.

Lacey attends the Southwest Technical Center for Graphic Communications.  This
year, she worked on informational posters for Salmon River High School, sale
advertisements for Gouverneur Public Library and website revisions and logo
designs for a private health coach. Lacey plans to attend SUNY Canton in the fall
to major in Graphic and Multimedia Design. Lacey hopes to become a graphic
designer after college.

Lacey’s favorite activity is Art Club because it relates to her future plans. She spent four years in the Art Club, one year as co-president. Lacey has participated in the Yearbook Club for four years; where she has acted as editor and as vice- president.   Lacey has also participated in community service projects such as the Adopt-A-Highway Program and the Harrisville Roadside Clean-up.

Lacey’s honors include: Membership in the National Honor Society, Membership in the National Technical Honor Society, High Honor Roll at Harrisville Central School, and the Top Achiever Award at Southwest Technical Center.

Top 1-Year Vocational Award – Alexa LaPlante, daughter of Penny Fowler and
Michael LaPlante, Harrisville, NY, has earned the Highest Vocational Award for a
senior in a one-year vocational program for the Class of 2019.

Alexa has an overall GPA of 89.0 and will receive an Advanced Designation Regents Diploma at graduation in June.  She will earn advanced placement credit in United States History and dual enrollment credits through North Country Community College for English 12, Pre-calculus, US History and Medical Terminology.  She will also earn dual enrollment credits through Jefferson Community College in Drawing.

A senior in the Allied Health program at Southwest Technical Center, Alexa has
been able to explore her options in the medical field.  This year, she has interned
in the Gouverneur Hospital laboratory and in radiology, in the NICU at Samaritan
Medical Center, and with neurology at the Canton-Potsdam Hospital. She plans to
attend SUNY Canton next fall to major in nursing.  Alexa hopes to become a
registered nurse and eventually a nurse practitioner.

Alexa’s favorite activity is Art Club because she enjoys the environment created
by the group and her leadership role in the group. Alexa has been a member of the Art Club for three years of high school and has acted as both treasurer and
secretary.  She has been a member of the Student Representative Assembly for
three years. During her junior year, she was a member of the French Club and also acted as class treasurer. Alexa participated in the St. Lawrence University
Scholars Enrichment Program. She was also employed at Bob’s Market throughout her junior year.

Alexa’s honors include: Membership in the National Junior Honor Society, High
Honor Roll and Honor Roll at Harrisville Central School, Clarkson University
Achievement Award and Outstanding Student Awards and the Top Achiever Award
at Southwest Technical Center.