World languages students excel in national exams

Posted by: Debbie Bowley on Fri, 22 May 2009 20:05:53

Ten Lauralton Hall Latin students achieved excellence on the competitive National Latin Exam. Students from throughout the United States, Canada and a number of other countries competed for top scores on the annual exam, which was sponsored by the American Classical League. 

Earning silver medals and maxima cum laude awards were:
Junior Amy Vicenzi of Westport
Sophomore Rebecca Napolitano of Hamden
Freshman Emma Linsenmeyer of Fairfield

Earning magna cum laude awards were:
Senior Mary Kate Lo Piccolo of Newtown
Senior Pooja Uppalapati of Milford
Sophomore Emily Devaney of Fairfield
Freshman Kara Kendziorski of Oxford

Earning cum laude awards were:
Junior Kaylee Staffieri of Derby
Sophomore Theresa Keating of Fairfield
Freshman Erin Siegman of Milford

Congratulations to students who attained national recognition for excellent performance on the 2009 National Spanish Examinations. Lauralton students earned a total of five gold medals having ranked in the top 5% nationally, 16 silver medals having ranked in the top 15% nationally, and 24 bronze medals ranking in the top 25% nationally, along with 51 honorable mentions for placing in the top 50% nationally  “Attaining a medal or honorable mention for any student on the National Spanish Examinations is very prestigious,” said Kevin Cessna-Buscemi, National Director of the Exams, “because the exams are the largest of their kind in the United States with well over 115,000 students participating in 2009.”
 
This is the first year that the students taught by Spanish teachers Patricia Doerr, Department Chair; Barbara D'Ambruoso; and Frieda Soriano have participated in the exam. The National Spanish Examinations are administered each year in grades 6 through 12, and are sponsored by the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese.

Placing in the top 5% of students nationally are:
Sophomore Dennis Flores of Bridgeport competed in the category of native speaker
Sophomore Constance Holden of Bridgeport
Junior Christina Longofono of Milford
Senior Elizabeth Lynch of Fairfield
Sophomore Danielle Sekerak of Monroe
Sophomore Chloe Walker of Fairfield

Those students who placed in the top 15% nationally are:
Junior Olivia D’Atri of Milford
Sophomore Hannah Feldman of Monroe
Sophomore Suzanne Fitzpatrick of Darien
Sophomore Danielle Flanagan of Stamford
Freshman Katherine Fredericks of Bridgeport
Freshman Shelby Halliday of Fairfield
Sophomore Julia Hannigan of Trumbull
Freshman Shannon Larson of Fairfield
Sophomore Marisa Lucchesi of Norwalk
Freshman Kelly Ann McCarthy of Sandy Hook
Freshman Erin Montanez of Fairfield
Sophomore Megan Murphy of Newtown
Junior Christina Nettleton of Orange
Sophomore Taylor Nora of Norwalk
Freshman Noel Ostrosky of Ridgefield
Sophomore Kelsey Sotil of Huntington

The following students scored in the top 25% nationally:
Freshman Vicenza Bartholomew of Derby
Senior Maureen Cashman of Milford
Freshman Doneisha Coleman of West Haven
Junior Catherine Condit of Fairfield
Sophomore Aida-Christina Cruz of Bridgeport competed in the category of native speaker
Sophomore Joanna Dlugos of Milford
Freshman Mariana Fernandez of Milford competed in the category of native speaker
Sophomore Lauren Flanagan of Stamford
Sophomore Alexa Gherlone of Orange
Freshman Ashley Gherlone of Orange
Freshman Abbey Guerino of Milford
Freshman Jacquelyn Kubicko of Stratford
Freshman Micaela Kwochka of Monroe
Freshman Nicole Lang of Newtown
Sophomore Emily Marussich of Sandy Hook
Sophomore Megan Meuser of Stratford
Junior Rebecca Rego of Milford
Freshman Caitlin Riccitelli of East Haven
Freshman Rachel Roberts of Southport
Junior Emily Ruggeri of Orange
Fairfield Mairead Ryan of Fairfield
Freshman Rhea Schneider of Newtown
Sophomore Stephanie Simko of Milford
Senior Julia Turner of Fairfield
Senior Chelsea White of Ridgefield
Freshman Jane Zawislak of Wilton
Junior Beyron Zecher of Fairfield

Seniors received their certificates at Senior Awards Night on May 20 and underclassmen at the Underclass Awards Ceremony on May 19.