Upper School students recognized with academic awards at 60th Prize Day

Prize Day is a Sacred Heart tradition, a time when academic awards and recognitions are given – a day we celebrate the many accomplishments of every one of our students. Each student is on a journey to receive the highest award we give, the Stuart Country Day School of the Sacred Heart diploma. During Prize Day, members of the junior class are recognized by faculty members for their academic achievement and traditional Sacred Heart awards are given to students in each division. The ceremony concluded by recognizing the seniors with department awards along with the Sacred Heart Goal Awards, which are given to five members of the senior class who have embodied a specific Goal throughout their time at Stuart. 

Below is the list of special honorees. Click here for photos. 

The University of Rochester Bausch and Lomb Science Award for Outstanding Achievement in Science is presented to: MAYA DEV

The Frederick Douglass and Susan B. Anthony Award, given by the University of Rochester, is awarded to a student who has demonstrated a commitment to understanding and addressing difficult social issues, has leadership and dedication to community action, and has strong grades and taken rigorous courses in the humanities and social sciences. This year’s recipient is: LOURDES RONQUILLO

The Hubert Alyea Award, sponsored by Princeton University and the Princeton section of the American Chemical Society, is given to an outstanding student in the study of the sciences. This candidate has demonstrated "enthusiasm for the study of sciences and has distinguished themselves as a student who excels in chemistry and related scientific disciplines." This year's recipient is: LOLA LOPEZ-SPENCER

The Princeton Book Award, given by the Princeton Area Alumni Association, recognizes a student whom the school faculty believes has demonstrated “overall academic excellence and exemplary community service or civic engagement." AMANDA GUADALUPE

The Rensselaer Medal is awarded to promising secondary school students who have distinguished themselves in mathematics and science.  This year’s recipient is: ALISHA WONG

The Smith Book Award honors outstanding juniors with significant academic potential and a commitment to making a difference in their communities. It is awarded to a student who exemplifies academic achievement, leadership qualities, and concern for others. This year’s recipient is: NYLA FLAMER

The Yale Book Award is given to a junior who exemplifies outstanding personal character and intellectual promise. This year's recipient is: ANNAROSE BOURGOIN ST. MAURICE

The James J Hughes, Jr. Sports Award is presented to a junior who has demonstrated strong athletic ability, serious commitment to her sport, and great sportsmanship to all. This year's recipients are: NYLA FLAMER and ALLISON LEE

The Barat Award, instituted by Student Government and selected by students, recognizes one student from each grade who demonstrates self-sacrifice, compassion, respect for self and others, courtesy, a sense of balance and good judgment, and overall citizenship. 

Grade 9: CELIA STRUVE-AULETTA

Grade 10: NAJMA TAHIRY

Grade 11: JULIETTE VERGARA

Grade 12: LAVANYA SESHASAYEE

The Head of School Award, established in Honor of Sister Frances de la Chapelle, is selected by faculty, and is presented to a student in each of the four grades who through the process of challenging herself and by her willingness to take risks, has grown in self-awareness and has positively impacted the quality of life in the Upper School.  

Grade 9: GANEEV KAUR    

Grade 10: ANNIKA ALDEN-SIEGEL

Grade 11: ALEXANDRA DURISH

Grade 12: SARAH YUE

Departmental Awards are presented to graduating students who have demonstrated outstanding achievement in one or more disciplines.  The recipients are selected by the faculty in each department.

The English awards for writing and outstanding achievement in all areas of English are presented to: SARAH NAGARKATTI and JENNIFER WANG
 

The Departmental Award for History is presented to: LAVANYA SESHASAYEE

The Departmental Award for Mathematics is presented to: EVA NESTER

The Departmental Award for Computer Science is presented to: BRITTNEY BARNWELL

The Peter and Delia Mark Departmental Award for Science is presented to: ALISHA WONG

The Theology Department recognizes outstanding students for their commitment to and proficiency in theological studies. Beginning this year the department is giving two awards.

• The Bishop Ahr Medal is awarded to a senior who has demonstrated a commitment to and academic proficiency in, theology: The medal is presented to: EVA NESTER
• The Department Award for Theology:GRACE XIA

The prize for French is awarded in honor of Madame Hilda Ronel, former Stuart French Teacher. It is presented to a Senior who enthusiastically embraces the French language, literature and culture. The prize is awarded to: EVA NESTER

The Mary Anne Guerrero Award for Spanish was established by a Stuart Family. It is awarded to a Senior who demonstrates mastery of the Spanish language, and reflects a passion for the cultures and literature of the Spanish-speaking world. Congratulations to: ISABEL MILLEY 

The Departmental Award for Latin is presented to: GISELLE JEAN-MARIE

The Visual and Performing Arts Department is honored to acknowledge several outstanding students for their accomplishments in the Arts at Stuart and in the Greater community.

• The Department Award for Theater Performance is awarded to a senior who has enthusiastically performed in every Stuart performance and led our Theater Honor society. The theater award is presented to: LAYNA TARBOTTON
• For her commitment to and in support of the digital representation of the Arts at Stuart, The Digital Media Award is presented to: SAMANTHA DI NINO
• For her commitment to leadership in stage management, The Performing Arts Award for Technical Theater is awarded to: KAYLA CARTER

The Senior Athletic Award is awarded annually to the student that demonstrates consistent, enthusiastic and selfless participation in Upper School athletics. This individual plays a pivotal role in fostering an environment centered on trust and respect. Always leading by example in terms of effort, empathy and encouragement. This year’s award is presented to: ALEXANDRA MANDZIJ

The Sportsmanship Award is presented to a student who has displayed the community spirit that is essential to teamwork. This student has supported the athletic program with leadership and enthusiasm, has demonstrated strong athletic skills and the ability to work as a team member, and has balanced academic responsibilities with participation in athletics. This award is presented to: SARAH GLICKSON

The Carrol Florkiewicz Award, established in 2004, is named in honor of Carrol Florkiewicz, who for many years served as Athletic Director, Coach, and Chair of the Physical Education and Health Department.  This award is presented to an outstanding senior athlete who has demonstrated mastery of athletic skills on Stuart athletic teams. The Carrol Florkiewicz Award is presented to: GISELLE JEAN-MARIE

Leadership Endorsement: We are excited to celebrate the seniors who have taken all the necessary steps to fully develop their leadership potential through the Leadership Endorsement Program. 

The following students have completed all the requirements of the Leadership Endorsement: 

BRITTNEY BARNWELL
GISELLE JEAN-MARIE
LILLIAN SOROKEN
SAMANTHA DI NINO

The Senior Goal Awards being presented today reflect Stuart’s commitment to the goals and criteria of Sacred Heart Education. 

Goal 1: GRACE XIA

Our Goal I Award honors RSCJ Margarita Condell. Affectionately known as “Madame,” Margarita Condell came to Stuart in 1964 as a beloved French teacher. She left Stuart in 1985 at the age of 84 to take her vows to become a Religious of the Sacred Heart.

The recipient of the Goal 1 award is graceful in her interactions: She is known for her kindness, genuine empathy, and remarkable ability to bring people together. As the "glue" among her friends, she offers compassionate and level-headed support. Intellectually, her cleverness and composed demeanor serve her well, both academically and in the real world. Guided by her quiet faith, she demonstrates consistent kindness to all she comes in contact with. 
This is a trait noticed frequently by teachers, and it’s one that makes her such a teachable student and valued member of the Stuart community.
 

Goal 2: BRITTNEY BARNWELL

This year’s recipient of the Goal 2 award is involved with the life of Stuart in so many ways: from planning proms to speaking at open houses about the value of all-girls education. She is described by her teachers as smart, caring, spirited, and beloved by everyone. In upper school, she says she’s learned what her passions are and what drives her to succeed. She’s learned her strengths and weaknesses and works on them. A Renaissance woman in class, too, she finds every subject interesting. In STEM, she loves discovering new information through calculations and data; reading and writing come with “so many creative possibilities”; history allows her to understand how to better the future. Her coursework throughout high school reflects this curiosity.

Goal 3: ISABEL MILLEY

The Goal 3 RSCJ Service award recipient isn’t a fan of the spotlight, or of doing things for superficial reasons like building a resume for college. She is anything but conventional, so her upper school experience has also differed from many of her peers. She seeks outdoor opportunities, unafraid to challenge herself physically and mentally. She’s spent summers working on a farm to learn about sustainable practices; she switched from varsity field hockey to club rowing for a more nature-centric experience; she biked 250 miles in five days during the early days of Covid. She is very involved in the life of her church through youth group, choir, serving as an elder, and attending the Appalachia Service Project and a mountaineering trip. She is someone who lives her life with purpose and passion—for the sense of adventure and peace she finds in the outdoors, for the causes of sustainability and social justice, for intellectual conversation, and for gaining new perspectives. 
 

Goal 4: LAYNA TARBOTTON

It is rare to encounter a student as genuinely exuberant as the Goal 4 award recipient. When I asked in a meeting with one of her teachers, “What brings you joy?” she answered, “Life!”  And she consistently remains true to herself, radiating joy in all she does. Her key to doing so? “Tap into what makes you happy,” she says. 

Being in front of a crowd has always been her thing. From the stage to student government, guidance and leadership are her way to “just be yourself.” That also applies to doing her best in all she pursues and in how she treats others. She stands out for her remarkable maturity, kindness, and empathy. She is someone who simply treats everyone with respect; her virtues never waver. And yes, this is all in addition to a stellar student who gives her all in the classroom. 
She consistently shows her compassion for others through various other outreach programs such as leadership in student government, participation in fundraisers for women’s education, and service with the Appalachia Service Project. 

Her dedication to making a positive impact on her community is a reflection of her kind and generous heart.
 

Goal 5: KATHARINE MURPHY

There are so many remarkable things about the transformation the Goal 5 recipient has undergone throughout upper school. She’s always had excellent qualities—fierce loyalty, a sense of responsibility, independence, and an impressive work ethic. She has a core set of values she adheres to and won’t stray from—the foundation of her rock-solid moral integrity. Visible every single day are her sense of right and wrong and her dependability. Indeed, if she tells you she’s going to do something, you never have to doubt that she will do it—and do it well.

Her loyalty to her school is witnessed daily. She steps in to help wherever she can - from organizing spirit events to taking on the school newspaper to helping teachers with tasks - and she loves doing so. Peers and faculty alike recognize that she can be counted on to do an exceptional and efficient job in countless realms. Her multi-year commitment to the Appalachian Service Project really opened her eyes to how others live. 
Her participation was a huge step for her in navigating an uncomfortable space, and was transformational in seeing how she could impact someone else’s life through her hard work.  
 

Click here for photos