2025 Graduation Awards

ZIARALENE FOGARTY

Hello. My name is Ziaralene Fogarty and I live in Bethlehem, New Hampshire. I appreciate you all coming to this ceremony today to support the Graduates and their progress during this school year of 2024-2025.

 

I’d like to start by thanking the North Country Charter Academy and the staff for giving me the opportunity to attend the school while presenting comfort and support. The staff here really show they care for you and your education itself. They allow you to work at the pace that is comfortable for you, if it’s appropriate of course.

 

I struggled a lot in the past with school, but graduating has always been a goal for me; it was just never important enough for me to genuinely try. When I came to NCCA, it changed me and my life completely. I felt like people were finally realizing how important school and learning was to me.  I was provided with help when I needed it and supported as well through little things like compliments that made me feel prouder and more determined.  Not only did coming to this school improve my mental health, but it has physically made me a better person. It’s made me realize my own worth and what I can do with my future. It’s made me understand that whatever I choose to do with my life is in my hands to create my own path.  Self-worth is important here on this earth and surrounding yourself with positive and supportive people can help you improve in many ways, especially if you're growing your education level as well.  North Country Charter Academy is a great resource for those students who feel they aren’t being heard or supported, and for those who seem to struggle with their curriculum or school in general. Also, at NCCA you will be provided with options and ways to do your work in the best way possible.  

 

A specific thanks goes to Mrs. Caron for the constant support regardless of my setbacks and attitude. She never looked at me or treated me differently and she always reminded me of my goals and how capable I am of achieving those and for that I will always appreciate her.  I can’t thank the teachers and staff enough for making me feel heard and helping me reach graduation. In addition, something I’ve learned while attending NCCA is to take credit for my own successes. I’m proud of myself for coming this far and I hope you all are too. Thank you all for listening and again thank you for coming to support us.  

 

Congratulations, Graduates!

 

DAE GRAY

Hello, and good evening, everyone.  I’d like to start off by saying Congratulations to the class of 2025 and say how proud I am of everyone sitting here with me today.My journey at North Country Charter Academy started in the Fall of 2023 when I fell pregnant with my daughter Odette. Not only did the North Country Charter Academy prepare me for the responsibilities of adulthood, they also helped me prepare for motherhood. The staff at North Country Charter Academy not only cares about the academics of their students but also their overall well-being. They have helped me and pushed me to be the best person I could be these past two years.  I hope everyone sitting here graduating with me today feels the same way I do, as I couldn’t imagine a better school or staff than this one.

 

As my speech comes to an end, I’d like to dedicate this to every Teen Mom who never got the chance to get a regular high school diploma or have a graduation ceremony.  So, thank you North Country Charter Academy for giving me this opportunity and experience.

MICHAEL ALIMANDI

 

Good Evening,

 

My name is Michael Alimandi. I live in Berlin NH.  I would like to thank my Mom and Dad for supporting me in this whole journey. I feel that North Country Charter Academy is an amazing schooling option for some students. The classes are very interactive and help you really learn the information. They also give you a lot more options and show you more of the real world.

 

I would like to thank Mrs. Caron for trying her best to get me into NCCA.  And thank you, North Country Charter Academy for helping me complete my high school journey.

 

MAKAYLA MAY

 

Hello! My name is Makayla May, I am 17 years old, from Concord Vermont.

 

I've had many struggles with school. The first three years were a bumpy road but finding this school and getting to where I want to be has been so rewarding. My One goal has been to get to cosmetology school and secure my future as a hairdresser. I finally found an education that helped me graduate early to start cosmetology school because they actually wanted to see me succeed, and reach my goal. This school was the North Country Charter Academy.  

 

This school has helped me more in the three months I was there then any school has in the last three years. They helped me one-on-one with the things I most struggled with and always rooted for me and my success. The staff at this school amazed me; they helped me get to where I am today, they helped with getting me applied for Cosmetology school and making sure I graduated on time to start when I wanted to.

 

Every one of you here has made an impact on me and I can't  be more thankful for my experience at the Charter Academy. I'm beyond grateful for where I am today, and everyone that has helped me get to this point. Thank you to all the staff that have supported me this entire time!

 

AIDEN PAQUETTE

 

Hello everybody. Thank you for coming to North Country Charter Academy’s Graduation, class of 2025.

 

Before I came to Charter, I went to Woodsville High School in Woodsville, New Hampshire. I struggled in school and didn’t do well in the traditional style classroom and I knew I needed to make a change. I had a meeting with my principal Mr. Coon, the school counselor Mrs. Farr, and also the vice principal Mr. Strauch.  The meeting had one goal in mind, asking me if Woodsville High School was the place for me. I said no, not really because I struggle here. I didn’t have the drive to do my work in the classroom because I could not focus.  Also, not being able to do work at my own pace felt as though I was being held back. 

 

Because of these challenges, Mr. Coon suggested the Charter Academy to me. I have had friends who’ve gone to the Charter school that I knew had been successful. I even knew people that had graduated from Charter earlier than they expected. They also had suggested the school to me before Mr. Coon did, so I had a rough idea about the program. After learning more about the school and meeting some of the teachers it seemed cool to me so I decided to make the change. Even though I had learned more about the school there was still one thing I didn’t know about, the schedule. I was happy to hear that Fridays were designed for me to participate in an Extended Learning Opportunity. This was great because it meant that I would be able to participate on my ski team, which for me is just another way to do what I love. And, when I’m doing what I am passionate about, I’m happy. One issue however is that I’m an athlete and Charter does not have any sports teams. This turned out to not be a problem because Charter is so understanding they allowed me to still play sports at Woodsville high school. I am very much appreciative of all the flexibility they’ve had with me. 

Being able to go to the Charter school made it easier to start my life after high school and they allowed me to work at my own pace in a less stressful environment than a traditional high school. The classroom made it easy to learn, the same with the online platform we used to do our school work. The program is nice as well because every student is working on their own individual courses that they need to graduate. This means the teachers are there to be supportive to everyone and they are able to help each and every one of us achieve our goals.

 

I am very appreciative of all the support charter academy has given me and very thankful of what they helped me achieve. I am also thankful for Mr. Coon, Mrs. Farr and Mr. Strauch for recommending the Charter school to me. Thanks to North Country Charter Academy, my fellow graduates and I have completed the first major achievement of our adult lives; We are officially High School Graduates! Congratulations to the Class of 2025.   We did it!

The Lancaster Center Director, Georgia Caron, spoke about her Lancaster student in glowing terms:   

     "The Outstanding Academic Excellence Award is the highest academic recognition and is reserved for that student who has shown a zest for learning and who has achieved academically far beyond what would be expected from a typical high school student.  Over the course of this year, we have witnessed this young man's truly exceptional work his laser-focused dedication to excellence, and his willingness to undertake each and every course with enthusiasm.  We are very proud of his academic accomplishments along with being extremely proud of his many fine character traits, especially those of compassion, caring, and kindness to others.  We are very pleased and proud to present this award to Ethan Whiting."

Alex Greene, the Littleton Center Director, wrote about his student, applauding her dedication to excellence:

 

      "The Outstanding Academic Excellence Award is reserved for the student who has shown a serious commitment to their learning.  The student we are honoring today did just that.  She came to us unsure of what her future would hold.  During her time with us, she worked incredibly hard in all of her courses and finished ten classes.  Of these ten classes, one was an Advanced Placement Biology course which is an impressive feat.  Furthermore, she completed the necessary prerequisites former Radiology Technician course at New Hampshire Technical Institute.  Also, I am pleased to announce she was officially accepted into the program this Spring.  She constantly challenged herself with difficult classes that would help her in the future.  And completing courses and gaining credits isn't all.  Incredibly, she did all of this while maintaining an A average.  On top of all her hard work, this student was a delight to have in class.  She was supportive of her peers, kind to those around her, and helped cheer everyone on in their individual successes.  Personally, it was a bright moment when she would stop by my desk to talk and share in an inside joke.  We are all incredibly proud of her and we cannot wait to see what her future hold as she embarks on the next phase of her educational journey.  For all of these reasons, we are incredibly proud to present the Outstanding Academic Excellence Award to Isabella Conn."

This award is given to a student demonstrating exemplary public servant qualities. The recipient of this award is someone who holds herself accountable, is dependable, compassionate, caring, kind, attentive, and dedicated. The Raymond S. Burton Award and monetary award was presented to Adriena Lewis and Alexis Wentworth.

Adriena Lewis embodies much of what Raymond Burton brought in his dedication to his job. She has that same spirit of hard work and initiative.  She has taken on many difficult courses here at the North Country Charter Academy and has aimed to earn more than the necessary credits needed for our diploma. She is engaged in her community and takes part in volunteer opportunities and local activities. Adriena pursues her passions outside of school and constantly looks for ways to increase her experiences in life. This year alone she has volunteered with her local fire department, joined the 4H club, pursued classes to reach her goal of becoming a nurse, spoke with Air Force recruiters, pursued babysitting jobs and more. She didn’t just complete her course work either. She earned her diploma with a 90% average.  On top of all her volunteerism, her employer reported that Adriena is a well loved employee and works above and beyond what is asked of her in her duties.Hearing about all this student does can make one tired!  Here at school she is supportive of all of her peers. She is kind and courteous towards them and she strives to make real connections with those around her. Adriena is a mature, confident young person and we are excited to see all she does.  We are beyond confident that Adriena will go on to do great things for herself, her community and our society.

Alexis Wentworth embodies the many qualities we’ve mentioned.  She is kind, dependable, compassionate and caring. Alexis is both a paid and volunteer firefighter for the towns of Berlin, Milan, and Stark.  She recently passed her final exam for her EMS course and is completing the remainder of the required intern hours. She will also soon be taking the EMT Certification Exam for the State of New Hampshire EMT license.   Congratulations Lexi, and thank you for your continued service to North Country communities.

The Siemens scholarship is a distinguished award bestowed by the esteemed Siemens organization. The Siemens scholarship not only celebrates academic excellence but also signifies a commitment to nurturing the next generation of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) leaders. As recipients of this prestigious award, these students represent the embodiment of Siemens’ values of innovation, excellence, and forward-thinking.

This year's recipient of the Siemens scholarship is Makayla May. 

On behalf of the Groveton American Legion Auxiliary Unit #17, we are pleased to have been recently notified and asked to present a Trades Scholarship for Lineman School in the amount of $400.00 dollars to Konner Shannon.