New Bedford High's Top 10 academic students have been inducted into the 2023 Mayor's List.
NEW BEDFORD — A tradition that started 11 years ago, continued Wednesday as Mayor Jon Mitchell honored New Bedford High's top 10 academic seniors by inducting them into the "Mayor's List" for 2023, during a ceremony at the Buttonwood Park Zoo Educational Center.
Before counting down and introducing the students, Mitchell spoke to why, early on in his time as mayor, he felt it was important to start the Mayor's List.
"There was such a reputational struggle ahead of us, to get ourselves out from state monitoring and just to get everything back on track," Mitchell said, "and I thought it was very important to ensure that we didn’t lose sight of the need to exalt excellence…."
No. 10: Tess Tarpey
"I've known Tess a long time. She had a terrific athletic career in high school," Mitchell said of Tarpey, who is set to attend the University of Connecticut in fall. Though she will enter college with an undeclared major, Tarpey hopes to make her way into the health sciences field, helping people to improve their physical or mental health.
Tarpey has been captain of New Bedford High's varsity lacrosse and field hockey teams, and a member of the swim team, Great Outdoors Club, National Honor Society, and Whaler Wave club.
No. 9: Jake Gioiosa
Gioiosa has plans to attend Syracuse University in the fall to major in environmental engineering. After graduating, he hopes to join an organization involved with developing equipment that will reduce the effects of climate change.
"Gotta come back to New Bedford to do that, for sure," Mitchell said.
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During high school Gioiosa has been captain of the swim team, a member of the volleyball and golf teams, Jazz Band, National Honor Society, Science Olympian team and the Great Outdoors Club.
No. 8: Edelmis Calderon Mercado
Mercado is set to attend Brandeis University in the fall to study biochemistry. She hopes to make a difference in the health industry "by making a world where health issues are not a limitation for anyone," according to her Mayor's List profile.
During high school Mercado has been a member of the varsity tennis team, National Honor Society, the debate team and Great Outdoors Club.
No. 7: Kailey Sousa
Sousa plans to attend UMass Dartmouth to major in bioengineering, having won a Founders scholarship to the school, "which is really hard to get; it's very competitive," Mitchell said.
Sousa's post graduation goals include earning her PhD in tissue engineering and childhood cancer research.
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During high school, Sousa has been a member of the Drama Club, National Honor Society and Great Outdoors Club.
No. 6: Connor SIlva
Silva is one of two Mayor's List students who not only followed older siblings' footsteps in making the Mayor's List, but landed in the same spots, Silva's brother Aden Silva having made No. 6 in 2021.
Silva is set to attend Stonehill College where he plans to major in secondary education and mathematics. Silva has said he hopes to return to New Bedford High as a math teacher.
During high school, Silva has been a member of the soccer, track & field, and volleyball teams, National Honor Society, Capstone, and the Great Outdoors Club.
No. 5: Gabriela Tsaliagos
Tsaliagos has chosen to attend University of Connecticut in the fall, where she plans to major in computer science and engineering. Careerwise, she hopes to enter the field of cyber security "and maybe prevent the city from another ransomware attack," Mitchell joked in reference to incidents in recent years.
During high school, Tsaliagos has been captain of the field hockey team, and a member of the lacrosse team, National Honor Society, Whaler Wave and Great Outdoors Club.
No. 4: Cynthia Torres
Torres is set to attend Princeton University with plans to major in history. She hopes to earn her law degree and work in state of municipal government, or as an immigration lawyer.
During high school, Torres has been captain of the swim team, and a member of the field hockey team, Whaler Wave, Great Outdoors Club, National Honor Society, and class secretary.
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Torres has also served as student rep to the School Committee, as highlighted by Mitchell, who said she'd "made one of the best running commentaries about college admissions" during meetings.
No. 3: Tatum Reis
Reis is another student to land in an older sibling's spot on the Mayor's List, her sister Raquel Reis having made No. 3 in 2021. Reis is set to attend Harvard University where she plans to major in environmental and public policy. Upon graduation, she hopes to work in the business side of sustainable fashion.
During her high school years, Reis has played field hockey, lacrosse and basketball, was a member of the Student Advisory Club, and founded the school spirit club Whaler Wave. In 2022, Reis was The Standard-Times Field Hockey Player of the Year.
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No. 2: Elizabeth Edminster
"No. 2 is a big deal. THat's why it has a name: salutatorian," Mitchell said in introducing Edminster.
Edminster, a Fairhaven resident who attended New Bedford High via School Choice, plans to attend UMass Amherst and major in informatics with a concentration in data science. She hopes to get a job that "applies modern data science and computing techniques to help solve modern society's pressing issues," according to her Mayor's List profile.
In high school Edminster has been captain of the JROTC Drilling & Marching, Color Guard, Honor Guard, Women's Physical Fitness and Women's Raider teams, and a member of the National Honor Society.
No. 1: Hannah Pereira
Pereira, an Acushnet resident, plans to attend Johnson & Wales University to major in biology on a pre-med track and play volleyball. She hopes to become a sports medicine physician.
During high school, the 2023 valedictorian has been captain of the volleyball team, vice president of the Great Outdoors Club, and a member of the basketball and lacrosse teams, Mayor's Youth Council and Whaler Wave.
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"... no aspersions on any other school, but you made a great choice," Mitchell said in reference to Acushnet residents' option to choose between New Bedford and Fairhaven for public high school.
This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: New Bedford High's top 10 academic achievers make Mayor's List
