Dover High School names Class of 2022 Top 10 students
DOVER — Dover High School has announced is Top 10 students of the Class of 2022. The school will hold its commencement ceremony on Thursday, June 9 at 7 p.m. at the high school. The Top 10 students In alphabetical order are:
Olivia Dulac
Olivia Dulac, daughter of Dr. Joseph and Michelle Dulac, is graduating fourth in her class. Olivia is incredibly thankful for all her teachers who have worked tirelessly to make her high school experience invaluable, especially Mrs. Poirier and Mrs. Connelly. She would also like to thank her friends for always making her laugh and her family for their endless support.
During her high school career, Olivia was a member of many clubs, activities, and athletics at Dover High School. Since her first year, Olivia was a member of the varsity field hockey team and was a captain her senior season. She thanks her coaches and teammates for consistently pushing her to be the best she could be and for all of the memories they have been a part of for the past four years.
Inducted as a sophomore, Olivia was the vice president of the National Honor Society her senior year, and she planned numerous fundraising and volunteering events. Olivia was also a member of the National Technical Honor Society, World Language Honor Society, Latin Club, and Student Ambassadors.
In the summer, Olivia has volunteered in many Holy Cross Cares events, such as helping incoming students on move-in day, organizing a local food pantry, and working at the New Hampshire Food Bank. She has also worked with the Dover Grab & Go Food Pantry, which provides food for children in need during school breaks.
In the fall, as a recipient of the Magis scholarship at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts, she plans to major in biology on the pre-med track.
Meghan Fitzgerald
Meghan Fitzgerald, daughter of Debbie and Sean Fitzgerald, and sister of Hannah, 15, and Declan, 13, is graduating as the salutatorian of the class of 2022 at Dover High School. She was captain of both the Varsity Field Hockey and Spring Track teams, Secretary of the National Honor Society, VP of Athletic Leadership Council, and a member of the National World Language Honor Society and Latin Club.
During her four years at Dover High School, Meghan has earned numerous awards in recognition of her academic commitment. She received Outstanding Achievement awards in AP Language and Composition, Honors Anatomy and Physiology, Honors Precalculus, Honors Chemistry, Honors Algebra II, Honors English 10, and Honors Earth Science. She was a Jae S. Lim Foundation Award Recipient for Excellence in Sciences, a two-time gold medal recipient for the National Latin Exam, a two-time silver medalist for the National Latin Vocab Exam, and winner of the St. Michael’s Book Award.
Athletically, Meghan was named Rookie of the Year for Varsity Field Hockey, Varsity Indoor Track, and Varsity Spring Track, and was a Scholar Athlete every season. She helped break two school records in her freshman year of track, and was awarded first-team all state and MVP for Varsity Field Hockey in her 2021 season.
One major aspect of Meghan’s life has been her baking business, which she has loved growing throughout high school. She has utilized this business as her main platform for community service, and has had the privilege of supporting local nonprofits, health care workers, and Ukrainian relief efforts, among other organizations. She would like to thank all those who have supported her baking over the past four years.
Meghan is grateful for the support and friendship she has been lucky enough to find throughout high school, and would like to thank just a few of those who have made an impact. First, to her parents, who have forever been her biggest supporters, thank you for the consistent encouragement to take risks, and for always showing up (regardless of the outcome). She would also like to thank her track coaches Moretti and Piatti for making her laugh, and for giving the best advice, and field hockey coach Sarah Michaud for pushing her to be the best player and leader. She’d also like to thank Mrs. Hall for making calculus way more fun than it should have been, Mr. Churchill for being a voice of reason and giving the best advice about the future, Magistra Connelly for offering enthusiasm and a love for teaching, Mrs. Manha for inspiring her interest in life sciences, and Mrs. Poirier for reminding her that while hard work is important, sometimes “good enough” is OK, too. Finally, Meghan would like to extend two special thank yous - first, to her best friend, Ashlyn, with whom she shares the best memories, and, second, to her Grampy (Anthony DeMinico), for always pushing her to excel, and reminding her that he is proud of her.
This fall, Meghan will be attending the University of Massachusetts Amherst as part of the Honors Program, where she will major in nursing, with the goal of working in a Boston ICU to care for patients and connect with families.
Emmett Hardwick
Emmett Hardwick is graduating tenth in the class of 2022 at Dover High School. Even as the tenth ranked Dover High School senior for the class of 2022, Emmett Theo Hardwick is very proud to have found himself in the rarified presence of such stellar academics as those ranked ahead of him. He will, no doubt, find himself in awe of their lengthy biographies, but also be content in sharing his thoughts on what got him here. While it is an honor to be recognized for his hard work, he understands he had many advantages putting him on a strong footing to get to this point, and there will be many more opportunities to make mistakes and have successes going forward.
Emmett’s experience coming up through the Dover Schools was one that presented many opportunities not taken. He always knew that they were there and he would have the support of his family and community should he choose to pursue them. His parents wanted him to be happy and gave him the skills to find that happiness. At the top of the list for overcoming struggles and being content were the cultivation of strong relationships, a healthy mind and body, a work ethic that valued responsibility and getting the job done to the best of your ability, and a reverence for learning.
He is grateful for so many experiences. As a preschooler, his time spent at the local non-profit family resource center made him friends and gave him a network he still has. The support of the Dover taxpayers saw him through his time at Dover District Preschool at Woodman Park School, a stint at Garrison Elementary School and, ultimately, being redistricted to Horne Street School to round out his elementary education. That support continued right up to where he finds himself now. His participation in the Dover Police Department’s Teen Center under the guidance of Steve Papajohn left him with many pleasant memories and an appreciation for the advantages he has and how there are agencies that do good in our community.
An effort to give back to the community as a Teen Advisory Board member at the Dover Public Library turned into a job as a library page, one of several jobs Emmett has had in his young working life. The mentors he met at his jobs have shown him that there will always be plenty of chances throughout his career to continue to learn new things beyond the school setting. Having cousins who live in more rural parts of the state made him appreciate the convenience of being able to commute to both work and school by bicycle. He likes to think the conservative principles he holds means he’s efficient with resources and is doing his part to mitigate the harm conspicuous consumption can have.
In keeping with his beliefs, Emmett applied to one school, UNH. He will start in the Civil Engineering Department in the honors program and see where he ends up. He’s glad he gets along with his parents, Kerry and Bryant, and brother, Davis (DHS class of 2020), as he intends to commute (possibly by bicycle when he’s not taking the Wildcat bus). While at the bottom of the list of higher education supporters relative to all other states, the taxpayers of the state of New Hampshire are subsidizing his education, and he appreciates it.
There are too many people and events that have touched Emmett’s life thus far to mention them all. He would like to thank those who turned him on to travel and its ability to widen one’s perspective: mom, dad, Grammy Rose, Howard … Emmett has benefited from many educators who shared their knowledge and excitement for learning, but would like to single out Mr. Salmonsen and Mr. Grande for making it look like they genuinely take pleasure in their subjects and for making him look forward to their classes. Most broadly, Emmett would like to thank the critical thinkers out there who do the hard work of using their brains to examine an issue and come to a good-faith opinion based on facts for letting him believe that the future can be bright.
Kaz Karas
Kaz Karas, son of Megan and Christian Karas, is graduating ninth in the class of 2022. During his time at Dover High, Kaz spent three years on the boys’ tennis team and one year as a member of the art club. As a student enrolled in the CTC Animal Science program, Kaz has also participated in a variety of extracurriculars through FFA, such as volunteering at the Deerfield Fair, helping to run doggy daycares on teacher workshop days, and participating in the CDE Veterinary Competition. He received the gold emblem for the FFA Outstanding SAE Award for Small Animal Care and Management in 2021. He is also a member of the National Technical Honors Society.
He would like to thank his mother, father, brother, and sister for their continued love and support. He is also extremely grateful for his dog and his cat, both for their emotional support and for their contributions throughout his various Animal Science classes. Kaz is also grateful for all of the friends that he has made over the past four years and everything they have done to support him, make him laugh, and help him to find his sense of self. He wants to thank Ms. Hough, Ms. Green, Ms. Connelly, and Ms. Hall for their enthusiasm in the content that they teach and for creating a positive environment where he can learn best.
In the fall, Kaz will be attending the University of New Hampshire to major in zoology. He hopes to participate in wildlife research, conservation, and/or rehabilitation. Hopefully in college he’ll learn not to put things off until the very last minute.
Cassie Lafleur
Cassie Lafleur, daughter of Melanie and Julien Lafleur, sister of Douglas Lafleur, is graduating fifth in the class of 2022 at Dover High School. She was a member of Interact, Earth Action Club, National Honor Society, World Language Honors Society, the Treasurer of Latin Club, and the Safety Captain of the Dover Shockwave Robotics team.
Cassie is extremely grateful to everyone who has been a part of her life during her time in high school. She would like to give special thanks to Magistra, for being the most amazing teacher to have for all four years; Mrs. Poirier and Mrs. McStew for introducing her to the world of bioplastics and their comparison to petroleum-based polymers through biology and chemistry; and to Mr. Chan, for helping empower her, through robotics, to continue with an education in engineering.
Cassie would also like to thank the lifelong friends she has made throughout her high school career. To Pedro, for sticking with her for pretty much every single class in their sophomore and junior year and for, somehow, still choosing to endure at least one more year of late-night video calls, filled with the attempts of doing their homework; to Chloe, for tolerating her during Latin, even when Cassie may, perhaps, be speaking a little too loudly; and to Paola, for being there when they’ve accidentally called the police while trying to roll around three recycling bins into the elevator all by themselves.
This fall, Cassie will be attending the University of New Hampshire as a Hamel Scholar in the Honors Program, with a major in chemical engineering in hopes of creating new types of biodegradable plastics with properties similar to widely used fossil fuel plastics in an attempt to replace them, as well as developing new ways of producing them by exploring other renewable resources.
Riley Lane
Riley Lane, daughter of Jeff and Jessica Lane, is graduating seventh in the Class of 2022 at Dover High School. During her time at DHS, Riley was a member of the National Honors Society, World Language Honors Society, Student Ambassadors and the Interact Club where she most recently served as president.
Throughout high school, Riley has been a junior coach for the Girls on the Run organization. She helped build self confidence in young girls through exercise, encouragement and team building. What started as a passion for running evolved into something much bigger, as she found that making a positive impact on others was rewarding and powerful. Riley volunteered at the Willand Pond Warming Center and served as a member of the Dover Library Teen Advisory Board.
Riley designed and implemented an Independent Study at an elementary school, serving as a teacher’s assistant while learning more about the public school system. She worked to develop a pilot program so that other students may have the same opportunity. Her experiences coaching and working with children have made her realize a career in education would be as fulfilling as it would be impactful.
Riley would like to thank Mr O’Mahony for his enthusiasm, encouragement and shared appreciation of Taylor Swift; and Mr Little for his support, advice and candid discussions on life. She would like to thank Mrs. Levin for years of guidance, compassion and friendship. Riley would also like to thank all her friends and family for their support throughout her life.
In the fall, Riley will attend the University of New Hampshire in the Honors Program where she will pursue a degree in educational studies and an accelerated master's degree.
Willson Pan
Willson Pan, son of Yang Bin Pan and Dong Ying Lin, is graduating sixth in the class of 2022 at Dover High School. He has a younger brother, Lin Pan, 15. He participated in his school’s Cyberpatriots Club, a club focused on securing computer systems.
Willson’s favorite classes throughout his time at Dover High School were by far chemistry and biology. He was fascinated by the miracles occurring in the living and microscopic world. He was especially captivated by the entire polymerase chain reaction process. He would like to thank Mrs. Poirier and Mrs. McCarron-Stewart for their perseverance in teaching lab sciences virtually.
When asked by one of his friends exactly what he does outside of school, Willson was quite shocked when he didn’t have an actual answer. He didn’t play any video games, didn’t watch much, and he’d be lying if he said he was studying. He also realized he was quite strange when he tracked mango prices for a few months at Hannaford, where he works. He likes listening to music that makes him feel like sitting on the sidelines watching paper lanterns floating down a river in Tokyo. He describes this as being extremely occupied doing basically nothing.
Willson is grateful to all his friends and family for their support throughout his confusing high school experience. He would especially like to thank Colby Duncan for always being a great problem solver, even if most of Colby’s solutions were “just get over it.” He would also like to thank George Lawton, whom he met while attempting to get Colby’s phone number four years ago (a number he still doesn’t have), for his blunt, but factually true statements that helped push Willson through various points of high school.
Later this year, Willson will be attending the University of New Hampshire. He also has a pathway to transfer into Georgia Institute of Technology next year, an option he is still considering. He will be majoring in computer science.
Joshua Parent
Joshua Parent, son of Sue and Dan Parent, is graduating third in the class of 2022 at Dover High School. He, at one point or another during the last four years, was a member of the Boys Hockey team, Boys Lacrosse team, National Technical Honor Society, and French Honor Society.
This fall, Joshua will be attending Concordia University to study aerospace engineering as a member of the Institute for Cooperative Education, specializing in aerodynamics and propulsion.
Joshua is thankful for everyone who has helped, influenced, and inspired him during his time in high school. He would like to give special thanks to Mr. Russo for opening his eyes up to the wondrous world of physics and being an amazing teacher; Mr. Duprat for all the engineering knowledge and skill he has given to him; Mr. Driscoll for his welcoming presence in the school and overall being a friendly person to have a conversation with; Ms. Parson for being an all around amazing person and making English classes so much fun; his sisters, for always being able to put a smile on his face; and his parents, for guiding him and helping him navigate everything he has faced in the last four years.
Joshua is also immeasurably grateful for every friend he has had over the last four years. Their support and friendship were a major part of his life and have been extremely valuable to him. The general camaraderie of their time together has been what made his high school experience so amazing and memorable. He would like to give special thanks to Maggie, for always being there for him and supporting him through his final two years of high school.
Lastly, Joshua wishes everyone good luck for their future and hopes that each person finds success and happiness in what they choose to do.
Jeremiah Payeur
Jeremiah Payeur, son of Sabrina Matve and Brett Payeur, and brother of Elijah, 20, Judah, 16, Sophia, 12, Isaac, 4, and Nora, 2, is graduating as the Valedictorian for the class of 2022. Throughout high school, he was a captain of the Boys Soccer, Winter Track, and Spring Track teams, and a member of the Varsity Cross Country team. He was also the Historian in National Honor Society, a member in Athletic Leadership Council, National Technical Honor Society, and World Language Honor Society.
Jeremiah has received many awards and recognitions throughout his four years for both academics and athletics. He was awarded the underclassmen Outstanding Achievement awards in Honors Physics, Honors Pre-Calculus, Honors Algebra II, and Honors Economics, while also being recognized as Most Improved in AP Language and Composition. During his junior year, Jeremiah also received the St. Michael’s Book Award and the Jae S. Lim Award for Excellence in Mathematics. Jeremiah was also named MVP for Track and Field, while earning a school record in the 800m, winning a State Championship in the 4x800m, qualifying for the New England Championship, and qualifying for New Balance Indoor Nationals.
Jeremiah was impacted by many throughout high school, and he is thankful for everyone who has been involved in his life. One of the most influential teachers he has had was Mrs. Hall, who helped him conceptualize the different ideas in calculus even throughout online learning. Jeremiah would also like to thank Mrs. McManus for helping him focus on being more concise in his writing, and Mr. Leclair, his freshman biology teacher, who sparked his interest in pursuing the sciences. Other teachers that made a significant impact on Jeremiah are Magistra Connelly and Mr. Duprat. Finally, Jeremiah would like to thank coaches Moretti, Piatti and Sanborn for helping him develop into the runner that he currently is.
This fall, Jeremiah will be attending Northeastern University with a major in mechanical engineering and a minor in aerospace engineering, with the goal of optimizing fuel efficiency in future aircrafts.
Camron Rozzo
Camron Rozzo, son of Jason and Kathy Rozzo, is graduating eighth in the Class of 2022 at Dover High School. Since sophomore year he was a part of the Career Technical Center Pre-Engineering program offered through Project Lead the Way. This fall, he will be attending University of New England with a major in medical biology as a part of the pre-physician assistant track to achieve his goal of becoming a PA and contributing to the furtherance and improvement of health care in America. Camron appreciates all of the hard work done by every one of his teachers over his four years in high school that made his academic success possible, and his friends who made the experience as enjoyable as it was. He hopes that in the future, everyone he has come to know over the years is able to work toward and achieve their goals as he aims to himself.
This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Dover NH High School Top 10 Students of the Class of 2022
