Meet Portsmouth High School's top 10 students from the Class of 2022

Portsmouth High School announced the following students as the top 10 in the Class of 2022. The list is presented in alphabetical order.

Elliot Abong

Elliot Abong is a charismatic leader who greets each task with determination and a positive attitude. Throughout his four years at PHS, Elliot committed himself to academic excellence and strove to succeed. Elliot has taken 19 Advanced Placement and honors level courses throughout high school. Elliot also successfully completed the Career and Technology Education Program from the Academy of Engineering. His excellent performance in these rigorous courses is a testament to his tremendous work ethic and commitment to his studies. In addition to his impressive academic performance, Elliot was a member of the Track and Field Team and a peer mentor in the Portsmouth Leadership Academy. Elliot’s accolades also include being a member of the Modern World Language Honor Society and recipient of the Lassell University Book Award. Elliot is looking forward to attending Boston College and he hopes to study abroad during his college years.

Pau Alcolea Vila

Pau Alcolea Vila is an exceptional student who has displayed the ability to adapt and excel in new environments. Prior to PHS, Pau attended school in both New York and Spain before moving to Portsmouth in his senior year. Despite being a new student, Pau quickly adapted to his new school due to his outgoing and friendly demeanor. Across all content areas, Pau displayed a tremendous work ethic as well as an immense passion for accomplishing his personal and academic goals. Throughout his four years of high school, Pau excelled in a variety of Advanced Placement and honors courses. Pau was also an active participant in school clubs and activities. He was a member of the Varsity Swim Team, Engineering Club, and the Math Team. Pau is a highly motivated and dedicated young man who hopes to further his education in a subject area that greatly interests him. Pau will be attending Worcester Polytechnic Institute where he will major in engineering.

James Andersen

James Andersen will be attending the United States Naval Academy where he will be majoring in nuclear engineering, a goal he has been tirelessly working towards achieving since the eighth grade. James is selfless in all that he does and wishes to dedicate his life to one of service. With a passion for civic duty, he has been a member of the Civil Air Patrol and a volunteer for the Warren Fire Department. James has shined academically while at PHS, taking 18 Advanced Placement and honors level courses.  He is a leader who is respected by his peers and his teachers and has been described by his guidance counselor as one who leads through “vision and collaboration.” James is the vice president of The National Honor Society, president of The Modern World Language Honor Society, and a peer mentor in the Portsmouth Leadership Academy.  He is also a member of the Math Team and varsity boys’ tennis team. James has received a number of accolades over his four years in high school including  recognition by the Society of Women Engineers as a top student in the area of science. He is a young man of honor, integrity and compassion who is always looking for ways to give back to his community and his country.

Maria Chytka

Maria Chytka is an impressive young woman who has been described by her guidance counselor and teachers as an outstanding student and an outstanding person. Excelling in all academic areas, she exemplifies what it means to be a true scholar. Over her four years of high school, Maria has taken 18 Advanced Placement and honors level courses. This year she was the school’s sole National Merit Scholarship finalist. She was also the recipient of the 2022 Lieutenant Governor Leadership Award.  Maria is an active member of her school and local communities.  She is the president of The National Honor Society, secretary of The Modern World Language Honor Society, member of the Math Team, co-founder of the Engineering Club, a peer mentor in the Portsmouth Leadership Academy, Senior Patrol Leader for her Girl Scout troop and a parish council member at St. Barnabas. Athletically, Maria has been a member of the girls’ soccer team, swim team and outdoor track team.  Her list of accolades include the University of Rhode Island Alumni Book Award, The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Medal for science and the St. Michael’s College Book Award for academic achievement and social conscience. She demonstrates compassion, integrity and empathy in all that she does and possesses a sincere desire to help others. Maria will be attending the United States Military Academy West Point where she plans on majoring in mechanical engineering - aerospace, with the ultimate goal of working for NASA.

Nathan Janssen

Nathan Janssen has been described by his guidance counselor as “an innate problem-solver who can think and react quickly.”  He is highly motivated, enthusiastic and has done exceptionally well across all academic areas.  While at PHS, Nathan thrived in the Project Lead the Way Engineering Career and Technical program. On his team, he was a valued member for his leadership and unique concepts.  He has been involved with FIRST Robotics for the last 5 years, and was part of the team that qualified to compete in April 2019 the Robotics FIRST World Championship.  He is also a member of the Engineering Club and has had internship experiences with the Navy. He has been recognized for his academic achievements in both mathematics and engineering.  In the fall, Nathan will be taking his passion for engineering to George Washington University where he will be majoring in mechanical engineering.

Amory Kirwin

Amory Kirwin has been described by her guidance counselor as having an “exceptional human being with an outstanding strength of character.” At PHS, it was evident that Amory always possessed a strong drive and intellectual curiosity, as demonstrated by her rigorous course load. Within the classroom - and through her kindness, maturity and open-minded nature - Amory fostered strong relationships with both her peers and her teachers throughout her high school career. She is a member of the National Honor Society, the Modern World Language Honor Society and Student Council, and has also been a member of the girl’s cross-country team, the girls’ track team and the swim team. Within the community of Portsmouth, Amory has also been involved with the Newport Children’s Theatre, has helped empower young women through the Days for Girls Organization and worked as a cantor at both St. Mary’s Church and Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Her talents as a singer also earned her first place in the classical category of NATS Boston. In the fall, Amory will major in History/Russian at the United States Naval Academy.

Nathan Levine

Described by his guidance counselor as someone “who can instantly command the attention of a room” and “has a gift of making people feel like they are being heard and that their voice is important,” Nathan Levine has left his mark on PHS.  He has excelled academically, balancing a rigorous course load of honors and Advanced Placement classes with his extracurricular activities and athletics. Treasurer for his class, member of the Jazz Band, the PHS Marching Band, the Math Team, the Portsmouth Leadership Academy and the National Honor Society, Nate has immersed himself in the school community.  For the last 4 years, he has been a member of the Boys Varsity Soccer Team, earning All Division for D1 soccer.  Recognized for his musical talent, Nate was a Junior All State snare drummer, snare captain in the band and a member of the Tri-M Music Honor Society. During his time at PHS, he has emerged as a leader among his peers, even starting the school’s intramural Boys Volleyball team.  In the fall, Nate will attend Marquette University where he will major in data analytics and finance.

Owen Malone

Owen Malone is an intelligent and motivated young man who has earned the respect of his teachers, peers and teammates. During his time at PHS, he has excelled both academically and athletically.  Owen has not only taken 14 Advanced Placement and honors level courses, but he has taken 3 college level math courses at Roger Williams University during his junior and senior years of high school. Since his freshman year, Owen has been a member of the Math Team, and in 2019, he earned recognition as the RIML Island High Scorer. He is also a member of the Modern World Language Honor Society and the National Honor Society.  Outside of the classroom, Owen is a member of the varsity boys’ baseball team and indoor track team. He is an extremely bright and inquisitive young man who considers one of his greatest strengths his willingness to help others learn.  In the fall, Owen will be attending Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) with a major in mathematics while continuing his baseball career at the collegiate level.

Garen Seibert

Garen Seibert is an insightful and compassionate young man who has exemplified what it means to be a Portsmouth Patriot. Academically, he has taken many AP courses and has completed the Engineering CTE pathway, thus demonstrating his willingness to challenge himself rigorously. To further build on this educational resume, Garen is also a member of the National Honor Society, the Modern World Language Honor Society, and was recently a recipient of the Sue Birnie Brady Award for Excellence in AP Literature. In addition to these academic accolades, Garen has served as a vital member of the Model UN, where he not only demonstrated amazing leadership, but also a passion for environmental issues while forging strong peer relationships. These traits also transferred to his leadership role in the New Patriots Club, where he helped welcome new students to PHS through social experiences and peer relationships. In the Fall, Garen will attend the United States Airforce Academy where he will continue his strong academic path as he majors in Mechanical Engineering.

Sophia Sousa

Described as a bright and optimistic young woman whose smile - according to her guidance counselor - “made others want to be around her,” Sophia Sousa has never been afraid to challenge herself, as evidenced by her enrollment in several Honors and AP courses. Balancing her academics with athletics, one could also witness Sophia’s competitive nature and leadership on the soccer field during her four years at PHS. She also excelled as a gymnast, but unfortunately, an injury prevented her from continuing on this path. Not letting this deter her involvement, however, Sophia defined perseverance as she used her knowledge and experience to coach groups of 5 and 6 year old gymnasts, allowing her to stay close with this community. Continuing to utilize these leadership qualities, Sophia also participated in the Peer Leadership Program, where she mentored freshmen via a social emotional curriculum in their advisories and followed them through their sophomore year.  Additionally, she has been a member of the National Honor Society, the Modern World Language Honor Society and the Creative Writing Club. This fall, Sophia will attend the University of Massachusetts Amherst where she will major in economics.

This article originally appeared on Newport Daily News: Portsmouth High School Class of 2022 top 10 students