Perseverance, leadership and mentorship are standout traits of Student of the Week nominees

Get to know some of the area's outstanding high school students in this edition of the Free Press's Student of the Week.

We asked Chittenden County high school and technical schools − public and independent − to submit their nominee for Student of the Week. Students could be nominated for excelling in academics, the arts, a remarkable project or their leadership skills or strong sense of character. The goal is to recognize young Vermonters who are making an incredible impact in a variety of ways.

Last week the Free Press was short one nominee to run an article that highlights at least three students. After a week's pause to gain more nominees, this will be the third installment in the series.

Four remarkable students are profiled this time, and all are deserving of the title Student of the Week. Hear about what they are doing, and if you feel inclined, you can vote for one to be named Student of the Week.

Voting will close Thursday, Feb. 22 at noon. You are invited to vote multiple times, but not more than once per hour. You can come back here to see where the results stand any time during the voting period.

The student with the most votes will be named Student of the Week and announced on Friday, Feb. 23 in an article naming all the weekly winners from throughout the year.

Here are the nominees for Student of the Week for the week of Feb. 19, 2024:

Suboth "Trey" Subba - Burlington High School

Trey Subba, a 15-year old first-year student from Burlington, has received the admiration of his Burlington High School teachers for his incredible perseverance. The ninth grader, who came to Vermont after spending his formative years in Nepal, approaches each new challenge as an opportunity for growth.

This is what educators have to say about him:

"Trey has a reputation for academic persistence and resilience in the face of challenges. He and his family joined the BSD community in 2017 after moving from Nepal. As a first year student at BHS, he works diligently with teachers and demonstrates a commitment to his academic growth through consistently applied effort and strong attendance. Trey exemplifies the power of a growth mindset when applied towards various learning goals and is eager to apply his classroom learning in the real world."

Kennedy Desautels - Burlington Technical Center and Champlain Valley Union High School

Kennedy Desautels, an 18-year old senior from Williston, splits her academic time between Burlington Technical Center and Champlain Valley Union High School. When not focusing on her studies, she can also be found representing Vermont in a national organization training the future healthcare workforce or talking with state legislators in Montpelier about women's health issues.

Here's what her teachers from Burlington Technical Center had to say:

"Kennedy participates in BTC’s Health Science Academy and serves as a state officer for HOSA-Future Health Professionals, an international career and technical student organization. Kennedy has learned through her HOSA experiences that she has a passion for policy and women's issues. She was the sole state officer in attendance for legislative sessions at the State House in Montpelier where she networked with state senators and was overjoyed to be present for the passing of a healthcare bill in committee related to coverage for women's health issues."

Ryan Carpenter - South Burlington High School

A 17-year-old South Burlington senior, Ryan Carpenter's high school career has been one of succeeding on many fronts. At South Burlington High School he is enrolled in some of the most academically rigorous courses, is an athlete, tutors younger students in math, is a mentor and loyal friend.

South Burlington educators had this to say of him:

"Ryan Carpenter is a top student in a strong class of Seniors at SBHS. He spends time volunteering during a free period tutoring 9th-grade students in math. His coaches, school counselor, and teachers share that he, 'is a phenomenal human being. He meets everyone with kindness and curiosity, is a hard worker, and always looks to improve. Ryan is a positive role model in our school and community. Younger students look up to him; he does not take that for granted. He prioritizes relationships and highlights his friendships and the relationships with his teachers as the most positive aspect of his high school years. Ryan is a very hard worker, in his classes, at his job, in the gym, and in athletics. He takes his academics seriously and does not shy away from a challenge opting to take some of the most rigorous courses in the school, including AP classes in both math and science.'"

Phoebe Richardson - Colchester High School

Phoebe Richardson is a 17-year-old senior at Colchester High School. Among her many interests and accomplishments is her desire to leave her community better than how she found it. Her leadership roles have put her in the position to make a difference on the School Board, establishing a mentorship program with elementary students and speaking about the importance of equity and inclusivity to school district educators.

Here's what Colchester High School administrators had to say about her:

"From being the student representative on the Colchester School Board to participating in Jazz Band, Wind Ensemble, Tennis, and countless other extracurriculars, Phoebe has gone above and beyond as a student leader for the Colchester School District. Phoebe and fellow student Fiona McHugh (CHS Junior) have worked all year long to bring the DREAM mentoring program to the Colchester School District and will see those efforts come to fruition this March. In the next month, CHS students will start mentoring 3rd graders at Union Memorial School. The DREAM program is designed to keep mentors and mentees matched for years to come. While Phoebe is a Senior, she has an amazing sense of community and long-term vision that show she is wise beyond her years. Her sense of leadership and community was evident as one of Colchester School District's keynote speakers dating back to the district's convocation on the opening day of the 2023-2024 school year. She spoke to all district faculty and staff about the importance of equity and inclusivity. She used her personal experiences navigating our schools as a person in the global majority and not only encouraged us to continue some examples of our great work at CHS but also inspired us to continue to grow as a community. Phoebe has backed up those sentiments all year by working with school leaders and peers in an effort to leave Colchester School District better off than she found it, and she already has."

Congratulations to Trey Subba, Kennedy Desautels, Ryan Carpenter and Phoebe Richardson for being nominated for Student of the Week. You can vote for one or more of them in the poll below.

Contact reporter April Barton at abarton@freepressmedia.com or 802-660-1854. Follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter @aprildbarton.

This article originally appeared on Burlington Free Press: Vote for outstanding high school students to be Student of the Week