York High School names top 10% students in Class of 2023

YORK, Maine — York High School has announced its top decile students for the Class of 2023.

Abigail Dickson

Abigail Dickson is the daughter of Erin and Troy Dickson. She is a member of the Spanish Honor Society and National Honor Society, where she holds the position of treasurer. She is part of multiple clubs at YHS including the Eco Club, Young Women’s Leadership, and Interact. Outside of her school community, she is involved with the youth group at First Parish Federated Church where she has served at many turkey suppers, attended yard clean-ups, and helped out with various community events put on by the church. She has been involved in both field hockey and lacrosse her entire high school career. She has played varsity all four years and became captain of both teams her senior year. While accomplishing these things, she has also managed to stay on the honor roll each year of high school. In the fall she is excited to be attending Bentley University where she will major in business management.

Christopher James O’Sullivan

Christopher James O’Sullivan is the son of James and Kelly O’Sullivan and the sibling of Matthew O’Sullivan. He is a member of the National Honor Society and the Spanish Honor Society. During his time at York High School, he has been a member of the Future Business Leaders of America, where he was treasurer and won awards in the computer applications competition and the securities and investments competition. He has also been a member of the Interact club and a Senior Advisor for the Class of 2027. He has enjoyed time as a member of the concert and jazz bands playing the clarinet, tenor saxophone, alto saxophone, and barri saxophone as well as winning a solo award in the Maine State Jazz competition. He also enjoyed three seasons as a York High School soccer team player and coached younger players to share his love of the game. Academically, he has received awards in AP Calculus and AP Psychology and a Junior Scholar's award. In the fall, Christopher will attend Villanova University as part of the honors program, where he will pursue a degree in finance.

Margaret Hanlon

Margaret Hanlon is the daughter of Michael and Barrie Hanlon. She has been an active member in her school community over the years. She participated in varsity field hockey, ice hockey, and softball, and was elected to be a captain of the girls ice hockey team her senior year. She received various awards in these sports, including the Western Maine Conference Citizenship Award, All-Academic and All-Conference awards. In addition to athletics, she remained on the high honor roll, enrolled in numerous AP and Honors courses. She was also elected as vice-president of her class for her senior year and was co-president of the club TIDALWAVSE (Teens In Drug Awareness Leading Working And Valuing Self Esteem). She is a member of the National Honor Society, and the German World Language Honor Society. Margaret will attend Purdue University, as part of their first year engineering program, planning to major in astronautical and aeronautical engineering.

Maximillian Convery

Maximillian Convery is the son of Matt and Julie Convery. Max has enjoyed playing and watching soccer throughout his time in high school. He has been regularly disappointed by his favorite club, Everton. He has received numerous underclass awards for classes such as AP Calculus and AP Statistics. Additionally, he is a member of the World Language Honor Society and is a Rensselaer Medalist. He is extremely grateful for his physics teacher Ms. Wiebe, particularly for her patience, understanding, and kindness. Max will be attending Amherst College in the fall, majoring in mathematics or computer science.

Sienna Taylor Hilbourne

Sienna Taylor Hilbourne is the proud daughter of Keriannand Jason Hilbourne. She is a member of the National Honor Society and the German Honor Society. She achieved high honor roll all four years and received many academic awards across all subject areas. She has been an active member of the school jazz and concert band, playing tenor saxophone and clarinet all four years, while participating in MMEA Jazz All-States and MMEA District Concert and Jazz Bands. This year, she received the Louis Armstrong Jazz Award. She is also very passionate about art, starting an Art Club at York High School to bring together like-minded artists. She was part of the Robotics Club for two years, bringing her team to VEX Worlds with her Design Notebook Award. She was a member of the Newspaper Club for three years, drawing comics and writing. Sienna has recently focused on training younger generations of students about gender equality and sexual assault through BRIDGES. Additionally, she works to better her community by volunteering at the York Public Library and implementing a YHS therapy dog program she created with a friend. She is excited to attend Vassar College, where she can continue to pursue her love of art and music.

Zoe Noonan

Zoe Noonan is the daughter of Annie and Richard Noonan. She is a member of the National Honor Society and the French Honor Society. Zoe has been an active member of the theater club throughout high school and middle school and has performed in a wide range of roles. She serves as web editor-in-chief of the student newspaper and created its first ever website. Zoe also started a program to bring service dogs to York High School to help with students’ mental health. During the summer of her junior year, she interned in the chemistry department at the University of New Hampshire and presented her research to faculty and students. For the past two years, Zoe has worked as a clerk at the York Public Library, where she has enjoyed connecting with community members. She is the recipient of the Bausch + Lomb Science Award and the Phi Beta Kappa Academic Achievement Award and has received departmental awards in English, chemistry, economics, and theater. Zoe will attend the College of the Holy Cross in the fall, where she will study chemistry.

Eva Zheng

Eva Zheng is the daughter of Xue and Jie Zheng. At YHS, she has participated in Eco Club, Young Women’s Leadership, World Language Honor Society, and served as secretary at this chapter’s National Honor Society. Eva ran two full seasons of varsity indoor and outdoor track each. Outside of school, she has worked as a conservationist working alongside biological technicians in field research and volunteered as an academic article writer. Throughout her high school career, she has made honor roll and received awards in AP Environmental Science and AP Chemistry. Eva will attend Yale University this fall, studying environmental and chemical engineering.

Greta Yauch

Greta Yauch is the daughter of Peter and Trish Yauch. She is the President of the National Honor Society and World Language Honor Society. She has been a member of the YHS Jazz Band for four years as an alto saxophone player. She is the Editor-in-Chief of the school newspaper and a member of the varsity track and cross country teams. She is thrilled to be attending Tufts University in the fall and will be studying political science.

Harper Howell

Harper Howell is the daughter of Brooke Blum and Matt Howell, and the oldest sister to Norah, Josie, and Grant. She is dedicated to volunteering and giving back to her community, and has led and participated in countless protests, fundraisers, and rallies within her community. She is co president of Eco Club, Young Women’s Leadership, and the Yellow Tulip Project. She is incredibly passionate about music and a member of York High School Jazz band as a drummer and bassist. She’s also a member of York High School Chamber Singers, and has auditioned and qualified for Maine All State all four years of high school. She is also a member of National Honor Society, treasurer of student government, and has played field hockey for all four years of high school. Harper is a hard-working student who has made high honors all four years of high school and has participated in 8 AP classes throughout her high school career. In the fall, she will major in political science and pre-law studies at the University of California, Berkeley.

Lucy Georgina Kocev

Lucy Georgina Kocev is the daughter of Renee and Andrej Kocev. She is a member of the National Honor Society and Spanish Honor Society. Lucy participated in cross country, indoor track, and outdoor track throughout her time at York High School, as well as being a member of the Newspaper Club. She has volunteered at the York Community Service Association. Lucy has received various academic awards throughout her four years of high school, including the Maine Society of Women Engineers Award and Global Seal of Biliteracy in Spanish. She was named a National Merit Commended Scholar. Next year, Lucy will attend Saint Anselm College, majoring in secondary education and mathematics.

Macy Young

Macy Young, daughter of Michael and Karen Young, is graduating from York High School as the Class of 2023 Valedictorian and received the Maine Principal Association’s Principal award. Macy has been dancing for 14 years at Belletete Ballet Studio, Brixham Danceworks, and New England Dance Project. In addition to studying and performing dance and teaching ballet, Macy served on the Maine Department of Education Student Cabinet for two years, advocating for better mental health resources in Maine’s public schools. With a passion for social justice, Macy served as a member of the York School Climate and Culture Committee, helping to advise the district on diversity, equity, and inclusion. Macy also served as a volunteer for York Ready for Climate Action, as a leader of the Young Women’s Leadership Club at York High School, and as a volunteer in the Kittery Land Trust Nooney Farm Giving Garden. Macy has a passion for writing and has been published on several occasions. In addition to The York Weekly, her work can be found in a New York Times publication, Coming of Age in 2020, and a poetry collection, Out Like a Lamb. Beginning next fall, Macy will pursue her passion for writing and social equity as a journalism and global liberal studies major at New York University.

Chloe Bourque

Chloe Bourque has been an influential part of her school and community. She would like to thank her parents, Lisa and Terry Bourque, and her friends for always supporting her on her journey. She was part of many clubs including National Honor Society, World Language Honor Society, Sober Friends, and was the president of Future Business Leaders of America. She was captain of the varsity soccer team and is headed to St. Lawrence University to play soccer and study biomedical science.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: York High School names top 10% students in Class of 2023