Gardiner Area High School recently announced its top 10 graduating seniors.

Sarah Morgan, daughter of Marla and Charles Morgan, of Gardiner, is class valedictorian. She is a member of the National Honor Society, a past Dirigo Girls State delegate, the winner in the Kennebec County Medical Society Essay Contest for her paper about bullying in schools, and a recipient of the Gardiner Rotary Club Student of the Month Award.

She has served as secretary of her class and a member of Student Council, serving as vice-president her senior year. Morgan is a member of the varsity ice hockey team, serving as captain her senior year. She was instrumental in organizing a girls’ ice hockey cooperative team with Winslow this last year. She also was a member of the field hockey team, earning a place on the All State — All Academic 1st Team KVAC and team MVP. She earned the Hobey Baker High School Character Award, was a WCSH Channel 6 Varsity Club Member, and received national recognition as a Scholar of Distinction with the NFMCA High School National Academic Squad.

Morgan is the recipient of several excellence in academics awards including Life & Work, AP English Literature and French III. She is a Rensselaer Medalist and also received the Phi Beta Kappa Association of Maine Award. Within the community Morgan has volunteered with Rousseau’s Hockey Clinic, as a patient transport volunteer with MaineGeneral, and with Day of Caring. She is the owner of Sarah’s Odd Jobs and has offered landscaping/property management and odd jobs throughout high school.

Morgan plans to attend Colby College in the fall to study cell and molecular biology/biochemistry.

Gabrielle Cooper, daughter of Amy and Mark Cooper, of Pittston, is class salutatorian. She is a member of the National Honor Society, the Latin Club, a past Dirigo Girls State delegate, a recipient of the Gardiner Rotary Club Student of the Month Award, a nominated participant of the HOBY Leadership Conference, and the 2017 Maine State Poetry Out Loud winner; she competed at the POL Nationals in Washington, D.C., last month.

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Cooper is a member of Student Council and class council in which she has served as president throughout her high school career. She is a member of the jazz band, concert band and Band Board.

She is the recipient of several excellence in academics awards including AP statistics, pre-calculus, health, AP chemistry, English and Latin. She also was awarded the Dartmouth Book Award and the Bausch and Lomb Science Award. Within the community she has volunteered with Day of Caring; the Youth Conservation Corps where she worked to prevent erosion in a local watershed; the Open Book Players, serving as a board member; HOBY Maine as a junior facilitator; at St. Giles Episcopal Church as an Altar Guild member and server; and with the Meals on Wheels program as a delivery person. In her leisure time she enjoys horseback riding.

Cooper plans to will attend Dartmouth College in the fall.

Mary Toman, daughter of James and Jacqueline Toman, of Gardiner, is ranked third in her class. She is a member of the Student Council and the National Honor Society, currently serving as vice-president.

Toman has participated in sports throughout her high school career including varsity softball, soccer and basketball, earning a place on the KVAC All-Academic Teams for soccer and basketball. She also served as captain of both the soccer and basketball teams her senior year. In 2017 she earned a place on the KVAC All-Conference 1st Team and the McDonald’s All-Star Team. In 2015 she was selected as the Kennebec Journal Basketball Player of the Year.

She is the recipient of several excellence in academics awards including wellness II, career and technology, video production, intro to art, pre-calculus, lab biology, honors algebra II, French I and II, honors geometry and English.

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Within the community she has volunteered with National Honor Society blood drives, as a referee for youth soccer games, as a youth basketball coach and camp counselor, and with Day of Caring.

Toman plans to attend the University of New England in the fall to study nursing.

Sierra Goodridge, daughter of the late Berkley Goodridge and Sara Goodridge, of Gardiner, is ranked fourth in her class. She is a member of the National Honor Society, the National Congress of Future Medical Leaders, the high school band, Jazz Band, Band Board, serving as vice-president and historian, Civil Rights Team, District Wellness Committee, Class Council, where she served as fundraiser and spirit chairwoman, Key Club, yearbook editor, Student Council representative Latin Club and Upward Bound.

Goodridge is the recipient of several excellence in academics awards including career and technology, anatomy and physiology, honors English and Latin II. She was honored in Washington, D.C., for her selection as the 2017 Horatio Alger Scholar. She has participated in sports including field hockey, indoor track, cross country and winter cheering.

Within the community she has volunteered with the Humane Society Waterville Area, Pooch’s Secondhand Shop, local elementary schools, and with Day of Caring. In her leisure time she enjoys running, oil painting, hiking, kayaking, camping and yoga.

Goodridge plans to attend Franklin & Marshall College in the fall to study biology/pre-veterinary.

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Hunter Russell, son of Elizabeth and Kevin Russell, of West Gardiner, is ranked fifth in his class. He is a member of the National Honor Society, a past Dirigo Boys State delegate, and a participant in the U.S. Naval Academy Seminar Program in 2016.

He has participated in sports throughout his high school career including football, earning a place as a defensive tackle on the Class B Pine Tree Conference 2nd Team in 2016; hockey; and track & field, serving as captain and earning a place on the Class B Conference All-State Track Team in 2015. Russell is the recipient of several excellence in academics awards including Spanish I, investigating science and English. Within the community he has volunteered with youth and middle school track as well as Day of Caring.

Russell plans to attend The College of the Holy Cross in the fall to study biology.

Alison Newcombe, daughter of Doreen and Robert Newcombe, of West Gardiner, is ranked sixth in her class. She is a member of the National Honor Society, Student Council, Class Council, serving as vice-president for three years; and Jazz Band, participating in the annual Pizzaz Musical Talent Show.

Newcombe is the recipient of several excellence in academics awards including life and work, career and technology, Spanish and U.S. history. She was also the recipient of the Smith College Book Award. Within the community she has volunteered as a coaching assistant with Special Olympics, a dance teacher assistant with Uptowne School of Dance, as a volunteer in a special needs classroom, and as a Big Sister through the Big Brothers/Big Sisters program.

Newcombe plans to attend the University of New England in the fall to study pharmacy.

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Devon Gordon, daughter of Robert and Debra Gordon, of Litchfield, is ranked seventh in her class. She is a member of the National Honor Society, Math Team, Student Council, Jazz Band, participating in both the District III Band Festival and the All New England Band Festival; and Band Board, serving as secretary.

She also has been a member of the cross country team for two years.

Gordon maintained highest honors throughout her high school career and was the recipient of several excellence in academics awards including chemistry, American studies, AP English literature, life and work, world cultures, geometry and investigating science. In her leisure time she works out, reads, listens to and plays music, skis, hikes and spends time with friends. Within the community she has volunteered as a band director’s assistant, with the National Honor Society blood drives, and as a crew member and waitstaff for the Pizazz productions.

Gordon plans to attend Castleton University in the fall to study exercise science.

Elijah Kropp, the son of Theron and Cynthia Kropp, of Wales, is ranked eighth in his class. He is a member of the National Honor Society, maintaining highest honors throughout his high school career, is a nominated recipient of the Rotary Student of the Month Award, and is a member of Student Council and high school chorus.

Kropp is the recipient of several excellence in academics awards including algebra II honors, world cultures honors, U.S. history honors and Spanish I. He has participated in sports including football, serving as captain and earning a place on the KVAC All-Academic Team; track, serving as captain and again earning a place on the KVAC All-Academic Team; and basketball earning the KVAC “A” Senior Award. Within the community he has volunteered with the food pantry, church suppers, coaching youth basketball, as a counselor at Camp Mechuwana, and with Day of Caring.

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Kropp plans to attend Lehigh University in the fall to study mechanical engineering.

Kallie Goggin, the daughter of Candace and Sean Goggin, of West Gardiner, is ranked ninth in her class. She is a member of the National Honor Society and the recipient of excellence in academics awards including American studies and statistics and trigonometry.

She has been a member of the field hockey team throughout her high school career. Within the community she has volunteered as a coach in the youth field hockey program and with Day of Caring.

Goggin plans to attend the University of Connecticut in the fall to study actuarial science and finance.

Julia Nadeau, the daughter of Dan and Lucia Nadeau, of Randolph, is ranked tenth in her class. She is the recipient of an excellence in academics award for world cultures. She has been involved in sports throughout her high school career including field hockey; soccer, earning a place on the All-Academic KVAC Soccer Team; softball, earning a place on the KVAC Softball 2nd Team; and ice hockey, earning a place on the All-Academic KVAC Girls Ice Hockey Team.

Within the community she has volunteered at Maine-ly Gymnastics as an assistant, and with Day of Caring.

Nadeau plans to attend Thomas College in the fall to study finance.


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