Maranacook Community High School in Readfield recently announced its top 10 scholars for the class of 2018.

Emma Hatt, of Mount Vernon, daughter of Greg and Deborah Hatt, is the valedictorian. She has been a member of chamber choir for four years and a guitarist in jazz band for four years, and played bass guitar and percussion in concert band for two years.

She also has been a member of both the District III and All State choirs. Throughout high school, she has participated in four Maranacook musicals and three plays, most notably “Into the Woods” and “The Addams Family.” She has also been a member of the varsity tennis team for the past four years, and a captain of the team for three. Additionally, she is a member of the National Honor Society, Maranacook Peer Mentors, Student Senate and the math team. She plans to attend Bowdoin College in the fall and is considering studying both physics and music.

Laura Parent, who lives in Manchester with her parents Michael and Jennifer, is the salutatorian. Throughout her time at Maranacook she has participated in varsity sports as an active member of the track, Nordic and cross country teams. She was elected captain of the Nordic team her senior year, and captain of the cross country team her junior and senior year. Parent, along with co-captain Maddie Taylor, led both the cross country and Nordic team to capture the sportsmanship banners this year, as well as a regional and conference title in cross country, and a conference title and 2017 State Title in Nordic skiing.

She also has been a member of Student Senate and Student Council as the chairwoman of the Health Center Student Advisory Committee, a member of the Teen Issues Coordinating Committee, a mentor of a middle school student, and a Writing Center Tutor. Parent has also participated in Model U.N. and played piano in Maranacook’s jazz band all four years of high school. Parent plans to attend Carleton University in the fall to study international relations and global development.

Hajna Nagy, of Readfield, is the daughter of Kelly Crotteau and Alexander Nagy. She has been a four-year varsity soccer player, serving as captain her senior year. She also has been a member of the Nordic ski team for three years and track and field for one, winning the Class C state skiing championship her junior year along with her team.

Nagy is a three-year member of the National Honor Society, serving as a two-time officer as secretary her junior year and currently as president. She has served on the Outreach Committee of Student Senate for the past four years and Student Council for one.

Nagy also engages in the arts, serving as a member of her school’s chamber choir for the past year and a dancer in this year’s musical. She continues to practice all types of dance as she has for the last 12 years, the past two of which have been as a member of the Encore Dance Company at Kennebec Dance Centre in Augusta.

In her free time, Nagy volunteers as a writing center tutor at her school and is the assistant coach to a U10 boy’s soccer team. She plans to attend Bowdoin College this fall.

Connor Firth is the son of Billie Cleveland and Sarah Firth, of Vienna. Firth is a tri-sport athlete, having played football and lacrosse in the past, and now runs cross country, skis cross country (of which he was a captain), and runs track.

He has been a four-year member of Maranacook’s Model U.N. delegation and has participated in the school’s English Writing Center since its conception. This year, he also participated in the setup and running of the school’s Teen Issues days. He will graduate with an associate degree from Thomas College, in addition to his high school diploma. His main interests include skiing, guitar and astronautics. Connor plans to attend Clarkson University in the fall, to study aeronautical engineering and ski.

Mark McLaughlin is the son of Cathy McLaughlin and Mike McLaughlin, of Manchester. As a Maranacook High School student, he has been involved with sports all four years as a member of soccer, tennis and Nordic ski teams earning varsity letters in all sports and serving as captain for Nordic Ski Team. In State Nordic competition, he placed fourth in states for overall skier both junior and senior year. Awarded for the State 1st Nordic team in both 2017 and 2018. He was selected to compete on the Eastern High School Championship team this year and competed with the U16 Maine team as a freshman.

He has been an active member of the National Honor Society, Student Senate and Student Council during high school. Along with sports and student government, he has been involved in community volunteering at VA Maine HCS, Special Olympics and various local groups, completing 80-plus volunteer hours.

In his free time, he enjoys being outside skiing, running, hiking and swimming. He next looks forward to attending college to pursue a degree in chemical engineering at the University of Maine.

Erin Bonenfant is the daughter of Brent and Kelly Bonenfant, of Mount Vernon. She is a three-season athlete. She played varsity softball for four years, varsity field hockey for three years, junior varsity basketball for two years and varsity basketball for one year. She obtained her varsity letter in her freshman year and was a captain of the field hockey team her senior year and softball team her junior and senior years.

Academically, she has been a participating member of the National Honor Society, receiving her academic letter freshman year and pins thereafter. She has been a middle school mentor for the past three years. She also participated in the chamber singers.

In her free time, she studies Isshinryu karate, which she has been doing since she was 8 years old. She enjoys being outside snowmobiling and hunting with her father. Bonenfant plans to attend Husson University in the fall and study environmental science.

Lana Watts, of Wayne, is the daughter of David and Siuyin Watts. She is a member of the National Honor Society and has been in the gifted and talented art program for all the four years of high school.

She was a member of the varsity soccer team and participated in Alpine skiing. She was awarded the KVAC academic award for both sports. Watts participated with utmost endeavor on the pathway program through Thomas College to graduate from high school with an associate degree.

In her senior year she travelled to Spain with her Spanish class, and for her physics project she created magnetic shoes to walk on the ceiling. Watts plans to attend Virginia Tech to major in human nutrition food and exercise and a double minor in psychology and Spanish.

Madison Taylor, of Readfield, is the daughter of Kate and Bud Taylor. Taylor has competed in cross country, Nordic skiing and track throughout high school.

She was elected as student body vice president and the head of the Community Outreach committee. She has participated in activities such as Model United Nations, coaching for the Lakers summer track program, middle school mentoring, and an internship with the Readfield Historical Society. Taylor was a 2017 Albert H. Small Normandy Sacrifice for Freedom scholar. Taylor plans to attend Connecticut College in the fall, where she will continue to run track and cross country.

Jackson McPhedran is the son of Patty Gordon and John McPhedran, of Readfield. McPhedran is a three-season varsity athlete and captain for soccer, basketball and baseball teams. He has been a part of two state championship soccer teams under Coach Don Beckwith. He is also an avid skier and fisherman and loves spending time outdoors.

McPhedran is a member of the National Honor Society and has been an active member of Student Senate working as the co-chairman of the Sustainability Committee. As a member of this committee, he helped improve the school gardens by rebuilding raised beds and participating in seedling projects at district elementary schools. McPhedran plans to attend the University of Vermont in the fall.

Olivia Tamborini is the daughter of George and Christine Tamborini, of Readfield. Tamborini is an active member of her community and school. She participated in the past in Nordic skiing and softball, but her passion is field hockey. Her love of field hockey led her to be voted a captain her junior and senior years.

She is a member of National Honor Society, in which she served as treasurer. She also was a member of Student Senate.

Tamborini also volunteers weekly at MaineGeneral Medical Center, working with elders to detect signs of delirium and dementia. In the fall, she plans to attend Rochester Institute of Technology to pursue her bachelor’s degree in biomedical sciences.

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