Enfield resident David Cicotte led a robotics team from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University to victory in the finals of the National Science Foundation’s Student Cyber-Physical Systems Challenge in Arizona in mid-May.

In addition to topping the field of four finalists in overall points at the mid-May competition, Cicotte’s team won the award for developing the most innovative method for recovering a lost unmanned aircraft.

Embry-Riddle’s aspiring engineers began their flight to the title in January, qualifying for the challenge with nine other teams to participate in cloud-based trials simulating search and recovery. Cicotte’s team was one of six that emerged from the trials and qualified for the outdoor challenge, on the theme of “No Robot Left Behind,” at the Tucson International Modelplex Park. A team from Sweden’s Halmstad University placed second, followed by squads from Vanderbilt University and the University of Pennsylvania.

Cicotte, a 2012 graduate of Lebanon High School, recently completed his junior year at Embry-Riddle’s Daytona Beach, Fla., campus. He is pursuing a degree in mechanical engineering.

The Write Stuff

Lyme School student Reece Kenney presented the winning verse during the poetry contest at the New Hampshire Water Science Fair and Drinking Water Festival at Plymouth State University on May 9.

Another Lyme fourth-grader, Kaelan Clark, placed fourth in the science fair.

Newport resident Aribella Medbery, a student at Richards Elementary School, won a citation for her entry in the statewide essay contest recently sponsored by the New Hampshire State House Bicentennial Commission.

Scholarship-Shape

The union representing service workers at Dartmouth College recently awarded college scholarships of $1,000 each for the 2018-2019 academic year to 12 students who are children and grandchildren of current union members.

Recipients of the inaugural Earl F. Sweet Memorial Scholarship, by hometown, were:

West Lebanon — Amanda White, pursuing associate’s degree in early childhood education from Community College of Vermont.

Enfield — Shayna Levesque, majoring in environmental science at Colby-Sawyer College; and Tabitha Dionne, majoring in biology at Keene State College.

Plainfield — Alex Plummer, studying conservation law enforcement at Unity College in Maine.

Hartland — Michael Follensbee, pursuing master’s degree in atmospheric science at the University of Massachusetts at Lowell.

Thetford — Josh Cole, Thetford Academy senior bound for Vermont Technical College.

Vershire — Jacob Perkins, majoring in marketing and sports management at the University of Southern Maine.

Grafton — Aaron Burns, studying S.T.E.M. subjects at St. Lawrence University.

Claremont — Kayla Fay (former resident of Bradford, Vt.), pursuing a master’s degree in public health from The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice.

Goshen, N.H. — Steven Carpenter, majoring in hospitality management at the University of New Hampshire.

Springfield, Vt. — Caitlin Vollman, studying forensic science, forensic anthropology, marine biology and environmental science at the University of Alabama.

Wilmington, Vt. — Callie Dix, attending the pre-veterinary program at Albright College in Reading, Pa.

The scholarships are named in memory of former Local 560 president Earl Sweet. To learn more about scholarships for the 2019-2020 academic year and beyond, children and grandchildren of union members can inquire at SEIU Local 560, Post Office Box 5604, Hanover, N.H. 03755.

Quizzical

Two teams from Hanover High School finished in the top 100 among 352 teams from around North America and China during the National Academic Quiz Tournament championships in Atlanta over Memorial Day weekend.

Hanover’s A team of Hayden Smith, Simon Herron, Oliver Minshall and Liam Szczepiorkowski went 6-4 during the preliminary rounds and advanced to the 22nd round before falling to Delaware’s Wilmington Charter School.

The B squad of Jack Burnham, Wright Frost, Rose Luttmer, Dorothea Psomas and Eliza Rodi won five of its 10 preliminary rounds, then went five more before running afoul of a team from Plymouth, Minn.

Coached by Gabriel Brison-Trezise and William Murphy, Hanover’s were the only teams representing New Hampshire.

Two teams from Richmond Middle School competed at the middle-school championship of the National Academic Quiz Tournament in Rosemount, Ill., in early May.

Richmond’s B team of Dill Eisendrath, Cole Griffiths, Johnny Lang, Simon Phipps and Sora Shirai won six of its 10 matches to place 49th overall out of 192 teams.

The A squad of Danny Bender, Dennis Acker, Cam Bonner, Lyra Bornholdt-Collins and Adam Gilbert-Diamond went 4-4 on the way to finishing 113th.

Artistic Merit

Thetford Academy student Grace Clement earned honorable mention for her dry-point etching, Summer Parlor, during the Vermont round of the Congressional Art Competition at the Vermont College of Fine Arts in Montpelier.

More than 165 students from 39 high schools around Vermont submitted works of art. Springfield High School student Eva Harris earned a choice award from U.S. Rep. Peter Welch, for her Pesticide, made with ink and Prismacolor marker.

By Degrees

Lyme resident Caroline Howell graduated summa cum laude from Trinity College in Hartford, Conn., on May 20, after completing a double major in psychology and anthropology with a grade-point average of 4.0. During Honors Day earlier in commencement weekend, Howell received the school’s Women’s Empowerment Activist Award, the Psychology Prize and the National Alumni Association Senior Achievement Award. She also is a President’s Fellow in recognition of her outstanding work in anthropology, and a member of the Connecticut chapter of Phi Beta Kappa.

Sharon resident Claire Healey graduated from Gettysburg (Pa.) College on May 20, with a degree in sociology. While majoring in sociology with a minor in education, Healey also co-edited the sports section of The Gettysburgian student newspaper.

Hartland resident Paul Roberts and Claremont’s Cassondra Dale received bachelor’s degrees from the Worcester (Mass.) Polytechnic Institute on May 12, during the university’s 150th commencement ceremony. Roberts graduated with high distinction for his achievements while majoring in computer science, and Dale graduated with distinction for her work in electrical and computer engineering.

Lasell College in Newton, Mass., awarded bachelor’s degrees to Lebanon resident Kara Hemenway and Newport’s Zachary Brown on May 12.

Sharon resident Wyatt Blanchard recently earned a bachelor of science degree in forestry and forest operations from Paul Smith’s College in Paul Smiths, N.Y.

Norwich resident Noah Huizenga graduated on May 20 with a bachelor of arts degree in biology from Hamilton College in Clinton, N.Y. He earned departmental honors in his field.

Wilkes University awarded a bachelor’s degree in business administration to New London resident Morgan Galluzzo on May 19, during commencement ceremonies at the Wilkes-Barre, Pa., school.

White River Junction resident Madison Libuda and Springfield, Vt.’s Jacob Therrien received bachelor of arts degrees on May 20, during commencement ceremonies at Curry College in Milton, Mass.

Five Upper Valley residents pursuing master’s degrees in nursing at Colby-Sawyer College recently earned certification as clinical nurse leaders.

Students passing their certification exams were Woodstock resident Jane Eaton, White River Junction’s Meredith Fogg, Claremont’s Erica Leonard, South Royalton’s Lindsey Thompson and West Newbury, Vt.’s Jenna Parsons.

High School Honors

The Lebanon High School faculty recognized seniors Marcus Roper and Fiona Greenough as students of the month for May and June, respectively.

The faculty nominated Roper for activities that included service on the student leadership team that helps arriving freshmen adjust to their new school and as student assistant in physical education class. His extra-curricular activities include earning Eagle Scout status and coaching the school’s youth track team.

The faculty cited Greenough’s support for fellow students in Advanced Placement courses in language and composition, and for an extracurricular schedule that includes collecting feminine products for residents of homeless shelters.

Collegiate Recognition

Hanover High School graduates Andrea Boitnott, Sam Hastings and Brian Boitnott, and Hanover resident Mollie Hoopes, were named to the dean’s list at Bates College, for their academic performance during the winter 2018 semester at the Lewiston, Maine, school. Hoopes is a graduate of Stratton Mountain School.

Lebanon resident Kara Hemenway, White River Junction’s Branson Landon, Tunbridge’s Katherine Elderd, Newport’s Zachary Brown and Charlestown’s Leah Shaw made the grade for the dean’s list at Lasell College in Newton, Mass., during the spring 2018 semester..

White River Junction resident Anya Prochorchik, South Royalton’s Kristie Rouleau, West Lebanon’s Logan Estes, Claremont’s Sammantha Vashaw, Charlestown’s Erik Baker and Springfield, Vt.’s Margaret Stevens were named to the spring 2018 semester president’s list at Champlain College in Burlington.

David Corriveau can be reached at dcorriveau@vnews.com and at 603-727-3304. Education news also can be sent to schoolnotes@vnews.com.