Marion Cross School third-grader Nathaniel Picconi-Eakin won top honors in his age group for Looking Up, Looking Down, Looking All Around, the essay he submitted to Vermont Public Television’s annual Vermont PBS Kids Writers Contest for students in kindergarten through fifth grade.

Meanwhile, Vermont Public TV honored Hartland Elementary School fourth-grader Keira Kegelman for the fourth time in five years. Kegelman placed second with her tale, It’s A Bright World. She previously had won the top prize for kindergarten pupils in 2013 and was second among second-graders in 2015 and among third-graders in 2016.

All entries included the writers’ illustrations of their stories. The winning authors read their stories at the VPT studios in Colchester for future children’s broadcasts. To see video of all the creators and their stories, visit vermontpbs.org/writers.

STEM (Science, Technology, Math and Engineering) Cells

Sorosh Wein, a senior at the New England Classical Academy in Claremont, represented New Hampshire during last week’s Congress of Future Science and Technology Leaders in Lowell, Mass.

Based on his academic record, demonstrated leadership skills and passion for science and technology, Wein was nominated as New Hampshire’s delegate by Nobel Prize-winning physicist John Mather, science director of the National Academy of Future Scientists and Technologists.

Scholarship-Shape

The Berklee College of Music recently awarded a scholarship to Hanover High School alumna Chloe Brisson to attend the master’s degree program in contemporary performance at its Global Jazz Institute starting this fall. In May, Brisson graduated with honors from the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, wrapping up a senior year during which she spent two weeks in Washington, D.C., as one of four singers chosen for the Betty Carter Jazz Ahead program.

Transitions

Randolph Elementary School Principal Erica McLaughlin is one of two finalists to replace Orange Southwest Supervisory Union Superintendent of Schools Brent Kay.

McLaughlin and Layne Millington, a Vermont native who served as a high school principal in northeast Massachusetts over the last six years, were introduced to school district teachers, employees, students and parents during a series of forums last week at Randolph Union High School. The OSSU board, which oversees schools in Randolph, Brookfield and Braintree, will conduct additional interviews of the candidates in the coming weeks, after which a decision is expected.

Kay is returning to his native Canada after serving as superintendent since 2002. The Vermont Principals Association named McLaughlin Vermont elementary school principal of the year in 2015.

Scholarship-Shape

Kendal at Hanover recently awarded scholarships of $2,500 each to three college-bound Upper Valley residents who work at the retirement community.

Lebanon resident Lauren Goodell, a graduate of Lebanon High School, is attending River Valley Community College. She has worked at Kendal for two years.

Etna resident Caffrey Fielding, who recently graduated from Hanover High School, will attend the Rhode Island School of Design.

Jessica Rosien, also of Etna, served as editor-in-chief of the yearbook for Hanover High School class of 2017. She recently posted the third-highest score among New Hampshire students taking a national Spanish exam. She will attend Dartmouth College.

By Degrees

Gwynn Lyons, of Norwich, graduated from Stanford University on June 18, with a bachelor’s degree in linguistics. She was inducted into Stanford’s chapter of the Phi Beta Kappa honor society, and received the Stanford Alumni Association’s Award of Excellence.

Jordyn Alves, of Lebanon, graduated from Southern Vermont College on June 7, with a bachelor’s degree in radiologic sciences.

Three Upper Valley residents received bachelor’s degrees from Emerson College in Boston, during commencement ceremonies on May 14.

Hanover’s Connor O’Leary majored in theater design/technology, while South Strafford’s Kit Norton majored in journalism and Claremont resident Meghan Witthaus earned a degree in marketing communication.

Windsor resident Rachel Meagher graduated magna cum laude from St. Michael’s College on May 14, during commencement ceremonies at the Colchester, Vt., campus. A 2013 graduate of Windsor High School, Meagher received a bachelor’s degree in biology.

Four Upper Valley students received bachelor’s degrees from Union College on June 11, during commencement ceremonies at the Schenectady, N.Y., school.

Lebanon resident Kimberly MacLeod graduated summa cum laude with a degree in biology. Meanwhile, Allsion Devins earned her degree in mathematics while her fellow White River Junction resident Zachary Kent majored in neuroscience.

Also, Plainfield’s Galen Moynihan graduated cum laude with a degree in mechanical engineering.

Charlestown resident James Blundon graduated from the University of Minnesota-Crookston on June 2. Blundon majored in manufacturing management.

Collegiate Honors

Southern New Hampshire University recently named 11 Upper Valley residents to its president’s list and seven to its dean’s list, for their academic performance during the spring 2017 semester.

By hometown, area students making the grade for president’s list with grade point averages between 3.7 and 4.0, follow:

Lebanon — Rachael Townsend, Samantha Townsend, Adam Tremblay

Hartford — Rachel Rathburn, Breanne Bomhower

Hartland — Nicholas Brooks

South Royalton — Monica Falzo

Claremont — Brandon Tanguay, Ryan Tanguay

Corinth — Shania Thurston

Newport — Jessica Fish

Making the grade (average of 3.5 to 3.699 out of a possible 4.0) for dean’s list, by hometown, were:

Hartland — Jacob Vezina

Canaan — Alicia Marquis

West Fairlee — Brianna Wood

Claremont — Matthew Reed

North Haverhill — Kayleigh Clough

Springfield, Vt. — Kyle White

Lempster, N.H. — Cheyenne Moody

Elijah Duffy of Norwich earned a place on the dean’s list at the Georgia Institute of Technology during the spring 2017 semester.

Colby College named five Upper Valley residents to its dean’s list during the spring 2017 semester at the Waterville, Maine, school:

Norwich — Sarah Bibeau and Emily Muller

Hanover — Nathalie Dragnev

Grantham — Caroline Wren

Sunapee — Jesse Dewey

The College of Saint Rose named Claremont resident Alyson Lizotte to its dean’s list for the spring 2017 semester at the Albany, N.Y., school.

Strafford resident Lindsey Tensen, Grantham’s Samantha Jones and Springfield, N.H. resident Patrica Jewell earned places on the dean’s list at Bard College at Simon’s Rock, for the spring 2017 semester at the school in Great Barrington, Mass.

Sharon resident Morgan Morrill and White River Junction’s Keaton Simmons earned spots on the dean’s list at Hofstra University, in Hempstead, N.Y., for the spring 2017 semester.

Randolph resident Richard Burnham completed his freshman year at Eastern Connecticut University by earning a place on the dean’s list. He is majoring in psychology.

David Corriveau can be reached at dcorriveau@vnews.com and at 603-727-3304.