Oxbow High School senior Aneta “Nettie” Morse has been named the National Council for Community and Education Partnerships (NCCEP) GEAR UP Student Leader of the Year.
Morse is a participant in the Vermont Student Assistance Corporation, a nonprofit organization that supports students in rural communities throughout the state, according to a news release. GEAR UP — which stands for Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs — is a national program. Morse was honored during the organization’s annual “Lighting the Way” conference in Washington, D.C., this summer.
“I fell in love with what GEAR UP stands for and for the first time, I started to imagine what my future could look like, and I knew I wanted other students to have the same realization. Growing up in Vermont, it can feel like you’re living in a bubble,” Morse said in her acceptance speech. “But VSAC’s GEAR UP showed me what is possible when someone believes in your potential before you believe in yourself. Whether you’re from a small town or big city, you don’t have to change the world — you just have to be willing to say ‘yes.’”
Oxbow High principal Ken Cadow lauded Morse’s accomplishments, including her GEAR UP program leadership and academic achievements, partly demonstrated by her appearance on the principal’s honor roll.
“To top it all off, as an intern in our IT Department, Nettie has been our in-house go-to when anything goes wrong with technology, from printer issues to hard drives,” Cadow, who leads the Bradford, Vt., school, said in the release. “She shows up as [a] scholar, leader, volunteer, athlete, and most of all, an extraordinary person whose time at Oxbow High School will continue to shape our community for years to come. Nettie is an inspiration to all.”
Upper Valley high school students named semi-finalists in national scholarship program
The following Upper Valley students were named semi-finalists in the 2027 National Merit Scholarship program:
Hanover High School: Benjamin Anderson; Catherine Ames; Guillem Elizalde; Benjamin Hannan; Luke Harreld; Ariella Hirschler; Rohan Novosad; Hayeon Song; Caroline Staats; and Ella Tesone.
Lebanon High School: William Beirne-Freiman and Violet Griffin.
Mascoma Valley Regional High School: John Russell.
Post-secondary accomplishments
The following Upper Valley residents made the president’s list at Southern New Hampshire University for the summer 2026 semester: Terry Woolbert, Wilder; Jennifer Conrad, Sharon; Kyle Gray, Charlestown; Calvin Frost, Enfield; Janessa Twombly, Grafton; Genesis Grimes, Claremont; Walker Albrecht, White River Junction; Luke Cassidy, Lebanon; Dylan Bastian, Perkinsville; Sandra Bedell, Grantham; Rolando Rossi, Lebanon; Wolf Marian Herrmann, South Royalton; Christopher Brooks, Claremont; Chantel Genest, Perkinsville; Ava Thorburn, Wilder; Kelley Stark, Canaan; Amanda Clark, Vershire; Kassidy LeMieux, Lebanon; Kelly Baptie, Perkinsville; Miranda Dunn, Charlestown; Ezra Gilbert, West Lebanon; Alice Elliott, Lebanon; Alisha St. George, Canaan; Andrew Powell, Hanover; Lilly Crowl, Claremont; Brandy-Jo Tuttle, Enfield; Taphena Denison, Claremont; Riley Stone, Hanover; Andrew Remick, Claremont; Brandi Porter, Lebanon; Hunter Marsh, Plainfield; Ryan Bailey, Newport; Rachel Sullivan, Lebanon; Itzayana Nelson, West Lebanon; Joshua Smith, Claremont; Robert Malinowski, Charlestown; Victoria Turcot, Newport; Ethan Belvin, Claremont; Morgan Brown, Grantham; Lelina Urquia, Lebanon; Lilith Eva, Sharon; Christine Day, Newport; Neil Williams, Claremont; Darcy Terino, Hartland; Sean Manyen, Claremont; Keith Brown, Claremont; Geoffrey Kronberg, Claremont; and Ember Darling, Lebanon.
The following Upper Valley residents made the dean’s list at Southern New Hampshire University for the summer 2026 semester: Ashlie Dubois, White River Junction; Kelly Thibodeau, Charlestown; Arianna Bolles, Bradford, Vt.; Sarah Martin, New London; Kelsey Carmichael, Newport; Andrea Vieu, Lebanon; Lindsey Caswell, Canaan; Gabrielle Stearns, Charlestown; and John Vogelien, Orford.
School Notes are published in the Monday Valley News as space and time permit. Email academic accomplishments to schoolnotes@vnews.com.
