Toll Gate’s top 10, Class of 2016, reached full potential

By Andrew Dooley
Posted 7/21/16

Toll Gate High School’s mission: “To maintain an educational, supportive, and safe environment that encourages the life-long learning necessary to reach one’s full potential in becoming a …

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Toll Gate’s top 10, Class of 2016, reached full potential

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Toll Gate High School’s mission: “To maintain an educational, supportive, and safe environment that encourages the life-long learning necessary to reach one’s full potential in becoming a productive and responsible citizen in our ever changing society.”

Toll Gate’s mission statement sits in the middle of the home page on their website, and the school expects its students to maximize their potential during their high school careers.

This has never been more evident than with the class of 2016 –especially their top ten students - who worked to reach their full potential and have the accolades to prove it. They are well on their way to becoming productive and responsible citizens.

“This is a highly efficient class that welcomes change,” said Principal Stephen Chrabaszcz of his students. “This class has adjusted very well to change.”

The class of 2016 was successful in both the academic and athletic sense. They won multiple championships, including the 2014 State Unified Basketball championship and the 2015 State Unified Volleyball championship. And their academic accomplishments will be illustrated in the top 10 students’ profiles. One big accomplishment was the creation of the Gender Equality Club, which ended up completing a project to send books to Africa so they could start a library for underprivileged children.

“They worked very hard to do many great things,” said Chrabaszcz. “I’m very proud of them.”

Skylar Loeb

Toll Gate’s valedictorian for the class of 2016 is Skylar Loeb. Her high school resume is filled with accolades from both the athletic and the academic sides of her career.

Loeb held the title of captain for all three sports she participated in (cross-country, indoor track, and outdoor track). The captain bears a lot of responsibility, and her hard work paid off in the end. She took home the Coaches Award for indoor track, the Most Dedicated Award for her efforts in track, and the Unsung Hero Award for cross-country.

Her academic resume is something to be proud of, as well. Loeb was a member of the Gender Equality Club, the Executive Committee, the Spanish Honor Society, and the Rhode Island Honor Society. She was also the vice president for the National Honor Society.

Since she was so involved in her classes as well as her extracurricular activities, Loeb ended up receiving many awards. They include the Harvard Book Award, the AP Scholar Award, the Academic All-State Award, and the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Scholarship. She will be taking her academic success to Brown University, where she will be studying biology.

Loeb wouldn’t have been able to make it through all the hard work if it wasn’t for her friends and family, though. “My friends have provided me with support, laughter, love, and fun to act as an escape from my sometimes painful academic workload,” she said. After that, she was sure to acknowledge her mother’s influence. “My mother has been the most important person in both my personal and academic lives for the last four years. When my stress levels hit their peak, she has always been there to support me and give me reassuring pep talks.”

It’s clear that no matter how hard things get, Loeb will always have her family and friends behind her. But maybe she finds the most motivation from herself. “I have always been driven, even from a young age,” she said, “so I would say that the thoughts of my own success have pushed me to achieve all and any academic and athletic goals that I have set for myself.”

Ashley Chin

Ranked number two, Ashley Chin earned the number by motivating herself to get where she wants to be. “I wanted to continue to push myself to my fullest potential and to get into a good university and eventually medical school.” She made these goals possible through all the hard work she did at Toll Gate.

As the captain of the varsity volleyball team, she made All-Division. As a member of the varsity indoor track team, she made All-State for the high jump. She also competed in varsity outdoor track.

Chin was also a member of the French club, and was able to get the most out of her high school years by taking a trip to France.

As if this wasn’t a busy enough schedule, she also found the time to be the vice president of the Student Senate her senior year and the treasurer in her junior year. As a member of the Executive Committee, she held the position of vice president for her first two years and the position of secretary for her last two years. The dedication she showed to her academic studies led to her receiving the Yale Book Award.

All of her efforts have led her to success beyond high school, as she’ll be attending the University of Connecticut for a double major in athletic training and nutrition on a pre-med tract.

Paige Carmichael

Toll Gate’s number 3, Paige Carmichael, put in a lot of hard work in school and her accomplishments show it. She had a full schedule while participating in indoor and outdoor track, Mock Trial, the Best Buddies program, and Saints Rose and Clement Youth Group. She managed all this while tutoring others in math and working at Dunkin’ Donuts.

Carmichael was able to do so well in all of these groups and her classes that she earned numerous awards for her efforts, including memberships in the National Honors Society, the Rhode Island Honors Society, and the National Spanish Honors Society. She received the Brown Book Award, the Society of Women Engineers Award, and the Picerne Scholarship.

It was Carmichael’s desire to pursue physics and engineering that fueled her success. “My desire to become an engineer requires discipline and intrinsic motivation to succeed. My passion for the field has instilled these qualities in me and allowed me to excel.”

If it weren’t for a Miss Stephanie Catanzaro, maybe she would have taken a different path in life. Carmichael said, “When I leave high school I will never forget my first physics class. Miss Cat’s AP Physics I challenged and interested me in ways that I had never experienced. It was in that class that I found my love and passion for the field of physics. Miss Cat’s class has contributed to my decision to study engineering at URI.” Her ambition doesn’t stop at studying, however. She said, “I am interested in applying physics to create new technology and innovations.”

Ryan Viti

Ryan Viti holds the number four spot for Toll Gate’s class of 2016. He did this through an intense dedication to both his studies and his sports.

Viti ran cross-country all four years of high school, making captain his senior year. He also played baseball for four years and was named captain of the team his senior year. His talent on the baseball field earned him Second Team All-Division. He then joined the varsity basketball team for his last year in school. And if being the captain of two teams doesn’t show his leadership abilities, the fact that he was an ASK Mentor for Incoming Freshmen will do it.

Sports were a big part of Viti’s success at Toll Gate. It wasn’t just a game to him. “I will remember playing sports in all three seasons (cross country, basketball, and baseball). They kept me busy as well as made the sometimes boring days of school more fun and enjoyable.” And even if he found some of his days in school to be boring, he certainly didn’t let it take away from his success.

Viti received numerous awards for his academic prowess. He was a member of the National Honors Society, the Rhode Island Honors Society, and the Spanish National Honors Society. He earned himself an AP Scholar Award and was named Student of the Month two times, for guidance and graduation by proficiency. As if that wasn’t enough, he also received the Picerne Scholarship and the Cox Communications Scholarship.

His motivation ended up coming from a special place. “My parents and other family members stressed to me since I was really young how important a strong educational foundation is and I’ve always followed their advice. I’ve always tried to envision a successful future for myself, when working on any school-related assignment, to motivate me to work to the best of my ability.”

Frentzen Pakpahan

Frentzen Pakpahan had to switch schools the summer before his senior year, but that didn’t stop him from being ranked number five in his class. Coming to Toll Gate from Dover High School in Dover, New Hampshire, he brought his intelligence and dedication along with him.

As a freshman, Pakpahan was the secretary of his class. He also was a part of the Math Team and the Latin Club for his freshman, sophomore, and junior years. He played tennis for his freshman and sophomore year, and he ran for the outdoor track team his junior year. He was also the light technician for school plays in his junior year.

When he transitioned over to Toll Gate, he kept himself busy. He continued to be a light technician for the school plays, and he joined the school’s newspaper as well.

Pakpahan earned a lot of recognition for his hard work. He received the St. Michael’s Book Award, as well as the Quill and Scroll Award. He also earned a spot in the National Latin Honor Society. His involvement in extracurricular activities and his various awards led him to success, as he’ll be attending Andrews University to study both biochemistry and theology.

Pakpahan gave credit to his fellow classmates and his father for his motivation. “Both my Dover and Toll Gate classes have been very competitive. We have challenged one another to excel. The example of my father’s self-sacrifice and hard work especially drove me to succeed.”

Heather Allstrom

Sixth-ranked Heather Allstrom’s academic achievements are bringing her to the University of Connecticut in the fall. She’ll be majoring in molecular biology and a double minor in anthropology and Spanish on a pre-med tract.

How did she do it? As a member of the Gender Equality Club, Project Respect, Rhode Island Honors Society, National Spanish Honors Society, the treasurer of Executive Committee and the President of National Honors Society, Allstrom was always doing something.

And even with all of this on her plate, she managed to stay active as the varsity soccer captain and the varsity indoor track captain. This was a good soccer team, too. “I will also never forget winning the State Championship for the first time in Toll Gate Girls’ Soccer this past fall,” she said.

Allstrom has a list of awards for academic and athletic achievements. In 2013, she won Best Sprinter and Freshman for Track and Field. In 2014, She won Best Sprinter again. 2015 brought her the Sportsmanship Award for Soccer and the Unsung Hero Award for Track and Field. In 2016, she earned Academic All-State for Track and Field. Academically, she won the Bauch & Lamb Honorary Science Award from the University of Rochester and the Certificate of Achievement from the Congress of Future Medical Leaders and Scientists.

All of these accolades come from Allstrom’s love for medicine. “I have always had a passion for medicine,” she said. “The first step to success in the medical field is to get into the best schools possible, which has motivated me to excel.”

Kyle McGuire

Coming in at number seven on the list is Kyle McGuire, whose mixture of athletic and academic success got him into Boston College, where he’ll be studying biology.

McGuire played three sports all year round. He was on the varsity basketball, baseball, and soccer teams. He also was the senior captain for all three teams. Sports were very important for him due to the memories and connections he made on the teams. “I will remember all of the friends I have made in addition to all of the memories I have made playing sports,” he said. “Winning the DII soccer state championship my sophomore year stands out in particular.”

McGuire didn’t stop there, either. He was a School Improvement Team member, as well as an ASK mentor, like his fellow top 10 classmate, Ryan Viti. He was also a member of the Gender Equality Club. His dedication to learning and good grades led him to memberships in the National Honors Society, the Rhode Island Honors Society, and the Italian Honors Society.

“My own personal drive and my parents’ support have motivated me to excel,” said McGuire. “They have always taught me about the importance of education, and I hope to continue to excel in college.”

Lindsay Russell

Toll Gate’s number eight student is Lindsay Russell, and she has a lot of ambition that brought her to where she is now.

Russell was heavily involved in her extracurricular activities. She was a member of the class of 2016 Executive Committee. She was a page in the RI State Senate and an attorney in Mock Trial. She also had a position in Congressman Langevin’s Congressional Youth Cabinet.

Most notably, Russell was a co-founder of Toll Gate’s Gender Equality Club, and she put the club to good use. “I will always remember working with the Gender Equality Club to send books to Swaziland, Africa where they became part of a library for underprivileged elementary aged children,” she said. “That was the most rewarding part of my high school career.”

Although that was the most rewarding part of her high school career, she still received plenty of other rewards for her hard work. She received the Metta Award for Love and Kindness. She also received the Senator Claiborne Pell Award for Excellence in U.S. History, and the St. Michael’s College Book Award for Community Service.

All of this was done in the name of one of her childhood dreams. “My heart has been set on moving to Washington, D.D. for as long as I can remember,” Russell said. “American University is a competitive school, so every time school got busy or difficult, I had to remind myself I was doing it to get to Washington.” And she is going to Washington She’ll attend American University in the fall to study political science and women’s studies.

Finn Casey

Number nine on this list is Finn Casey, and he is driven by a desire to take control of his path. “The idea that with a good education I could make my life whatever I want it to be,” he said when asked what motivates him to excel. “I want to have options and opportunities.”

Casey will have plenty of options ahead of him following his strong high school career. He participated in a number of programs, such as the Toll Gate Best Buddies program, which pairs students with developmentally disabled students to create friendships, and the Science Olympiad. He also spent a lot of time focused on his classmates, as he was the class treasurer his junior year and the executive treasurer for his senior year.

He didn’t shy away from sports, either. On top of managing his time between classes and clubs, he participated on the school’s cross-country team and was a member of their varsity wrestling squad.

Casey’s hard work paid off. He received an AP Scholar Award, became a member of the National Honors Society, and was named the Visual Arts Student of the Month. His accomplishments are taking him to Worcester Polytechnic Institute in the fall, where he will be pursuing a major in biomedical engineering. He’s considering a minor in German.

Casey, when asked what he will remember the most, said, “Spending time with friends, as well as all the times I ventured outside of my comfort zone.”

Nick Mattioli

Finishing up this top ten list is Nick Mattioli.

Mattioli has a full high school resume of accomplishments. He will attend the University of Connecticut, where he expects to major in biology.

As the captain of both the varsity cross-country team and the varsity tennis team (both of which he was a member of for all four years), sports played a big part in his high school career. “I will remember the New York City trip my cross-country team took freshman year to compete in the Manhattan Invitational,” he said. “Also, I will remember cross-country camp and my experiences made with the tennis team all four years.”

As a student, Mattioli succeeded just as much as he did when he was an athlete. He was an ASK mentor and a School Improvement Team Member, so he was involved with his classmates. He was also one of the members of the Gender Equality Club that helped send books to Africa as a part of the African Library Project. He was a member of the Spanish Club. And, to top it all off, he found time to volunteer with the Giving Tree and the Food Drive, providing school supplies and food to people in need.

Mattioli earned many awards in recognition of his efforts. He was a member of the National Honors Society, the Rhode Island Honors Society, and the Spanish Honors Society. He also made High Honor Roll, and received both the Bryant University Academic Book Award and the Rhode Island Army National Guard “True Patriot Award.”

“My parents, both my mom and dad, have contributed most to my success these last 4 years. Also, my grandpa has pushed me to do my best,” he said. “It is my parents that have constantly motivated me and helped me throughout my high school career,” he said.

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  • richardcorrente

    WOW! Look at all these great students! Congratulations students on all your hard work! You must have great teachers. Did you know that those great teachers were working without knowing if they would be fired tomorrow? They have been working without a contract for way too long and the School Committee refuses to even talk to them about it. The teachers are willing to sit down and negotiate in good faith but the School Committee refuses. In the Court of Public Opinion that is "Judgement for the Teachers.Union". Students, you can help. Speak up. Make some noise. Attend the School Committee meetings. Talk to the members. Ask them to please care enough about you and the other students to at least try to settle their issues with the teachers that have taught you so much. The more of you that do that the stronger your message will be. Nothing else has worked so far. It's up to you, students. It's time to let the School Committee hear you loud and clear. Your education depends on it. Join me on August 8th at Lemongrass (1138 Post Rd.) from 5 to 8 PM for a fundraiser. See you there and in the meantime please visit www.correntemayorwarwick.com

    Thank you.

    Richard Corrente

    Endorsed Democrat for Mayor

    Thursday, July 21, 2016 Report this