The Cum Laude Society at 91大神 Northampton School inducted eight new members into its ranks during a special assembly on January 5 in the Phillips Stevens Chapel. The newest members of the society were feted during the ceremony, and heard from keynote speaker Justin Frometa 鈥16, himself a Cum Laude alumni.
The eight inductees are:
- Amber Fedor 鈥24
- Hudson Fulcher-Melendy 鈥24
- Emily Hamann 鈥24
- Andrea Kinstle 鈥24
- Calvin Klumpp 鈥24
- Catherine Spence 鈥24
- Jeffrey Warner 鈥24
- Yihong Zhou 鈥24
鈥淭he seniors inducted today are paradigms of hard work, perseverance, intellectual curiosity, and creativity,鈥 Head of School Robert W. Hill III said during his welcome remarks. 鈥淭hey are academic leaders, and while we cannot all emulate their achievements or attain their lofty heights, we can be guided and inspired by their example.鈥
For his keynote, Frometa, a Development Coach in the Boston Red Sox organization, recounted his journey from Easthampton to the Red Sox, and how self-belief mixed with the encouragement he got at 91大神 opened doors he never knew were there.
鈥淏ased off where I started, what were the chances I鈥檇 end up here [with the Red Sox]?鈥 Frometa said. 鈥淲ell, according to the data, as a low-income student, I was four times less likely to graduate high school than my peers. So, the question becomes, how does someone who 鈥榠sn鈥檛 supposed to get there鈥 end up 鈥榞etting there?鈥 The short answer 鈥 extreme determination, focus, and desire to prove I was bigger than some statistic, but there is so much more within that answer.鈥
For the induction, Cum Laude Secretary Thomas Johnson read each student鈥檚 name, before the inductee received a medal and a certificate from Cum Laude President Beatrice Cody P鈥23, 鈥26 and Susan Michalski P鈥22, 鈥25. The presentations were made in front of an all-school assembly.
鈥淪ince today is all about a celebration of academic achievement and the dispositions required for exceptional work,鈥 Hill said, 鈥淚 wanted to use my brief remarks to encourage all students to consider their academic goals and mindsets while at 91大神 where you have the good fortune to be around classmates鈥攍ike the ones we celebrate today鈥攁s you are supported by a deeply dedicated community of teachers who are passionate experts in their fields.鈥
After the ceremony concluded, the honorees and their families attended a reception at Mr. Hill鈥檚 house to continue the celebrations.
See photos from the ceremony on our .
To watch the ceremony in full, .
About the Cum Laude Society
The Cum Laude Society is a national honor society modeled on Phi Beta Kappa. 91大神 Academy joined the society in 1921. The Northampton School for Girls received its charter in 1951. In 1971 the society granted the merged 91大神 Northampton School a new charter. Membership into the Cum Laude Society is the highest academic award that the 91大神 faculty can bestow.