 Good evening, everyone. Does the sound OK? OK. Well, thank you all for joining us here at the Vermont Presidential Scholars Recognition Ceremony to acknowledge this year's Vermont Presidential Scholar recipients. Let me begin by introducing myself. I'm Ryan Parkman, the program manager of the personalized learning team of the Student Pathways Division with the Vermont Agency of Education. And during this recognition ceremony, you will hear from Vermont's Secretary of Education, Dan French, and two of my colleagues, Doug Webster, to present the awards for career technical education, and Lisa Bressler to present the awards for the arts. Try now. Aha. Good thing I have a fairly loud voice, because you probably could still hear me before. Did you hear what I said before? OK. All right. Thank you. All right. The Vermont Presidential Scholars Program recognizes graduating high school seniors who show outstanding scholarship, leadership, and service to their communities. This year, six scholars have been chosen in the general category, five scholars in the career technical education category, and three scholars in the arts. There were also several students receiving honorable mention, three in the career technical education category, and one in the arts category. These 18 students were chosen among a pool of nominees for this recognition, submitted by their school communities, and ultimately chosen as recipients by a selection committee. And next up, we will hear some opening remarks from Secretary French. Good evening. I'd like to welcome our students, their families, educators, and friends of our 2023 Presidential Scholars Program. Very pleased and proud to join you here in the House Chamber as we recognize the impressive efforts and achievements of our students. On behalf of Governor Scott, the State of Vermont, I'd like to welcome you to Montpelier and thank you for joining us this evening as we recognize some of our most exceptional Vermont students. This building has a storied history, and I encourage you to take a moment and wander the halls and corridors and experience both Vermont's past and its present. This is a working building with the legislature in session these halls, and this chamber are usually very busy this time of year, with legislators debating a broad range of topics that are important to Vermonters. Since we're in this beautiful room with its rich history, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on the State House's role in Vermont's past, its present, because today we are using this chamber to recognize Vermont's future. You are a group who have both excelled academically and as leaders and members of our community. We have in the room with us today technologists, writers, student leaders, advocates, mentors, and volunteers. Some of you have gained recognition on the national stage, as honor students, as innovators, and as competitors in a whole range of competitions and challenges. Many of you have had real-world work experiences, undertaken apprenticeships, college coursework, and earned professional and technical credentials that will be valuable to you in your next steps, whether it be college, career, or some other path. And you have served your community as advocates, as leaders, and mentors by tackling a broad range of projects that both help your community and demonstrate your commitment to excellence. As a group and individually, you exemplify the best of Vermont education. You are responsible citizens, you are committed to your community, you are leaders in your schools, and you serve an example to your peers. When the governor talks about a cradle to career vision for education that sustains all Vermont students, you are what he's referring to. As you represent Vermont as presidential scholars, and as you take the next steps in your educational and professional journeys, know that you represent the incredible breadth and vibrancy of our small state, and that we are very proud of you. Through your skills and your achievements, you exemplify not only the excellence of our education system, but also Vermont's future. So it is fitting that we are in this building tonight with its historic past and its exciting present as we celebrate you and the future of our state. Congratulations. First up, we will have Lisa Bressler to present the Arts Awards. Good evening. I'm Lisa Bressler, the Arts Education Coordinator at the Agency of Education. I'd like to start by thanking the Arts Review Committee for volunteering their time and offering their expertise to identify these talented artists. I also want to thank the teachers, mentors, counselors, and all who nominated students for this recognition. Finally, I want to thank the parents, guardians, and all others who have supported their students' growth and commitment to the arts. Michelle Obama said it best when she said, the arts and humanities define who we are as people. That is their power to remind us of what we each have to offer and what we all have in common. Vermont Presidential Scholars for the Arts Honorable Mention. This student was recognized for a long history of telling stories, a love for science, good humor, and working with young kids. He attends Craftsbury Academy and has worked with Dorsett Theater's Festival's Playwright in Residence. He strives to create new work regular and wowed the Review Committee with his messages of hope and humor in his writing. Vermont Presidential Scholars for the Arts Honorable Mention, Alexander Califano. Vermont Presidential Scholars for the Arts Awardees. This student showed an obvious commitment to the arts. The Review Committee noted his strong love of the English language and the use of strong visuals in his writing. They were wowed by his humble talent and showcasing other young writers. He attends Craftsbury Academy and has spent a great deal of time at the Dorsett Theater. He was described by his teacher to have an intense drive to create that has never been seen before in a student of his age. Vermont Presidential Scholars for the Arts, Matthew Califano. This student took the pandemic as an opportunity to pursue his art education. His teacher noted his willingness to self-teach and self-motivation in hours of online tutorials and a willingness to experiment. The Review Committee was wowed by his technical skills in both colored pencils and digital media. They enjoyed that he used his community as a place to explore and create, using his art to make it a better place. This student attends Mount Mansfield Union High School and Burlington Technical Center. Vermont Presidential Scholars for the Arts, Hayden Jessamine. This student was acknowledged for mastery of the trumpet and his involvement with all the instrumental ensembles at Essex High School where he attends. He was described as constantly striving to create new music. The Review Committee was wowed by his mastery of the trumpet through great technical ability, tone, and well-produced pieces overall. One member of the Review Committee had this to say, he is going places and I want to see where he goes. This student showed above and beyond involvement in the arts. Vermont Presidential Scholars for the Arts, Anthony Rizanoff, congratulations. And now let me introduce Doug Webster to present the awards for career technical education. Thank you. The Vermont Presidential Scholars Program recognizes graduating high school seniors who show outstanding scholarship, leadership, and service to their communities. This year there are five CTE Presidential Scholars and three honorable mentions. These students were among 25 nominations. We had a lot this year from CTE Center programs across the state of Vermont. The first 2023 Vermont Presidential Scholar in CTE is a leader dedicated to her community and works diligently in her studies and to support others. She's a leader and a strong advocate for gender identity and sexual identity and works with several student and community organizations to promote equity and diversity. She's served in leadership roles in the state skills USA over the past two years where she brought people together virtually and in person, is a team leader on this year's Greenway Challenge team where her team designed a solar powered composting bin that can be set up and used at a public transfer station. In her sophomore year and junior years in the advanced manufacturing program, she earned 18 college credits as well as becoming a certified manufacturing associate. Emma Dana is one of our Vermont Presidential Scholars. Please come up. The next Vermont CTE Presidential Scholar represents a rare student who has seized every opportunity to acquire a wide range of skills and knowledge while contributing to her technical and high school communities. She moved to Vermont midway through her junior year and was able to successfully complete a year of the welding program, earning a nationally recognized post-secondary certification in steel welding. She is scheduled to do work-based learning with machine-iffs this year, pursues an academic course load, including AP and honors classes in psychology and biology, serves as the skills USA chapter president and spearheads outreach with the student voice group, including advocating for non-traditional access to CTE. Jaden Marie Shot Gala is the next Presidential Scholar. The next Vermont CTE Presidential Scholar is a leader who takes every opportunity to learn and works to give back to his community and has consistently shown high levels of skill, diligence, and compassion in his work and studies. He did two placements at UVM Medical Center, and this year is spending 12 hours in two different dental offices, earning the Dental Radiology Certification. He will also sit for the National Dental Assisting Certification exam, was inducted into the National Technical Honor Society and will have taken four courses with CCB, five with VTC, and one with BYU in remote learning to graduate with 31 college credits. As he wrote in his college application, everyone deserves to feel like their smile radiates beauty. If I could restore beauty in a person's smile each day, this would have a profound effect on my sense of purpose and the beauty in my community. Evan Hodgson, the next Vermont CTE Presidential Scholar works hard and excels in her program and has a strong drive to better her community and world through more efficient energy use. She plays first at the Vermont State Skills USA competition, plays seventh in the national championships, carries a rigorous workload earning a 4.0 GPA in HBAC and academic classes has obtained the Universal EPA 608 certification and is working toward Nora Bronze Oil Heat Certification. She is also a member of the National Technical Honor Society and has been accepted to the University of Northern Ohio in a two year technical education HBAC program. After that, she has a serious interest in becoming an engineer who can turn her talents toward designing the HBAC equipment of the future. Haley Machaud, the last 2023 Vermont CTE Presidential Scholar creatively uses his immense IT skills to contribute to his community and he continually pursues additional learning opportunities. He helped the Springfield Town Library by creating an animated scavenger hunt using QR codes. Served as the lead teacher on a programming summer camp, mini course teaching students how to code, is working as a Black River Innovation Campus Minecraft Instructor, earned Adobe Professional Certification and CIW Web Developments Associate and is working towards CompTIA 8 Plus Certification. He'll be co-opping with Simon Pierce Glassware, Lance to develop his own web design business, will have completed nine dual enrollment credits, is a National Technical Honor Society student as well. He also serves as an ambassador at the CTE Center. As his nominator wrote, Damian has the technical, interpersonal and employability skills needed to change the world. So Damian Stagner. And the following students are recognized for honorable mention. This person is an outstanding student and brings his entrepreneurial vision to his work and studies for the betterment of the community. He did computer programming for a CNC wood router for a local startup, started his own firewood processing business and became an independent contractor on the weekends. He is working to help build affordable housing for low income people by designing and building a tiny house on wheels partnering with the homes for the first Vermont. Yet he was inducted into the National Technical Honor Society with Distinction. He produces products that are elegant, efficient and aesthetically pleasing and will pursue the craft of building trades. Playing to attend Vermont Technical College to continue and deepen his knowledge of construction management, he hopes to use his skills to make our community a better place to building partnerships and houses. As his nominator writes, there are no limits to the way Declan will impact our community for the better. The honorable mention goes to Declan Anderson. Lastly, I do want to mention there are two more students who are receiving honorable mention who are not here, at least we're not here earlier. Hannah Grasso, advance EMTs, Central Vermont Career Center, if you're not here earlier. And also Winter NACOS, Business Management and Leadership, Wyndham Regional Career Center. So that's all I have. Thank you very much. Okay, and now for the Vermont Presidential Scholar Recipients for the general category. The Vermont Presidential Scholars Program is a statewide recognition of student citizenship, academic excellence and leadership. Outstanding students are selected based on nominations from teachers, administrators, and in some cases, the students themselves. Each of these students have excelled academically, whether through traditional or non-traditional learning experiences, and both in many cases. These students have all exhibited responsible citizenship and have impacted their school and community through their contributions. They have all demonstrated leadership skills among their peers and have been an inspiration to many others. All the while persevering to meet their individual goals. Now for this year's recipients. This student attends Burn-Burn Academy and has worked closely with the school's technology department to create the school's first ever unified e-sports team. Has constructed a supercomputer to mine cryptocurrencies and has educated other students to carry on this project after they have graduated. They believe that in order to solve the problems that have often polarized our world today, we must put ourselves in situations that allow us to view issues from varying perspectives in order to keep an open mind and move toward resolution. Vermont Presidential Scholar, Andrew Clare. The next student attends People's Academy and is a founding member of the school's Gender and Sexuality Club, Equity, the Justice and Inclusion Club, and has co-facilitated a class exploring historical and current events regarding social justice and equity. They see housing insecurity as a problem that needs to be addressed in our state in that through utilizing existing housing infrastructure that's not currently being used that could be repurposed to provide a safe place for individuals to sleep. Vermont Presidential Scholar, Anna Isselhardt. This next student attends Burn-Burn Academy and in their role as a new student mentor plans activities and events to help students settle into high school. Offering advice on academics and extracurricular activities through an advisory group that meets twice weekly. This student wants to see that issues regarding mental health are covered in school curriculum as equally as physical health, believing that increased knowledge and awareness will help remove the negative stigmatization often associated with these afflictions that can affect any one of us in many ways. Vermont Presidential Scholar, Amelia DeJung. This next student attends Richford High School, has been a legislative page here at the Vermont Statehouse and is president of their local chapter of the National Honor Society, where they have personally spearheaded a school supply drive to ensure that all children in the community have the necessary tools for their learning. They also see playing sports as a great way for youth to make friends, to stay healthy, and succeed academically. However, they have noticed that many free or affordable opportunities to play on a youth sports team do not often exist due to lack of volunteers. And they propose that high school athletes can volunteer and coach these teams to help solve this problem, while also providing them with community service hours at their school. Vermont Presidential Scholar, Madeline Pike. This student attends Richford High School, is a member of the Vermont Youth Council and the school's National Honor Society. Engaging in activities such as editing and maintaining the school's website, and obtaining grant funding to improve the community, which provided a public ice rink, community fund run, movie night, and more. They have a strong interest in local and state government and how to leverage funding to improve community facilities. A current passion is to bring a track to their area, so that local track and field athletes do not have to travel up to an hour to the nearest facility. Vermont Presidential Scholar, John Viennes. This next student attends Rivendell Academy, is the student representative on the school board, volunteers extensively for the Upper Valley Trails Alliance, and was accepted into a semester program at the Mountain School, where they were involved in restructuring that school's library to ensure that its books were culturally appropriate and promoted equality. They are intrigued with linguistics and how language has played a role in dividing modern society, and seek to gain an understanding of the key uses of language that have added to this situation, and take the steps to remove them to improve this generation's future. Vermont's Presidential Scholar, Tovon Vitole. In closing, I would like to congratulate once again all of this year's recipients and share how impressive their accomplishments are, and how hopeful and optimistic that I am at what they will undoubtedly accomplish in their futures. Thank you all for joining us in this recognition ceremony for the 2023 Vermont Presidential Scholars. Let's give them one round of another hand, everyone. We would like to take a group photo, so if all the recipients could come down in front, and then there is water and coffee available in the cafeteria. Should you like to say a little hydration, or not have an opportunity to gather and chat? Other than that, that's the end of tonight's festivities. Thank you all, and we'll meet the recipients down front for our group photo.