Congratulations to senior Liam McCall who was one of 14 German students nationwide to win a spot in the national finals for the IDO or International Deutsch (German) Olympics.
McCall was chosen based on preliminary online rounds from close to three hundred students from around the country.
In December, he will travel to Chicago to compete in the national finals.
At the Chicago event, two winners will be selected to travel to Dresden, Germany, to compete in the International Deutsch Olympics and represent the United States.
The Mary Varnum Platts-Peterborough Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution has announced the ConVal DAR Good Citizen Winner for 2019-2020 is senior Shannon Allen.
The DAR Good Citizen program and scholarship contest is intended to encourage and reward the qualities of good citizenship. Students selected for this award must have the following qualities:
Dependability – which includes truthfulness, loyalty, and punctuality.
Service – which includes cooperation, courtesy and consideration of others.
Leadership – which includes personality, self-control and ability to assume responsibility.
Patriotism – which includes unselfish interest in family, school, community, and nation.
Allen has held a variety of leadership roles at ConVal, notably, President of Student Council, Vice President of the Student Athletic Leadership Team (SALT) and Secretary of the National Honor Society. She represents ConVal as a member of our varsity softball and field hockey teams; the latter of which she is the captain. Allen serves as a Peer Mentor, supporting freshmen students in their transition to ConVal. She has worked part time jobs, served as a lifeguard, and volunteered through the YSOP program volunteering in a New York City soup kitchen.
Allen is the daughter of Jennifer Allen of Peterborough and Tim and Aimee Allen of Peterborough. She will receive a commemorative pin and a certificate of achievement from the chapter at a luncheon in May.
Known as the largest women’s service organization in the world, DAR has over 180,000 members with approximately 3,000 chapters in all 50 states and 13 foreign countries. The DAR has long promoted patriotism through commemorative celebrations, memorials, scholarships and activities for children, and programs for new immigrants. For more information about DAR, visit nhsodar.org.
The ConVal Regional High School Counseling Department has announced that sophomores Eva Calcutt, Fletcher Maggs, and Riley Momenee were selected to represent ConVal at the 2020 Hugh O’Brian Leadership Conference in May. The HOBY Conference is a weekend-long program held at St. Anselm College, and will host sophomore student leaders from across New Hampshire.
Calcutt, Maggs and Momenee were three of twenty-five sophomores nominated by school staff for the conference. Thirteen candidates were interviewed by the committee.
Eva Calcutt is the daughter of Tiffany and Dennis Calcutt of Francestown. She is a varsity player for ConVal’s nordic ski, tennis, and coccer teams. Outside of school she volunteers at a horse barn and is an active rider and vaulter. As a freshmen, Eva received the coaches award in tennis and recently had a piece of writing published.
Fletcher Maggs is the son of Wesley Maggs of Peterborough and Kate Maggs of Hancock. He is a member of the ConVal varsity soccer team and is vice president of the sophomore class. Fletcher’s short film was recognized this year with a Best Film Award and he received a New Hampshire Scholastic Art Silver Key this past January.
Riley Momenee is the son of Mark and Tabitha Momenee of Francestown. He is a member of the ConVal varsity tennis, ski and golf teams. He received a New Hampshire Scholastic Art Gold Key award and volunteers for Earth Day, Community Suppers, and Milford Share Program.
The seminar provides an opportunity for high school sophomores to recognize their potential talents and apply them in becoming effective, ethical leaders of the future. An estimated 7,500 sophomores attend the seminars in all 50 states and Canada each year. At the end of each seminar a boy and girl from each location is selected to attend the World Leadership Congress.
HOBY’s mission is to inspire and develop our global community of youth and volunteers to a life dedicated to leadership, service and innovation. HOBY programs are conducted annually throughout the United States, serving local and international high school students. HOBY programs provide youth selected by their schools to participate in unique leadership training, service-learning and motivation-building experiences.
ConVal Regional High School Engineering Teacher Karen Fabianski of Troy, NH, was awarded the Daughters of the American Revolution Helen Pouch Memorial Fund Classroom Grant by DAR Member Nancy Rose Redling.
Sponsored by the Mary Varnum Platts-Peterborough Chapter NSDAR, Fabianski was one of fifty-one awards given nationally to classroom teachers for a proposed classroom project. Fabianski's project was to purchase a large screen TV monitor for better resolution of images used in instruction.
Redling presented Fabianski with a certificate and a check for $500 to be used toward the project.
The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, founded in 1890, is a non-profit, non-political volunteer women’s service organization dedicated to promoting patriotism, preserving American history, and securing America’s future through better education for children. The National Junior Membership committee was created in 1937 with the purpose to train younger DAR members and help them to gain leadership experience to carry out the work of the National Society. The Helen Pouch Memorial Fund was created in 1938 with the primary goal to support education. Since its inception, the fund has awarded annual scholarships and supported educational projects at the DAR schools. In an effort to expand the impact of the Helen Pouch Memorial Fund, the committee has established the classroom grant project with the goal of awarding a $500 classroom grant to one classroom in each state, totaling $25,000 in grant awards each year.
Applicants for the Helen Pouch Memorial Fund Classroom Grants must be classroom teachers for grades kindergarten through 12th grade and sponsored by a local DAR chapter. Proposed projects must directly benefit students in the classroom. Funds may be used for supplies and educational programs but the applicant must detail how these items will help to further the educational goals of the DAR.
ConVal Regional High School junior Brigham Boice of Peterborough was presented with the Daughters of the American Revolution Mary Desha Medal for Youth at the New Hampshire DAR Fall Meeting this past Friday.
The Mary Desha Medal for Youth honors a Youth for outstanding service to the community, state, or nation, through participation and/or leadership in such activities as conservation, organized sports, scouting, church or community, and state or national service organizations. This individual will have exceeded expectations for the nominee’s age.
Brigham's commitment to preserving Peterborough's history began with a fourth-grade project on the history of the railroad in Peterborough. He became interested in the history of the town and chose to present his project through a series of photos showing the differences from when the railroad came to town until the current day.
The following year, Brigham began to recreate old photos of historic Peterborough in ink or pencil. His art instructor, Mona Brooks, shares “He is multifaceted in his interests and this has been demonstrated in-depth in his artwork since he was eleven years of age ... let me stress that his ability and desire to share his concentrated interest in history is refreshing, to say the least. He is a beacon for his younger brothers, he peers, yes, but for all those around him. He is engaging and willing to dive into the work that he is doing… I declare my belief that the future is positively enhanced because of this young man.”
Brigham’s work was noticed by a volunteer at the Monadnock Center for History and Culture, who invited him to work as a colonial interpreter. Michelle Stahl, Executive Director, states, “Brigham has adopted the role of Augustus Prescott… he has brought this role to life through his self-initiated research into the town’s history at the beginning of the Industrial Revolution… I have been enormously impressed with Brigham’s dedication to the programs and his ability to share his knowledge in a friendly and accessible way with our museum guests. His work ethic and his communication skills are comparable to a seasoned professional and are so appreciated when found in a youth volunteer!”
Brigham’s AP World History teacher, Chris Heider, agrees. “Not many teenagers I know would give up their free time to demonstrate colonial cooking for people… his love of history is evident in class through is curiosity and level of interest. When Brigham contributes to the class discussion the class listens. He is an honest and hardworking student that wants to do his best, not for the grade, but to just learn.”
All of this love of history, combined with his computer skills, has culminated in an amazing product. A self-taught computer programmer, Brigham took his love of history into the digital age, creating Newpast: Peterborough 1886. This interactive game allows the user to explore Peterborough as it was in 1886 as compared to how it is now. Brigham's product is currently being beta tested with elementary school children and the Monadnock Center for History and Culture. Brigham’s work has been incorporated into an LLC with the goal of recreating other small towns in a similar format or create historic battles so that students could feel as though they were taking part. His next projects include the Town of Hancock, the Battle of Lexington and Concord, and the Boston Massacre.
Brigham’s nomination was co-sponsored by the Mary Varnum Platts – Peterborough Chapter in Rindge and the Reprisal Chapter in Newport.
Pictured below are Kim Varney Chandler, Reprisal Chapter Regent; Laura McCrillis Kessler, Historian General NSDAR; Brigham Boice; Ruthanne Boice, Brigham's mother; Donnie Boice, Brigham's father; and Trish Jackson, State Regent, New Hampshire DAR.
ConVal Regional High School Principal Michelle Voto announced today that senior Liam McCall has been named a Commended Student in the 2020 National Merit Scholarship Program.
About 34,000 Commended Students throughout the nation are being recognized for their exceptional academic promise. Although they will not continue in the 2020 competition for National Merit Scholarship awards,
Commended Students placed among the top 50,000 scorers of more than 1.5 million students who entered the 2020 competition by taking the 2018 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT).
"Those being named Commended Students have demonstrated outstanding potential for academic success," commented a spokesperson for NMSC. "These students represent a valuable national resource; recognizing their accomplishments, as well as the key role their schools play in their academic development, is vital to the advancement of educational excellence in our nation. We hope that this recognition will help broaden their educational opportunities and encourage them as they continue their pursuit of academic success."
McCall is the son of Eric and Christine McCall of Peterborough.
ConVal senior and New Hampshire’s Youth Poet Laureate, Rachel Sturges, recently read from her poems at the Toadstool Bookshop in Peterborough. The event was sponsored by the Peterborough Poetry Project.
Alice Fogel, the New Hampshire Poet Laureate, introduced Rachel and the other speakers saying the idea for a NH Youth Poet Laureate position came to her at the suggestion of a New Hampshire teacher. In her role as poetry advocate, she decided to initiate the position through the NH State Council on the Arts as a way of bringing poetry to more people. Rachel explained that in her role she is focused on using social media to attract young people to poetry events around the state.
Ms. Fogel described the three young poets reading as “Not trying to draw attention to themselves but to poetry” by expressing “eloquent complications” of life and drawing on the support of teachers and other writers. In introducing Rachel, Ms. Fogel described her poetry as “looking outward from herself at the world and understanding the complexities [through her] unique and creative” poems.
The NHYPL is an honorary one-year unpaid position held by NH high school students with a dedication to excellence in writing, and who have the enthusiasm to heighten the visibility and value of poetry by and for young people in New Hampshire.
The Peterborough Poetry Project is currently hosting a contest with the theme of New Hampshire (past, present, future, or fantasy). Deadline: September 30th. Details for the contest are at: peterboroughpoetryproject.org/contests.
In attendance at the reading were ConVal teachers Ben Putnam, Jason Lambert, Eric Bowman, and ConVal Librarian Rachael Bowman.
Congratulations to ConVal's English and drama teacher Jason Lambert whose Firelight Theatre Workshop was chosen "best experimental theatre" by New Hampshire Magazine. The designation was part of the magazine's Best of NH 2019 Arts & Culture issue.
"Theatre probably began when a Stone Age ancestor began acting out moments of the mammoth hunt by the cave fire. Since then, it’s been one long experiment in how to use people and props to tell stories, move hearts and change minds," the article in New Hampshire Magazine noted in its introduction honoring the Firelight.
"The most fascinating experimental theatre in New Hampshire is the Firelight Theatre Workshop in Peterborough. They keep the flames of creativity hot with 'innovative and immersive professional theatre' at affordable rates in traditional and alternative spaces both locally and on tour," the article observed.
The Firelight Theatre Workshop was co-founded by Jason Lambert and Nora Fiffer. For more on this innovative theatre project, visit firelighttheatreworkshop.com.
On July 17, 2019, the ConVal High School students who had won an international video-making contest about a German pop song got to meet Wincent Weiss in Germany.
Greta Topping, Zoe Werth, Finn Wegmueller, and Katrina Kipka met up with Weiss and attended his concert as special guests.
Weiss is a German singer-songwriter who gained recognition for his music after participating in Deutschland sucht den Superstar, the German adaptation of the international Idol franchise, in 2013.
After ConVal got designated as a school of excellence for its German program in December of 2018, Weiss performed a two-hour concert in the ConVal gymnasium.
You can view the students’ winning video entry here.
Congratulations to Manny Bowman (Class of 2019) who has been named Male Athlete of the Year by the Monadnock Ledger Transcript.
Bowman achieved the honor by being a four-year, three-sport varsity athlete and having leadership positions in soccer, basketball, and baseball. During his senior year, Bowman led the Cougars to its first-ever Soccer Championship.
For a full story on Manny Bowman, please see this article in the Monadnock Ledger Transcript.
Congratulations to senior Liam McCall who was one of 14 German students nationwide to win a spot in the national finals for the IDO or International Deutsch (German) Olympics.
McCall was chosen based on preliminary online rounds from close to three hundred students from around the country.
In December, he will travel to Chicago to compete in the national finals.
At the Chicago event, two winners will be selected to travel to Dresden, Germany, to compete in the International Deutsch Olympics and represent the United States.
Congratulations to senior Liam McCall who was one of 14 German students nationwide to win a spot in the national finals for the IDO or International Deutsch (German) Olympics.
McCall was chosen based on preliminary online rounds from close to three hundred students from around the country.
The Mary Varnum Platts-Peterborough Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution has announced the ConVal DAR Good Citizen Winner for 2019-2020 is senior Shannon Allen.
The DAR Good Citizen program and scholarship contest is intended to encourage and reward the qualities of good citizenship.
The ConVal Regional High School Counseling Department has announced that sophomores Eva Calcutt, Fletcher Maggs, and Riley Momenee were selected to represent ConVal at the 2020 Hugh O’Brian Leadership Conference in May.
ConVal Regional High School Engineering Teacher Karen Fabianski of Troy, NH, was awarded the Daughters of the American Revolution Helen Pouch Memorial Fund Classroom Grant by DAR Member Nancy Rose Redling.
ConVal Regional High School junior Brigham Boice of Peterborough was presented with the Daughters of the American Revolution Mary Desha Medal for Youth at the New Hampshire DAR Fall Meeting this past Friday.
ConVal Regional High School Principal Michelle Voto announced today that senior Liam McCall has been named a Commended Student in the 2020 National Merit Scholarship Program.
About 34,000 Commended Students throughout the nation are being recognized for their exceptional academic promise.
ConVal senior and New Hampshire’s Youth Poet Laureate, Rachel Sturges, recently read from her poems at the Toadstool Bookshop in Peterborough. The event was sponsored by the Peterborough Poetry Project.
Congratulations to ConVal’s English and drama teacher Jason Lambert whose Firelight Theatre Workshop was chosen “best experimental theatre” by New Hampshire Magazine. The designation was part of the magazine’s Best of NH 2019 Arts &
On July 17, 2019, the ConVal High School students who had won an international video-making contest about a German pop song got to meet Wincent Weiss in Germany.