As time is winding down for the 2018 senior class, students are looking forward to graduation and receiving recognition for their accomplishments. All of that hard work and dedication put toward school work, homework, and long nights of studying has paid off for two students in particular; Haley Neff, who was recently named valedictorian of the 2018 graduating class and Hannah Castner, salutatorian.

Neff is from Stow, MA and has been the top scholar within her grade for the past 12 years. Not only is she a strong and committed student, Neff is a volleyball captain, a tennis player, a crew chief for the Nashoba EMT squad, and a member of National Honor Society.

Neff has taken nine AP classes throughout her time at Nashoba, including AP Calculus BC during her junior year, a class students typically take during their senior year. She has received various awards including those in Biology, Ceramics, Acting, English, Pre AP US History, and Justice and Law. In addition, she has received a Yale Book Award, an Outstanding Delegate Award at a MUN conference at Dartmouth University, as well as most outstanding contributor for Nashoba Girls Volleyball. Neff also had the honor of being a National Merit Scholarship finalist and being nominated for P.E.O Star Scholarship.

The Chieftain Press asked Neff to reflect on what it took to get where she is today, to which she humbly responded: “Not sure, I didn’t expect this going into high school – not at all. I think I absorb and interrelate information really quickly. I am constantly finding connections between old and new knowledge so it doesn’t take much effort to learn new information. I definitely prioritize school, but I never thought I was working that hard, I just enjoy learning”.

In response to whether becoming valedictorian was a goal for Neff, she stated: “I’d say no because I never had a goal to be better than anyone else; I don’t think it is healthy nor rewarding to compare myself to others. I just wanted to be doing the best I was capable of personally, and I will always be striving to reach that goal – haven’t gotten there yet!”

Moving forward, Neff plans to attend Tulane University in their honors program, and to go on to medical school once she graduates from there.

Regarding Nashoba, Haley told the Chieftain Press that “I really love Nashoba and I’m sad to leave. All of my teachers have been great and I think our student body is so incredibly kind and welcoming throughout. Nashoba has a warm and just inherently good school culture – I couldn’t have asked for a better extended family to be with all these years”.

Joining Haley Neff at the top of her class is senior Hannah Castner, who has been named salutatorian of the graduating 2018 class.

Hannah Castner was chosen to be salutatorian due to her outstanding grades, as well as her active participation in the Nashoba’s arts programs. Castner plays trumpet in the school band and has been a member of choir for the duration of her time at Nashoba. Caster takes AP Music Theory and is the secretary of Tri-M, the music honors society. She is the treasurer of Best Buddies and is involved in the National Honor Society. Next year, she will be attending Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, Massachusetts.

If you see Haley or Hannah in the halls, be sure congratulate them both on being chosen for such prestigious awards. The class of 2018 is extremely proud of their hard work and is thrilled to hear both of their speeches at graduation. We give Haley and Hannah a round of applause and wish them the best of luck in years ahead.