Norton Public Schools

Ranked 1st in the Norton High School Class of 2026, Annabelle Griffith is recognized as the Valedictorian for her outstanding academic achievement and dedication to excellence.

Annabelle is a driven, compassionate, and intellectually curious young woman who aspires to become a neonatal nurse practitioner. Throughout her time at Norton High School, she has consistently challenged herself by pursuing one of the most rigorous academic schedules available, completing 11 AP courses while maintaining an impressive 4.97 GPA. Her academic excellence has earned her numerous distinctions, including the AP Scholar with Distinction Award, the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents Academic Excellence Award, ten President’s Awards for Academic Excellence, and the Seal of Biliteracy in English and French. Beyond the classroom, Annabelle has demonstrated a strong commitment to leadership, service, and advocacy. She serves as the Co-Chair of the Education Subcommittee on the Governor’s Youth Advisory Council and as a Student Representative on the K-12 Statewide Graduation Council, where she has worked alongside educational leaders to help shape statewide initiatives. Annabelle has also dedicated two years interning at a physical therapy clinic and has volunteered at her local hospital, further strengthening her passion for healthcare and helping others. In addition, she is a member of six Honor Societies and holds leadership positions as Vice President of the National English Honor Society, Vice President of the Science National Honor Society, and Historian of the Société Honoraire de Français. Outside of school, she enjoys giving back to her community as a youth basketball coach for the Norton Basketball Association. Annabelle will be attending the University of Michigan in the fall, where she plans on majoring in nursing. 🎓📚💜

Ranked 2nd in the Norton High School Class of 2026, Benjamin Yezukevich is recognized as the Salutatorian for his outstanding academic achievement and dedication to excellence.

Benjamin has distinguished himself as a student through consistent academic rigor, a wide range of extracurricular involvement, and earning numerous academic distinctions. He has completed 10 AP level courses, most notably Chemistry, Physics 2, and Calc AB. As a three year member of DECA, Benjamin demonstrated leadership through his positions as the VP of membership as a junior and executive president of the chapter as a senior, while also qualifying to the international competition twice and becoming only the second person in NHS DECA history to earn first place at the state conference. On the field, Benjamin was also a 4 year athlete competing for the boys soccer team in the fall and track team in the winter and spring, serving as a captain for the winter track team during his senior year and being recognized as the JFK award recipient for his junior year. He was also a member of 7 different subject-specific honor societies, and in addition to being a co-VP for the French honor society, earned a Seal of Biliteracy in French and earned the Presidential Award in French in 2023. Moreover, Benjamin earned recognition as a National Merit Commended Scholar and worked an internship for the school technology department over the summer. Benjamin will be attending the University of Michigan in the fall, where he plans to major in mathematics. 🎓📚💜

Ranked 3rd in the Norton High School Class of 2026, Tyler Wiencus is recognized for his academic excellence.

Tyler is an ambitious and thoughtful student who is interested in majoring in economics. Throughout his time at Norton High School, he has taken nine Advanced Placement courses and is a member of six honor societies. Tyler has received the Yale Book Award for demonstrating excellence in scholarship and character, and has earned the Seal of Biliteracy in French. Beyond the classroom, Tyler has been involved in athletics, playing football for four years and serving as a wrestling captain during his junior and senior years. He was also recognized as a Scholar-Athlete for football. In wrestling, he has placed in multiple tournaments and received the JFK Award for his senior season. Additionally, Tyler has contributed to his community through volunteer work, including consistent efforts to maintain and clean the Norton Public Library Park. Tyler will be attending Tufts University in the fall where he plans on studying Quantitative Economics. 🎓📚💜

Ranked 4th in the Norton High School Class of 2026, Adam Ferriera is recognized for his academic excellence.

Adam truly made the most of his four years at Norton High School. Through leadership, athletics, service and even employment, he made an impact on his community and grew strong relationships with those around him. As a class officer he organized events and carried out community service, along with documenting the history of the class of 2026 by leading the yearbook club and creating the end of year video. Adam was a four year, three-season athlete participating in soccer, winter track and field, and spring track and field. He was a captain in winter and spring track and field, and qualified twice for New Balance Indoor Nationals with the SMR relay team. Adam participated in DECA during his Junior and Senior year and qualified for the International Conference both years. He was a member of six honor societies, and he was the president of Norton’s Math Honor Society. Adam was also involved in his community through his membership in the Female Empowerment Club and participation in the Mr. NHS talent show. As an intern with the NPS Technology Department, Adam supported Norton’s schools from behind the scenes for four summers, performing district-wide software updates and supporting faculty with technology utilization. Adam looks forward to studying chemical engineering at the University of South Carolina. 🎓📚💜

Ranked 5th in the Norton High School Class of 2026, Liana Danubio is recognized for her academic excellence.

Liana Danubio’s academic and extracurricular achievements reflect her dedication, leadership, and determination to succeed both inside and outside the classroom. She has consistently challenged herself through academic excellence and involvement in numerous organizations at her high school, earning High Honor Roll recognition throughout her academic career. She is a proud member of the National Honor Society, Business Honor Society, English Honor Society, and Science Honor Society, while also serving as Treasurer of Rho Kappa. Her commitment to leadership extends beyond academics, as she serves as an officer for both DECA and Best Buddies, where she demonstrates her passion for service, inclusion, and community involvement. In addition to her academic accomplishments, Liana has demonstrated exceptional leadership and athletic dedication as a captain of both the varsity track and softball teams, where she has exemplified teamwork, discipline, and perseverance.

This fall, she will continue both her academic and athletic career at Christopher Newport University, where she will be playing softball while pursuing her goal of becoming a physician assistant. Liana’s strong work ethic, leadership abilities, and commitment to excellence make her an inspiring role model among her peers and position her for continued success in the future. 🎓💜📚

Ranked 6th in the Norton High School Class of 2026, Kadence Smith is recognized for her academic excellence.

Kadence is a competitive and driven young woman who is passionate about STEM and plans on majoring in Artificial Intelligence. She has demonstrated her ambition through taking many Advanced Placement courses including AP Calculus AB, AP Physics 2, and AP Chemistry. Her success in the classroom has earned her the Presidential Awards of Academic Excellence in both Computer Science and Spanish, along with membership in 6 Honor Societies at Norton High School. Outside of school, Kadence works as a math tutor, where she enjoys supporting students through building confidence and strengthening their skills. She is also a highly accomplished figure skater who is a four-time High School Series New England Champion, has earned medals competing nationally while representing the Pawtucket & Providence Figure Skating Club, and competed internationally representing the United States of America. Kadence will be attending Purdue University in the fall. 🎓💜📚

Ranked 7th in the Norton High School Class of 2026, Catherine Reiss is recognized for her academic excellence.

Catherine is a high-achieving student who maintains a fantastic academic record, while playing volleyball all year round; enrolling in rigorous honors classes, three AP classes, achieving high honors every year of high school, as well as being a member of six Honor Societies. Catherine has played volleyball for NHS all four years, playing on JV her freshman year and Varsity for the remaining three. She has also played club volleyball for the last seven years and is a leader and role model in her club. Catherine is committed to supporting multiple generations in her community, whether by mentoring younger athletes through volleyball coaching (at both NHS and her club) or honoring veterans through service initiatives such as creating cards for veterans and competing as a Voice of Democracy finalist. Catherine will be attending Clark University, where she will be undecided but is planning on pursuing psychology. 🎓📚💜

Ranked 8th in the Norton High School Class of 2026, Naima Azzi is recognized for her academic excellence.

Naima is a very curious, motivated, and eager student. She loves to learn and has a passion for science, specifically chemistry. Throughout her time at Norton High School, Naima has always challenged herself with Honors and AP level courses, including AP Calculus, AP Chemistry, and AP French. In the classroom, Naima is committed to excellence and very hard working, which has allowed her to maintain an A average throughout high school. She carries these qualities with her outside of the classroom, being highly involved in her community. Naima is the president of the Science National Honor Society and a member of five more (National, English, French, Math, and History). She is co-president of the Active Minds club and a champion member of Best Buddies. In addition to this, she is a partner for both the Unified Basketball and Unified Track teams. Naima has learned and grown so much since her freshman year, she cannot wait to continue her journey in college. Naima plans to attend Northeastern University in the fall with a major in Chemistry. 💜📚🎓

Ranked 9th in the Norton High School Class of 2026, Alison Hwang is recognized for her academic excellence.

Throughout Alison’s high school career, she has balanced her course load with a deep passion for the humanities, primarily focusing on the intersections of history and literature. She has also been involved in her school community through playing volleyball, and being both an editor and contributor of the Lancer Lowdown and the Purple Pages. Outside of the classroom, she is an avid reader, researcher, and writer who enjoys exploring complex narratives across different historical eras. This fall, Alison will attend the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where she plans to major in English and continue sharpening her voice as both a scholar and a storyteller. 🎓📚💜

Ranked 10th in the Norton High School Class of 2026, Lauren Kenney is recognized for her academic excellence.

Lauren is a dedicated, hard-working student who gives her all to everything that she does both inside and outside of the classroom. During her time at NHS, Lauren has taken a rigorous courseload of Honors and AP classes, and she is a member of four honor societies (National, Business, History, and English). During her senior year, Lauren took advantage of our internship program to spend time each week at the new Norton Senior and Community Center, where she built relationships with local seniors. Lauren was a four year member of DECA, competing at the state and national levels. In addition, she was the Vice-President of both Fundraising and Training. Lauren was a five year member of the Norton High School Swim & Dive Team, and she served as a captain her senior year. Outside of school, Lauren is a base buddy for the Little Wiffles Program. She has been participating in club swim since third grade, and she was a five time member of the Taunton Tiger Sharks Nationals Team. Throughout her high school career, Lauren has worked as a barista and a lifeguard. Lauren will be attending the University of Massachusetts - Amherst where she will study Hospitality & Tourism in the Isenberg School of Business. 🎓📚💜