Greely High School Top 10

Greely Top Ten Seniors

The following students finish the academic year as the top 10 students in the Class of 2016 at Greely High School.

Jacob Small

Valedictorian Jacob Small, son of Julie Chandler and Bryce Davis and Peter Small and Laurie Knox Small, is on the waiting list at Harvard, and committed to Boston College. He plans to study economics and political science in college. Small played three sports, was a four-year member of student council, Greely’s ADL Peer Leaders, volunteered as an assistant middle school swim coach and helped teach math in third grade classes. Small went to Washington, D.C., for an Anti-Defamation League Mission with students from all across the country. He is an executive member of Greely’s branch of National Honor Society and vice president of Greely’s chapter of French National Honor Society. Small was a member of Greely’s varsity golf, swimming and baseball teams. Small was a Harvard Book Award recipient, member of National Honor Society and the National French Honor Society. He was awarded state recognition on the National French Contest for all four years of high school.

Katherine Bacall

Salutatorian Katherine Bacall, daughter of Charles and Brenda Bacall, plans to attend Bowdoin College this fall. She was inducted into and was president of the National Honor Society and the Spanish Honor Society. She was a four-year member of the varsity swim team, the state champions 2015 and 2016. She received the Wellesley College Book Award as well as the Lion Club Service Award, and won the Academic Excellence Award for High Honors freshman, junior and senior years.

Joshua Coyle

Joshua Coyle, son of Carroll Coyle, Douglas Coyle, plans to study bioengineering at the University of Maine Honors College. He was a member of Global Awareness Club, Science and Technology Club, and sits on district Green Team and and math team. Coyle volunteers with local youth sports, is president and co-founder of Science and Technology Club and president of Global Awareness Club. He was on the soccer team all four years of high school and played lacrosse for three years. Coyle placed third in Materials and Engineering Science at the Maine State Science Fair and placed in the top 25 out of 4,500 submissions in a national New York Times writing contest. He was the recipient of the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Medal Award for “outstanding academic achievement in the study of mathematics and science.

Madelyn Day

Madelyn Day, daughter of Thaddeus and Holly Day, is entering a six year doctorate in pharmacy program at University of Rhode Island this fall. She was the four-year coordinator of “Ban the R word” campaign and was employed part time at Bay Square Assisted Living Facility. Day is a member of Girl Scout Troop 84, UCC State Youth Council, Civil Rights Team, GSTA, Peer Leaders and Spanish Honor Society. She was president of the Civil Rights Team. Day was co-captain of the varsity tennis team, and played field hockey, basketball, and tennis.

Elizabeth George

Elizabeth “Libby” George, daughter of Mary Charlesworth and Eric George, plans to attending Pomona College to study cognitive science and music. She was in Jazz Band, Madrigals, Maine Youth Court, French Club, Inkwell, GHS Drama (pit, photography, cast bios), multiple years of District 2 band and chorus, District 2 jazz choir, All-State band and orchestra, and Jazz All-State. George volunteers at Maine Medical Center and Foreside Harbor and was co-president of the French Honors Society and secretary of NHS. She was a Yale Book Award winner, won an Outstanding Musicianship award at the state jazz festival, first chair All State mallet percussionist 2016.

Wyatt Kilburn

Wyatt Kilburn, son of Debra White and Mark Kilburn, is attending Johns Hopkins University in the fall, majoring in medicine, science, and the humanities. He participated in Big Brothers, Big Sister, the debate team, Creative Writing Club, Jazz Band and Student Council. Kilburn was in the Anti-Defamation League, Partners for World Health, and Ronald McDonald House Charities, Royal River Grill House. He was a Global Awareness Club Senior Leader, Math Team Captain, World of Difference Peer Trainer and captain of Youth Court Dream Team. He received an Academic Excellence Award, Athletic Award, Mayflower Scholarship, Michael Bloomberg Award, National Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society.

Claire Nicholson

Claire Nicholson, daughter of Gloria and Todd Nicholson, will be attending Hamilton College. She participated in Nordic skiing, Drama Club, Girl Scouts of Maine and was the student representative on the Foundation 51 Grants Committee. Nicholson was editor-in-chief of Inkwell, captain of the Nordic skiing team, a member of the Cumberland ultimate Frisbee team and a member at the Portland Fencing Center. She won the Smith College Book Award, was inducted in to National Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society and Latin Honor Society member, and a National Merit Commended Scholar.

Harry Pershing

Harry Pershing, son of Andy and Emily Pershing, is studying music at Brown University. He was in Greely Jazz Band, Greely Madrigals, So Fresh, So Clean jazz combo, Greely Drama, Portland Youth Wind Ensemble, Midcoast School of Music ensembles and jazz combo. Pershing was a counselor at Fish Camp, lead alto saxophone in the jazz band, jazz combo coordinator and music arranger, volunteer saxophone teacher and a volunteer caregiver at Seymour’s Bird Refuge. He was in Jazz All-State combo, Jazz All-State big band, All-State chorus, ACDA East regional chorus and won am MMEA Outstanding Musicianship Awards, first place in category at the Maine State Science Fair, fourth place in Physics and Astronomy at Intel ISEF, Society of Exploration Geophysicists’ grand prize winner at Intel ISEF, District II jazz band, District II chorus, District II concert band, National Merit Finalist, Presidential Scholar Semifinalist and Spanish Honor Society.

Matthew Pisini

Matthew Pisini, son of Jim and Peggy Pisini, is studying electrical engineering at the University of Southern California with a focus in renewable energy. He was a member of Global Awareness Club, Science and Technology Club, Math Team and the Boys and Girls Club at Riverton. Pisini was in National Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society, Latin Honor Society and Inkwell. He was also a class officer, a Student Council member, founder and president of the Science and Technology Club, and co-captain of both the football team, and baseball team. Pisini was a 2016 United States Presidential Scholar, National Merit Scholar, AP Scholar, received the Dartmouth Book Award, Maine Principals Association Principal’s Award.

Connor Livingston Rog

Connor Livingston Rog, son of Aaron and Alexis Rog, will be in the Honors Program at Northeastern University. He will major in engineering and compete on the Northeastern club swim team. Rog worked with Casco Bay CAN to discuss alcohol and drug use among high school students. He spent the summer at Universite St. Anne, Nova Scotia, in a full French immersion college program. Rog is a member of the Greely High School National Honor Society and the French Honor Society. He participated in a Youth Leadership Summit, with Rippleffect, and was one of eight students chosen to represent Greely at the Western Maine Conference Student Athlete Summit. He served as a peer mentor to incoming ninth grade students and served as a team captain for the cross country and swim teams. Rog was a four-year varsity member of the Greely cross-country team and was a captain his senior year. He swam for the Rangers varsity swim team, was named to the All-Academic team and All-Southwestern team his senior year. Rog was recognized as a National Merit Commended Student and an AP Scholar with Honor. He was the recipient of the RIT Computing Medal Book Award and was selected to represent Greely High School at Dirigo Boys State 2015. He was awarded academic honors at the Universite Sainte Anne’s French immersion program and received a National French Award every year in high school.