Meet the Ansonia High Top 10, Class of 2015

The top 10 graduates of the Ansonia High School Class of 2015 are pictured above (from left):
Justin Auger (ranked 3rd), Sanjida Shamim (tied for 4th), Samantha Belenchia (ranked 8th), Amanda Diurno (ranked 7th), Ryan Cafaro (Salutatorian), Brittany Dainiak (ranked 6th), Allison Hronec (ranked 10th), Kimberly Robayo (tied for 4th), Jeffrey Glazer (ranked 9th) and Pablo Suarez, Valedictorian.

ANSONIA >> Pablo Suarez is valedictorian of the Class of 2015 at Ansonia High School, Principal Joseph Dobbins has announced. Pablo and the other top 10 students of the class were honored at a banquet, hosted by the Ansonia Board of Education, on June 8 at AHS, and they will lead their classmates during the commencement exercises scheduled for June 18 at the Nolan Field complex.

The son of Elina Puruncajas, Pablo is a leader in many academic and scholastic activities. He is president of the AHS Class of 2015 and editor-in-chief of the AHS yearbook. Pablo is a member of the National Honor Society, was vice president of the Spanish Honor Society during his junior year, is a member of DECA, the Hiking Club, the Art Club and is a Student Ambassador. He has volunteered as the manager of the Ansonia Girls’ Soccer team. Pablo has won several awards, including the Rensselaer Medal for Excellence in Math and Science and the Yale Book Award.

In the community, Pablo is a member of the Valley United Way Youth Leadership Council, participating in several events this year with Spooner House, TEAM, and the 2015 Special Bowling Olympics. During the summer of 2014, Pablo also completed the program, “Developing Tomorrow’s Professionals,” which provides mentoring and academic skill set training for students in grades 9-11.

Pablo has earned college credit by taking and successfully passing the following AP classes and tests: Biology, Statistics, Chemistry, Language and Composition, Physics, Calculus, Psychology, and Literature and Composition. He has also taken HCC Pre-Calculus. Pablo will be majoring in molecular, cellular and developmental biology at Yale University this fall.

Ryan Cafaro, son of Carole and Chris Cafaro, is salutatorian. Ryan is co-president of the National Honor Society, business editor of the AHS yearbook, and a member of the Cooperative International Studies program. Earlier this year, he was selected for the CT Association of Public School Superintendents Award.  In the community, Ryan has been involved with the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) for most of his life. He is an Eagle Scout and is president of Venturing Crew 77 of Ansonia, a BSA youth development club. Ryan also volunteers at the Derby Historical Society as a junior docent and is an altar server at Holy Rosary Church.

Ryan has earned college credit by taking the following AP courses: Biology, Statistics, Language and Composition, Chemistry, Literature and Composition, Calculus and Physics; as well as UConn Physics and Chemistry and HCC Pre-calculus. He will major in history with a certification in secondary education at Southern Connecticut State University.

Justin Auger, the son of Jeff and Clotilde Auger, is third in his class. He is president of the Student Ambassadors Club, a member of the National and Spanish Honor Societies, and student government. Justin is a member of the AHS boys varsity soccer team and the city’s U19 soccer team. He has won the Fairfield University/Sikorsky Engineering Award and was a member of the AHS team that took third place in the Junior Achievement Titan Business Challenge this year.

He has also taken numerous courses, in which he earned college credit, including AP Biology, Statistics, Chemistry, Physics, English Language, English Literature, Calculus and Psychology. Justin will major in computer science and business at UConn this fall.

Kimberly Robayo, daughter of Jorge and Gloria Robayo, is tied for fourth in her class. President of the Spanish Club, Kim is also treasurer of student government, senior section editor of the yearbook club, and a member of the National Honor and Spanish Honor Societies. She belongs to several other clubs, including FBLA, DECA, after school chorus, Spanish Club, hiking club and the Cooperative International Studies Program. Kim has won the St. Michaels College Book Award and took first place in the AHS Financial Literacy Challenge this year.

In the community, Kim is a volunteer at Griffin Hospital and has mentored students at Prendergast School. She has taken numerous AP classes, including Biology, Statistics, Language, Literature, Chemistry and Physics. Kim will be an accounting major at UConn this fall.

Sanjida Hassan Shamim, daughter of Shahina Shamim and the late Mohammed Shamim, is tied for fourth. She is co-president of the National Honor Society, a class officer with student government, academic editor of the yearbook, and a member of the Student Ambassadors, Cooperative International Studies Program, the Spanish Honor Society, the art club, and the ECMC Scholars Program. She is also a life coach assistant with the Ansonia High Life Skills program. Sanjida has won the Harvard Book Award and the CAS Leadership Award.

In the community, Sanjida is a volunteer at Griffin Hospital as a baker and candy striper and is a member of the Valley United Way Youth Leadership Council. While at AHS, Sanjida has received college credit for AP/ECE Chemistry and AP Language and Composition. She is currently completing ECE Modern Western Traditions, AP/ECE Physics, AP Calculus and AP Literature and Composition. Sanjida will major in nursing at Southern Connecticut State University.

Brittany Dainiak, daughter of Cheryl and Michael Dainiak, is ranked sixth. Captain of the AHS girls soccer team, Brittany is a member of the National Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society, and the Student Ambassadors Club. She has taken several college level classes while at AHS, including AP Biology, Statistics, Language and Composition, Calculus, and Literature and Composition, and has earned college credit in AP Chemistry and AP Physics. In the community, Brittany is a Youth Soccer referee, is involved in church activities, including serving as an assistant teacher for Sunday school, and serving meals to the homeless. She will major in exercise science at Sacred Heart University.

Amanda R. Diurno, daughter of Maria and Lorenzo Diurno, is ranked seventh. Secretary of the National Honor Society, Amanda is the general staff manager of yearbook and a member of the Spanish Honor Society, DECA, the hiking club, Cooperative International Studies Program and Spanish Club. In the community, she is a volunteer at Griffin Hospital and with her church. While at AHS, she took several college level courses, including AP Physics, AP Biology, and AP English Literature and Composition, and she earned college credit for AP Language and Composition. Amanda will major in forensic biology at the University of New Haven.

Samantha Belenchia, daughter of Dawn and Victor Belenchia, is eighth in her class. She is secretary of the Class of 2015, captain of the varsity volleyball and softball teams, and a CIAC scholar athlete. She is member of the yearbook staff, student ambassador’s club, National Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society and student government. In the community, Samantha is a member of the Valley Vipers, a summer travel softball team, and in addition to volunteering for the high school, she volunteers at a local horse farm.

Samantha has taken numerous college level classes, including AP Physics, Literature and Composition, Chemistry, Statistics and Biology. She has earned college credit for AP Language and Composition. In the fall, Samantha will attend Becker College in Massachusetts, majoring in pre-veterinary sciences.

Jeffrey Glazer, son of Lisa and Scott Glazer, is ranked ninth. Captain of the varsity baseball team, Jeff also participates in the American Legion Baseball League. In the community, he has volunteered for a nursing home, Children’s Hospital, children’s library, youth baseball clinic and the Ansonia Recreation Department.

Jeff has taken the following college level classes while at AHS: AP Biology, Statistics, Chemistry, English Language, Physics, Calculus, and English Literature; ECE Western History; and HCC Pre-Calculus. He will major in sports management at UConn this fall.

Allison Hronec, daughter of Darlene and Michael Hronec, is ranked tenth in her class. She is a member of the National Honor Society, After School Chorus and the AHS Book Club. Allison has volunteered at the school-sponsored blood drive and Sen. Joseph Crisco’s Senior Fair. At AHS, Allison has taken AP Statistics and is currently taking AP Literature and Composition. She has earned college credit for AP Biology and AP Chemistry. Allison will be majoring in culinary arts at Johnson & Wales University this fall.

This is a press release from Ansonia Public Schools.