Welcome to the National Honor Society of Oak Meadow! This is an exclusive group of students who have exhibited the four criteria for election: scholarship, character, leadership, and service.
National Honor Society members must simultaneously maintain good grades and participate in many activities that make our community a better place. Membership in the National Honor Society is a privilege that is earned through academic work as well as good citizenship.
Once a year in the fall, Oak Meadow sophomores, juniors, and seniors are invited to apply. Eligibility is based on a grade point average of 3.5 for any student taking at least three high school courses. Acceptance by our NHS faculty council is based on students’ extracurricular and volunteer activities as well as letters of recommendation.
Please visit each student’s profile below to learn more about these wonderful, caring, intelligent, and active young people!
Membership in the National Honor Society entails a commitment. Bylaws require a public induction, which is a challenge to achieve in a distance learning environment. We created this web page as a way to publicly recognize our amazing National Honor Society members.
Our 2023 Inductees
Shakti Anthony
Since being enrolled in Oak Meadow I have created a homeschool community in my area where homeschool families can gather, socialize, learn, and have fun. It was important to me and my family to create a safe space where homeschoolers could feel like they had a community, much like other teenagers do at their regular schools. We facilitate the group, but the other families are still very active in its upkeep and we like to think of it as a group effort with not only one “leader”. Our group gathers twice a week for a couple hours at a time. We often do our school assignments together, have civil debate discussions, as well as organize “homeschool dances” such as homecoming, prom, and spring formal. This group of teens and families has helped me stay social and connected to my community, despite doing most of my schooling at home. This group has taught me the value of responsibility, community, inclusion, and leadership. I’m very grateful for the lessons I’ve learned and the friends that I’ve made thanks to this homeschool group.
Reading and writing is my biggest passion, and one that I hope to pursue professionally. I read nearly 100 books a year and fully annotate over half of them. I love reading literary fiction novels, psychological thrillers, romances, and old classics. The English courses in the Oak Meadow High School curriculum have strengthened my love and appreciation for literature and writing. My goal is to turn this passion into a profession and to continue to be of service to my community. I’m very grateful to be included in the 2023 inductees of the Oak Meadow National Honors Society.
Willem Romeo Atkinson
I am fluent in Italian and English and am studying Spanish. I have a passion for fencing and am progressing up the ranks in Italy with a goal of someday winning championships. I have been playing electric, acoustic, and classic guitar for 2 ½ years. I love getting together with friends on the weekends and making pizzas. I also have a passion for racing and recently started karting. I have found a great deal of gratification in coaching young kids at my club and have recently started volunteering there.
Kate Frederick
I grew up in a household that encouraged creativity and hands-on learning, and with older sisters who were also musicians, my days were filled with crafts, music-making, and exploring life in the most authentic way possible. As I’ve devoted the past ten years to playing cello, I’ve come to recognize my desire to follow a career path that involves sharing music with the people around me and using my gifts for the glory of God’s Kingdom. After pursuing most of my music career in Philadelphia, my family relocated to Phoenix, Arizona where I became principal cellist of the Phoenix Youth Symphony. I now study privately with Arizona State University’s head cello professor, Thomas Landschoot, and spend time recording with individual worship artists at the Grand Canyon University Recording Studio. I am blessed to be able to play for churches all around the Phoenix Valley, with every opportunity allowing me to learn and lead in ways I never could have imagined. Throughout all of my endeavors, I desire to grow not only as a musician but also as a young adult.
Oak Meadow has given me the time, skills, and education needed in order to pursue my dreams and I know that my years of homeschooling and serving in my community will continue to shape the way I walk through life.
Saydi Grey
Enrolled at OM, I have completed many artistic accomplishments, including a full 15 minute video essay I published to YouTube. Although I have shown my work in multiple galleries before: my painting class at OM prompted the addition of several of my strongest paintings to my art portfolio. The group project for the Environmental Club taught me diplomatic leadership, consistency, and research abilities. I anticipate our next group project this school year. I am also excited to be a part of the Literature club, which I just joined this year.
Traveling is one of my passions, and it has given me incredible perspective. When traveling I think it’s very important to research the place you are visiting. There’s so much insight one can gather from a foreign places, their media and history. I’ve been all over Europe, the Americas, and even to South Korea. Spending a month in South Korea with my mom meant experiencing new things every single day. We went all over Seoul, and into other cities (even to an Island!), but I still feel like we could have spent another month there and I still would have left feeling unsatisfied.
Ever since I was young I strived to be the best I could in school; I credit my teachers in elementary and middle school for instilling in me that I spend time on my answers. It sounds simple enough, but putting academic effort into your work creates a positive feedback loop. I am very grateful for this, because it ultimately got me here. Starting from my junior year, I have grown exponentially in academic confidence and scholarship, this is reflected in both my grades and the work that I produce.
Outside of schoolwork and clubs, I like to take commissions from my friends and family. Favorite video game characters, portraits, and original characters, I have done them all. I like to make art for/of my friends, I think it’s an artist’s best gift, as it is both one of a kind, and very personal!
Nico Konyk
My hobbies and interests include playing the violin, sailing and racing small dinghies, and aviation. In the summers, I lead and instruct classes for sailing summer camps. I also served as the co-president of the Oak Meadow Social Studies Club in my Sophomore year. Other volunteer roles I have held include being a “junior instructor” (essentially a helper or assistant) for sailing camps, helping out at the annual fundraising auction for my sailing program, performing my violin in a quartet raising money for charity, volunteering at a local farm, and helping out at Buddhist meetings and activities.
Zoe Meredith
I have been involved in music for my whole life and it has become one of my greatest passions. I grew up playing piano, then playing violin and singing. When I transitioned from a brick-and-mortar school to Oak Meadow, I began to pursue my study of music more seriously. I joined a music school, where I study violin, viola, piano, and music theory, as well as privately studying on my primary instrument, the flute.
In addition to pursuing my study of music for myself, it helps me connect with my community, as well. After gaining more flexibility with Oak Meadow, I have been able to join my church’s choir bell choir as well as a local community choral society. I frequently perform at church services and in various area music festivals.
Becoming a distance learner has also allowed me to become much more involved in my community through service and leadership. I have always been involved in meal delivery, clothing drives, and food pantry collections. In the last two years, I have expanded my volunteer work to include organizing youth activities at my church as well as participating in planning fellowship and outreach activities, both for our congregation as well as for the surrounding community. Last winter, I organized and produced a candlelight concert to benefit The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, a cause that is very close to my heart.
These pursuits have taught me that strong personal character is built by the serving of others, and by demonstrating leadership ability. I believe that it is important to make a positive difference in every setting. I use my gifts to care for others and demonstrate empathy and compassion to the best of my ability in any situation, acting as a positive force for those around me. I strive to become a leader through recognizing my own strengths, inspiring others, and proactively improving the world however I am able.
Maryam Mir
also importantly emphasizes, a person.
Hi! My name is Maryam, I am a junior, and I am from Quincy, Massachusetts. I am honored to be inducted as a part of the OM chapter of the NHS, and look forward to joining this community alongside some great people.
I currently live in Lahore, Pakistan, and I joined Oak Meadow in sixth grade. I love, love, love working with people, whether through this school virtually, through my extracurriculars, or volunteering to teach English to children here in Lahore. I love volunteering, and find it worthwhile. I am a big advocate for moving around, so I swim and have been doing martial arts for over a decade. I have recently progressed into the competitive side of this sport, and compete in multiple tournaments throughout the year. I am also a certified kumite judge, so I act on a panel and judge fights often alongside other seniors. Balancing my extracurriculars with my schoolwork is challenging, but I am very grateful for the flexibility that OM has brought me. These practices outside of school really help me refine myself outside of academics, and I find that they do wonders for clearing my head.
I love literature in any form, and have had a passion for the arts since I was young. I learn to write traditional Arabic calligraphy with other artists here in Lahore, and hope to build up a professional portfolio one day. I enjoy working with my hands, so I crochet and am an avid baker–the latter of which I run a business for. I love my family and friends, and if I’m not filling up my free time with them, I (in another frankly meager attempt to not sound cliché) find solitude comfortable and enjoyable.
Joan Manuel Sarmiento Gomez
In school, I am interested in nature-related and design-related courses, like Biology, Geography or drawing, even Literature courses. Outside of school, my interests go beyond just studying the world we live in. I love Hiking, camping, and even mountaineering, but my true passion goes more to Mountain biking and road cycling. I generally enjoy all sports and outdoor activities. I am on the path of being a national-level athlete. I also have other hobbies and interests like photography, reading, and drawing. I will probably study architecture or something related.
As you would’ve guessed, I live in a family of Biologists. The family business is about trout aquaculture and regenerative agriculture; all while conserving the environment around. Being close to the mountains and the forest has made me in love with nature and preserving it. I constantly volunteer at a local NGO dedicated to conserving the forest and natural resources of the area. We clean water sheds, talk to local communities and do a lot of reforestation throughout the year. I am a formal activist which has opened a lot of doors in the conservation world. I’ve been part of panels in sustainable summits led by young activists like me and volunteered several times at related events like the Sustainable SeaFood Summit for Latin America. Currently, I am part of the Mexican representation in the Caretakers For the Environment International, attending their yearly conference with new sustainable projects.
Overall I am a person that likes challenges, is fairly enthusiastic in life and if I have the opportunity to do better in this world I will take it. I will take the opportunity of being in the National Honor Society in the best way possible. If this planet can be a better place, for everything and everyone, then why don’t we make it one.
Emelia Thompson
- Kiera Cox
- Logan Downey
Our 2022 Inductees
Samantha Bean
I am currently involved with SCDE, the Sarasota Contemporary Dance Ensemble. This is a training company under Sarasota Contemporary Dance, a professional dance company in Sarasota, Florida. With this program, I dedicate four to five hours a week in rehearsals and practice. As a part of the Sarasota Contemporary Dance Ensemble, I am also an intern for the studio and professional company. As a part of this unpaid position, I do basic tasks such as cleaning the studio and signing people in for classes. Also, when the professional company performs, I work the shows by selling tickets, helping people to their seats, and bringing awareness to upcoming performances or events the company is having.
Outside of school and dance, I am a studio manager for a female–owned photography studio in Sarasota, Florida. As a part of my work, I oversee the operations of Sorcha Augustine Photography, maintain the studio website, and am the first point of contact for inquiries and photo shoots with clients and performance companies in the Sarasota area.
These various obligations have definitely developed my character. I’ve learned to value helping others and enjoy it. I’ve also learned to be task oriented. As a child, I was never obligated to do chores or help others as a punishment. I was taught that acts of service were not necessarily only when you were asked, but most often, when no one expected you to do anything. With this in mind, despite these tangible positions, I believe being a leader goes beyond titles; I think being a leader has a lot to do with character. I believe being a compassionate, empathetic, loving, caring, supportive, and encouraging person makes me a leader and an example for others. The opportunities I have show I am mature, independent, and responsible; however, I believe being a leader also has to do with my heart. We live in a culture that is very self-oriented, and to make a difference, you have to care about others. I believe that the combination of my ability and my heart makes me an asset to the Oak Meadow National Honor Society.
Sequoia Friedman
For the past several years, I have been enrolled in a local nature school that offers different programs for various ages. This year I had the honor of being asked to join the mentor team for a teen program that takes place at night. Our group (called the Dusk Walkers) travels to different locations all over the county exploring, tracking, birding, shelter-making, fire-building, and journaling with only the light of the moon to guide us. Through this program, I have learned the importance of leadership, being a good example for my peers and being responsible while helping to lead 18 teens out onto the land at night. Every program evening is a fascinating adventure of self-discovery and learning, and I am so grateful for the opportunity to further develop my interest in nature.
I have also been an intern at our local historical museum for about four years. I have been working with the curator of the museum, documenting and archiving Native American artifacts, textiles and clothing, newspapers, photographs and farming equipment all dating back to the 1800s. This internship has taught me the value of service to the community by helping to preserve history for future generations to learn from and appreciate. I have also learned the responsibility of orchestrating events at the museum for heritage days and school field trips. I am so incredibly grateful for the rare opportunity of learning how to handle and document historical artifacts. Being a part of something so important as this is both honoring and humbling. From my work with documenting artifacts, I have been given a glimpse into a different century of people, their thoughts and ideas, what they valued and cherished, what they believed in and loved. Now as I walk through my town, I see it differently, as if I were living two hundred years ago and am seeing it for the first time.
Besides being a teen mentor and intern at the museum, I enjoy reading historical fiction, wood carving, creative writing, photography, cooking and spending time with my pets. My dream is to travel the world someday with my camera and notebook, finding inspiration from different cultures and people and seeking beauty and adventure.
Elliott Grimm
Although I homeschool I have always tried to get out of the house and engage with the community. One way in which I do this is by participating in groups like Gavel Club. Gavel Club is a public speaking club for teens run by Toastmasters International and every week they have a meeting where members practice and improve their public speaking and leadership skills. Everyone has a role in the meeting, some roles like speaker require a lot of preparation in advance while other roles like ballot master are more involved in the running of the meeting and help things go smoothly. However, no matter the role everyone gets a chance to speak and are an important part of the meeting. I have gone to many meetings and have performed many of the roles and I feel like Gavel Club has not only allowed me to engage with the community but has also helped foster my leadership skills.
So far my enrollment in Oak Meadow has been very enjoyable and most importantly educational. I try to make my work the best it can not only for good grades but also for the knowledge and self-improvement that comes with it. In addition to this I have always had a fascination with history, science, and the arts. I hope that through my work and subsequent grades that I have shown my dedication to scholarship and self-improvement.
Leela Levering
I have always possessed a natural curiosity about the world around me and the history of humanity. I also enjoy learning how different aspects of life are intertwined as well as how they function and connect. My education is something I am sincerely grateful for as it has taught me invaluable skills that I will carry with me for the rest of my life. Aside from learning the actual material in school, such as math or history, I have also learned the important lessons and skills of responsibility, integrity, and proactivity. I have always been a high-achieving student and it is important to me that I complete my work thoroughly, efficiently, and with sincerity. I value ensuring that my work reflects who I am as a person.
Art has also been a passion of mine since I was young. As I have grown older art has not only become an important way for me to express myself, but also a way in which I can bring awareness to important issues that I care about. Through my art, I can express my thoughts, feelings, and views on issues such as LGBTQIA+ rights, gender equality and equity, and climate change. I feel that my art is a way I can bring awareness to and insight action in others. Using my creativity and passion as a way to make a difference is an important goal of mine and in my pursuit of a higher education in fine arts and the development of my artistic skills, I am continuously working toward this goal.
Neesa Kienitz-Peak
I was homeschooled through 8th Grade until I enrolled in Oak Meadow’s Distance Learning program for my high school education; continuing my education through Oak Meadow, and the amazing teachers I was connected with, has provided me with new challenges and experiences that have helped to grow into the person I am now. Schooling from home has helped me learn to manage my own time, to get done each day exactly what I feel is most important and to juggle priorities.
I am an avid reader, a hopeful writer and a devoted pet owner. I walk and exercise our family dog daily, typically meaning I walk at least 3 miles a day. I’ve done volunteer work on a CSA farm, helped write, edit and produce a community newsletter, and am currently volunteering at our local library two times a week. I love to knit and other handwork, bake, play the piano, but my favorite thing to do in my spare time is to curl up with a good book.
Liam McBrien
In my free time, my interests are golfing, mountain biking, fishing, hiking, and boating. I also grow crops such as apples, peaches, strawberries, raspberries, and vegetable gardens. I have a strong interest in collecting antique tractors, implements, and displaying them at shows. I have a strong interest in animals. I have taken horse riding and carriage driving lessons. My family and I have American Shetland ponies, chickens, and a collie. In the quiet season of winter, I enjoy being in the snow, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and collecting maple sap to make maple syrup. I enjoy traveling and adventures with my friends and family. I enjoy exploring the ocean and coastlines, trips throughout New England and New York, and enjoying State Parks and National Parks. Through my adventures, I enjoy photography in all seasons.
Academically, I enjoy history, science, and mathematics. Living in a small town has given me a strong sense of community. Some of my relatives are active military or military veterans and or are involved in farming and agriculture. Listening to these veterans’ and agriculture experiences has created my desire to help others and give back to those in need. Through the National Honors Society, I am pursuing volunteering by helping military veterans, service members, and those in need with daily life chores.
- Ava Ippoliti
- Carolina Machemer
- Carlos Martins
Our 2021 Inductees
Kaiva Coleman
My name is Kaiva Coleman, and I am honored to be accepted into Oak Meadow’s National Honor Society. This accomplishment will be very helpful in achieving my future goal of becoming a large animal veterinary surgeon.
Several of my interests have helped me learn critical skills needed to reach that important goal. First, I show responsibility by owning and running my business of breeding guinea fowl. I must care for my birds in any weather and temperature as well as nurse ill birds back to health. I also train and compete with horses in eventing. When riding a horse, a rider must remain confident and lead the horse. There have been many times when my horses have tested my leadership skills. Throughout all of these situations, I must continue to be calm and kind towards my horse, to prevent further escalation of the situation.
Whether caring for my birds or leading my horses, I must remain responsible and confident. These qualities represent why I feel honored to be an Oak Meadow National Honor Society member.
Laura Daukantaite
I like traveling and I visited more than 25 countries including: China, India, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Georgia, Italy and many countries in Europe. This enriched me with diverse cultures, their values and traditions and brought to me cultural intelligence. I am very happy to have my friends coming from many different countries. This tremendously opened my personality.
In all my activities, I seek to be a role model. I demonstrated my leadership skills, through my active involvement in the school such as STUCO, or MUN, as well as throughs sports activities. My high grades were assessed with US Presidential awards diplomas on yearly basis. My personal dedication led to victories and high achievements of all sport teams I have participated in the school. As an individual I won a lot of first place medals for cross country and track and field. I was honored to be admitted to the Lithuania national athletic league.
My leadership skills strengthened my character and taught me to trust myself. I have a lot of different passions in variety of subjects, such as photography, baking, cooking, writing, and dancing. I have a strong character of determination and I enjoy discovering new fields. In particularly, I am very closely attached to subjects of mental wellbeing and esthetics of environment. I see myself pursuing the studies in psychology and interior design in future while bringing my skills and strengths.
Lucille Fitch
I work tirelessly to keep my grades up despite this myriad of responsibilities. Through Wellesley College, I study Italian. I am currently dual enrolled at Hartt College of Music at the University of Hartford. I am finishing the first year of a BA in Voice during my Junior and Senior years of high school. Based on my performance in other classes, I was exempt from the interview process and invited by one of my professors to join Composition. I have been dancing for seven years. I joined the Boston Tap Company in October of 2018, and performed at the DC Tapfest in April of 2019. I have been acting since 2013. In order to portray a character, you must understand their motive, regardless of how honorable their actions are.
The ultimate goal is to be able to play any part, and thus, understand and empathize with all humankind. I began performing Shakespeare in 2016, started working semi-professionally in 2019, and booked my first professional job in the summer of 2021. I attended my first music class in 2004, when I was three days old, and began training my voice formally in 2014. There is humanity to vocal music that is impossible to recreate in any other medium. In addition, I have been studying piano for four years. Using the above artistic mediums, we can reach humility, understanding, and develop empathy. I intend to dedicate my life to spreading love through the arts.
Gabrielle Guidry
My name is Gabrielle Guidry, and I am a sophomore here at Oak Meadow. I have homeschooled for three years and have attended Oak Meadow for two. I was both surprised and honored to be chosen as a member of the National Honor Society and will strive to uphold the standards of this organization. I love learning, and I love creating. I recently attended a series of courses at a local sewing school, where I broadened my skills as a seamstress. I love anything and everything about fashion and have recently immersed myself in recreating 18th century women’s gowns. When I am not sewing or doing schoolwork, I am learning Korean, following professional figure skating competitions, learning about cultures in East and Southeast Asia, hiking with my wonderful dog, or volunteering at my local Humane Society chapter. I love working at the Humane Society, because it is such a privilege to meet and work with dozens of sweet, loving, and hilarious dogs.
I have many goals and dreams for the future, and I have a passion for travel. I hope to travel to many destinations someday, including South Korea, Japan, Thailand, Bhutan, Singapore, Paris, Venice, and Montreal, Canada. I believe that it’s important to travel, and I hope to see as many places as possible during my life. I also hope to use my travels as inspirations for projects or business ventures surrounding clothing or food. During my career, I hope to help transform the fashion industry by creating and encouraging the use of sustainable textiles and production practices, and making quality over quantity a mainstream value of the industry. I also hope to help encourage reform of the modeling industry, creating a more diverse, equal, and respectful atmosphere. I am constantly trying to better myself as a human being, and through my love for animals, the environment, and artistic creation, I believe that I can help make the world a better place.
Elsa Kendall
Michael Lautenbach
Lucca Orsi Martins
The first element that represents me the most is my family. They are people similar to me, we are always together, and they support me in any decision. All these years by their side I learned two important manners throughout my life. The first one is always offering my hand to help. I learned that we are not perfect and will always need others’ help. And it doesn’t matter to whom my hand is going to be offered, cooperation and guidance can be done to anyone, not only with the people I know. By doing this we can create a better world, where we can be honest and helpful.
The second thing I learned living with them is creating a good relationship between the people. Also, I am the third oldest son in my home; which means that my older brothers who are not at home taught me how to be a good example and leader to my younger brothers. I know that my role at home is important because my siblings learn from my actions and thoughts, it’s really a great responsibility and I’m happy to have this opportunity. It means I can start to make the world a better place in my open house. The good relationship I had with my family members my whole life showed me how to be a better person in general and how to influence my younger brothers to follow their own righteous and honest paths.
The most important part of my life is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and I act everyday according to my beliefs. In my perspective, God is the most important part of my life. Also, there’s a group I am a member of and it is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints seminary. The seminary is the moment in my routine in which I can learn new things and have peace at the same time. During the years going to the seminary, I learned how to be more like Christ was. I know that I am not perfect and that I cannot be, but I put a goal in my life that I will always try to be a better person every day. In my point of view, a better person is honest and righteous, also empathetic and committed to every activity. The seminary showed me my purpose to be here on Earth. I believe that if I am a good person here on Earth, I can have eternal life after death. In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, people believe that we can have eternal families depending on our actions here on Earth. This means that the seminary showed me how to be a leader and influence others to be like Christ. In my perspective, I am just an “instrument” in God’s hand. By going to seminary, I learned that trying to be more similar to Christ, makes us better leaders and influences the people around us. It’s important to say we learn by example and if we are surrounded by honest and righteous people, we learn how to be just like them and also inspire others to follow.
The things I like the most are traveling and playing soccer, in my opinion, the most exciting things to do and they’re great for emotional and mental health. I usually spend 10 hours of my week playing soccer and going to Base Academy center. I can say it is where I dedicate myself to physical activities and to improve my health. It’s important to say I love soccer, therefore being a member of this group is a pleasure, an opportunity to exceed myself improving my abilities and knowledge. And, of course, my country, where I was born, and where my culture comes from.
Eesa Mir
Jaden Olauson
Most people are either left-brained or right-brained, and I consider myself right-brain dominant. Throughout my life I have been creative; maybe because I went to a Waldorf school and did art every day of my life, or maybe that’s just how I was born. I love many types of art, painting, drawing, writing, decorating, but recently I found the form of art I like best; photography…I see every moment as though its a photograph. Through my words and my camera—my pause button for life—I love capturing the pure beauty of people and our amazing planet and sharing it with others. Homeschooling has allowed my family to travel more than ever and given me the chance to see and photograph our Earth! We’ve road-tripped, flown, and in the process learned a lot. I’m so grateful for the opportunities my parents have given me over the last year and a half, and I’m also grateful to Oak Meadow and the freedom homeschooling has allowed for. The shy homebody I used to be has vanished—for the most part—and I have developed a strong character while visiting stunning places, being in nature, and learning through experience and more feely.
Photography is not my whole life; in fact I only dove into the world of photography a year ago. Before the camera came into my life, I was just a shy athlete, content staying at home. My athletic journey began with aerial silks—something my Waldorf school offered through their circus program—and then gymnastics. Both were very exciting sports, but eventually, I had to choose one. I chose to step away from the circus and into the world of flipping and free-flying…gymnastics. I am currently an optional gymnast here in Northern California. Gymnastics has shaped my character, taught me more than I ever thought a sport could, and given me a second family. I have learned valuable lessons of confidence, perseverance, dedication, and I have learned to be a leader and stand up for myself and what I believe in both in the gym and out in the world.
In the spare time I have left, I volunteer with Interact through my local rotary club, coach basic gymnastics, spend time with friends and family, and watch every sunset and sunrise possible!
So, that’s me. A once shy little girl who wished to be safe at home, now taking her passions to a higher level through gymnastics and making life into an adventure film. My dreams have roots in all directions, which is unlike my very organized self, but at least I have options and a whole life ahead of me!
Virginia Scharkowski
Megan Stuart
Outside of the studio, I love writing, baking, and traveling. I am also an avid true-crime fan and I love listening to podcasts!
Diana Wipf
My name is Diana, I am 18 years old and I grew up in Bethel, Connecticut, where I still live. I attended the Housatonic Valley Waldorf School in a neighboring town where I learned to love violin, flute, theater, Spanish, German, and all kinds of art. Writing and performing are two of my passions. I used to learn everyone’s lines in my class plays so I could help if others forgot, and I gave my class’s 8th grade graduation speech. I have enjoyed a number of extracurriculars over the years, including dance, competitive cheerleading, soccer, volleyball, lacrosse, Girl Scouts, tennis, chess club, painting, sketching, printmaking, photography, piano, and guitar. I love animals and gardening and have volunteered on two farms in New York and one in Switzerland. I love young children as well; I’ve done service trips to Costa Rica, at a school, and South Dakota on a Lakota reservation. I started working at a daycare just this year, and I love it!
- Devon Labbate
- Julius Joplin
Our 2020 Inductees
Jillian Bauer
I’m currently working as an intern for the campaign of a candidate running for Governor of Oregon. I see myself as a leader—I’m an older sibling which I think kickstarted that trait in me; I like working with kids and am leading a bookclub for younger kids, and I was a journalist then promoted to co-editor for a school newspaper. My biggest personal goal for the future is to launch a business after I finish high school.
Jack D'Souza
I’ve been fortunate to live in different cities in the US and to travel overseas. In each place I’ve tried to make a positive difference, primarily through environmental service. I was born fascinated with the natural world and feel driven to learn as much as I can about the planet and its creatures in order to help restore it to a healthy condition. The Earth is in trouble and only human action can save it. Even now, during the pandemic, I try to make a difference by picking up litter along the forest trails near my house and by collecting discarded fishing line, lures, and debris around local rivers and lakes so it doesn’t ensnare wildlife. These efforts are on a small scale but they do make a difference. It is rewarding to pick up trash along the beach on the way out and find it clean for everyone on the way back in. We can leave the world better than we found it everyday.
Megan Frederick
I am a musician, I am a sister, I am a daughter, I am a student, and I am a community volunteer. I am young and I have the world ahead of me with the opportunity to keep becoming whomever I want to be. Every time that I pick up my violin I can create music to my heart’s content. I can express every bit of emotion that I hold onto and I can bring out different personalities as I play. Every time that I am with my family, I am a part of something so much bigger than myself. When I volunteer in my community, I am a reflection of the town, and I am a role model for the children with whom I work. While very separate roles, they all make up who I am. Even with just one of these things missing, I do not think I would be completely whole.
Oak Meadow has aided me in this journey of becoming who I am today. They encourage the curiosity, energy, and creativity that I experienced as a child. This school brought me the opportunity to be the unimaginable and to keep being whomever I want to be.
Bryce Hevener
Humans have always lived in community with one another, and community brings plenty of benefits and challenges along the way. This unusual year has put this even more into perspective as our communities struggle with COVID and racial injustices. Whether it is laying down one’s desires for the good of others or truly listening to one another’s concerns, that is what we are called to do. We are all called to sacrificial service, serving for the benefit of others instead of for our own benefit. Everyone from leaders to the “average Joe” is called to this task for the betterment of our communities, our nation, and our world. I seek to embody these principles in my everyday life. As President John F. Kennedy once said, “My fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.” Regardless of our gender, race, religion, or citizenship, let us strive to ask what we can do for others.
Khizer Mir
Ben Parker
Working on our family farm has taught me so many things. Taking care of it hasn’t only helped me see the outside world as a place of stunning beauty and usefulness, but also gain a new level of respect for my family’s love of farming and animals. Also, helping our planet by being a part of the local food movement is incredibly important. I have so much respect for our farm’s efforts to create a ripple effect for others in our local community, state, and country by growing food for ourselves. Not only is this something that can easily be done, but if it becomes widespread enough, it will eventually help our country get back to a more local food movement that’ll help preserve our planet.
The primary work I do outside of home centers around our church community. I participate in work that benefits our local homeless shelters. Our church is very involved in the local communities around us, and they partner with ANEW Place in Burlington, which helps both care for the homeless and also works to get them back on their feet. While I help with ongoing work with the shelters through assisting with meals and donations, my family does larger scale work with the homeless in the fall around the holidays that has impacted me greatly. Hearing the stories of the homeless and the challenges they face every day living on the streets and not knowing where they will find their next meal, or a place to sleep at night has made a big impact on me. It is always very moving to see a spark of hope in their eyes as we gave them items that they needed, and helped share information about resources that can help them more. We would always share hope with them. I really enjoy being part of our church youth group and helping it grow and develop. Helping others is really important.
When I’m not busy with farm or animal related projects, I work on my film review website Boards of Cinema, which is a huge passion of mine. I founded and manage a WordPress website named “Boards of Cinema” (the name being coined after the excellent electronic music group Boards of Canada), on which I write and publish my own film reviews as often as I can. My reviews were originally published multiple times in Teen Ink Magazine, both in print and online. I was a favorite at Teen Ink Magazine, and published 78 film and music reviews, as well as seven poems. I received the Diamond badge for the number of contributions and accepted pieces of work. I was awarded 29 Editor’s Choice awards for excellent writing, and my work was featured in the print magazine eight times. Since then, my work on Boards of Cinema has attracted some real attention online and has shown that I can be a true leader when it comes to my passions. I also enjoy biking, drinking kombucha, helping care for the animals on my family’s farm, and hanging out with my four sweet cats.
I always “take charge” of every single thing I do, be it my farm chores/outside work, school projects, personal website, daily routines for the day, community work, talking to other people about homesteading, or even just helping my family members out with anything they need. I strive to be very reliable, honest and diligent in everything I do in life, and always give it 110%. A strong work ethic and integrity are of utmost importance to me, but passion drives who I am in life.
Hannah Parker
Raising goats for ten years has taught me many things, and in my mind the most important value is patience. Whether it’s during kidding season with our does going into labor in the middle of the night, or a new goat that is terrified of people and just needs love, patience is absolutely key. Raising goats is a lot of work and expense: hauling water buckets to the barn and wheelbarrows of hay/manure to the fields, shaving goats in the summertime, hay deliveries, daily milking, setting up gates and pastures, taking care of goat kids from birth up until the time they leave for their new home, registering goats and filling out health records, making/researching herbal and homeopathic remedies, and countless other things. But there is joy in every single moment and it has always been worth it. My life is a rhythm, and I dance to the beat of each precious moment. At the end of a long day, I sit on the old milking stand listening to the sounds of the night rolling in, and my favorite girl, Capella, comes over and puts her head in my lap. Nothing can top these moments.
When I’m not out in the barn with the goats, you can usually find me with my camera. I am very passionate about photography and I have had a camera in my hands for as long as I can remember. When I am photographing something, whether it’s a goat or landscape, it’s like I’m looking at the world through a new set of eyes and capturing such a beautiful moment. There’s absolutely nothing else like it. I particularly enjoy photographing goats (especially for our farm website SweetMeadowsVT.com) because each one has such a different personality, but I also love macro photography and shooting general nature/landscapes as well. My photography has been featured in Stone Soup Magazine multiple times, winning the cover four times, and also a featured editorial about my years of published work. I have also won first place and other awards in state photography contests.
Along with raising goats, growing organic food and propagating all kinds of different fruit trees and bushes is most of the focus of our farm. We have a fruit orchard, and various permaculture garden beds that contain a variety of herbs and vegetables. The process of growing food, caring for it with love for many months, and finally harvesting it (usually towards the end of summer) for a meal is just a beautiful thing. Since we moved to Vermont in 2010, we have dramatically changed and reshaped the landscapes on our farm, and defined various gardens and ecosystem habitat areas. I have learned so much about growing healthy food and medicine, why it is so important (and easy!) to grow your own food, and why going back to local food movements is critical for the future of our planet. I have developed many of my own recipes, and one of my goals is to publish a cookbook with my mom at some point in the future through our publishing company. My mom and I have published three farm books with our joint photography and creative writing so far and I can’t wait to start the next project!
Animal rescue is also something that I would like to pursue once I graduate. In the past I have fostered cats on death row from NYC kill shelters, as well as rehabilitated stray and feral cats. I have also rescued bunnies from terrible living conditions, and after I brought them back to good health and showed them love, I adopted them out to wonderful families across New England. My faith in God is central in my life, and I have worked through our church with a local homeless shelter by making meals. It has been amazing to be also able to bring clothes, food and other gear directly to the homeless people living on the streets of Burlington, or to simply stop and get out the car and help someone in need. I have also worked on various projects with other Christian organizations to benefit youth around the world. I hope to become more involved in community outreach and mission work going forward as the farm demands allow. I also strongly believe in personal freedom and choice. If you don’t have basic rights, then what do you have? 2020 has really opened my eyes about what is important, about how much we take our freedoms for granted and also why it is important to stand firm in your beliefs. Taking a stand for what you believe in is so important.
Being enrolled in Oak Meadow for ten years has been a truly amazing experience, and all of the wonderful teachers that I have had over the years have really helped to shape who I am. I have created such a strong sense of who I am, a strong work ethic, and important organizational skills over the years. I am forever grateful for my Oak Meadow teachers and staff and for the amazing life and support my parents have given me here in the beautiful state of Vermont.
- Lilliana Hojnacki
Our 2019 Inductee
Cyrus Burt
Our 2018 Inductees
Eve Eismann
Some days and some moments get the best of me, but building strong character is a never ending process that we get to participate in every single day. Living all over the world has also taught me the importance of service to your community, whether that be to yourself, your family, your town, or your country. Creating positive living environments comes from looking after, and investing in, your community. My experiences have not only shaped my beliefs, but also my interests and passions. I am extremely passionate about veganism, as well as genuinely looking after the diverse environments of Earth. I am also very interested in the arts, particularly writing and painting, and I am passionate about ballet, and just dance in general. I love being outdoors exploring, and I’ll always be eager to learn something new about this complex planet we live on. Earth is my home and my family, and I’m so thankful to get to live every day here exploring myself, my interests, and the world around me.
Kana Kishimoto
While I simply love and thrive on music itself, it has also naturally weaved itself into every aspect of my life, including my passions, community activities, and education. I play violin in two youth orchestras, the Temple University Youth Chamber Orchestra and the Delaware County Youth Orchestra; write and record songs for voice, ukulele, and other instruments; and play music for residents of a local senior center each week with a friend. This past year, I started a band with a few of my friends, for which we write and rehearse in our spare time. I believe music is a magical, otherworldly experience that forms an irrevocable bond between people of any background and any age, which is one of the reasons I share an extremely precious and special bond with my violin teacher of seven years. I also believe that education comes in a variety of valid forms, given that I have learned how to work effectively with others and how to guide people in a group and individually through being concertmaster of several orchestras and through teaching young kids violin, how to maintain focus for hours during a concert or while practicing, and how to endure even the less enjoyable parts of studying music. Being a musician is about much more than playing notes, and I believe that I’ve learned much about life and about myself in the process of becoming one.
Katherine Pheysey
One of the most important qualities we can have is a love of learning. This love permeates every aspect of life and gives more meaning to the lessons we learn everywhere. With this love, we eagerly pursue academic and non-academic subjects and become scholars in our diverse interests, which rewards us with knowledge of and strengthened passion for them. We may also, as scholars, begin to teach others about our interests so that they can cultivate their passions as well. If we continue to nurture it, our love of learning will serve us well throughout our lives in numerous ways. Serving our communities is equally as important, as it helps the community and helps us learn important life skills and lessons, such as working in a team, completing a multi-step task, and talking with community members. Service strengthens our connection to our communities and provides us with new opportunities to meet people and make friends. I thank the committee for selecting me for this honor, and I look forward to my senior year, to further pursuing my interests, and to further demonstrating the characteristics of service, scholarship, leadership, and character.
Our 2017 Inductees
Benjamin Almquist
Over several years, I found this joy in multiple activities including traveling, reading, sailing, spending time with family and friends, etc. Three things I found the most joy in were tennis, traveling, and service. As these things relate to the National Honors Society, service is very important to me. In the past two years I had multiple service opportunities in many different locations. At every service location, what made the most substantial impact was that everyone was cordial, generous, grateful, and outgoing. These experiences increased my awareness of where I can grow and change myself to be the best I can.
Through working at these service opportunities, I developed a stronger sense of humility and my character grew. With each and every service experience I saw how people lived and worked. Through all of these situations, I learned the resilience of the human spirit and how by helping each other everyone can live joyfully. Most of all, I learned how everyone is equal. From my hobbies to service, my character has evolved. I am more aware, more humble, and enjoy the things I do much more or find a way to enjoy what I am doing. Now I wish to continue my service and continue to develop an excellent character within the National Honors Society.
Katherine Almquist
When I saw my acceptance into the National Honor Society, I knew this was a continuation of my journey to making a difference in my community. I already started with volunteering at my local food bank as well as attending the Civic Leadership Institute at Northwestern University. This acceptance further reinforces my desire to contribute to the healthy progression of our world. From my life experiences so far, I have found that leadership and character are the two National Honor Society qualities that are the most important characteristics of a well-rounded citizen, participant and human in my community and life.
I chose leadership and character because you can’t have one without the other. Good character means that you have integrity, determination, the willingness to be vulnerable and use your courage to conquer your fears. As I have seen from leaders across the globe, good character is obtained through hard work, learning from your failures and turning them into successes. I have translated these strategies into my own life in many different accounts. I have accomplished this through stepping forward and enjoying my time with the people in need at my local food bank. Leadership and character have also come into play when I am in one of my tennis matches. When faced with challenges of a failed strategy, I find strength and lead myself towards a better plan. Finally, I truly saw character and leadership going hand and hand with my experience in Peru where I pushed myself to help with Spanish translation which ultimately helped us obtain some basic needs and tools for projects. Having good character gave me the strength to be a leader in these situations. I look forward to using character and leadership as well as the other two National Honor Society qualities of service and scholarship to continue my evolution into a successful global citizen.
Hasan Al-Quaid
My hobbies are learning all kinds of information, playing many different sports, and exercising. I enjoy physical activities and spend a lot of time outdoors and with animals. I have a passion for math and science and believe strongly in protecting our environment. I also enjoy creating things in Photoshop and making wooden crafts. I hope to one day attain an excellent physique and use my interests to invent things and shape the future.
Alex Blackburn
Our family has had many adventures in the last few years and learned amazing things about ourselves, our surroundings, and about other cultures. We learned how to be self-sufficient in making our own energy and water for daily use. We have taken pride in having a near zero environmental footprint, something we quickly realized the importance of when observing our surroundings. We faced challenges that allowed us to grow closer together as a family and saw amazing sights that made us appreciate being with each other. In my travels, I have enjoyed swimming, snorkeling, kayaking, hiking, various beach activities, and of course sailing.
However, I also have a variety of other interests that I am passionate about like reading, movies, computers, and video games. I intend to pursue a degree in Computer Science and one day obtain a job programming amazing video games for others to enjoy. I am proud to have been accepted into the National Honor Society and look forward to continuing to be a positive influence on those around me. Two qualities that I think are important are character and leadership. Having good character is important in becoming a responsible and caring person for yourself, those around you, and your environment. Leadership is essential as it has a direct impact on others and their decisions, which can affect everything in life. Those with good character and great leadership can have an increasingly positive outcome for our world.
Olivia Merlini
I chose service and leadership as two particular qualities of an NHS member to highlight. I find joy in helping others and giving back to her community. I recognize those who are less fortunate, and am grateful to those who have enriched my life. Volunteering at my alma mater, soup kitchens, charity drives, benefit ballet performances at a retirement home, Yale’s Smilow Cancer Hospital, at a local library, and volunteering with an organization called Homeward Bound CT that helps to find forever homes for abandoned dogs are examples of my activities. I choose these activities because I enjoys being generous and giving back to those who have contributed to my life. I see leadership in many forms. I feel strongly that one does not have to be in an elected office, such as student council, to exhibit leadership, but instead simply be a good role model for others.
Again, I am proud to be recognized as a member of the National Honor Society, and I look forward to continuing to model the four qualities of scholarship, leadership, service, and character throughout my life.
Aiden Murray
To me, service is very important. Service is a way to help and give back to our local communities and organizations. It strengthens our connection with those around us, and leaves us wanting to do more good. Leadership is also an important aspect of life. Being a leader means encouraging those around us to do good and helping those who can’t help themselves. Leaders are responsible, caring, respectful, and are able to make important decisions and rise above unpleasant situations. I am so very excited to be a member of the NHS, and I can’t wait to see what it can do for me, and what I can do for it.
Chase Richardet
I am starting my second year of enrollment with Oak Meadow and am in the 10th grade, but this is my eighth year homeschooling! For the past six years I have been taking fencing classes, and this past year I began volunteering to help teach a youth fencing class at our local YMCA. Assisting the youth fencing class is not only a great way to give back and share something that I enjoy, it’s a lot of fun too! Some other things that I enjoy doing are: sailing (I am ASA certified), diving (I am PADI certified for SCUBA), drawing and creating art, and traveling with my family. Outside of school and activities, I also take care of a beach property and do other jobs that involve outside maintenence of property grounds. I feel very grateful for all of the opportunities that I’ve been trusted with and worked for because each experience—whether volunteering, traveling or learning a new skill—helps push me outside of my comfort zone and grow as a person.