FARMINGDALE — Hall-Dale High School has announced its class of 2023 summa cum laude students. The students are listed alphabetically.

Aiden Beale, son of Julian and Stephanie Beale of Farmingdale, is a member of the Farmingdale Fire Department. He takes great pride in being a first responder and is willing to share his experience with younger students so that they, too, may find an area of passion, according to a news release from the school.

Along with being a member of the fire department, and supporting community events that require safety personnel, he anchored the defensive line of the varsity soccer team as one of its captains.

Upon graduation, Beale will join a full-time fire department as a career and plans to attend Kennebec Valley Community College for paramedicine.

Rita Benoit, daughter of Nate and Nicole Benoit of Hallowell, excels in the classroom, on the soccer pitch, on the basketball court, and on the softball diamond, and is class salutatorian.

As captain of the women’s soccer team she helped guide them to two consecutive Mountain Valley Conference Championships and an undefeated regular season. She was a key defensive player in the success of the basketball team, including a state championship in 2022. In softball, she has captained the team for three years and has helped win two consecutive state championships.

Benoit is secretary of the National Honor Society, a member of Key Club, volunteers at the Hallowell Food Pantry, and officiates both youth and travel soccer games.

She plans to attend the University of Maine at Farmington, where she will continue her soccer career and major in biology.

Kasper Birgfeld, son of Douglas Birgfeld of Gardiner and Elizabeth Simoni of Auburn, has distinguished himself in two major areas of the school — music and science.

Most recently, he participated in two engineering projects: CubeSat, where his team “Impopable” designed and built a satellite to test plants in space conditions. This project, coordinated by the University of Southern Maine, challenged students throughout the state to employ their design to be action ready. His team came in second place because of their design and overall product.

The other engineering project was Project Windstorm, sponsored through the University of Maine. In a small group, he helped to design and create a scale model for an off-shore floating wind turbine.

Musically, he has been selected for several music festivals including District III, All State, Jazz All State, and All Eastern. His musical talents have also been exhibited on stage as the lead in several musicals.

Birgfeld plans to attend the University of Maine to study mechanical engineering.

Quinn Cotnoir, child of Jacob Cotnoir and Shawna Wells of Augusta, has been involved in visual and performing arts throughout high school. Cotnoir is a constant on the stage whether it be a dramatic performance, comedy, or musical, whose roles can range from Roz in “Grease” to a detective in “Clue.” Cotnoir’s performances earned The Rising Star Award and The Vivace Award.

Cotnoir earned the Excellence in Printmaking Award, as well as excellence awards in AP Government, Spanish and English. Cotnoir supports other youth as a counselor at the YMCA Camp.

Cotnoir plans to attend the Maine College of Art in the fall.

Sawyer Howe, son of Steve and Carrie Howe of Farmingdale, is a scholar, a four-year member of Key Club, Academic Decathlon, and the math team.

Along with being a member of National Honor Society, Howe has earned excellence awards in math, English, science and Japanese. He is employed as a customer service representative by Target.

Howe plans to study mechanical engineering at the University of Maine.

Elijah Huttman, son of Leticia and Loretta Huttman of Richmond, plays the oboe and the viola. He has earned multiple awards for his efforts in band and choir. He was selected for All State Band and Orchestra on oboe and viola as a ninth and 10th grader. At 11th and 12th grade he qualified on oboe, viola and vocal bass, and chose oboe all four years.

Huttman was also selected for Jazz All State Choir; All National Honors Ensembles Orchestra; District 3 Honors Band (ninth, 10th, 11th grades); and District 3 Honors Chorus.

Huttman, along with being a constant on stage for musicals, could also be found in the pit at the Waterville Opera House, the Midcoast Symphony Orchestra, and the Mid Maine Youth Orchestra.

He earned the Williams College Book Award, Japanese academic achievement award, the Excellence in English Award, the Music Department Rising Star Award, and the The J.R.R Tolkien Award.

Huttman plans to attend Skidmore College to study Studio Art and Anthropology.

Bethany Ives, daughter of Jonathan and Amy Cole Ives of Hallowell, has for the past few summers either been involved in nautical training, working on a sailing vessel, or learning how to sail vessels. For six weeks Ives partook in the Sailing Ships Maine Summer Semester 2021, where she learned about land training, ocean science and indigenous studies. She also sailed on the Harvey Gamage as a trainee.

This past summer she again took part in the Sailing Ships Maine, where she was a Harbor Freight Fellow for Harvey Gamage drydock and learned how to sand, paint, varnish, treat rusted metal, and climb scaffolding.

On the pitch, her accolades include being an MVC Academic All-Star and member of Second Team All Stars, and played premier soccer and is currently with DSA. For 14 years she was a member of the Kennebec Dance Centre as part of its competition team.

Ives plans to attend Maine Maritime Academy, where she will continue to play soccer and will study marine transportation operations.

Dorothy Ives, daughter of Jonathan and Amy Cole Ives of Hallowell, has been class president and student senate president, and is the 2023 valedictorian. She has demonstrated strong leadership skills by planning and implementing fundraisers, and by supporting school spirit and various philanthropic events.

Ives has been a singer and thespian in various musicals, took center stage in dance recitals, and was a member of dance competition teams. She won the Centerstage Dance Challenge in 2022.

She has been a member of the varsity soccer team as well as premier soccer through CMU.

Ives attended the Hurricane Island Biology program, the University of Maine engineering program for prospective engineers, and last summer spent two weeks with Syracuse University’s renewable and alternative energy program.

Ives plans to attend the University of Maine and major in civil and environmental engineering and minor in dance.

Liberty Kimball, daughter of Shawn and Joyce Kimball of Chelsea, took the medical terminology course through Capital Area Technical Center, where she ranked number one in the class and placed first in the local SkillsUSA competition. Kimball is also a member of the Jobs for Maine Graduates program, helping to support the Special Olympics.

She has been a member of the 2021 and 2022 state softball championship teams. When not taking part in activities at school she works at Target.

In the fall, Kimball plans to attend the University of Maine at Augusta to pursue a degree in nursing.

Jackson Leach, son of Jon Leach and Hannah Burdin of Farmingdale, has been captain of the soccer, basketball and baseball teams.

He has been recognized with the Maine News Center Varsity Club Award, the School Spirit Award, the Most Valuable Senior in soccer and baseball, and the Coach’s Award in both basketball and baseball.

He is a mentor for younger students. Leach was awarded the St. Michael’s Book Award, academic excellence award in English, and is a member of the National Honor Society.

Over the post-COVID years he has helped revitalize the Outing Club, is active in Key Club, and has taken the lead on many video projects in the school.

In the fall, Leach plans to attend the University of Maine at Farmington to study film and play soccer.

Alexis Rideout, daughter of Mark and Shannon Rideout of Whitefield, is president of National Honor Society, vice president of Key Club, and captain of the two-time defending state champion softball team.

She earned the AP Scholar Award and The Frederick Douglass and Susan B. Anthony Award from the University of Rochester.

Rideout plans to attend the University of Maine to study engineering.

Kiley Rolfe, daughter of Chris and Kristi Rolfe of Farmingdale, excels in field hockey and on the track. As a captain, she has earned the Coach’s Award, MVC Honorable Mention All Star, and All Academic All Star. In track, Rolfe excels in the relay and middle distances.

To help spread the love of field hockey to local youth she volunteers in the Youth Styx camps, youth play days, and supports middle school track meets.

Rolfe plans to attend the University of New England to study applied exercise science.

Jacob Rousseau, son of Kevin Rousseau of Augusta and Christy Rousseau of Whitefield, joined Hall-Dale’s class of 2023 in August. He took part the Japanese program at Hall-Dale, joining the Taiko Japanese Drumming Team.

He is involved in the Capital Area New Mainers Project and is a member of the Coopers Mills Volunteer Fire Department.

Rousseau plans to attend Maine Maritime Academy to study marine biology and small vessel operations.

Ben Stahlnecker, son of James and Linda Stahlnecker of Farmingdale, learned for his Capstone Project how to create a choral piece of music. Once finished, he conducted the Hall-Dale band to play the piece and later, at the spring concert, was able to be part of the band that played his piece.

Stahlnecker, a member of both the Jazz Band and Choir, was selected to the District III and All-State Music Festivals. He was in the cast of “Grease,” “Into the Woods” and “Broadway Disney.”

Stahlnecker plans to attend Kennebec Valley Community College to study electrical technology.

Grace Walters, the daughter of Lori Walters and Chris Walters of Manchester, is the class treasurer for Student Senate, and was an at-large representative to the Senate in both her junior and senior years as well as a member of the National Honor Society.

Walters was on the prom committee and helped DJ middle school dances.

She received the Excellence in English award as a sophomore and junior, the Excellence in U.S. Studies award as a junior, and the Richard Gilder History award as the top history student.

Walters plans to attend the University of Maine to study business.

 

 

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