Laker Nation Newsletter

Upcoming Dates:

01/17/25 - Term 2 Ends - Grades Close

01/20/25 - Martin Luther King Day - School Closed

01/21/25 - Semester 2 Begins

01/28/25- Term 2 Grades Posted

01/29/25 - Scholarship Program Info Session

02/07/25 - ½ day; early release

02/17/25 - 02/21/25 February Vacation

Schedules are available for viewing in your Aspen portal. If you need a paper copy of your schedule please reach out to your guidance counselor. If you are unable to access your Aspen portal, send an email to aspenhelp@freelake.org

Our 201 DECA students had a successful trip to Hyannis for the District 8 Conference. They all competed in two role plays, resulting in 38 of our students qualifying for the State Conference in Boston. See results below. They will join our 40+ students who are preparing papers and presentations for the written events, participating in the Quiz Bowl competition, and competing for our certified School Based Enterprise.

Top 3 and moving onto States:

Alex Keefe, Alana Gurney/Molly McCarthy, Emily Pavao/Grace Ferrari, Eugene Jung/Brynn McLaughlin, Logan Frias, Mia Furtado, Tyler Gray, Ashna Kantamkulathy/Vidhya Santhosh, Ryan O'Connor, Jillian Maher/Sophia El-Ghadi, Charlotte Carvalho/Addison Combs, Jamison Moriarty, HaileyTravassos/Morgan Tremblay, Ruby Martin/ Reese Taylor, and Shaan Barnick.

Placing in the Top 5 and moving onto States:

Kohana Fontinha/Orianna Hernandez, Josephine Biddle, Keltey Fournier/Hannah Kuriscak, Ken Wisniewski, Emma Lehane/Ava Mello, Jayden Pierre, Evan Dupras, Leah Mcgee, Aaron Procaccini/Luke Combs, and Amelia Menendez/Emma Buckley

Earning a Top 10 ranking in their category or a medal for their Role Play or Test:

Gary Carrier/Thomas Cushing, Kaitlyn Abreau/Megan Soares, Nolan Welch, Madison Nunes/Scarlett Spratt, Judson Cardinali/Thomas Smith, Will Horton/Will Levrault, Jillian Musante/Keira Fournier, Henry Svirtunas/Paxton Canessa, Broghden Baker, Emma Wisniewski/Maeya Vlahopoulos, Aneil Barnick, Corey Costa/Colin McKay, Nia Kantamkulathy, Trevor Norton, Aurora Corbett/Allison Arruda, Nicholas Barriga, Celia Brady/Rayley Martins, Kate Suneson/Annie Smith 9
Emily Andersen/Clarie Lucey, Ethan Ring, Miles Tabler, Atley Alves/Reaghan Jensen,
Anthony Francisco/Levi Ferreira, Logan Moniz, Nicholas Connolly, Lucas Tremblay, Kaden Brennan/Rowan Jensen

Students from over 65 schools in southeastern MA auditioned and students were selected based on their audition to perform in a large ensemble group (band or choir). Apponequet had 10 students accepted (one was in DECA and could not attend the festival), which is a pretty big number for a school of our size! Students attended an all day rehearsal on Friday and a morning rehearsal on Saturday before performing a concert on Saturday afternoon. They got to work with master band and choir directors and meet other music kids from many different schools as they all came together for a weekend of music. 4 out of our 10 students were also recommended to audition for the All-State band and choir festival, an opportunity rewarded only to students who scored in the top 50% at their SEMMEA audition. They will audition for this festival on January 25th among other top music students from all over the state of MA.

On Wednesday, January 29th, the ARHS Counseling Department will be hosting their annual Scholarship Info Session for Parents/Guardians. The program will begin promptly at 6:00pm (doors open at 5:45pm) and will be held in the ARHS Lecture Hall. This event will introduce the Class of 2025 ARHS Scholarship Program and cover the scholarship application process, the Senior Awards Assembly, and more. RSVP is not necessary; students are welcome, but not required as they will receive this information in school the week of February 3rd. This event will not be video recorded, but presentation details and resources will be shared to Class of 2025 parents/guardians via email on February 7th. Please contact Nicole Graf at ngraf@freelake.org with any questions.

Core Value Recipients:

Ava Sherrick - Achievement

Braidyn Sanders - Achievement

Mackenzie Owen - Achievement

Eva Dingee - Achievement

Seamus Erwin - Achievement

Kyalimba Kilomo - Achievement

Tyler Horton - Random Act of Kindness

Hailey DaRosa - Honor

Jake Milligan - Achievement

Ollie Flemming - Achievement

Colin McKay - Achievement

Gabby Richards - Achievement

Seamus Erwin - Achievement

Ashna Kantamkulathy - Achievement

Mia Furtado - Achievement

Student Government (class)

Student Council

Art, Share, Travel Club

Chorus/Select Choirs

DECA

LIFE (Lakers)

Environmental Club

Game Club/SHAPE

GSA (Gay/Straight Alliance)

Math Team

NHS (National Honor Society)

Tech and Engineering Club

Laker Leaders

Yearbook

All Booked at Apponequet

Debate Club

Robotics

Laker Athletic Development

Majorettes

Cheerleading

Jazz Band

Robotics I goes head to head until a winner is declared.

And the winner is...Rob Greco!

Mock Criminal Trial

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that"

Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a time to reflect on the life and legacy of one of America’s most influential leaders in the fight for civil rights. Dr. King dedicated his life to the pursuit of justice, equality, and nonviolence, becoming a central figure in the movement to end racial segregation and discrimination in the United States.

The holiday, observed on the third Monday of January, commemorates his leadership in landmark events such as the Montgomery Bus Boycott, the March on Washington, and his iconic "I Have a Dream" speech, which continues to inspire millions around the world.

As we honor Dr. King’s contributions, let us also recognize the ongoing work needed to achieve his vision of a fair and inclusive society. This day reminds us of the power of courage, compassion, and collective action in shaping a brighter future for all.