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On Thursday, October 22, 2009 the Greenwich Junior-Senior High School held an Academic Awards assembly for students in grades 9-12. Mr. George Niesz, the Junior-Senior High School principal, announced to the approximately four hundred and fifty students, teachers, staff members, parents and family members that were in attendance that the purpose of the program was to “celebrate the successes that our high school students worked hard to achieve in our classrooms during the 2008-2009 school year”. Mr. Niesz explained that “academic achievement is the primary reason our school exists. Yet, we also know that academic achievement can often become overshadowed by outstanding theatrical performances or athletic championships….They (the faculty and counselors) want to do this (celebrate student academic achievement) because they believe that it is important to establish to the entire student body that the goal of our entire school is academic excellence. The students that will be recognized today are in many ways role models for all students. That is why we are having this particular ceremony during the school day. We want all of you students to know that if you work hard and do well academically, we will recognize and celebrate your achievement in front of the entire school.”

During the approximately one hour and forty five minute program, students were recognized for academic excellence in the following areas:

5-Earning a grade point average of between 84.5% and 89.4% during first three marking periods of the 2008-2009 school year (this award is known as the Principal’s Honor Roll)

6- Earning a grade point average of between 89.5% and 100% during first three marking periods of the 2008-2009 school year (this award is know as the Principal’s High Honor Roll)

8-Earning the Ashlar Lodge Award of $50 for the highest grade on the NYS Geometry Regents exam (this was awarded to Miss Samantha Linnett seen below)

9-Earning the Trustco Bank Award of $25 which was awarded to the 9^th grade student that demonstrated the scholarship, character, and purpose that offered promise for future contributions to society (this was awarded to Ms. Rachel Albrecht)

10-Earning the GCS Alumni award of two $50 awards for having the highest average in the High School for the last two school years (this was awarded to Mr. Kyle Keraga pictured below with Mr. Niesz)

11-GCS senior high school teachers also presented individual awards to students for outstanding academic performance

12-A handful of students were recognized for earning very prestigious academic awards donated by various colleges, universities, and/or corporations

Many of the students recognized during the assembly also received a gift certificate from either the Greenwich Subway or Some Like it Hot coffee shop and eatery. The gift certificates were purchased using money donated by the Hannaford Corporation as part of the Hannaford Helping Hands program. In all, approximately 178 students were recognized at least once during the assembly.

At the conclusion of the assembly, Mr. Niesz thanked Mrs. Amy McPhail and Mr. Benjamin Cronin for planning and executing the ceremony. He also asked all GCS staff members to stand and be recognized by the students and parents for “their hard work and dedication to academic excellence”. Niesz concluded the program by stating “without these professionals (teachers, counselors, and staff), we would not have an excellent school”