Nicholas Bartolin has no doubt that he and the 72 other members of the Brookfield High School Class of
2021 “will all achieve great things.”
The Brookfield co-valedictorian, speaking at the May 25 commencement at Packard Music Hall, Warren,
was not predicting that he and his classmates will cure cancer, end war or be the next billionaires. He’s
simply predicting that they will find ways to be happy and contribute to their communities.
“Difference in levels of achievement are meaningless, as long as you are happy, and make a difference,”
he said. “The value of achievements comes down to that.”
Some would say that simply making it to graduation was an achievement.
“I believe it’s safe to say that we’ve found ourselves in a rather unique position, this year,” said co-valedictorian Constance “Macy” Devine. “We played this year out one day at a time, not knowing if we
would be in school or behind our computers at home. It felt as if we were robbed of our valuable last
moments with each other because it was never about what the class as a whole was doing, but that we
were doing it together. This one year never has and never will define who we are, or who we would be as
a class. What defines us as a class was, well, us. I know the last four years – well, three-and-a-half years –
we’ve grown closer as a group.”
Co-valedictorian Hannah McNamara expanded on the theme of growth.
“As we take our diplomas, we take our first steps into the real vast world,” she said. “Growth never stops,
and it certainly does not end here. Keep making memories, keep learning and, please, keep growing.”
The school staff did its part to keep the students focused on the path ahead, said co-valedictorian Victoria
Slabe.
“This year has been like no other, but the administration at Brookfield has made it the best they possibly
could for us,” she said. “The teachers at Brookfield are unlike any other as they truly care about their
students and their well-being.”
The greater community has played a big role in the individual development of the students, said covaledictorian Grant Abraham.
“I’ve heard a lot of people, both kids and adults, say that they wish there was more to Brookfield, or that
they wish this was a bigger school,” he said. “I couldn’t disagree more. Being part of a small school and,
likewise, a small town, allows for closer relationships with friends, neighbors and teachers, too. It’s an
environment where it’s easier to ask for help in completing school work, to provide support for someone
else, just to get assistance figuring out how to do something like logarithmic differentiation.”
Principal Kristen Foster called the class “exceptional and talented,” and Supt. Toby Gibson reminded the
students of what they had to overcome to get this far.
“Life is hard,” he said. “It’s gonna throw you curve balls. Sometimes, it’s hard to hit the curve balls. But,
trust me, the struggles that you will face are only meant to strengthen you for your purpose.”
“Believe in your human capacity,” Gibson said. “Believe in your ability to reach your goals, to reach your
dreams.”

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Brookfield High School graduated 73 students at a commencement ceremony May 25 at Packard Music
Hall in Warren.
The graduates are listed below along with their academic activities, class awards and scholarships and
plans for the future:
Grant Abraham – Outstanding STEM Innovations Award, Outstanding Maker Space Award, National
Honor Society, Honors Diploma and Community Service Honorary Cord; plans to attend Akron
University and has been awarded the Honors College of Akron Scholarship, the Grotefund Scholarship
and the Akron Guarantee for a total of $42,000.
Arissa Aley – Plans to enter the workforce.
Richard Atkinson Jr. – Outstanding Spanish IV Award, Outstanding Journalism Award, Outstanding AP
English Award, National Honor Society, Student Council, Honors Diploma, Community Service
Honorary Cord and the Ryland Robert Reel Memorial Scholarship, $1,000; plans to attend Ohio State
University.
Nicholas Bartolin – Outstanding Physics Award, Outstanding AP English Award, National Honors
Society, Student Council, Honors Diploma, Community Service Honorary Cord and Team Rich Atkinson
Scholarship, $1,000; Ohio High School Athletic Association Scholarship Award; plans to attend
Youngstown State University and has been awarded the YSU Trustees Scholarship, the YSU Honors
Program Scholarship and the YSU Honors Housing Scholarship for a total of $36,000.
Angelena Baum – Completed Early Childhood Education program at Trumbull Career and Technical
Center; plans to enter the workforce.
Izabella Baum – Completed Dental Assisting program at Trumbull Career and Technical Center; plans to
enter the workforce.
Nicholas Bolotenny – Plans to attend Youngstown State University.
Matthew Breighner – Outstanding STEM Innovations Award, Outstanding Marching Band Award,
Outstanding Computer Application I Award, Outstanding Maker Space Award, National Honor Society
and Community Service Honorary Cord; plans to attend Youngstown State University.
Connor Brennan – Community Service Honorary Cord; plans to attend Kent State University and has
been awarded the Kent State Bronze Scholarship for $3,000.
Jordan Brooks – Plans to enter the workforce.
Shae Brown – Plans to attend Kent State University.
Ashlynn Bryant – National Honor Society and Honors Diploma; plans to attend Youngstown State
University.
Morgan Cassidy – National Honor Society, Honors Diploma and Community Service Honorary Cord;
plans to attend Ohio State University.
Antonio Ciecerko – Plans to enter the workforce.
Rory Clark – Plans to enter the workforce.
Jacob Clarkson – Plans to enter the workforce.
Alexander Couturiaux – Outstanding Environmental Science Award; plans to enter the workforce.
Dillon Crozier – Plans to enter the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.
Jacob Cutright –Plans to enter the workforce.
Raelin Davis – Plans to enter the workforce.
Constance Devine – National Honor Society; Student Council; Honors Diploma; Community Service
Honorary Cord; Strimbu Memorial Scholarship, $10,000; Ohio High School Athletic Association
Scholarship Award; and the Brenda Rae Haun Memorial Scholarship, $300; plans to attend Youngstown
State University and has been awarded the YSU Trustees Scholarship and the YSU Honors Program
Scholarship for a total of $24,000.Madison Evans – Community Service Honorary Cord; plans to attend Youngstown State University.
Alan Flores Sandoval – Plans to enter the workforce.
Jasmyn Foist – National Honor Society, Student Council and Community Service Honorary Cord; plans
to attend Youngstown State University.
Isaac Foust – National Honor Society and Honors Diploma; plans to attend Ohio State University.
Zoe Fox – Completed Early Childhood Education program at Trumbull Career and Technical Center;
plans to enter the workforce.
Caleb Furr – Plans to enter the workforce.
Dalton Gaylor – Plans to enter the workforce.
Haden Gibson – Outstanding Calculus Award; Outstanding Computer Application I Award; National
Honor Society; Honors Diploma; Community Service Honorary Cord; Brookfield Lunch Ladies
Scholarship, $250; Brookfield Board of Education Scholarship, $500; Archie Griffin Award; and the
Ryland Robert Reel Memorial Scholarship, $1,000; plans to attend the University of Mount Union and
has been awarded the Mount Union Presidential Scholarship for $19,000.
Celina Gillespie – National Honor Society, Student Council and Community Service Honorary Cord;
plans to attend Youngstown State University.
Hunter Groves – Plans to enter the workforce.
Richard Hall – Outstanding Human Physiology Award; National Honor Society; Honors Diploma;
Community Service Honorary Cord; and Mercer County Community Federal Credit Union Scholarship,
$1,000; plans to attend Ohio University and has been awarded the OU Excellence Scholarship and the OU
Admission Promise Scholarship for a total of $5,000.
Gianna Hanshaw – National Honor Society and Community Service Honorary Cord; plans to attend
Youngstown State University.
Abigail Hodge – National Honor Society; Community Service Honorary Cord; Rotary Scholarship, $500;
and Sharon Steel Foundation Trustee Scholarship, $5,000; plans to attend Penn State Shenango and has
been awarded the Discover Penn State Award for $24,000.
Gavin Hogue – Completed Power Equipment Mechanics program at Trumbull Career and Technical
Center; plans to enter the workforce.
Kaytlyn Horton – Completed Animal Science Equine program at Trumbull Career and Technical Center;
plans to enter the workforce.
Tyler Hunt – Plans to enter the workforce.
Nikole Husnick – Outstanding Journalism Award; National Honor Society; Student Council; Community
Service Honorary Cord; Franklin B. Walter Scholarship, $500; First Place Community Fund, $1,000;
Ulysses S. Ward Scholarship, $500; DeBartolo Scholarship, $10,000; Brookfield Federation of Teachers
Scholarship, $1,000; Archie Griffin Award; and the Brookfield Parents Association Scholarship, $1,000;
plans to attend Slippery Rock University and has been awarded the Slippery Rock Honors College
Scholarship for $6,000.
Kaelyn Johns – National Honor Society and Community Service Honorary Cord; plans to attend
Youngstown State University.
Mikayla Jumper – Plans to attend Penn State Shenango.
Dylon Kikel – Plans to enter the workforce.
Donald Kiskadden – Outstanding Music Appreciation Award; plans to attend Youngstown State
University.
Alexis McAnany – National Honor Society; plans to attend Clarion University.
Marc McKelvey – Plans to enter the workforce.
Hannah McNamara – National Honor Society; Honor Diploma; Community Service Honorary Cord; Outstanding Concert Band Award; and Hunter Haines Scholarship, $1,000; plans to attend Kent State
University.
Casey Miller – National Honor Society and Community Service Honorary Cord; plans to attend the
Academy of Art University.
Noah Montgomery – Plans to enter the workforce.
Adam Moore – Completed Landscape Design and Technology program at Trumbull Career and Technical
Center; plans to enter the workforce.
Cara Nehlen – Outstanding Psychology Award, Outstanding 3D Art Award, Outstanding Academic
English IV Award; plans to attend Youngstown State University and has been awarded the YSU Red and
White Scholarship, $8,000.
Autumn Peluchette – Completed Early Childhood Education program at Trumbull Career and Technical
Center; plans to enter the workforce.
Sierra Pontera – Outstanding Career Pathways Award, Outstanding Marketing Award, Outstanding
General English IV Award, Community Service Honorary Award; plans to attend Laurel Technical
Institute.
Patrick Reardon – National Honor Society, Community Service Honorary Cord, Outstanding Computer
Application I Award and Team Rich Atkinson Scholarship, $1,000; plans to attend Eastern Gateway
Community College.
Alice Ripley – Plans to enter the workforce.
Hannah Robison – Plans to enter the workforce.
Drake Root – Completed Air Force Junior ROTC program at Trumbull Career and Technical Center; plans
to enter the workforce.
Jacob Schell – Plans to attend Kent State University.
Grace Schultz – National Honor Society; Honors Diploma; Community Service Honorary Cord; Mercer
County Community Federal Credit Union Scholarship, $1,000; Lee Michael Shimshock Memorial
Scholarship, $1,000; and Brookfield Parents Association Scholarship, $500; plans to attend Slippery Rock
University and has been awarded the SRU Honors College Scholarship and the SRU Merit Scholarship
for a total of $22,000.
Austin Sees – National Honor Society; Student Council; Community Service Honorary Cord; Outstanding
Chorus Award; Archie Griffin Award; and the Shenango Valley Performing Arts Scholarship, $500; plans
to attend Cape Fear Community College.
Ciara Sinkuc – Outstanding Pre-Calculus Award, Outstanding Life Skills Award, National Honor Society,
Community Service Honorary Cord; plans to attend Ohio State University.
Autumn Sirochman – Archie Griffin Award; plans to attend Penn State Shenango.
Victoria Slabe – National Honor Society, Honors Diploma, Community Service Honorary Cord; Ohio
High School Athletic Association Scholarship Award; plans to attend Ohio State University and has been
awarded the OSU Trustees Scholarship, $1,000.
Christopher Smith – Plans to enter the workforce.
Hailey Sofranko – Plans to enter the workforce.
James Stigleman – Completed Welding program at Trumbull Career and Technical Center; plans to enter
the workforce.
promoMitchell Sydlowski – National Honor Society; Honors Diploma; Community Service Honorary Cord;
John Vournous Memorial Scholarship, $500; and the Columbian Home Corp. Scholarship, $2,000; plans
to attend Youngstown State University.
Blaise Taylor – Plans to enter the workforce.
Kadon Torres – Community Service Honorary Cord; plans to enter the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.

Kaden Trump – Plans to enter the workforce.
Evan Wallace – Completed Electrical Technology program at Trumbull Career and Technical Center;
plans to enter the workforce.
John Webb – National Honor Society; plans to enter the workforce.
Brittany Wells – Plans to attend Eastern Gateway Community College.
Ashley Woods – Outstanding Senior Applied Award; plans to enter the workforce.
Sebastian Workman – Plans to enter the workforce