Thirty-nine juniors in the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme at Queensbury High School received the Presidential Award for Educational Excellence during a ceremony on June 12.
The event recognized these students who have shown remarkable dedication and resilience in their academic journey.
“They have taken on the most rigorous academic program offered to high school students around the world,” said Marnie DeJohn, program coordinator, “and met that challenge head on with perseverance, integrity and purpose.”
She commended the students for being communicators, thinkers and knowledgeable individuals.
“The International Baccalaureate aims to develop, not just scholars, but inquirers, thinkers and communicators, young people who are principled, open minded and caring,” DeJohn said. “Tonight we recognize students who embody these values and who have already shown themselves to be risk takers in their academic pursuits and reflective in their growth.”
The students and their family members heard from Jim Siplon, the president of the Warren County Economic Development Corporation, whose daughters were IB students in New Zealand.
“I realized the fraternity, the organization, the community that was this group,” Siplon said. “Anywhere in the world, where there’s an International Baccalaureate program, there are people like you who have made a choice, and the choice is not easy.”
Superintendent of Schools Kyle Gannon urged the students to thank their parents for supporting them in their first year of the program. He noted that the students will be well-prepared for college because of the study habits they’ve formed in IB.
“You’ve done it. You’ve worked hard. You’ve chosen the hardest path in our high school,” Gannon said. “And that tells me that no matter what, at the end of next year, you’re going to be ready. You’ll be ready for whatever comes forward.”
QHS Principal Andrew Snide congratulated the students for taking on the challenge of the IB program, calling it an “impressive feat.”
“The thought processes, what they’re talking about and how they’re learning is so impressive,” Snide said.
Students who received the award include:
Mia Afsar-Keshmiri
Evan Baird
Allison Bleyenburg
Madeline Buck
Roxanne Chen
Peyton Conway
Miles DeJohn
Christopher DiPlacido
Josefine Dubarry
Gabriel Dunbar
Lainey Dunbar
Clare Gauci
Lucas Graham
Ryan Greenstein
Alden Guay
Kaylee Hatch
Alexandra Hogan
Joseph Hogan
Ruby Janssen
Joshua Jenkin
Lucci Jiang
Sean Filson Kelleher
Deanna Lamkins
Faith Lawani
Eamon Linehan
Jason Ludlow
Charlotte McDonough
Marina Muldner
Frank Ovitt
Susan M Parker
Rowan Pike
Braden Pisani
Grace Powers
Hannah Scherer
Carter Stanclift
Sarah Vittengl
Natalie Zachar
Chloe Zhao
Emily Zheng