Oxford Rotary Club Seniors of the Month

April

Patrick, son of Darla and Dennis Boggs, is a member of the high school’s chapter of Future Business Leaders of America and earned third place for Spreadsheets at the 2011 Pennsylvania FBLA Region 9 Leadership Conference and Competition in December. He recently competed at the Pennsylvania FBLA State Leadership Conference held at the Hershey Lodge and Convention Center.

Patrick is a member of National Honor Society and the Helping Hands community service club. He represents Oxford Area High School on the 16th Congressional District Youth Advisory Council sponsored by U.S. Representative Joe Pitts.

A four-year member and a senior captain of the swim team, Patrick qualified for the district championships as a freshman, sophomore and senior. He has been a member of the Delaware Swim Team, which practices at the University of Delaware, since elementary school and volunteers giving swimming lessons to children with Down syndrome. He also volunteers at the Delaware Special Olympics, Jennersville Regional Hospital and the Oxford Public Library.

This fall Patrick will attend Clemson University for pre-professional health studies and plans to pursue a career in medicine.

Heather, daughter of Kelly and Brad Way, is a member of National Honor Society and has been a member of Helping Hands since her freshman year. She is also a member of Future Business Leaders of America and the Student Renaissance Committee, which recognizes students for academic performance and positive impact on the school environment.

As president of LEOs, a community service club sponsored by the Oxford Lions Club, Heather helped organize an all-night dance-a-thon in February to benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. The dance-a-thon was the culminating event of Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Week at the high school, during which LEOs members collected donations from students and staff. Combined with the funds raised during the dance-a-thon, LEOs made a donation of $3,500 to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

Heather has participated in cross-country for three years, joining the varsity as a senior, and played basketball as a freshman and junior. She has also played field hockey and as a freshman helped organize the high school’s lacrosse club, serving as team captain for four years.

Heather is the recipient of the 2012 Hearts & Hands Youth Service Award sponsored by Family Service of Chester County. The award is presented to a female Chester County high school student who is committed to community service and the belief that young people can make a difference.

Heather will also attend Clemson University this fall to study biology and plans to pursue a career as an optometrist.

March

Meghan, daughter of Linda and James Harvey, is Student Council treasurer and president of the high school’s chapter of Future Business Leaders of America, as well as the Pennsylvania FBLA’s Region 9 secretary. At the 2011 Pennsylvania FBLA Region 9 Leadership Conference and Competition, Meghan placed first in the Job Interview category, qualifying to compete at the Pennsylvania FBLA State Leadership Conference to be held from April 16 to 18.

Meghan serves as the high school’s student representative to the Oxford Area Board of School Directors and is the high school’s representative on the 16th Congressional District Youth Advisory Council sponsored by U.S. Representative Joe Pitts. She is a member of the Helping Hands community service club, the LEOs Club of the Oxford Lions, and the “No Place for Hate” diversity committee. As a member of the varsity track and cross-country teams, Meghan qualified for the PIAA state track and field championships held in November, placing 28th out of 300 runners.

Last spring Meghan organized “Eli’s Run,” a 5K run/walk and fun run to benefit the Eli Seth Matthews Leukemia Foundation. The event raised more than $2,000 and served as Meghan’s graduation project.
Meghan was nominated for the 2012 Principal Leadership Award co-sponsored by the National Association of Secondary School Principals and Herff Jones, Inc. One-hundred national winners will be chosen this spring to receive college scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $12,000.

Meghan recently received an appointment to the United States Naval Academy and will begin her duties on July 1. She plans to study international relations and political science and after five years of military service hopes to begin a career with the United States justice or state departments.

Ryan, son of Sherry and Robert Sperratore, is a member of National Honor Society and the Helping Hands community service club, currently serving as vice-president. He is also a member of LEOs and the chess clubs.

As a member of the high school’s FIRST Tech Challenge Team OZONE, Ryan recently participated in the First State FIRST Robotics Championships at the University of Delaware. Competing in the Diamond State FIRST Tech Challenge Championship for high school aged teams, Team OZONE formed an alliance with the two teams from Edison, N.J. to place second in the finals of the competition, earning the Finalist Alliance Award.

Ryan has served on the stage crew for many high school productions, including the recent presentation of How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying. He has also worked on productions at the Avon Grove Community Theater, including The King and I.

Ryan has participated in many charity fundraisers throughout his high school career. Last year he organized a team in the annual American Cancer Society Relay for Life which raised $2,000. With National Honor Society he helped coordinate a lunchtime penny drive and a recent volleyball tournament to raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Ryan has been interested in pursuing a career in medicine since he was in sixth grade, and for his graduation project, he documented a period during which he “shadowed” three area doctors as they carried out their daily schedules. With a career goal of becoming a neurosurgeon, Ryan will major in biology and chemistry as part of a pre-med program, and his college choices include the University of Pittsburgh and Duke University,

February

Nick, son of Kathleen April, is a member of the Helping Hands Community Service Club and is a four-year member of the fall cross-country team and varsity track team, earning team MVP as a junior. Since he joined the track team at Penn’s Grove Middle School, Nick has been interested in learning as much as possible about sports-related injuries and how they can be treated and prevented.

“I always wanted to help out my teammates whenever it looked like they had sustained an injury during practice or a meet,” he said during a presentation to the Rotary members.

Nick’s interest led to his participation in the Student Athletic Training Program coordinated by high school athletic trainer Chris Turpen. This fall he will begin his studies at the prestigious athletic training program at West Chester University.

Karina, daughter of Irene Franco de Santos and Aristo Gomez Hernandez, was born in Mexico and moved to Oxford with her family six years ago as a sixth grader. Since the summer before she entered high school, Karina has used her excellent bi-lingual skills as a translator at Auto Tags Plus where she helps train new employees. From eighth to 11th grades Karina volunteered as a Spanish teacher at the Oxford Public Library.

Karina also participates in Chester County Futures, a mentoring, academic and financial assistance program for motivated county high school students with an eye on continuing their education. In college Karina would like to study safety industrial engineering, and her choices include Indiana University of Pennsylvania and Immaculata and Marywood universities.

January

Cody, son of Diana and Steven Hubley, is a member of the high school chapter of National Honor Society and Future Business Leaders of America, as well as the Helping Hands Community Service Club. He has served on Student Council since his freshman year and is currently council historian.

Cody is a representative on the Chester County Student Forum sponsored by the Chester County Intermediate, which meets monthly to research and discuss issues of importance to area students.

A gifted athlete, Cody played three years on the varsity football team and in his senior year was a Ches-Mont League American Conference First Team selection at receiver and punter, as well as conference MVP at receiver. He was selected to play in the Chester County Valor Bowl all-star game to be held this spring at West Chester University.

Cody is a four-year member of the basketball team at forward, playing and selected as captain on the varsity his junior and senior years. He has played outfield for three seasons on the varsity baseball team and was named captain in his junior year.

Since his freshman year, Cody has volunteered as a coach with the Oxford Little League and Oxford Golden Bears. He has also served in the youth group at Cornerstone Presbyterian Church.

After graduation Cody plans to study engineering at either Penn State or the University of South Carolina.

Elizabeth, daughter of Chrissy and Frank Peabody, is a member of National Honor Society, where she chairs the fundraising committee, and Helping Hands. A four-year member of Future Business Leaders of America, in her sophomore year she placed second in Introduction to Parliamentary Procedure at the Pennsylvania FBLA Region 9 Competition, qualifying to compete at the 2010 FBLA State Leadership Conference.

Elizabeth received the Academic Excellence Award for 11th Grade English, and has volunteered at the annual run/walk benefiting Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

An excellent athlete, Elizabeth is a three-year member of the varsity basketball team at guard and forward, and was named captain in her junior and senior years. She was an All Ches-Mont League American Division Honorable Mention in her junior year.

Elizabeth was a member of the cross-country team as a freshman, sophomore and junior, and played field hockey in her senior year. She also played softball in her junior year and will play on the varsity as a senior.

After graduation Elizabeth plans to major in mathematics at Morehead State University in Kentucky.

December

Kristina, daughter of Vibeke and David Borham, is a member of the high school chapters of National Honor Society and Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA.) She is president of the French Club and the high school’s chapter of the French National Honor Society, and is a member of the Helping Hands Community Service Club.

From an early age Kristina has been interested in pursuing a career in the medical field, and for the past three summers has served as a volunteer at Jennersville Regional Hospital.  She is currently enrolled in the Allied Health Program at the Chester County Technical College High School, through which she has gained practical experience from professionals at Jennersville Hospital, Jenner’s Pond Retirement Community and the Bowling Green Brandywine addiction treatment center. 

Next fall Kristina will attend the University of Pittsburgh and expects to major in pre-med or science.

Caleb, son of Rebecca and David Stevenson, is a member of National Honor Society, FBLA, the “No Place for Hate” diversity committee and Helping Hands. He is a four-year member of the varsity football team and in his senior year was a Ches-Mont League American Conference First Team selection at linebacker.

As a leader in the youth group of Freedom Life Christian Center in Christiana, Caleb has participated in mission trips to England and Haiti, where last summer he and fellow youth group members worked with local residents to build a community center.  Next summer Caleb will intern with the Holy Hands Expedition to work with young people in inner cities in the northeastern United States.

Next fall Caleb will attend Valley Forge Christian College where he will major in pastoral ministries in preparation for a career as youth minister.

November

Christian, son of Karen and James Kelly, is president of the high school chapters of National Honor Society and the Tri-M Music Honor Society, as well as the Helping Hands Community Service Club.

Christian is a four-year member of the varsity tennis team, captain of the high school’s team in the Chester County Academic Competition and has produced the high school’s morning newscast since his freshman year.

Christian has been involved in the Oxford Area School District music program since third grade when he began playing clarinet. In the marching band, he was named a section leader in his junior year and is one of three drum majors in his senior year, as well as band treasurer.

Christian has been a member of his school choruses since fifth grade, as well as the Penn’s Grove Middle School and high school choral ensembles. He was also a member of Penn’s Grove’s eighth grade Camerata, a vocal quartet.

As a junior Christian was selected to perform at the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association (PMEA) District 12 and Region VI chorus festivals and sang with the All-State Chorus at the PMEA State Conference. He also performed at the District 12 festival as a sophomore.

For his graduation project, Christian produced, directed and performed in “Expression,” an evening of performances by high school music students that raised $1,000 for the American Cancer Society Relay for Life when presented last spring.

In addition to his band and chorus activities, Christian has appeared in high school theatre productions including Beauty and the Beast, in the role of Cogsworth, and I’m Getting Murdered in the Morning. With the Avon Grove Community Theater he has performed in musicals including Guys and Dolls and Thoroughly Modern Millie.

For several years, Christian has been a youth volunteer at Jennersville Regional Hospital, and after graduation will study biology in anticipation of a career in the medical field. His college choices include Princeton, Stanford and Duke Universities, the University of Virginia and Boston College.

Sarah, daughter of Juliet Robinson, is historian of the Class of 2012, president of the French Club and vice-president of National Honor Society and the Tri-M Music Honor Society. She is a member of the choral ensemble and drama club.

In addition to being a high school cheerleader, Sarah coaches the fifth and sixth grade Oxford Golden Bears cheerleading squad. She also coaches softball for fifth through seventh graders with the Oxford Little League.

From sixth to eighth grade, Sarah performed with the Amerikids youth chorus, which presents concerts at retirement communities throughout Chester County as well as at the Coatesville Veterans Hospital each Valentine’s Day. In ninth grade she began working with the Amerikids members as an alumni assistant, and also helps coordinate the group’s Shoes to Share program which collects shoes to donate to Haiti, where they are either worn or recycled.

After graduation Sarah will attend college to study international relations at either Arcadia University or American University.

October

Oxford Area High School students Joseph Gray and Michaela Quigley were honored as Oxford Rotary Club Seniors of the Month for October.

Joseph, son of Donna and Joseph Gray, is a four-year member of the basketball and football teams, playing varsity football for three years and varsity basketball for two years.