The Prevalent Pursuit of Scholastic Achievements Recognized at Honor Roll Dinner

Honor Roll designation is awarded to any student with a weighted average of 89 or above at the end of the academic year. The other awards and accolades of distinction included Cum Laude Society induction and the recognition of AP Scholars. Head of School Bob Izzo welcomed all guests as he addressed the students and their families before the presentation of the certificates. 

 

The evening also welcomed seven members of the senior class into the Hamden Hall chapter of the Cum Laude Society. Cum Laude is the highest academic distinction that recognizes scholastic excellence and high achievement during high school. The inductees included Anni Chen, Lily Evans, Ben Greenberg, Haoxiang “Becky” Liu, Landon Sassu-Martin, Alessandra Sticca, and Ruoxi “Amy” Zhou. Hamden Hall’s Cum Laude chapter president and World Language Chair Yasmin Haque and Cum Laude chapter secretary and Director of College Counseling Kiki Carlson had the honor of swearing in the students.

 

Inductees Anni Chen and Becky Liu offered remarks during the ceremony. Anni began her speech thanking faculty members for their encouragement and support along with her fellow honorees for their hard work. She spoke on the topics of the power of turning self-doubt into self-confidence, never underestimating what you are capable of, and the importance of pursuing one’s interests as it can lead to myriad opportunities.

“Tonight, we celebrate what we’ve accomplished, but we may still underestimate what we’re capable of doing next,” said Anni. “I think some of you might recognize that feeling, you see an opportunity that interests you, imagine everyone else who might pursue it, and assume they must be more talented, more experienced, or better prepared. We want to feel confident before we begin, but confidence grows as we devote time and effort into those things we care about or are interested in.”

Anni concluded her speech by voicing the vast opportunities Hamden Hall provides for its students and urges all to find their passions with the advice to “try something new, something whose outcome we don’t yet know and let yourself find out what you’re capable of.”

Becky took to the podium and shared a message of gratitude to faculty members, her parents, and her host family for their unwavering support. She began her speech with a small anecdote about the hummingbird, specifically how they are resilient creatures and the only birds that can fly backwards. She elaborated on the idea that with their ability to fly backwards, hummingbirds can discover new landscapes and likened their way of life to herself and her fellow students.

 

“I want to speak about the importance of accepting yourself and moving forward when things don’t go as expected,” said Becky. “Do not be afraid to mess things up. What our society needs the most is not perfect human beings, but people who stumble through the dark and still stay hopeful. Hamden Hall is such a wonderful place for you to be yourself even though you are not perfect. So whenever you start to doubt yourself and question your self-worth in the face of setbacks, remember: fly as if you are a hummingbird.”

 

In addition to the Cum Laude inductees, 91 students with 56 from the Class of 2026 were recognized as either an AP Scholar, AP Scholar with Honors, or AP Scholar with Distinction. Each fall, the AP program “recognizes high school students who have demonstrated outstanding college-level achievement through their performance on multiple AP exams.”