Top scholars and athletes with distinctive talents: Meet Seacoast Students of the Week
A track captain and scholar known for her "leadership, compassion and excellence." A National Honor Society member who helps younger students and also leads on the football field. A bagpipe-playing senior with a winning smile who also shines on the debate and ski teams. A three-sport athlete and member of the National Honor Society and Interact Club who is "courageous, kind, funny and intelligent." A leader of the chess club and lacrosse team who works to feed the hungry and will attend West Point in the fall. A champion skier and golfer who volunteers with the Special Olympics who has a keen interest in architecture. A Junior ROTC leader and member of multiple honor societies who plans to commission as an officer in the Marines.
Meet the Seacoast Students of the Week for April 8.
Seacoast Students of the Week are nominated by local principals, teachers and guidance counselors and, as you'll see below, they reflect a broad range of achievements. While their accomplishments are diverse, a common thread among all the nominees is their kindness, and the work they do helping others, serving as role models for other students in their schools. It is our pleasure to introduce you to these outstanding students and we look forward to sharing stories of so many more of our wonderful students in the weeks ahead.
This week's students represent Exeter, Somersworth, Oyster River, Dover, Portsmouth and Spaulding high schools and Traip Academy. All Seacoast-area public high schools have been invited to submit nominations.
Here are the Seacoast Students of the Week for April 8, as described by the school leaders who nominated them:
Rayna Thompson, senior, Exeter High School
Rayna Thompson embodies the essence of leadership, compassion and excellence in every facet of her life. As a reserved leader in the classroom, she illuminates the path for her peers with her unwavering commitment to academic success. Heading to Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) next year, Rayna has spent the past four years at Exeter High School finding the true balance all students should aspire to have in their life. Whether that is a sunrise plunge in the ocean before school, an after school hike with friends, or committing to a weekend of studying, Rayna has fun, is committed to academic success and has been an all around inspirational student to work with. At Camp Huckins for the past five summers, Rayna serves as a true role model for young students, which has contributed to her leadership skills greatly. Those skills have transferred over to her time on the Track Oval, where she is a captain at Exeter High School, consistently ranking among the top performers in the state. Beyond her athletic prowess and academic achievements, Rayna's unparalleled work ethic sets her apart as one of the hardest workers, always willing to go the extra mile to achieve her goals. With her genuine warmth and kindness, Rayna effortlessly cultivates meaningful relationships at school and outside of school, leaving an indelible mark on all those fortunate to know her.
Thomas Rees, junior, Somersworth High School
Thomas Rees is a high achieving student, consistently on the honor roll, who excels with extracurricular activities. He is a leader on the state championship Somersworth football team, and is very active within his role as a first year member of National Honor Society. Notably, he excels in areas where either he needs to lead other students, or in social studies classes. He is diligent in his work, academically, on the field, and in serving his communities. A fellow staff member mentioned that Thomas went out of his way to help a freshman group that looked up to him, without any expectation of credit.
He's a great young man that is versatile, and embodies the pillars of NHS, leadership, character, service, and scholarship.
Henry Strawbridge, senior, Oyster River High School
Henry Strawbridge is an extremely polite young man, who holds himself accountable, even when he doesn't need to. He is very pleasant in class, works great with classmates, and the biggest thing, he is always smiling, which will carry him far in life. Being happy is a key element of success. He supports his classmates and teammates whether on the Debate Team or Ski Team. He truly cares. Henry is motivated and positive. His reliability and willingness to support others makes him a valuable member of any team or group he is a part of. His constant smile and determination help create a positive and encouraging atmosphere. Henry's attributes earned him "Rookie of the Year" on the Ski Team. He also plays the bagpipes and will be performing at his own graduation this year. Henry is looking forward to attending the Maine Maritime Academy next year. Congratulations Henry!
Aberash Robinson, junior, Traip Academy
Aberash Robinson is an exceptional student who always is a positive light in the classroom. She is an active member of the National Honor Society, the Interact Club, and she is a three sport athlete. She has overcome so much in her life but she has never let any obstacle stop her from being true to herself and pursuing her dreams. Aberash is the kind of student every teacher feels blessed to have in the classroom. She is courageous, kind, funny, intelligent, and a wonderful person.
Jackson Bairstow, senior, Dover High School
Jackson Bairstow has vision and takes initiative. He has held or holds many leadership positions. These include class treasurer of his class for two years, a participant and alumni board member of the Hugh O’Brien Youth Leadership Foundation, co-president of the Chess Club, founding member of the Spanish Club, member of the Athletic Leadership Council, service as a Career Technical Center ambassador, captain of the lacrosse team, and he was elected governor of Boys State at the Summer 2023 session. In these roles, Jackson has been able to influence people to support what he values and successfully organized his peers to accomplish a wide variety of tasks.
Service is in Jackson’s DNA. A major focus of his service has been around food insecurity. He has devoted time on multiple occasions to the South Church Pocket Garden, the New Hampshire Food Bank Garden, as a member of Dover High School’s Student Council participated in a Stuff the Bus Food Drive for the holiday season and is the founder of Flamingos for Food. Through the South Church Senior Youth Group, he has participated in a youth service trip to West Virginia and has supported their efforts cleaning yards and hosting food events. Always looking for opportunities to help those who need it the most, he volunteered at the LSS Covid-19 vaccination clinic and has supported Toys for Tots
Jackson’s leadership and understanding of the importance of working together has been nurtured by his participation in both individual and team sports. At Dover High School he has played varsity lacrosse for four years. Outside of school, he belongs to the Great Bay Rowing Club where he was recognized with a Captain’s and a Coach’s Award. This combination of a team sport that requires certain skills with an individual sport that places a heavy emphasis on self-discipline and stamina have served as a powerful combination in developing Jackson’ tenacity.
He is a student with an inquisitive nature who wants to go beyond the surface level of learning to the why. This is evidence by his inclusion in the Spanish Honor Society for all three years he has been eligible and by his induction into the National Honor Society, an organization that has rigorous entry standards in the areas of scholarship, citizenship, leadership, and character. Jackson is the epitome of the four characteristics of that organization. His love of history and his academic skills led to him winning the Award for Achievement in Honors United States History. His course load includes multiplke Advanced Placement and honors level classes.
Jackson has been accepted at West Point and has also qualified for a four year ROTC scholarship. His strengths in both STEM and government will give him a wide array of options moving forward.
Shea Harrison, senior, Portsmouth High School
Simply put, Shea Harrison is a wonderful human being. He has strong interpersonal skills and is thoughtful and respectful with peers and adults. He often avails himself to help new students acclimate to Clipper life and to assist them in making connections here at PHS. In his free time he volunteers with the Special Olympics, local preschoolers and you can often find him tutoring peers in the areas of math and architecture here at the high school.
Athletically Shea is an accomplished golfer and ski racer. He served as captain on both teams this year and helped the boys Alpine Ski Team win the NHIAA D I State Championship.
Shea enjoys an academic challenge and by year's end he will have completed five honors and six dual enrollment courses. He will be completing two of our Career and Technical Programs (Business and Architecture). He received the Interior Design Excellence Award as a junior and continues to learn and grow in his architectural studies. He is excited to attend Bentley College in the fall where he plans to study Business.
Carter Proulx, senior, Spaulding High School
Carter Proulx is an exemplary student and Air Force Junior ROTC cadet dedicated to serving his school and community. He was recently awarded the Navy ROTC Marine Option Scholarship valued at $180,000 and will attend Norwich University and commission as a Marine Officer upon graduation. From the start in his freshman year, Carter displayed dedication and maturity not seen in cadets at this level. He served in leadership positions throughout his sophomore and junior years and is now second in command responsible for the day-to-day operations of 100 JROTC cadets in a variety of projects and activities including aviation studies, fundraising, and community service. Carter’s commitment and leadership directly contributed to an “Exceeds Standards” rating on the three year Headquarters Unit Inspection, an extremely successful fundraiser with over $7,000 raised, and over 1,200 community service hours accrued by the unit.
Outside of AFJROTC, Carter is a member of FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America), National Technical Honor Society, and Kitty Hawk Honor Society. He works part time with the New Hampshire Liquor Commission to ensure local businesses comply with proper age verification.