Pilgrim’s Class of 2018 was filled with many scholars, and the top 10 were no exception. All involved in multiple clubs and sport teams. Many of the top 10 were involved in the community, participating in community service and extracurricular activities.

Principal Gerald Habershaw said he saw an outstanding amount of leadership from this class. “I hope they have a great deal of success in the future,” said Habershaw. He found all the students to be well driven and diverse with what they wanted to accomplish post graduation.

1. Mackenzie Fraser

Valedictorian, Mackenzie Fraser will be attending the International Engineering program at the University of Rhode Island this fall where she plans to study ocean engineering and French. She also plans to sail for the URI sailing team.

She was captain of the swim team, a model legislative representative, and an executive committee member. She accomplished all of this while working as a lifeguard and swim instructor at the YMCA. She was also an intern at Tyco Fire Protection Products/Johnson Controls.

Mackenzie won numerous honor society awards. Along with staying on the high honor roll, she won the Society of Women Engineers and Air Force Math and Science awards. She won awards from the Edgewood Yacht Club and is a record holder for the Smithfield YMCA.

“I have always given myself very high standards, and I’d always work to make myself proud and satisfied that I had tried as hard as I could,” wrote Fraser.

2. Sophia Carter

Salutatorian, Sophia Carter plans to attend Boston College as a political science major, and a minor in history. Carter said she is planning a pre-law track for her future.

Carter was very involved with her classmates. She was voted class president all four years while at Pilgrim High School. She did this while being captain of the cross country, indoor, and outdoor track team.

Along with being in the National Honors Society, Carter found herself as co-editor of the school paper, All-Division and Academic All-State honors. She also was student ambassador of the National World War II Museum. Winning awards in Secretary of State’s Civic Leadership Award, the Wellesley College Book Award for High Achieving Young Women, and the list goes on.

Carter found herself wrapped into history. Taking as many history classes as possible.

“I just genuinely enjoyed the effort I had to put in to do well in the things I’m passionate about,” wrote Carter.

Due to all the opportunities given to Carter at Pilgrim High School, she was finally able to find her niche.

3. Audrey Johnston

Ranking third in her class, Audrey Johnston, is on her way to becoming a physical therapist. She will be majoring in kinesiology at the University of Rhode Island.

Within just two short years, Johnston was inducted into the National Honor Society, Foreign Language Honor Society, and the Rhode Island Society. She was also named Vice President of the National Honor Society. She played two varsity sports: field hockey and basketball, along with being in the school band. She was also apart of the executive committee at the school.

Johnston won the Susan B. Anthony, University of Rochester Frederick Douglas, and the Spanish Book Awards. She then went on to win awards in music and field hockey for her performance.

Johnston wrote, “I will remember the lessons I have learned throughout my four years especially from my history teachers Mr. Costello and Mr. DiFilippo who not only taught me lessons in regards to the class but also life lessons and advice that I will be able to have forever.”

4. Isabella Zuffoletti

Isabella Zuffoletti is ranked fourth in her class. She will be attending Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana to major in Environmental Geosciences.

Zuffoletti was honored with the Bausch and Lomb Award for excellence in science, the school award for chemistry and Marines award for scholastic excellence. She also won the gold medal for Rocks and Minerals in the Rhode Island College Science Olympiad.

Zuffoletti was President of the Pilgrim High School environmental club, Chief Clerk and bill author of the Model Legislature club, and played in the Senior All-State Concert Band.

Working hard was one of Zuffoletti’s main priorities, but she also loved coffee Tuesdays and band rehearsals just as much.

“I’ve always been dead set on going to a university. Needing to graduate was a major factor, but, I always remembered hard work in high school would give me the freedom to shape my own future later,” wrote Zuffoletti.

5. Georgia Testa

Georgia Testa, ranked fifth in her class and will be attending Rhode Island College majoring in secondary education with a minor in creative writing. She plans on earning Middle School Certification, as well as a Special Education designation so when the time comes she is prepared to work in the classroom.

She was president of the Drama Club and had her work showcased in seven different productions. She was also Treasurer of the Environmental Club and co-editor of the school newspaper. She was also a representative for two years on the Model Legislature, and senator for one.

Testa is also a member of the National Honor Society, the Italian Language Honor Society, and the Rhode Island Honor Society. She is a recipient of the Brown Book Award, and the Scholastic Art and Writing Competition. Testa was awarded the Gold and Silver Key for her short stories two different years.

Finding inspiration from her teachers, Testa said high school was enjoyable and life building. With all the numerous AP courses she found the challenges learning experiences to push herself.

Testa wrote, “I liked pushing myself to take classes that demanded 110 percent and because of the caliber of the classes, I produced my best work.”

6. Addison Murphy

Addison Murphy is ranked sixth in her class. She plans to attend the University of Rhode Island to study kinesiology.

Murphy was a member of the math league, track and field, and basketball team, along with captain of the field hockey team. She was treasurer of the National Honor Society.

Murphy received The Outstanding Senior in French and RPI Math and Science Awards and was a member of the Division 2 All-Division second team for field hockey,

Murphy said she was surrounded by so many people to help her get to where she is today. She felt that it wasn’t a desire to excel in classes, but rather to be challenged.

“I’ll remember my teachers the most. They have shaped me as both a student and a person and I can’t say enough good things about them,” wrote Murphy. “They go the extra mile for their students and bring so much joy into the classroom. It is because of them that I can look back on my high school years with warmth.”

7. Madeleine Frost 

Madeleine Frost ranked seventh in her class. She will be attending Rhode Island College in the fall to study secondary education with a focus in English.

As a freshman, Frost had already won the Grand Lodge of Rhode Island Order Sons of Italy in America’s certificate for her studies in Italian. By junior year she won the Regis Book Award and was inducted into the National Honors Society and the National Italian Honor Society. Then senior year, she was inducted into the Rhode Island Honors Society and won the Rhode Island College Alumni Book Award.

As Frost continued her education, she found her English teachers always encouraging her to continue within the program. She said she found the learning highly enjoyable and the teachers offering guidance whenever she needed any.

“I’ve had several outstanding teachers throughout the years and I’m very thankful for what they have taught me,” said Frost. “They have given me the opportunity to gain and excel in a plethora of skills.”

8. Alexander Simeon Carney 

Alexander Carney ranked eighth in his class. He will be attending Skidmore College in Saratoga, New York, and will be studying physics.

He was a member of the cross-country, track, tennis, and swim teams. He was also on the math league and jazz band. Carney was inducted into the National Honor Society, and an AP Scholar with honors.

Carney said he would remember meeting people from different states while he was traveling for jazz band, and the Pilgrim chorale in the regional competition.

He said his teachers and parents contributed most to his success in high school. 

“I love to learn,” said Carney.

9. Mary Comtois 

Ranking ninth, Mary Comtois will be attending the University of South Carolina in the fall and has planned to major in Communications.

Comtois was involved in multiple activities. She was a member of the Irish Dance team, the travel club, the environmental club and the indoor/outdoor track team. She was honored with being the class secretary and captain of the field hockey team.

She was inducted into the National Honor Society, Foreign Language Honor Society, and the Rhode Island Honor Society. 

Comtois won the Columbia University Book Award, the Middlebury College Book Award and the Martin Family Scholarship. She also was a member of the All-Academic Team for field hockey.

She said her fellow classmates gave her the motivation to excel in everything she would do. They made her strive for the best.

“My friends, classmates, and teammates have contributed most to my enjoyment of high school while my teachers have contributed most to my success,” said Comtois.

10. Matthew Fera

Matthew Fera is ranked tenth. He will attend Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York where he will study Chemical Engineering.

Fera was involved with many sports at school He was a member of the cross-country team, indoor track, tennis and swim. He was captain of cross-country for one year, and captain of tennis for three years.

Fera has won awards for Excellence in Science all four years, was the top scorer in Math League, Athlete of the Year Award for Cross Country and Tennis. He has also won the URI Book Award, and the American Mathematical Society Award.

High school for Fera was enjoyable. He and his friends competed with each other, and kept each other on the top of their game. Fera said he wanted to show his teachers that he could excel in their classes.

“High school was primarily made enjoyable for me because of the challenges which I faced in those classes, and the conquering of those challenges,” wrote Fera.