Aidan Bourque Named to Spring 2025 Champlain College Dean's List

Aidan Bourque of Winchendon has been named to the Champlain College Dean's List for achieving a grade point average of 3.5 or higher in the Spring 2025 semester.

Founded in 1878, Champlain College is a small, not-for-profit, private college in Burlington, Vermont, with additional campuses in Montreal, Canada, and Dublin, Ireland. Champlain offers a residential undergraduate experience from its beautiful campus overlooking Lake Champlain. Additionally, Champlain College Online provides an expansive portfolio of online degrees and certificates, reaching students across all 50 states and U.S. territories, while fostering strategic partnerships with forward-thinking workforce organizations. The College is known for its distinctive and innovative approach to career-focused education and its Upside-Down Curriculum, which helps students be ready for work, ready for life, and ready to make a difference. Champlain is ranked as one of the "Best Colleges" by U.S. News & World Report for 2025, and was named one of the "Best 390 Colleges" by The Princeton Review for 2025, including among its "Best Northeastern colleges." For more information, visit www.champlain.edu.

Awards, scholarships and a time-honored tradition at Sizer School

This month, Sizer School celebrated the Class of 2025 with its annual End-of-the-Year Community Meeting and Cording Ceremony on Friday, May 23, and Graduation on Friday, May 30.

More than just a celebration, Sizer's Cording Ceremony honors graduating seniors and elevates the junior class into their new role--the Class of 2026. Awards and honors were presented to several students including the Principal's Award and the TCA Medal of Honor.

Several scholarships were awarded to the Class of 2025.

The Fitchburg Rotary Club scholarship, presented to a student committed to their academics and giving back to their community was awarded to Alex Guy of Fitchburg. Guy will be studying Engineering and Game Design at Framingham University.

Sizer's Not Your Average Scholarship to a student who has, despite significant obstacles in their life, continued to work hard and persevere in their academics, was awarded to Alexis Al-Tukhaim of Gardner. Al-Tukhaim will be studying Criminal Justice at Mount Wachusett Community College (MWCC).

Sizer's Health Sciences Award to a student who will be dedicating themselves to the health sciences field was presented to Chacko Mathew of Fitchburg. Mathew will be studying medicine at Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS).

The Sizer 6 scholarship awarded to a student who embodies the Sizer 6 principles of Community, Purpose, Responsibility, Integrity, Voice and Safety was given to Mary Davis of Fitchburg. Davis will be studying Elementary Education at Salem State University.

Principal Andrew Lay presented the Principal's Award to Ryan Law of Fitchburg for embodying the Sizer Six principle of Integrity.

"We typically associate integrity with only honesty and a strong moral compass. However, the roots of integrity are far stronger. Integrity derives from the Latin integritas, meaning 'whole, complete, sound.' A person with integrity stands apart as sound in body, mind, and deed. This year's recipient consistently demonstrates this quality, so when I think of integrity I think of Ryan Law," said Lay.

To award Sizer's highest honor, last year's recipient and member of the Class of 2024, Ryan Doyle of Leominster was welcomed back to present this year's Think Care Act Medal of Honor.

This award celebrates "excellence in academics and leadership." The student who is honored with this medal embodies all of the Sizer 6 tenants and lives the Think Care Act mission, both inside the classroom and in their communities.

This year's recipient, Nox Hallet of Fitchburg was recognized for a number of accomplishments and contributions to the community.

"This year's recipient is a tireless defender and protector for those they love and care for, including but not limited to their best friend and their siblings. A shining example of academic excellence--meeting every deadline and holding themselves to the highest of standards, regardless of the subject or assignment. An excellent listener, the kindest of souls, this person has persevered through struggles and come out the other side stronger and wiser," said Doyle of Hallet.

Yearly, the Gallo Book Award is also given out on behalf of Melanie Gallo, the founding Principal of Sizer School. According to Gallo, “I have loved books since I was a child. Books teach us how to live and how to love. They help develop empathy. They show us other people's perspectives. They teach us about diversity."

Awarded to two students (one from 8th grade and one from 12th) who share that same passion and overwhelming love of books, this award, along with a Barnes and Noble gift card was given to 8th grade student LuResneea Lovaincy of Leominster and Senior Abigail Munn of Lunenburg.

One of the last acts of our senior class is to receive their cords for graduation and transfer the official senior class position to the juniors. The cords that students receive represent their time at Sizer. A purple cord is given to every Sizer graduate. A silver cord means the student has been a full time student at Sizer School from 7th to 12th grade. Green and blue cords are given to students who participate in the TRIO Program. All Sizer Student Ambassadors also wear gold pins. Sizer School's graduating seniors were: