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Students of the Month selected for December

The high school climate and culture club announced that freshman Emily Howarth, sophomore Angel Camargo Vazquez, junior Amelia deSousa and senior Rachel Nelson-Young have been named the high school students of the month for December.

The December students of the month were chosen by the high school social studies teachers.

Howarth and Camargo Vazquez were two of the 19 district students selected to participate in the Model UN at Vassar College, and both are students of Douglas Matthews.

Howarth is the daughter of David Howarth and Brandie Holdiness, and is fond of reading, drawing, cooking and taking care of her farm animals -- five goats and 11 ducks. She’s the treasurer of the freshmen class, a member of the art club and is enjoying her ninth-grade global studies class.

“Knowing what happened before my family and I were alive, I just think it’s cool how they survived and we get to learn how they lived and how life was back then,” she said.


Camargo Vazquez recalled studying the Industrial Revolution in his 10th-grade global studies class.

“For me, the most interesting thing was the Industrial Revolution and how everything we know now came about,” he said. “It revolutionized how we make everything because before, everything was handmade. With the Industrial Revolution, everything is mass produced. I like how it simplified life for everyone.”

Camargo Vazquez is the son of Hector Deras and Esther Vazquez, and is a member of the varsity boys soccer and track and field teams. He also plays percussion in the school’s band and sings in the school’s chorus.

deSousa is a student of Kevin Kleespies in U.S. History.

“I liked all the topics we’ve studied,” she said. “I liked when we went into depth about slavery. I feel it’s interesting to learn and how far we’ve come from that point.”

deSousa is the daughter of Lynetta Mann and Chris deSousa. She is a member of the varsity volleyball and cheer teams.

Nelson-Young, a student in William Havranek’s Dutchess Community College economics and government class, is the daughter of Edward and Stacey Young and enjoys working with young children. The president of the district’s diversity club hopes to be a child psychologist and is interested in several schools, including Polytechnic University, West Virginia State University and Howard University.

“I’m definitely a lot more focused this year,” she said. “I’m really deep into my work, making sure it’s always in on time and making sure I participate as much as I can.”