The Nottingham High School Class of 2022 top 10 graduating seniors have shared their career plans and favorite memories with Community News.
Nicole Filipowicz
Rider University | Environmental Science
Rank: 1 GPA: 4.8. Career plans: Environmental consultant.
Clubs: Key Club, Environmental Club, Caelestis Literary Magazine (senior editor), Star Status Newspaper (senior editor) Yearbook Committee, National Honor Society (vice president), Peer Leadership.
Varsity sports: Soccer, swimming, track.
Schools: Mercerville, Crockett
A teacher who inspired you: My biology teacher, Ms. Bowen, inspires me to always work diligently and be kind to everyone through the example she sets everyday in our classroom. Hearing about all of the professional success Ms. Bowen has found and seeing where she is today also makes me believe that I am capable of acquiring similar successes, especially with the compassionate support of Ms. Bowen herself. Ms. Bowen not only inspires me to be a better person, but to pursue my lofty career aspirations as well, and for that, I consider myself incredibly lucky to have been taught be her.
Favorite memory: All of the fun times and laughs I had in my AP Bio Class.
Joseph Cordero
Rutgers University | Animal Science
Rank: 2 GPA: 4.7802. Career plans: Veterinarian.
Clubs: National Honor Society (president), Medical Careers Club.
Schools: Mercerville, Our Lady of Sorrows
A teacher who inspired you: Ms. Bowen has been one of the most influential teachers in my high school career. As my AP Biology teacher, she illuminated the advanced and accelerated course of biological sciences while also allowing me to fully understand the beauty of science. AP Biology was one of the first accelerated science courses, and I would not ask for any other teacher to overview this discipline of science. Ms. Bowen has been a staunch advocate and supporter of my occupational ambitions of becoming a veterinarian. I credit Ms. Bowen as the sole person who guided me through the trials and tribulations of scientific study along with a bountiful amount of labs that made learning interesting and fun! Throughout her class, not only was I able to learn a new topic everyday, but Ms. Bowen would always check up on me, checking if I was doing okay. Even behind a computer screen, I was able to fully learn and expand upon my knowledge of the field of biology, a crucial and demanding course of study that is required for my future career. As I intend to further my education, I will be forever grateful to name Ms. Bowen as the educator who prepared me for this path.
Favorite memory: Taking AP Biology. Senior trip to Dorney Park.
Makenna Fowler
University of Hartford | The Hartt School of Music | Piano Performance
Rank: 3 GPA: 4.7726. Career plans: Professional pianist.
Clubs: Marching Band, Pit Section Leader, Play, Indoor Percussion, Jazz Band, Peer Leadership, National Honors Society.
Varsity sports: Swimming.
Schools: Morgan, Reynolds
A teacher who inspired you: Ms. McDermott has been a huge inspiration for me. Her dedication and positivity has always made me look forward to class and rehearsal. She has helped me gain confidence in myself and my abilities and it’s because of her that I’ve grown tremendously as a student, performer, and overall person over these past 4 years.
Favorite memory: My favorite memory from school has been participating in the play. The lifelong friendships that I’ve made and the never ending laughter during rehearsals is something that I’ll always remember.
Ryan Applegate
University of Michigan | Mechanical Engineering
Rank: 4 GPA: 4.7673. Career plans: I hope to pursue a career in engineering.
Clubs: DECA (president), National Honor Society, Marching Band (percussion section leader), Indoor Percussion.
Varsity sports: Cross country (captain), winter track, baseball (co-captain)
Schools: Mercerville, Crockett
A teacher who inspired you: I participated in many teams and organizations with Mr. Seeley, including marching band and DECA. These are activities that he too was a part of in his high school days, and his guidance in these areas helped me grow as a student and as a person.
Favorite memory: Beating the cross-town rivals, Steinert, in baseball senior year, 9-1.
Kathryn Dunn
Mercer County Community College/TCNJ | Secondary English Education
Rank: 5 GPA: 4.7. Career plans: Secondary education English Teacher, perhaps moving towards guidance/counseling in the future.
Clubs: Nottingham Marching Unit, Indoor Percussion, National Honors Society, Yearbook club, Environmental club, The Star Status (school newspaper),
Schools: Kuser, Crockett
A teacher who inspired you: Ms. Ju, 7th and 8th grade math teacher at Crockett Middle School. She was one of the few teachers I’ve ever had who I saw parts of myself in and inspired me to follow whatever course of study I wanted. She made learning fun for me, even in a subject I wasn’t exceptionally good at. Mrs. Klek and Mr. Susswein; high school band teachers. Mrs. Klek was the person who pushed me to join band my sophomore year and both her and Mr. Susswein guided me during my years in band. They taught me the importance of the arts, leadership, cooperation, and expression, all lessons I never really learned in my academic courses which were often based on individual success and competition.
Favorite memory: Winning awards with my section in band and watching them grow throughout my final seasons of band.
Eliza Kramer
Ringling College of Art and Design | Illustration
Rank: 6 GPA: 4.6679. Career plans: Illustrator.
Clubs: Marching Unit, school musical.
Varsity sports: Swimming.
Schools: Mercerville, Crockett
A teacher who inspired you: Mrs. Klek inspired me through her valuable teachings such as to keep working hard at my goals and at some point that hard work will pay off.
Favorite memory: My favorite memory at school is during my first year in marching band when we were trying to break the school record and we were solely motivated by cake. We just really wanted cake. We ended up breaking the school record and getting our cake.
Kyle Sirimis
Rutgers University | Civil Engineering
Rank: 7 GPA: 4.61. Career plans: Architectural engineering.
Clubs: Peer Leadership, school play.
Varsity sports: Football, winter and spring track, tennis.
Schools: University Heights, Crockett
A teacher who inspired you: Ms. Flaherty has easily been my biggest inspiration this school year in so many ways that I can’t even begin to thank her for. Her selfless, caring attitude and putting me before herself is only a smidgen of why she’s inspired me. When it comes to play, she has completely opened up my world with dance and even got me to come out of my shell and sing. With all the time spent together, she’s even developed and strengthened my vocabulary, leading me to just edge her out as she was 8th in her graduating class. A huge reason I’ve become the young man I am today is because of her and I don’t know what I’d do without her. She has truly shaped me to be better in everything I do and has guided me on the right path as I continue forward on my next journey that lies ahead. I will miss her dearly and have the utmost respect, trust, and love for her. There will never be enough words to describe the impact she’s had on my life, and the words ‘thank you’ are nowhere near large enough to show her how much I truly appreciate everything.
Favorite memory: My favorite memory has to be this year’s play, “Grease.” Having the honor of playing Kenickie and going out of my comfort zone to sing and act is what really makes this my favorite memory. It has built up my confidence, boosted my social interaction skills, and has given me the feeling that I can do whatever I put my mind to. Also, going 8-0 undefeated for the first time in school history for football isn’t too shabby as well.
Brielle McDonough
Mercer County Community College | Criminal Justice
Rank: 7 GPA: 4.1. Career plans: Criminal investigator.
Varsity sports: Soccer, basketball.
Schools: Rice/Fairview Elementary, Reynolds
A teacher who inspired you: Mrs.Hutchinson inspired me to pursue my goals and my own passions as she provided me the support I lacked in other places. Through her support I learned it was not only OK to be myself, but also to advocate for myself.
Favorite memory: My favorite memory of school was during freshman year after I met some friends on the soccer team. My newfound friends brought more people into my life, soon we had one big group of friends who played uno everyday during lunch, and those days have become some of my cherished memories at this school.
Julie Burke
The Catholic University of America | Sports Management
Rank: 9 GPA: 4.558. Career plans: Work for a professional sports team
Clubs: Senior Class president, Student Government Board of Education Representative, National Honor Society, DECA, Key Club, School Musical, Northstar Minds Matter (president and founder).
Varsity sports: field hockey (co-captain), golf (captain)
Schools: University Heights, Crockett
A teacher who inspired you: My 6th grade social studies teacher, Mr. Colton. He started and finished every single class with a positive attitude, which has had a huge impact on how I look at every situation. It was very obvious that he was supportive of his students in all of their endeavors. He shared life lessons as well as history lessons; both of which I will carry with me forever. It was truly an honor to be one of his students.
Favorite memory: All of the musicals I’ve been a part of. I’ve been lucky enough to be in the cast of seven musicals, and they have all been incredible. I made so many new friends that I now consider family. They were all the perfect combination of doing something I love as well as spending time with some of my favorite people ever!
Viraj “V.P.” Patel
Rutgers University | Philosophy and Economics
Rank: 10 GPA: 4.0. Career plans: Elected office.
Clubs: Debate Club, DECA, FBLA.
Varsity sports: Swimming, tennis.
Schools: Klockner, Crockett.
A teacher who inspired you: Mr. Kelliher’s shiny top inspired me to stay fly even without a glorious flowing head of hair.
Favorite memory: Every last day before a break.
Nottingham High School Class of 2022 Top 10 graduating seniors: Eliza Kramer, Nicole Filipowicz, Joseph Cordero, Kyle Sirimis, Julie Burke, Ryan Applegate, Brielle McDonough, Viraj Patel, Kathryn Dunn and Makenna Fowler. (Photo by Laura Geltch.),
