HAMPTON — Tony Piotrowski entered his senior year ranked first academically at Winnacunnet High School.

“I was hoping I dropped to third, so I wouldn’t have to give a speech,” laughed Piotrowski, who maintained his academic standing and was notified on Tuesday that he was, in fact, the valedictorian of Winnacunnet’s Class of 2024.

“I am very happy that I received (this honor), I worked hard for four years for this,” the North Hampton resident said. “I am very happy all my work culminated into this. I always thought I could get here. I had faith in myself.”

Piotrowski addressed his fellow graduates and had a simple message.

“Follow your passion and do what you love,” he said. “Make sure you do what you love. If you do what you love, you won’t have to work a day in your life, and I don’t want to work a day in my life.”

Piotrowski will attend Dartmouth College in the fall and study mathematics. 

“My mother introduced me to math at a very young age. I love math, that’s my passion,” Piotrowski said. “She pretty much worked with me, helped me build habits, and helped me get interested in learning. She was my motivation, she inspired me.”

More: Winnacunnet High School names top 10 students in Class of 2024

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey returns to Winnacunnet

Maura Healey, who was sworn in as the 73^rd governor of Massachusetts in 2023, graduated from Winnacunnet in 1988. On Friday, she welcomed the newest members of “The Club.”

“Go Warriors, congratulations Class of 2024, you did it,” said Healey, as she approached the podium. “You guys are going to do awesome things. It was an honor for me to be here and represent some of the alumni community and say, ‘Welcome to The Club.'”

Healey called this year’s graduation a “significant achievement.”

“It’s significant because not only are you graduating from one of the best high schools in America, but you did it during one of the most challenging times in our country’s history,” Healey said. “You started high school in the middle of a global pandemic that practically shut down the whole world. You figured it out, you adapted, and when you came together, you more than made up for lost time.”

Principal: A ‘fun, great class’ that overcame adversity

Winnacunnet High School Principal William McGowan, completing his 14^th year in that role, called the Class of 2024 a “very fun class, a great class,” who overcame adversity.

“These students came here in the middle of a pandemic and had to deal with remote learning and a hybrid schedule,” McGowan said. “Fortunately, they transitioned back to real academics, and they transitioned very well. It’s been exciting to watch them grow. As with every year that goes by, it’s great to see (this class graduate) and move on.”

McGowan told the latest graduates to continue to dream, continue to learn, and continue to do great things.

“Make a positive difference and celebrate life no matter what challenges you may face,” McGowan said.

Salutatorian calls graduating ‘bittersweet’

Luke Parish, the class salutatorian and student body president, said graduating is an exciting end to one chapter before the next one begins.

“It’s bittersweet,” said Parish, a Hampton Falls resident. “I am excited to go to college, but it’s sad to leave Winnacunnet. I really enjoyed my time here. I am excited to move on, and I am ready to move, but it’s sad to go.”

Parish asked his fellow graduates one thing as he spoke.

“Don’t sit back when you leave Winnacunnet,” he said. “Take everything by storm and work hard in your lives after you leave here. Don’t stop learning. I loved this community, my friends, my teachers, everyone. I have met so many fantastic people here.”

Parish will attend Yale University and major in chemistry with the goal of one day becoming a doctor, something he began to think about during his middle school days.

“My hard work has certainly paid off,” he said. “Taking classes here at Winnacunnet, like chemistry, biology and physics really solidified that I wanted to be (a doctor).”

Winnacunnet High School Class of 2024

• Zahra Essam Abdelhamid

• Marissa Julia Abram

• Caiden James Adams

• Hayden Maria Adams

• Jackson Lowell Allumbaugh

• Lina Courtney Anderson

• Noah John Andronaco

• Ariana Campbell Arcidiacono

• Anne-Sophie Ellen Auroux

• Alexis Mylee Ayala

• Sean Philip Bagley

• Connor Philip Bailey

• Alexander Bennett Bailly

• Zachary Mark Baril

• Jonas Paul Batal

• Rylen Bradley Baxter

• Isabella Elizabeth Belluche

• Matthew Richard Berry

• Aiden Lucas Bisson

• Tyler Hutton Blank

• Nicklaus Xavier Bonesho

• Kaydence Lee Bowman

• Steven William Bryant

• Yuri Emmanuel Bueno Lara

• Ava Marie Burness

• Connor Owen Burns

• Juliana Lynn Burris

• Nicholas Rosario Cabral

• Damien Christopher Canfield

• Timothy Nathaniel Caraballo

• Yorsdaniel Carmona

• Emily Grace Carreiro

• Max Patrick Carson

• Halisa Eve Carter

• Wyatt William Cawley

• Alexis Karen Ciardelli

• Matthew Greene Clouthier

• Piper Blue Coellner

• Zachary Bartholomew Conlon

• Ava Grace Connor

• Adam Aurele Cooper

• Emma Ann Cora

• Vanessa Corbeil Lefrancois

• Sophia Marie Corbin

• Brady Pearce Corcoran

• Tasia Ann Correia

• Cole Richard Cote

• Jatin Tyler Craine

• Claudia Michelle Cuevas Stanton

• Chloe Farrell Cunningham

• Savannah Renee Curtsinger

• Nathan Joseph D’Ambrosio

• Kane Alan Danielson

• Brock Anthony Day

• Gavin Hilliard DiNardo

• Oliver Edwin Duffy

• Ty Walter Dumont

• Madeline Savannah Eaton

• Brandon Michael Ellis

• Sophia Ann Ellsworth

• Thomas James Enright

• Hannah Grace Evans

• Torin Alexander Evans

• MaKenzie Mae Felch

• Alana Jean Fields

• Alana Claire Fraser

• Jennifer Lauren Frost

• Molly Arlene Frost

• Eamon Richard Furlong

• Samuel Anthony Fusco

• Adrienne Elizabeth Gallant

• MacKenzie Susan Garrant

• Leah Kathryn Gasperoni

• Jessica Hall Gelbstein

• Grayson Young George

• Ethan James Gianni

• Keenan Jason Githu

• Ellieana Rose Goodwin

• Grace Margaret Lee Gordon

• Shea Jacqueline Graham

• Marissa Lynn Granfield

• Brady Randall Grant

• Abigail Katharin Hansen

• Edgar Griffin Hansen

• Oscar Jon Mason Helinski

• Owen Brooks Helton

• Gavin Michael Hoar

• Annalise Rose Holdsworth

• Nicholas Scott Holmquist

• Saige Emily Houben

• Joseph William Hoyle

• Cheyenne Lee Janvrin

• Lucas Cole Johnson

• David Park Johonnett

• Benjamin Gregory Joiner

• Kaleb Donald Joiner

• Alexa Diamon Jones

• Daniel William Jones

• Antonios George Kataxinos

• Nathaniel Joseph Kelley

• Tyson Joseph Khalil

• Lauren Nicole Kimball

• Kaden Kenneth Knight

• Timothy Richard Knight

• Timothy Earl Kollmorgen

• Melency Beth Kolonovich

• Sophia Murphy Kontos

• Caitlyn Marie Koutalidis

• Charlotte Elena Koutalidis

• Talan Ethan Kropp

• Seth Orion Kurland

• Lillie Catherine Ladd

• Sofia Anne Lanphere

• Jackson Payton Larck

• Chelon Quang-Van Le

• Aiden Paul Lemire

• Zane Lepere

• Alicia Jayden Lewis

• Haylie Ann Lewis

• Catherine Mae Lyons

• Cameron Michael MacDonald

• Benjamin Charles Mace

• Nathaniel Hason Mace

• Jacob Emile Magri

• Jordan Olivia Maguire

• Polina Viktorivna Makarenko

• Margaret Lou Maloney

• Drew Richard Marelli

• Erik Robert Marelli

• Carlee Ann Marie Mariotti

• Cayden James Marrow

• Marc Arthur Marshall

• Fernanda Martinez

• Chloe Jayne Marx

• Madison Olivia Mathews

• Alexander Robert Mattimore

• Amelia Harrington McAfee

• Ian Patrick McCormick

• Colby Matthew McGonigle

• Emily Jane McKenna

• Amiyah Rose Melaugh

• Lydia Sabine Menendez

• Julia Kay Cecile Gaudreau Milius

• Giavanna Marie Miller

• Levi David Minard

• Shayla Diane Moaratty

• Bryce Alan Molnar

• Claire Elizabeth Mooney

• Samuel Guy Moore

• Madison Ann Morales

• Samuel Patrick Morin

• Kayden Merrill Morse

• Lauren Marcia Muldoon

• Mya Melissa Nabors

• Clara Desillier Nardone

• Sofia Carolyn Nardone

• Kara Lynn Nelson

• Juliana Jennifer Nico

• Iain Charles Nicol

• Maeve Catherine O’Connor

• Martin Henry O’Connor

• Cash Jackson O’Hara

• Cadence Ann Oleniak

• Ella Grace Olson

• Scarlett Janeann Orluk

• Lily Marchetti Pacheco

• Emerson Kristine Parish

• Luke Norris Parish

• Meera Marie Parsons

• Samantha Faye Parziale

• Tristan Joel Patten

• Ava Jane Patterson

• Wyatt Adam Patterson

• Brenden Tyler Perigny

• Zachary Alan Peterson

• Madelyn Rose Pham

• Catherine Victoria Phillips

• Anthony Ashot Piotrowski

• Alexia Furlanetto Pontes

• Kadric Reid Porter

• Ainsley Elizabeth Pouliot

• Miles Stephen Pratt

• Tyler Jacob Raeside

• Kaylee Jane Rafferty

• Alden Prosser Ravencraft

• Caden Anthony Reardon

• Nolan Paul Rennie

• Nevaeh Richard

• Sophia Rose Righini

• Damian Roscoe Rivera

• Molly Stewart Robie

• Samuel John Robillard

• Grace Eryn Robinson

• Ny’Isaiah Maliq Barr Rogers

• Maxwell James Ronner-Bland

• Andrew Markiz Rossignoli

• Derek Anthony Ruiz Jr

• Annika Mariliis Savage

• Lillian Jean Scheer

• Lucas Andrew Schrempf

• Ava Ruby Sebeny

• Stella Alex Sebeny

• Nicole Zinaida Sherepera

• Maia Zoe Siden

• Matthew Paul Silvestri

• Skylar Raymond Sinclair

• Nicholas George Sloane

• Michelle Paige Smith

• Mazie Tallulah Snell

• Joslyn Lee Snow

• William Thomas Solberg

• Aleah Theresa Marie Soletto

• Ty Jordan Soucy

• Noah Thomas Souther

• Claudia Maria Spaulding

• Emma Sue Speranza

• Alexander Nicholas Strater

• Jack Strother

• Laird Jackson Sullivan

• Dillon Casey Surette

• Satori Marie Swanson

• Allison Nicole Syvinski

• Kiah Mae Telheiro

• Samantha Renee Tetreault

• Brady Travers Thompson

• Cameron Frederick Thornton

• Kelyn Elizabeth Torrance

• Riley James Trombley

• Christianne Juliette Trudel

• Jordan Amanda Tryon

• Garrett Davis Vander Els

• Jones Haskell Vicinus

• Kian Robert Waddell

• Murphy James Wall

• Caleb Alexander Webb

• Breanna Alice Welch

• Jonah Cahill Willwerth

• Morgan Marcella Witty

• Alyssa Marie Wolfgram

• Trisha Catherine Wright

• Annabel Aida Zuba

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Winnacunnet High graduation 2024: Students told to ‘do what you love’