Maine Central Institute, Pittsfield

Maine Central Institute will hold graduation exercises noon Sunday, June 10. Valedictorian is Rishi Li Moskalewicz, daughter of Dr. Thomas and Nina Moskalewicz of Pittsfield. Salutatorian is Mitchell Douglas Mailman, son of Stephen and Yvonne Mailman, also of Pittsfield.

First honor essayist is Timothy Adam Monk, son of Gary and Karen Monk of Pittsfield. Second honor essayist is Micah Paul O’Brien, son of David and Wanda O’Brien of Burnham; third honor essayist is Natalie Marie Balogh, daughter of Linea Mailman of Burnham.

Moskalewicz attained a 98.38 grade point average while taking courses at accelerated levels: AP English, honors humanities, advanced math and calculus and AP Physics. She also studied Spanish IV and chemistry and held highest honors all four years. A serious student of ballet, she has participated in summer programs with the National Ballet of Canada, American Ballet Theater, Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Bournonville/Vaganova Summer Intensive and MCI’s Bossov Ballet Theater. Other activities included three years in the drama club and on the drama competition team. She was a member of the National Honor Society and student council her junior and senior years and an MCI Auction volunteer. She has been a peer tutor, involved with homecoming and winter carnival, a Masardis Literary Magazine contributor, Student of the Month as a sophomore, and participant in Dirigo Girls State last year. Science award winner in sophomore year, and recipient of the Spanish and history awards during her junior year, she also was the Manson Essay winner for her essay about puppeteer Jim Henson. Risha was a hospice volunteer this year. Moskalewicz entered MCI as a sophomore transfer from the Virginia School of the Arts in Lynchburg, Va. She will attend the University of Tampa where she will study pre-med.

Salutatorian Mitchell Douglas Mailman has been a member of the math team for four years and achieved highest honors nearly every quarter. He was inducted into the National Honor Society his junior year. He participated in the Science Olympiad as a freshman and was a gold medalist at the state level. His junior year he was a member of Future Problem Solvers and was named a regional finalist and was a member of the Tec-Up group which helped to keep the MCI computers up and running his freshman and sophomore years. During sophomore year, Mailman worked on an independent study honors seminar with the technology department, which became a summer job. He has been a contributor to Masardis and has worked to compose it digitally this year. He placed second in the Manson Essay competition his junior year. He received academic awards for science, Latin I and II and the Maine Scholars Achievement Award. A member of the fencing club the past three years, he also participated in the outing club his freshman, sophomore and junior years and the civil rights club in ninth grade. Mailman will attend Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute to study physics with a concentration in robotics and machine intelligence.

Monk has been a member of MCI’s math team for four years and its captain this year; he also was a member of Future Problem Solvers his junior year. A National Honor Society member, Tim has been a consistent high or highest honors student. Monk has been in MCI’s band four years, in the KV Honors Band for three and in the District IV Honors Band this year. He also has been a member of the fencing club for three years and its captain for the past two. He participated in magic club for three years and in science club as a freshman. He has been a Boy Scout for many years, and has served as Senior Patrol Leader this year and in the Order of the Arrow for the past three years. He will attend the University of Maine.

O’Brien was elected to the National Honor Society his sophomore year; he has consistently achieved honor roll status at MCI. O’Brien has been a member of varsity baseball all four years and on the football team as a freshman and senior. Active in the Winnecook Christian Church throughout high school, he also has volunteered his time for the annual MCI Auction and participated for two years in the NHS vs. faculty basketball games. O’Brien will attend the University of Maine.

Balogh was secretary of the Class of 2001 and active in her church throughout high school. She studied flute for two years and was a member of the civil rights club as a sophomore. She balanced her academic studies with her part-time jobs and achieved high or highest honors every term. Balogh will attend Northeastern University.