Van Buren District

Secondary School

VAN BUREN – Karla Michaud, Principal of Van Buren District Secondary School, has announced the honor parts for the Class of 2004. Graduation ceremony will be held at 7 p.m. Friday, June 4, at the school gymnasium.

Sarah LaJoie, daughter of Brian and Lorraine LaJoie of Van Buren, has been named valedictorian for the Class of 2004. She will attend St. Joseph’s College of Maine to study elementary education.

She is the treasurer of the National Honor Society and has held an office in the student senate all four years, currently serving as president. She participated in varsity soccer, cross-country skiing, tennis and volleyball. She lettered in all sports and has been captain of the soccer, tennis and volleyball teams.

LaJoie has been a Girl Scout for 12 years and earned her silver award. She has been awarded the Bausch and Lomb Science Award, the Maine Scholar’s Achievement Award, the 2003-2004 Maine Principals Award and the Youth Ministry’s Timothy Award. She volunteers at Special Olympics, St. Bruno-St. Remi’s church in Van Buren as a lector and altar server, at the elementary school during harvest breaks, at local tennis camps in the summertime and is employed at the Acadian Village. She attended the Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership seminar as a sophomore.

Erica Lee Laplante, daughter of Rick and Lucille Laplante of Van Buren, has been named salutatorian for the Class of 2004. She will attend the University of Maine at Fort Kent to study nursing where she has been awarded a full tuition academic scholarship by the university.

She has been a member of the Crusader Chapter of the National Honor Society for three years, a student senate member for two years and vice-president of project graduation this year. She has been active with the yearbook staff throughout her senior year, was an active varsity member of the tennis team her freshman year and the ski team her freshman and sophomore years, lettering in the sport.

Laplante participated in the Voice of Democracy contest her junior year and came in first. She won third place at a French speech contest in the superior category in her senior year, received her Girl Scout silver award, the Marion medal award and various school awards. She received high honors for every quarter of her high school career.

She is active in the church, Shepherds of Jesus, church lector and has attended Bible study class for three years. She tutors and volunteers at Borderview Rehabilitation and Living Center, Special Olympics, the Acadian Village. She has been a counselor for diabetes camp for the past two years.

Melanie Cyr, daughter of Guildo and Sandra Cyr of Van Buren, has been chosen senior honor essayist for the Class of 2004. She will attend the University of Maine at Fort Kent to study nursing where she has been awarded an academic scholarship.

She has been an active member of the National Honor Society as president and yearbook editor, and is treasurer of project graduation.

She participated in soccer, basketball, cheerleading and softball. Along with being captain of her soccer team, she received her four-year plaque in soccer last fall. She participated in the Voice of Democracy competition since her sophomore year, receiving two second-place awards and the first place award this year. She has been an active member of Girl Scouts since kindergarten and received her silver award, United States Heritage Award, Marian Medal, and I live my faith award. She has participated in three Van Buren pageants winning second runner-up, first runner-up and is Miss Van Buren 2004. She is also a member of the prom committee and former member of the H.O.P.E. team.

Cyr volunteers for the Special Olympics and was a pee-wee soccer coach last fall. She has worked at the Acadian Village for the past two summers and since March of her junior year has worked at Tasty Food.