Seniors cheering, clapping, and hollering the names of their peers were on full display during the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School (MVRHS) 63rd annual Class Night at the Tabernacle Friday in Oak Bluffs. Numerous Island organizations contributed to awarding the class of 2022 428 scholarships totaling more than $1.2 million, alongside several awards with undisclosed amounts. This amount is higher than last year’s award fund amount, which saw 483 awards totaling over $1.15 million..
This was also the last MVRHS Class Night for Superintendent Matt D’Andrea, who will be heading to Wareham next year.
“Tonight, you finally made it. We invite you to sit back — take in the names and the stories you will hear tonight. Hopefully, it will allow you to reflect on what a wonderfully generous community we’re all a part of,” MVRHS guidance director John Firoito said to the seniors.
The first scholarship to be awarded was from the MVRHS Memorial Fund, which was awarded to Amanda Cardoso. According to the program, the fund was established in 1984 and “contributions have been received for this fund over the years in memory of a lengthy list of people.” This year’s listed honoree was former MVRHS teacher Ann Whitcomb Scotten.
“You’re going to hear a lot of memorable words and poignant stories tonight. A lot of the scholarships are in honor of people who passed, or represent a part of the stories about this Island. You’ll hear a lot of heartfelt thank-yous, and that’s what the evening is about,” MVRHS Principal Sara Dingledy said.
Several other scholarships were awarded to seniors in memory of someone, such as the Jake Sequoia Baird Memorial Awards and the Eric Bergeron MacLean Memorial Boys Varsity Hockey Scholarships. Some of the award presenters held back tears, or choked up while remembering the loved ones the scholarships were named for.
“Everybody’s life changes forever. Wear a seatbelt,” Tricia Bergeron, whose son died in a car accident, said to the students. “Don’t make anybody stand up here and give out a scholarship in your name. Please.”
The night also had some unexpected happenings. Clarence (“Trip”) Barnes III, an honorary trustee of the Martha’s Vineyard Agricultural Society, asked the audience to “raise your hand if you’ve been to the [Agricultural Fair].” Most of the people raised their hands, after which Barnes brought out a piglet on stage, which squealed until it was caught and put back into its travel carrier.
The Martha’s Vineyard Striped Bass & Bluefish Derby broke its own record again by awarding a total of $80,000 in scholarships, according to Derby secretary Maryanne Jerome.
After seeing Barnes’ piglet, Derby president John Custer said he’s considering bringing a fish to next year’s Class Night.
“I had an idea — it’s not a good idea,” Custer said, which solicited a laugh from the crowd. “The Ag Society brings a pig. We’re the Derby. You know how some hockey arenas, traditionally, when the home team scores its first goal on the ice, comes a fish? Next year, Class Night, bluefish. What do you think?” The crowd clapped approvingly. “We’ll see. We have a year to think about it and reconsider,” Custer said.
The Friends of Sengekontacket awarded a $1,000 scholarship for the first time to Alison Custer.
Louis Paciello, who presented the Martha’s Vineyard Touchdown Club Scholarship, said Engracia Scheller, a cheerleader, won one of the awards, which “hasn’t happened in a few years.”
Some students received gifts alongside their scholarship awards, such as a bouquet of flowers from the Martha’s Vineyard Garden Club to Ella Buchert, or the backpacks, each containing an iPad and a $1,000 certificate for students to use for educational supplies, given by MVYouth to its award recipients.
There was one more group who deserved applause for the night, and they were the people who helped nurture the seniors into their present selves.
“Turn around and give a shoutout and congratulations, a loud round of applause to your parents, family, and friends,” Fiorito said. “And keep those checks in the envelope — they would like to see them.”
The students erupted in a standing ovation for their loved ones.
Scholarships and awards
African American Heritage Trail Nancy Michael Scholarship: Emmett Favreau
Alice Blackwood Memorial Scholarship: Mason Mercier
Alida Carey Gulick Memorial Scholarship: Maria Eduarda Lainez
Alida Carey Gulick Memorial Scholarship: Rohan Whitelocke
American Legion Auxiliary Unit #257 Scholarship: Ingrid Moore
Boathouse Foundation Culinary, Hospitality and Recreation Scholarships: William Bruguiere, Nicholas Cowan, Hiaggo Goncalves, Sam Hoyt, Isabelle Murphy
Bradford and Dorothy Church Memorial Scholarships: Owen Amodio, Duncan Brown, Edward Cherry, Henry D’Andrea, Emmett Favreau, Ryan Giordano, Latham
Higgins, Bizuayehu Horwitz, Mekhi Jones, Finn Lewis, Oliver Lively, Kristin Perzanowski, Tristan Scott, Borja van der Zanden Tolay, Atlas Zack
Bradford Pachico Memorial Scholarship: Mason Mercier
Buzz Blankenship Memorial Scholarship: Jacob Scott
Cape Cod Association Scholarships: Kayleigh Bollin, Ashley Brasefield, Ella Buchert, Sara Creato, Barret Oliver
Cape Cod Community College Presidential High School Scholarship: Maria Eduarda Lainez, Rohan Whitelocke
Cape Cod Five Cents Savings Bank Charitable Foundation Scholarship Award: Rohan Whitelocke
Cape Cod Foundation – Nicholas G. Xiarhos ‘Keep Living the Dream’ Cape and Islands Scholarship Fund: Crystal Zheng
Captain Frederick G. Bohenberger Scholarship Fund in Memory of Deputy Sheriff John Robert Kotfila, Jr.: Gabriel Brito, Charles Lakis
Charles A. Davis Memorial Scholarship Offered by Martha’s Vineyard Education Association: Ashley Brasefield
Chilmark School PTO Scholarship Fund: Silas Abrams
Chilmark Volunteer Firemen’s Association – Betty Eddy Memorial: Tyler Shipway
Chilmark Volunteer Firemen’s Association – David Kurth Memorial: Barret Oliver
Chilmark Volunteer Firemen’s Association Scholarship: Silas Abrams, Ingrid Moore, Graham Stearns
Churchill Memorial Scholarship: Nicholas Pecararo
Daughters of the American Revolution – Good Citizen Award: Kaleb Hatt
Daughters of the American Revolution / MV Seacoast Defense Chapter Liberty Pole Scholarship: Benjamin Mulvey
Daughters of the American Revolution/Martha’s Vineyard Seacoast Defense Chapter in Memory of Fannie Allen Deane: Kaio Pereira
David and Mary Goulart Memorial Scholarship: Duncan Brown, Paige Herrick
David Campbell Memorial Scholarship: Jessie Dlabaj
Davin A. Tackabury Memorial Scholarship for Photography: Kayleigh Bollin
Davin A. Tackabury Memorial Scholarship for the Arts: Benedict Yancey
Dorothy Block Memorial Scholarship: Kasarah Bruni, Nicole Cardoso
Dorothy West Scholarship Fund: Sara Creato, Ava Vought
Dr. Edward Worth Scholarship: Edward Cherry
Dukes County Deputy Sheriff’s Assoc. Scholarship: Kayleigh Bollin, Ashley Brasefield, Gabriel Brito, Sean Splittgerber
Edgartown Fire Association Scholarship: Kaitlyn Freeman, Hiaggo Goncalves, Engracia Scheller
Edgartown Patrolman’s Association Scholarship: Gabriel Brito
Edgartown Patrolman’s Association Scholarship: Sara Creato
Edgartown Patrolman’s Association Scholarship: Kaleb Hatt
Edgartown School PTA Scholarship: Quinten Cabral
Edgartown School PTA Scholarship: Isabelle Murphy
Eileen Mayhew May Memorial Scholarship Award in Creative Writing: Tenley Brooks
Eleanor Petricone Scholarship: Peyton Jeffers
Elmer Hobson DeLoura Scholarships: Ashley Brasefield, Quinten Cabral, Kenneth Cook, Nicholas Cranston, Andrew DaSilva, Kayla Debettencourt, Owen DiBiaso, Hardy Eville, Delilah Hammarlund, Latham Higgins, Charles Lakis, Benjamin Mulvey, Isabelle Murphy, Barret Oliver, Emmalee Toomey, Benedict Yancey
Eric Bergeron MacLean Memorial Varsity Hockey Scholarship Provided by the MVRHS Hockey Booster Club: Finn Lewis, Jake Scott
Esta and Robert Epstein Scholarship presented by the Martha’s Vineyard Film Society: Tenley Brooks, Bethany Cardoza, Hardy Eville, Borja van der Zander
Ethel A. Wood Memorial Scholarship: Edward Cherry
Falmouth Lodge #2380 B.P.O. Elks Club Scholarship: Barret Oliver
Featherstone Center for the Arts Scholarship: Kayleigh Bollin
Foster Silva Scholarship: Graham Stearns
Friends of Sengekontacket: Alison Custer
General George W. Goethals Post #257 of the American Legion Scholarship: Barret Oliver
Geoff Pease Memorial Scholarship: Kayleigh Bollin
George M. and Edith H. Codding Scholarship Fund: Ella Buchert
Georgia Roth Scholarship Fund: Duncan Brown, Bethany Cardoza, Kaio Pereira, Marsha Stewart
Glenn R. Hearn Scholarship Fund: Nicholas Cranston
Gretchen Manter Memorial Scholarship: Ashlei Clarke
Hagan Foundation Scholarship: Jessie Dlabaj
Henry David Thoreau Foundation: Ingrid Moore
Herbert Nathan Putnam III Mulligan Fund Scholarship: Rohan Whitelocke
Holy Ghost Association Scholarship: Emilia Adamson Felix, Kayleigh Bollin, Ashley Brasefield, Gabriel Brito, Quinten Cabral, Keissila Cecilio, Jacob Cleland, John Coogan, Sara Creato, Alison Custer, Kayla Debettencourt, Jessie Dlabaj, Kaitlyn Freeman, Ryan Giordano, Kaleb Hatt, Paige Herrick, Colin McNamee, Mason Mercier, Ruairi Mullin, Barret Oliver, Engracia Scheller, Jacob Silvia, Sean Splittgerber, Jesse Yacubian, Benedict Yancey
Holy Ghost Association Scholarship in Memory of Louis R. Toscano: Jonathan Norton
Holy Ghost Association Scholarship in Memory of Timothy Fullin: Jacob Silvia
Hutker Architects, Inc. Design Scholarship: Ryan Giordano
Iris, Bettie and Wanza Davis Family Memorial Scholarship: Finn Lewis
Jake Sequoia Baird Memorial Award: Emilia Adamson Felix, Ashlei Clarke, Marsha Stewart.
Javan E. Bayne Memorial Scholarship: Sam Hoyt
John G. Rogers Memorial Scholarship: Engracia Scheller
John, Elise, and Ellen Goepper Scholarship: Bethany Cardoza, Mason Mercier, Nicholas Pecararo, Kaio Pereira
Joseph A. Jones Memorial Scholarship: Jacob Scott
Kevin Johnson Cross Country Scholarship Award: Calvin Brooks, Sara Creato, Henry D’Andrea, Samuel Fetters, Jonathan Norton, Zachary Utz
League of Women Voters of MV Scholarship: Alison Custer
Lillian B. Perry Memorial Scholarship: Sophie Palmer
Look, Dolby, Rebello Scholarship Provided by Steamship Authority Employees in Memory of David Look, Brian Dolby, Christopher Rebello, Rufus Peterson, and Peter Duart: Calvin Brooks, Lily Sebastian
Louis Toscano Memorial Scholarship: Delilah Hammarlund
Louise, Sven, and Anna Betty Carlson Scholarship Fund: Silas Abrams, Emilia Adamson Felix, Owen Amodio, Nicholas Arroyo, Kayleigh Bollin, Ashley Brasefield, Gabe Brito, Calvin Brooks, Tenley Brooks, Duncan Brown, William Bruguiere, Kasarah Bruni, Quinten Cabral, Alec Calverley, Amanda Cardoso, Nicole Cardoso, Bethany Cardoza, Edward Cherry, Ashlei Clarke, Jacob Cleland, John Coogan, Kenneth Cook, Nicholas Cowan, Sara Creato, Henry D’Andrea, Andrew Da Silva, Kayla Debettencourt, Owen DiBiaso, Hardy Eville, Emmett Favreau, Kaitlyn Freeman, Ryan Giordano, Hiaggo Goncalves, Delilah Hammarlund, Tessa Hammond, Kaleb Hatt, Emilia Hege, Paige Herrick, Latham Higgins, Bizuayehu Horwitz, Sam Hoyt, Miguel Jarillo, Mekhi Jones, Maria Eduarda Lainez, Charles Lakis, Finn Lewis, Oliver Lively, Colin McNamee, Mason Mercier, Ingrid Moore, Filippo Mucci, Benjamin Mulvey, Isabelle Murphy, Barret Oliver, Sophie Palmer, Nicholas Pecarao, Kaio Pereira, Kristin Perzanowski, Andrew Purdy, Engracia Scheller, Tristan Scott, Lily Sebastian, Tyler Shipway, Guilherme Silva, Jacob Silvia, Marsha Stewart, Emmalee Toomey, Borja van der Zanden Tolay, Ava Vought, Rohan Whitelocke, Jesse Yacubian, Benedict Yancey, Atlas Zack
Luke Gurney Memorial Scholarship Fund: Nicholas Cranston, Owen DiBiaso, Graham Stearns
Martha’s Vineyard Agricultural Society Scholarship: Nicholas Cranston, Ingrid Moore, Graham Stearns
Martha’s Vineyard Art Association/Old Sculpin Art Gallery Scholarship: Silas Abrams, Borja van der Zanden Tolay
Martha’s Vineyard Bank Charitable Foundation Scholarship: Ashley Brasefield, Owen DiBiaso, Delilah Hammarlund, Benjamin Mulvey
Martha’s Vineyard Camp Meeting Association Scholarship: Ashley Brasefield, Guilherme Silva
Martha’s Vineyard Chamber Music Society – Caroline Worthington Scholarship: Benedict Yancey
Martha’s Vineyard Community Foundation Awards: Alfred F. Ferro and Arthur T. Silva Scholarship Fund: Kristin Perzanowski, Atlas Zack
Anne Medeiros Kent Scholarship Fund: Sara Creato, Benjamin Mulvey
Blankenship/Hughes Scholarship Fund: Lily Sebastian
Donna Dolinsky and Vincent Reid Memorial Scholarship Fund: Ashley Brasefield
Embarking Peacemaker Award: Alison Custer, Crystal Zheng.
George R. and Margaret A. Yates Fund: Emmett Favreau, Isabelle Murphy, Marsha Stewart, Emmalee Toomey
Harriet N. Goldberg Fund: Colin McNamee. Inspiration Fund: Quinten Cabral, Guilherme Silva, Jesse Yacubian
Island Community Chorus Peter R. Boak Music Award: Benedict Yancey
Keith A. Dodge Scholarship Fund: Ashley Brasefield, Tenley Brooks, Delilah Hammarlund
Our Island Club Scholarship: Tessa Hammond
Thomas H. and Barbara Fish Lee Scholarship Fund: Owen DiBiaso
Martha’s Vineyard Airport Commission (MVAC) Aviation Scholarship Fund: Ashlei Clarke, Henry D’Andrea
Walter and Irene Dumais Scholarship Fund: Gabriel Brito, Sara Creato, Andrew Da Silva, Kayla Debettencourt, Hardy Eville, Ryan Giordano, Sam Hoyt, Finn Lewis, Benjamin Mulvey, Kaio Pereira, Jesse Yacubian
Will Luckey Music Award: Benedict Yancey.
Martha’s Vineyard Educators Association – Education Scholarship: Kayla Debettencourt, Benjamin Mulvey
Martha’s Vineyard Garden Club Scholarship: Ella Buchert
Martha’s Vineyard Hospital Scholarship Fund: Emilia Felix, Marina Pessoni
Martha’s Vineyard Insurance – Irene Resendes Memorial Scholarship: Charles Lakis
Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School Field Hockey Booster Club Scholarship: Lila Mikos, Lily Sebastian
Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School Girls Ice Hockey Booster Club Scholarship: Lila Mikos
Martha’s Vineyard Rotary Club Diana Bardwell Memorial Scholarship: Isabella Clarke, Samuel Fetters, Marina Pessoni
Martha’s Vineyard Striped Bass and Bluefish Derby Ed Jerome Memorial Scholarship: Ingrid Moore
Martha’s Vineyard Striped Bass and Bluefish Derby Ray Ellis Memorial Scholarship: Kaleigh Bollin, Benedict Yancey
Martha’s Vineyard Striped Bass and Bluefish Derby Scholarship: Nicholas Cranston, Owen DiBiaso, Delilah Hammarlund, Benjamin Mulvey, Emmalee Toomey
Martha’s Vineyard Striped Bass and Bluefish Derby Theodore C. and Sarah Howes Memorial Scholarship in Oceanographic Studies: Colin McNamee
Martha’s Vineyard Surfcasters Association Scholarship: Nicholas Cranston, Delilah Hammarlund
Martha’s Vineyard United Soccer Scholarship in Memory of Michael Fararca: Ruairi Mullin
Martha’s Vineyard United Soccer Scholarship in Memory of Susan Parker: Isabelle Murphy
Martha’s Vineyard/NAACP Scholarship: Isabella Clarke
Martha’s Vineyard Vision Fellowships: Keissila Cecilio, Nicholas Cranston
Marvin Joslow Memorial Award (AGHCA): Latham Higgins, Peyton Jeffers
Mary D. Coles Foundation Scholarship: Silas Abrams, Kayleigh Bollin, Paige Herrick, Benedict Yancey
Massachusetts Shellfish Officers Association Scholarship: Nicholas Cranston
Mibbit Morano Memorial Scholarship: Tessa Hammond
Mildred T. Morano Memorial Scholarship: Ingrid Moore
Military Officers Association of Cape Cod Scholarship Offered by the Cape Cod Chapter of Military Officers Association of America: Jessie Dlabaj
MV Hoop Club Scholarship: Nicholas Arroyo
MV Touchdown Club Scholarship: Owen Amodio, Hiaggo Goncalves, Kaleb Hatt, Miguel Jarillo, Engracia Scheller
MVRHS Memorial Scholarship Fund in memory of: Lisa Arcudi, Theresa Bettencourt, Erford O. Burt, John Camacho, Melvin F. Cleveland, Jr., Julienne Costa, Theresa Cotter, Jon R. Cottle, Charles David, Ellen Eberhardt, Leroy Erickson, Harvey Scott Ewing, Scott Ewing, Nancy Fischer, Lorraine Fitzmaurice Kane, Jane Gallagher, Willis Gifford, David Goulart, Carol L. Hamilton, Jeffrey Hayden, Robert M. Healey, Brendan Michael Hearn, Pierre Hebert, Marion Higgins, John T. Hough, Eleanore A. James, Milton Jeffers, Grace L. Kerns, Paul F. Kerns, Kenneth Lewis, Alison Linnell, Robert Luce, Eric Bergeron MacLean, Chief George W. Manter, Chief Henry McCabe, Naomi McCarron, Daniel & Mabel McCarthy, Pegi McCarthy Nicholson, Ryan Mone, Peter Moreis, Kyra Morelli, Francis Pachico, Robert Post, Jena Pothier, Robert Riger, Eleanor Rogers, Phyllis Sanborn, Helen Scott, Ann Whitcomb Scotten, Thomas & Marie Scotten, Daniel Sharkovitz, Jeremiah Shea, Foster L. Silva, Kenneth Silvia, Dorothy St. Pierre, Judge Herbert Tate, Mary Thomas, Clarence Ward, Mary Wimpenney. The scholarship winner is Amanda Cardoso
MVRHS Minnesingers Excellence Award: Emmett Favreau, Engracia Scheller
MVRHS Outstanding Career Technical Education Award: Ashlei Clarke
MVYouth: College Scholarship: Ella Buchert, Isabella Clarke, Jessie Dlabaj, Samuel Fetters, Lila Mikos, Ruairi Mullin, Graham Stearns, Zachary Utz
MVYouth Healthcare and Education Scholarship:Alison Custer, Lucas Goncalves, Jonathan Norton, Crystal Zheng
MVYouth Workforce Development Scholarship: Lucas DaSilva, Kathleen Dos Santos, Marina Pessoni, Jacob Scott
MVYouth Semi-Finalists: Ashley Brasefield, Edward Cherry, Hardy Eville, Ingrid Moore, Sean Splittgerber
Oak Bluffs Fireman’s Civic Association Scholarship: Emilia Adamson Felix, Kayla Debettencourt, Hardy Eville, Mason Mercier, Crystal Zheng
Oak Bluffs Patrol Officers Anthony J. Bonito Memorial Scholarship: Guilherme Silva, Sean Splittgerber
Olga and Henry B. Smith Memorial Scholarship: Owen Amodio, Duncan Brown, Kasarah Bruni, Amanda Cardoso, Nicole Cardoso, Maria Eduarda Lainez, Filippo Mucci, Sophie Palmer, Kristin Perzanowski, Tyler Shipway
Oriental-Martha’s Vineyard Masonic Lodge Scholarship: Quinten Cabral, Jesse Yacubian
Otis Civilian Advisory Council: Jessie Dlabaj
Our Island Club Marine Technology Scholarship: Colin McNamee
Our Island Club Nursing Career Scholarship: Emilia Adamson Felix
Paul F. Kerns, Jr. Memorial Scholarship: Benedict Yancey
Peter L. DeBettencourt Memorial Scholarship: Jacob Silvia
Procter Smith, Jr. Memorial Scholarship: Owen Amodio
Rachael V. Williams Memorial Scholarship: Kasarah Bruni
Ray Ellis Art Scholarship: Paige Herrick
Robert F. Scudder Memorial Scholarship Given by Hy-Line Cruises: Colin McNamee
Ryan Mone Academic Awards: Bethany Cardoza, Kaleb Hatt
Ryan Mone Memorial Boys Varsity Hockey Scholarship Provided by the MVRHS Hockey Booster Club: John Coogan, Charles Lakis
Scottish Society of MV – The Victor Zollo Scholarship: Hardy Eville
Scottish Society of MV Scholarship: Latham Higgins, Charles Lakis, Colin McNamee, Lily Sebastian
Sidra Bullard Dumont Memorial Scholarship: Engracia Scheller
St. John’s Holy Ghost Society Scholarship: Nicholas Cowan
The Cottager’s, Inc. Scholarship: Kayleigh Bollin, Ashlei Clarke, Guilherme Silva
Tisbury Firefighter’s Association Scholarship: Kayleigh Bollin, William Bruguiere, Jessie Dlabaj, Mason Mercier, Jacob Silvia
Tisbury Police Relief Association College Scholarship: Calvin Brooks
Tisbury Police Relief Memorial Technical/Trade School Scholarship: Tenley Brooks
Tony Bonito Scholarship: Sean Splittgerber
University of Rhode Island Scholarship in Memory of Ryan Mone: Kaio Pereira
Vineyard Craftsman and Artisan Scholarship Fund: Tessa Hammond
Vineyard Cribbage Club Scholarship: Jacob Scott
Walter F. and Dora Grain Memorial Scholarship: Isabella Clarke
West Tisbury Volunteer Firefighter’s Civic Association Arnold M. Fischer and John T. Cotterill Memorial Scholarship: Kayleigh Bollin, Kayla Debettencourt, Sam Hoyt, Charles Lakis, Guilherme Silva
William Bradford Whiting Memorial Scholarship: Silas Abrams, Tessa Hammond
William Henry Smith Memorial Scholarship: Nicole Cardoso, Filippo Mucci, Nicholas Pecararo
