Westfield High School announces Bronze Tablet nominees for the Class of 2025

Yahoo

30-05-2025

WESTFIELD — Eight Westfield High School students have been nominated for The Bronze Tablet, awarded annually at the Senior Assembly to the member of the graduating class who has done the most for the welfare, good name, and progress of the school. The student's name is permanently engraved on a bronze tablet and added to the plaque, which stands prominently in the main entrance to the school near the auditorium.
The winner is determined each year by a vote of the senior class from the list of students nominated by the faculty.
All eight of this year's nominees said they were honored to have been nominated by their teachers and the staff for the award.
Jillian Battles
Western New England University — Health & Political Sciences
Jillian Battles said she has always known that she wanted to be a family physician specializing in pediatrics. At the same time, community service has been a major part of her life. She started her own service project, Jillian's Bags for Bravery, making 800 care bags for troops and veterans for four years and raising nearly $40,000 from local businesses and community members.
Jillian volunteered as an assistant swim coach at the YMCA and took part in their Leaders Club. She participated all four years on the WHS Varsity Swim Team, serving as captain in her senior year. She is also on the Varsity Tennis Team, serving as captain in her junior and senior years.
She is in the National Honor Society, Best Buddies, Future Medical Professionals Club, Space and Astronomy Club, Current Issues Club, Morgan's Message, and the Key Club, serving as president in her senior year.
Jillian was named the Sons of Erin colleen in 2025. She has received the President's Gold Volunteer Service Award, numerous VFW and American Legion awards, the Department of Veterans Affairs Certificate of Appreciation, official citations from the city of Westfield, state Rep. Kelly Pease and state Sen. John Velis, the Kiwanis Good Citizen Award, and most recently, the Ray Hershel Scholarship.
'Together, we can all make a wall of kindness that can prevail over all that's wrong in the world,' Jillian said.
Luke Bulan
University of Massachusetts Amherst — Nursing & Biomedical Engineering
Luke Bulan said his first class on his first day at WHS was Show Choir, where he was welcomed by 'the warmest group of people I have yet to know even now.' He said 'a switch was flipped inside of me,' and he went on to serve as vice president and president of the Show Choir in his junior and senior years. This year he was selected as a member of the Massachusetts Music Educators All-State Chorus.
In his sophomore year, Luke started a project for the WHS Science Fair based in the medical field. 'This decision changed the course of my life. My ongoing neonatal care blanket project is my greatest accomplishment, as I have poured three years into developing it, and it is something with such a great potential to help so many people someday when it is fully realized.'
He began volunteering at Baystate Medical Center in the Student Ambassador Program, and continued his volunteer work at Baystate Noble in the years that followed.
At WHS, he served on the Quiz Team, Key Club, varsity tennis, as a manager for the boys and girls volleyball teams, and has won many music, science and engineering awards.
'Thanks to these choices, I'm committed to a path in life that will revolve around caring for others, and I have Westfield High School to thank for providing the setting for me to freely make these choices.'
Sydney Drugan
Bridgewater State University — Environmental Geosciences
Sydney Drugan joined the Student Council as a freshman, hoping to make a lasting impact. 'Through countless events, fundraisers, and leadership opportunities, I'm proud to say I've helped do just that,' she said. Sydney is an Executive Board member and this year's Executive Board president, helping to lead discussions with administrators to ensure student voices are heard.
Sydney also served the Class of 2025 as class president in her freshman and sophomore years, and as class historian for the past two years. She said she has worked to keep their class connected, engaged, and excited about school through events and experiences they'll remember well after graduation.
In the WHS engineering program, Sydney was part of a team that won the 2022 Mass STEM Week Challenge, which awarded a $10,000 scholarship to the engineering department, inspiring her to pursue a future in geoscience and engineering.
In 2024, Sydney was named the Sons of Erin Westfield colleen. She is also involved in the Miss America Organization, and has 17 years of competitive dance experience.
'The lessons I've learned here will continue to guide me in everything I do beyond high school, and I'll always carry them with me,' she said.
Brandon Guyott
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute — Computer Science
'I have always felt the desire to give back to the community that has given me so much,' said Guyott. He joined the Key Club as a freshman, volunteering at the Soup Kitchen and other events such as the Rays of Hope cancer walk and the CHD luminaria display.
During his time on the Student Council he helped with the organization of school events like Spirit Week. In the past two years, he has been a member of the National Honor Society, doing many hours of volunteer work and tutoring.
Also as a freshman, Guyott joined the WHS Robotics Club out of his passion for technology, and served as vice president for two years. In his junior year, he founded the WHS Coding Club.
'Being the president of Coding Club has strengthened the skills that were burgeoning under my leadership position in Robotics Club, and I have had so much fun working on digital dice games and building little HTML websites, among other projects over the past couple years.' He said running both of these clubs helped him realize the value of communication and feedback.
'Being a student at Westfield High School has been an enjoyable experience in large part because of the vibrant community,' he said.
Emery Smith
University of Massachusetts Amherst — Animal Science | Pre-Vet
Emery Smith said her involvement in extracurriculars didn't begin until her sophomore year when she ran for class historian and became class president in her junior and senior years, earning her a spot on the Executive Board of the Student Council.
She also joined Letters for Rose, the National Honor Society, Key Club, Debate Club, and Conservation Club.
'What truly motivated me to start joining clubs, sports teams, and eventually take on leadership roles in both of those areas, was the spirit and pride my fellow classmates, colleagues, and teammates showed when it came to representing the black and red,' she said.
As a member of the varsity soccer team for four years, Emery served as team captain her senior year, earning the trust of her coaches and teammates, and helping to run soccer clinics for middle school girls. She also spent three years on the track team, where she played in the All Western Meet all three years.
In the broader community, Emery contributed 200-plus hours of volunteering with the Westfield Homeless Cat project and AJ Stables, and worked at High Meadows summer camp, teaching kids the basics and importance of the equine industry.
Emery plans to attend the University of Massachusetts Amherst in animal science with a pre vet track, in hopes of attending four years of veterinary school and finishing off with a doctorate in veterinary medicine.
Sophie Svantesson
Providence College — Biology & Pre-Vet
After experiences in sports and on the Math Team as a freshman at WHS, Sophie Svantesson joined the Student Council in her sophomore year and was elected vice president, a position she has held since.
Earning a spot on the Executive Board, she helped to plan events that every individual could enjoy. 'This position allowed me to expand my leadership and embrace the spirit of WHS,' she said. She participated in dozens of volunteering opportunities, her favorite being working with children on youth holiday breakfasts at Shaker Country Club.
Sophie said that Westfield's soccer program developed her leadership to its full potential. 'As the goalkeeper, it's my responsibility to oversee the entire playing field, a role that has taught me the importance of maintaining high self-confidence while also properly communicating.' She was named a captain in her junior and senior seasons and received various awards.
These skills and experiences also provided opportunities in the community, including coaching a local youth team, running soccer clinics, and becoming a paid goalkeeper instructor.
Sophie was also a part of WHS softball teams that has won numerous awards, including the 2022 state championship. Her academic awards include Dartmouth College Book Award and Highest Honor Roll.
'Westfield High School has given me lifelong friends,' she said.
Logan Szenda
Roger Williams University — Environmental Engineering
When Logan Szenda first entered high school, he focused on academics and swimming, contributing to the WHS team winning runner-up in the Western Mass championship in his freshman and sophomore years, and competing at states. He became lifeguard certified and began his first job as a lifeguard at the Westfield YMCA for two summers.
As a junior, his swim team won first place in a relay and performed well at states, and Logan became recognized as a Connecticut Scholar Athlete for his good academics and involvement in club swimming. As a senior, Logan qualified for YMCA Nationals for club swimming. 'That was a goal that I had to work incredibly hard to achieve,' he said.
Szenda said it wasn't until his junior year that he started to branch out, beginning with a nomination for the National Honors Society. He became involved with clubs, starting with Key Club and Letters for Rose. 'I learned that I loved being involved with my school and community,' he said.
In his senior year, Logan became treasurer of NHS, a Global Glimpse ambassador and a member of Dear Lina and Best Buddies.
'I have learned to not wait for an opportunity to come but to open the door before anyone knocks, because sometimes you might be waiting for a while or someone may never knock.'
Ceileigh Thomson
University of Massachusetts Lowell — Music
Ceileigh Thompson said the true center and heart of her journey has always been music. She served as a drum major and executive assistant of the WHS band, and has been enrolled in every band class throughout high school, participating in the jazz ensemble, pit band and various small groups.
Ceileigh also represents WHS as principal trombonist in the Springfield Symphony Youth Orchestra, and is a seven-year participant in the MMEA-WD ensembles, including concert band, orchestra and jazz band.
Ceileigh said she feels honored to represent Westfield on the regional and state-wide level, and of having had the opportunity to mentor young musicians in the Westfield School Programs. As the Tri-M Music Honor Society vice president, she assists in making it possible for young musicians to have access to resources, she said.
Outside of music, Ceileigh is a four- year member of the swim and dive team, recently serving as captain. She is a member of the National Honor Society and a staff member for the school newspaper, 'The Bomber Blaze,' as well as participating in the Space and Astronomy Club, Key Club and Best Buddies.
This fall, she will pursue music studies at UMass Lowell. 'I want to be able to support and teach future generations and give the same opportunities I grew up with. I have seen first hand how music can allow people to feel expression and be an outlet. My mentors have given this to me, and I feel the need to give back,' Ceileigh said.
Read the original article on MassLive.