Nicole Hays always liked science. This fall she will be able to study it full time when she begins her studies at Northeastern University. She is still in the early stages of deciding exactly what her expertise will be, whether it's medicine or research. “I chose Northeastern because of their amazing labs and their co-op program,” Hays said. Northeastern undergraduate students can gain 18 months of professional experience based on their major or career interests. “It helps prepare you for the real world and the labs will help me decide where I want to go in the field of medicine.” She has a …

Almog Tabak will begin his studies this fall as a math major at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, in its Commonwealth Honors College. He’s considering both engineering and computer science as possible areas of concentration. He has plenty of time to figure it out. “I’m looking forward to really challenging classes, and meeting new people.” Tabak said. The state university was a pragmatic choice for the valedictorian, who will lead his class in the commencement Sunday. “I’m not one of those people that believes you have to go to a certain place to get ahead," he said. "Education is …

Mary Elizabeth Stickney has a smile that lights up a room. “When you love something, it doesn’t feel like work,” Stickney said, beaming. That single mantra sums up how Stickney is able to juggle such a rigorous schedule. She spends five days a week at the nationally renowned The GOLD School, in Brockton, where she is both a teaching assistant and a dancer in their elite Project Moves performance group. She has school commitments, including being president of the National Honor Society and a volunteer at Homework Haven. She is a decorated violinist and plays in the Milford High School …

Top Hawk students are nominated by teachers and administrators based on a variety of worthy characteristics. Mark Pinto has all those defining qualities and something special you rarely hear uttered when adults talk about teenagers. “I know I can always rely on Mark’s maturity and good judgement," said Mike McIntyre, an assistant principal at Milford High School. Maybe those characteristics come from the discipline required on the wrestling mat or from the patience taught helping and playing with the Special Olympics Football team. Maybe maturity comes from working as an after-school …

Everything happens for a reason. Being the youngest of four and the only girl, Elisabeth Flumere, was exposed to the Best Buddies program early on. Her brothers were student volunteers in the program that assists and enhances the friendships and integration of special needs students at Milford High School. Flumere liked meeting the kids and had an early talent and ease that was evident to everyone. Jennifer Walsh is the high school's coordinator of special programs and the Best Buddies advisor. She has been witness to Flumere’s commitment firsthand. “She is one of the most kind and …

There are people who talk about accomplishing something, and those who go out and do it. For Milford High School senior Dan Bruce, his passion for getting things done clearly puts him in the second category. Although he claims to be “taking some time off to enjoy his last year,” his schedule includes: multiple band and jazz band practices, sound technician for "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," drum major for the marching band, photo editor for the yearbook, a photography and sound design business, blogger on Milford Patch, musical pit crew, lifeguard, and an upcoming diving season. One …

Some people have a certain spark and the willingness to work hard. After meeting Monica Alves it is easy to understand why she was selected as Student Council president for the past three years. In a senior class that is academically very competitive, Alves has been a standout owing to her personality and strong work ethic. Articulate. Enthusiastic. Outgoing.Those are some words her guidance counselor, Michele Houle, used to describe her. “She is a passionate student who is always eager to learn and always striving to do her best," Houle said. "Monica shines as a leader at Milford High School…

Seniors from Milford High School will don their caps and gowns Sunday and gather for pictures with proud moms and dads. It is a special day for them all, one that is years in the making. Valedictorian Holly Hajare will give her commencement speech as the most highly decorated among them. It is something she admits to being slightly nervous about. Hajare is the brightest star in a class filled with them.  She has been accepted to Yale University and will enter as a chemistry major. She has always enjoyed school, she said, in a recent interview. “I didn’t grow up and go through school trying to…

It is immediately evident that this month’s Top Hawk is prepared to tackle all the challenges that come with being a college freshman. Krysta DiGregorio will be attending Boston University in the fall and can’t wait to get started. DiGregorio’s hard work over years of schooling paid off when she was accepted.“BU was my first choice. There are endless opportunities with their study abroad programs and their diverse student body," DiGregorio said, beaming. “When my mom and I visited the campus, I was smiling the whole time. She told me the campus fit my style.”DiGregorio  is a member of the …

Park Slope in Brooklyn, NY, is filled with hundreds of quality private, technical and Catholic schools. The high school that Sueanny Lopez attended the fall of her freshman year was none of those. “There were 3,000 students and there was fighting everyday," Lopez remembered. "We had to go through scanning machines. Gangs were always messing with each other. Someone had been shot and killed over a cell phone, so I had to pay money to leave my phone down the street at a convenience store. I'd pick it up at the end of the day to call my mom to come and get me. I could have taken the train but …

Editor's note: Jillian Dulak is an 18-year-old Milford High student who died from a cancerous brain tumor on Feb. 27. She is being honored as this month's "Top Hawk." We encourage all who knew Jillian to share memories of her in the comment box. After experiencing extreme headaches her freshman year, Jillian Dulak was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor in November 2007. She underwent surgeries, radiation and multiple rounds of chemotherapy. Over the course of three years, Jillian lost her hair and was eventually relegated to a wheelchair. Before her passing on Feb. 27—five days after …

Seniors are coming in to the home stretch of their lives in the Milford school system. James Malnati has been active and engaged in the community and school since the day he stepped in the door. He has taken full advantage of everything this diverse community has to offer. Milford’s diversity is something he fully embraces and it has inspired what he hopes to study in college and, perhaps, pursue as a career.“I like meeting new people and learning about different ideas and ideologies. I know it seems sometimes a touchy subject these days but it’s one of the reasons I’m such a fan of history …

It isn't enough anymore to be good at just one thing; it is important to be great at many things. It is expected that students be well-rounded. This month's Top Hawk, Gabby Kondik, is a varsity captain for volleyball and track & field, a student delegate for the district's bullying policy, the Peer Mentoring co-president, CARE president and the Mock Trial captain. With aspirations in both nursing and communications, Kondik has applied to seven schools. Her top choices are Loyola in Maryland and James Madison in Virginia. "I immediately thought of Gabby as a Top Hawk," said Carrie Banach, …

Andrew Baranauskas has a full plate. There are advanced placement classes, varsity sports, service activities, faith retreats, orchestra, and the exhausting process that is fall college application time. Baranauskas has sent out 12 college applications with 12 individual school essays. He has a healthy resume to accompany them—one most adults would envy—but he is more than just a list of achievements on paper. Baranauskas can be found at Milford High School most mornings by 7 a.m. He is the  2010-11 president of the Leadership Council, which includes 10 students from each class: four elected …

Eliza McCoy will make her solo directorial debut when the curtain goes up on "The Stepford Wives," this week. "Theater made my entire high school experience. The workshop here is so fantastic and has given me a passion for performing beyond high school," the Milford High School senior said.McCoy applied early decision to New York University, which she believes would be a thrilling place for her to hone her craft. As part of the application process, more than 40 students over two days took to the stage to sing, dance and act in front of the application committee. She'll receive the committee's…