PORTSMOUTH — Portsmouth High School will award diplomas to 181 members of the Class of 2025 at commencement exercises tonight.

Of those students, these 10 were named cream of the crop by the school. Here’s a little about each, as well as where they’re continuing their education in the fall.

A natural problem-solver who thrives on self-expression and creativity, Tara Finnegan is a bright, self-motivated and intellectually curious young woman. Tara has excelled academically throughout high school, successfully completing 10 honors and six Advanced Placement courses. Tara earned the R.I. Department of Education’s Silver Seal of Biliteracy Award, the second-highest level of competency certified by the program, in both English and Spanish, a testament to her exceptional linguistic ability and academic dedication. Tara’s leadership and commitment to her school community are equally noteworthy. She currently serves as president of the Portsmouth High School Band and holds vice president positions in the National Honor Society, Science National Honor Society, National Art Honor Society, and Language Honor Society. A dedicated member of the Community Service Club, Tara also volunteers at the local senior center, giving back with compassion and humility. Tara’s determination and drive push her to grow beyond her comfort zone. She is hardworking, reflective, and consistently seeks opportunities to challenge herself. A well-rounded and purpose-driven leader, Tara is ready to make meaningful contributions in science and beyond. Her deep passion for scientific research, the outdoors, plants, and the earth has inspired her to pursue a degree in environmental science at Northeastern University this fall.

Dylan Hong is an exceptional student whose intellectual curiosity, work ethic, and determination to excel scholastically are evident in her impressive academic record. She is kind, humble, thoughtful and recognized for her integrity and strength of character. She sincerely desires to learn and consistently strives to outperform her potential. Dylan is naturally inquisitive and an innate problem-solver who immerses herself in her school work. She seeks to be challenged and embraces thought-provoking curricula that allows her critical thinking skills to shine, and her love of learning is contagious and inspiring. Although Dylan has excelled in all of her coursework, her favorite subjects have been in the areas of math and the engineering, where she has flourished and made outstanding contributions, especially in the Project Lead The Way program. Notably, Dylan has been an asset and standout contributor to the Math Team and a competitive and outstanding member of the Mock Trial and Model UN clubs. She also believes in giving back to the community and values the merits of service. She is looking forward to developing innovative ideas and producing products that will improve peoples’ lives, and she will be pursuing an engineering degree at the University of Rhode Island. 

Hailey Labonte is a hard-working, dedicated, and driven student who has consistently held herself to the highest standards while taking the most rigorous AP and honors courses offered throughout her high school career. She is intuitive and a thinker who often views problems as opportunities and seeks to find creative ways to overcome challenges or develop solutions. Hailey remains driven and focused and goes after her every endeavor with determination and a quiet confidence. She is genuinely humble and recognized for her kindness, helpfulness and thoughtfulness. She is a leader who is reflective and sincerely thinks about how her actions or decisions will impact others. Further, Hailey is well-known for her athletic prowess and contributions to the PHS girls’ volleyball team, and she has been a dedicated member and leader of the Green Club, as well as other clubs and honor societies. She is an accomplished and remarkable young woman who looks forward to pursuing a career that will make a significant difference in other people’s lives. Hailey will undoubtedly meet her goals as she has decided to pursue a biomedical engineering degree from Marymount University in Virginia. 

Without question, Ashley Murphy has excelled academically across the disciplines, and her innate abilities coupled with her tireless work ethic have placed her in the top of her class. Ashley is highly motivated, conscientious, and an avid learner who strives to exceed the standards. She sincerely invests in the learning process and continually evolves academically. Ashley is a deep thinker, who is articulate, quick-witted, and a natural leader who is well-respected by her classmates and teachers. She exudes confidence and poise, and can think quickly on the spot. She pays meticulous attention to details and does an excellent job of leading and delegating responsibilities, but also knows when to let someone else take the helm and be a team player. Her dynamic, open-minded and warm personality positively impacts anyone who meets her. Further, Ashley has been an active and invested member of a variety of clubs and honor societies, and she has won numerous awards recognizing her accomplishments. She is a force to be reckoned with on the Model UN team and has successfully dominated as a competitor, winning some of the toughest, upper level rooms and earning Best Delegate awards. Not surprisingly, she was selected as one of the Rhode Island delegates of the U.S. Youth Senate Program by the commissioner of education. Ashley has found her purpose in the political and international relations fields, and she is excited about majoring in public policy at the University of Michigan this fall. 

A strong, independent young woman, Kelsea Smith is also a self-motivated learner whose consistent efforts lead to her success. She always puts her responsibilities and commitments first and, without fail, sees them through to fruition. As a logical and fair thinker, she takes a critical approach to her love of reading. Her passion for reading is leading her to pursue a career in editing and/or publishing with further pursuit of a postgraduate degree in law and/or business. A well-read, self-assured, and creative individual, Kelsea has a strong sense of self, believing in her abilities to be successful in anything in which she partakes. Having strong intrinsic motivation, Kelsea takes it upon herself to exceed expectations in academics, sports, hobbies, and employment. She is observant and remembers small details with ease. A National Merit semifinalist and member of the National Honor Society, previously serving as secretary and currently serving as president, Kelsea has challenged herself throughout her entire high school career, enrolling in many advanced placement and honors courses where she has found great success. Her leadership skills have blossomed while serving her peers through this organization. Through her study of Spanish, in which she is a member of the National Language Honor Society, Kelsea has developed the skills necessary to earn the Seal of Biliteracy. Kelsea plans on attending the College of William and Mary, where she will pursue a degree in English literature.

Enrolled in an array of AP and honors courses, Sonia Staroscik is an exceptional student and outstanding human being. She has many academic interests but her main focus is engineering. As a member of our school’s Academy for Engineering Design, Sonia has taken several courses in this area to prepare for the continuation of her pursuit of a career in mechanical engineering. Sonia’s logical thinking combines with her flair for art and design to extend her engineering skills creating projects that are not only solid but also showcase Sonia’s unique inventiveness using her talents in the areas of whittling, 3-D printing, and laser cutting. She has an extremely strong work ethic and is a self-reliant, ambitious learner, earning her a Book Award from our Parents Helping Students Organization for her work ethic, academic achievement, and integrity. As her academic accolades are many, they also include: second grant in the State Science Fair for Material Science, The Rhode Island High School Coaches’ Association All-Academic Award, The Rensselaer Medal, and the Silver Seal of Biliteracy in Spanish. She is also a strong, yet humble, figurehead on the athletic teams and clubs in which she participates and is a team player who generously gives of her time to assist others in need of support; academically, athletically, and emotionally. As biology is also a strong interest of Sonia’s, she engaged in SEA Expedition, a two week sailing and oceanography course which took place at sea. She is passionate about learning new things and enjoying new experiences. Sonia will attend Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute where she will major in mechanical engineering.

A National Merit semifinalist, member of the National Honor Society, National Language Honor Society, and National Art Honor Society, Elena Sun is a well-rounded student who is humble to the core. As evident through her most demanding course load, which includes many AP and honors courses, Elena has an unparalleled passion for knowledge and immerses herself not only in the content being taught but she thrives on furthering her learning by engaging in self-directed in-depth research to reach a higher level of mastery. Biology was a class which piqued her interest especially, as it has a tangible impact on lives. Expanding her cultural knowledge and global communication skills, as well as growing her connection to her own culture, she also has enjoyed advancing her Spanish competence. Elena’s inquisitive nature pushes her to apply her knowledge in order to directly and positively impact the world around her as being part of a whole is important to her. She earned the prestigious Governor’s Award for her project submission which was judged to have the most potential benefit to the State of Rhode Island. In addition, she researched specific effects of fertilizers on Narragansett Bay and aimed her project toward helping the community understand what specifically needs to be done to prevent algae blooms and dead zones that would be harmful to everyone. She generally cares about our global society. The combination of Elena’s intellect and compassion will serve her well in her future career in medicine. Elena will attend Brown University where she will study biochemistry and molecular biology.

Truly someone who delights in life, Sophia Turner is a young woman of character and integrity. Sophia not only self-manages her academic life but also does so in her personal life. She enjoys events and activities familiar to her, such as spending time soaking in history, traveling, art, museums, aquariums, puzzles, music, true crime, and baking, decorating, and designing cakes but also loves engaging in new experiences. A member of the National Honor Society and the National Language Honor Society, Sophia is a stellar student who is enrolled in many AP and honors courses. Her favorite subjects are those under the history umbrella and she plans to pursue a career in international law as it is her desire to help build a universal standard of living all over the world. Her curiosity pushes her to learn more and do more as she takes enjoyment in learning new subject areas and trying new activities. Ambitious, she sets goals for herself and persists on until she has succeeded. Sophia identifies problems quickly and can also rectify them in the same timely manner. Sophia is a valued and respected participant in many clubs and organizations such as the Social Justice Club, Math Team, Community Service Club, and Green Club. Her leadership skills have blossomed throughout high school as she served as president of the Mock Trial Team, secretary of the Future Business Leaders of America, and assistant captain of Model UN where she earned Outstanding Delegate at LynxMUN in 2024 and Honorable Delegate at EagleMUNC in 2024. Sophia will be furthering her education at Georgetown University where she will pursue a degree in international politics.

An outstanding scholar, leader, and role model, Marc Alcolea Vila will attend Rice University in the fall to study engineering. A semifinalist in the U.S. Presidential Scholar Program, AP Scholar with Distinction, and recipient of the NESDEC Award, Marc has consistently demonstrated academic excellence and a deep passion for learning. He was also awarded first place in the Veterans of Foreign Wars Essay Contest and recognized nationally with the College Board’s National Hispanic Recognition Award. Originally from Spain, Marc moved to the United States at the age of 10. In a short time, he has achieved extraordinary success, demonstrating remarkable resilience, intelligence, and dedication. His ability to overcome the challenges of adapting to a new country, while excelling in all areas of his life is truly inspiring. Marc graduates with a flawless academic record, having completed 11 honors and nine AP courses. He also successfully completed Portsmouth High School’s rigorous Career and Technical Education Engineering Design program and earned the R.I. Department of Education’s Silver Seal of Biliteracy in English and French, an impressive accomplishment that highlights his linguistic abilities. Beyond his impressive academics, Marc is a highly respected leader and an active member of his school community. He serves as president of the Language Honor Society and is a valued member of the National Honor Society, Mathematics Team, and Engineering Club. As a three-year captain of the varsity swim team, Marc has consistently exemplified leadership, commitment, and integrity. With his outstanding achievements, character, and drive, Marc Alcolea Vila is poised to make a meaningful and lasting impact in the field of engineering and far beyond.

A dedicated student and stellar human being, Heather Williams is a young woman who has an unquenchable thirst for knowledge. In each class she enters, many of which are AP or honors courses, she yearns to soak in as much information as she can in order to reach her goal of pursuing a degree in mechanical engineering with a further pursuit of employment in the automotive industry. She is a self-motivated, self-directed learner whose determination, organizational skills, and analytical mind combine to assist in securing her academic success. Heather is a creative problem solver whose pursuit and attainment of solutions is commonplace for her. Enrolled in our school’s Academy of Engineering Design, Heather’s favorite subject is math, as numbers are like a work of art to her. Her willful yet calm demeanor enables her to stick with difficult tasks and see them through to successful completion. A member of the National Honor Society, the National Language Honor Society, and the Community Service Club, being part of a group larger than oneself is important to Heather. Heather’s leadership qualities have flourished as an upperclassman. As president of the Green Team she spearheaded Earthfest, the annual Tree-Plenish Initiative that distributed over 50 tree saplings to our community. She has also taken on the leadership role of grant writer for this club. One of her grants secured $5,000 for the restoration of our now thriving school pond. Her most current grant, a six page document, requests $85,000 to be used to build a school greenhouse. Her involvement has earned her the well-deserved Environmental Champion Award. Her stewardship has also been noted as a member of Model UN where she has been named captain, Best Delegate, Best Speaker, and also received a verbal commendation. Pursuing a major in automotive/mechanical engineering, Heather will further her education at Clemson University.