Keaton Chapman submitted photo

Shye Buck submitted photo

Ryan Nivus submitted photo

Janna Botka submitted photo

Violet Howe submitted photo

Lacey Tilsey submitted photo

Emily Cummings submitted photo

Telstar Regional High School staff and students are pleased to recognize the top scholars from the graduating class of 2023.  These individuals have distinguished themselves throughout their high school careers.  The Telstar community congratulates these young scholars for their commitment to their academics, their school and their communities. 

Janna Botka 

Janna Victoria Botka is the daughter of Kate and Eric Botka of Bethel.  Janna has been a part of multiple community service initiatives in order to make Bethel a better place.  She has participated in the Middle Intervale Cemetery clean up, Androscoggin River Watershed Council river testing, stacking wood for the elderly, raking leaves with Interact Club, making mittens for the homeless with the Valentine Project, volunteering at the Montreal Food Pantry, volunteering at the Community Garden, decorating for school dances with FBLA, and helping at the Bethel Library with Interact.  At Telstar she is a part of many clubs including the Civil Rights Group, North Star, National Honor Society, Interact Club, Future Business Leaders of America, and drama club.  Janna loves science, writing, and art.  She plans to attend Salve Regina University with a major in chemistry.  After which she hopes to get a graduate degree in forensic chemistry, which will allow her to work in a forensic lab.  In her free time she enjoys writing, drawing, and being outside.  She enjoys time in the forest and on the coast.   

Shye Buck 

Shye Romaynne Buck is the daughter of Roy and Heidi Buck of Bethel. Shye took many online dual enrollment classes during her sophomore and junior years. For her senior year of high school, Shye attended Central Maine Community College as a dual enrollment student. She has been the president of the Jobs for Maine Grads (JMG) Student Leadership club for three years. During her time in the club she helped maintain Telstar’s resource closet and helped fundraise for the club. Shye has volunteered at the Farmington Library taking care of old books and has also volunteered at United Way of the Tri Valley Area counting backpacks for a backpack drive and creating fairy wings for children through Upward Bound. She helped set up and serve food at the Bethel Harvest Fest as well as made thanksgiving baskets for people in need. She plans to finish her education at Central Maine Community college getting an associate’s degree in Graphic Communications and then she hopes to find a job as a graphic designer. 

Emily Cummings 

Emily Evangeline Cummings is the daughter of Mitch Cummings of Bethel and Lindsay Storer of Jay. In her time in High School, Emily has been a part of Northstar, an outdoor leadership group, as well as Jobs for Maine Grads leadership. With both of these groups, Emily collected 214 hours of community service. She did many things, including mentoring a younger Northstar group, and helping to create a community garden.  After graduating high school, Emily plans to attend Central Maine Community College. She will spend her summer working at her job of two years at the Bethel Sugar Shack. As well as her job, Emily enjoys spending her time reading or with friends and family. 

Keaton Cummings-Chapman 

Keaton Norman Cummings-Chapman is the son of Nick and Tasha Chapman of Bethel. He is the eldest brother of Emma and Vince Chapman. Keaton has volunteered two years in a row as a JC at Bog Brook Military Youth Camp for one week in the summer; he plans to continue doing this. He has volunteered at the Bethel Library, as well as raking leaves for the historical society, and picking up trash for Earth Day. Keaton has been in the National Honor Society since junior year and is the current President. Keaton has also been in Interact since his freshman year and is the co-president. He is his class secretary and has been a member of student council since freshman year. Keaton is also a vocal leader in the Civil Rights Team, which he has been in since his freshman year. Keaton plans to attend Hampshire College in the fall and study political science and creative writing. His ultimate goal is to become a civil rights lawyer and to write fantasy books. Keaton loves animals, especially his late pets Yager and Hermes. He currently has a pet fish named Come. He enjoys reading many books, and loves watching tv and movies. He enjoys walking in nature and kayaking. At times he has been known to enjoy playing video games. Though after all is said he loves civil rights work, family (and pets), friends, (which he considers one in the same), and making other people laugh.  

Violet Howe 

Violet Marie Howe is the daughter of Jack and Wendy Newmeyer and the stepdaughter of Aaron Ryder all of West Paris. She strives for perfection both in and out of the classroom. She consistently achieved high honors throughout her high school career. She has more than three hundred community service hours. During her sophomore year, she put together a “no questions asked closet”. This closet was filled with snacks, family meals, and hygiene products for students and families in need. She has participated in multiple sports including, softball, soccer, field hockey and basketball. A proud accomplishment of Violet’s was junior year when she was inducted into the Telstar chapter of the National Honor Society. Some of her most fond memories of Telstar were when she traveled to over three countries during her high school journey. In April 2022, she went to Greece with her classmates; in April 2023, she went to the U.K. and France. She has always strived to be a well-rounded student, but more importantly, a well-rounded young adult. This fall, she plans to study sonography at Maine College of Health Professions. 

Ryan Nivus 

Ryan Rose Nivus is the child of David Nivus and Heather Hale-Nivus of Bethel. Ryan has consistently achieved high honors throughout the last four years and has taken four AP courses. They’ve been active in theatre, band, Telstar Civil Rights team, Interact, FBLA and are Co-Captain of the Math Team. For years, they have volunteered at the Bethel Historical Society and Turkey Tuesday. Ryan is an advocate of LGBTQ+ rights and has attended Pride events and the OUT Maine New Leaders Camp. Some of Ryan’s hobbies include boxing, martial arts, reading, music, sewing, art, travelling and skiing. They have taught skiing at Mt. Abram since the age of 14 and recently earned their PSIA Level I Alpine Certification. Ryan plans to attend Hampshire College as an Undecided Liberal Arts student. 

Lacey Tilsley 

Lacey May Tilsley is the daughter of Keith and Annie Tilsley of Woodstock. She is dedicated to serving her community by helping with youth programs and fundraising at her church, as well as helping clean up the environment both at the school and in the greater community. Throughout high school, Lacey has been a member of many different clubs and activities. She has been a member of Student Council, and the class of 2023 treasurer since freshman year. She has also been an officer in Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) all four years of high school. This year she was Telstar’s FBLA president and the Maine State FBLA Vice President. Her senior year she participated in National Honor Society, and her Freshman and Senior years she was an active member on Telstar’s math team, where she served as Co-captain this year. On top of this she frequently made high-honors, succeeded in AP and honors level classes, and received student of the month her Freshman and Senior years. She has also won several awards from the state FBLA conference for excelling in competitive events’ tests and presentations such as cyber security and social media strategies. Some of Lacey’s outside of school interests include listening to music, reading, dance, and building with cardboard. After graduation she will be attending Western New England University for Engineering. Her goal is to learn the skills she needs to invent something to improve the world in some way.