Head of School Mel MacKay has announced honor parts for the Class of 2011. This year’s valedictorian is Andrew Walker Babbitt of Hampden, and the salutatorian is Thomas Edward Flynn, Jr. of Hancock.
A high honor student, Babbitt has won numerous academic awards during his four years at John Bapst. Recipient of the 2011 Maine Principals’ Association award, he is an AP Scholar with Distinction, a National Merit Commended Student, president of the Student Senate, a member of the National Honor Society, a math team captain, and chorale co-president. Babbitt is the son of Joseph and Gail Babbitt of Hampden. .
In fine arts, Babbitt has performed in both school and community theater productions, winning lead roles in each of his four years at John Bapst. He was also cast in the 2009 Husson University theater production of West Side Story. Babbitt is a violinist in the John Bapst Chamber Ensemble and a tenor in the school’s Chorale and Concert Choir. A Classical All-State Vocalist, Babbitt received a Maestro Award for individual performance at the 2011 Heritage Music Festival in Boston, Massachusetts, and was a member of the John Bapst Concert Choir that received a gold rating at that event. In the athletic arena, Babbitt has been captain of the John Bapst soccer team and a Penobscot Valley Conference Scholar-Athlete. He intends to enroll in Boston College where he has been named a Presidential Scholar.
A high honor student, an AP Scholar, and a member of the National Honor Society, Thomas Flynn is also one of Maine’s top high school tennis players, finishing his junior year as the state semi-finalist. He has been the John Bapst boys’ tennis team captain and the school’s number one singles player since his freshman year. A Penobscot Valley Conference Scholar-Athlete, he was selected to the All-State singles team in grades 9-11, was named Most Valuable Player in grades 10-11, and won the Sportsmanship Award in grades 10-11.
The son of Thomas Flynn and Susan Scherbel of Hancock, Flynn is the recipient of the Williams College Book Award, the U.S. Marine Corps Scholastic Excellence Award, the U.S. Army Scholar Athlete Award and the U.S. Marine Corps Scholar Athlete Award. He intends to enroll in the University of St. Andrews in St. Andrews, Scotland.