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PVHS Junior Wins Prestigious Rensselaer Medal
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) announced in May that Putnam Valley High School (PVHS) Junior Katherine (Katie) Mahoney is a 2007 winner of the Rensselaer Medal.
For more than 85 years, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, in conjunction with high schools around the world, has awarded the Rensselaer Medal. This is awarded to promising secondary school juniors who have distinguished themselves in mathematics and science, and each participating high school is allowed to select one member of the junior class to be honored with the Rensselaer Medal.
The responsibility for selecting the Rensselaer Medalist belongs to faculty and staff within the participating secondary school. Katie was selected by the PVHS math and science departments as the outstanding junior in the two disciplines.
Katie, who is interested in pursuing engineering in college, is an exemplary student who has taken all honors and AP level courses. Beyond the school day, she is involved in GSA/VOICES, the PVHS literary magazine, the newspaper club, and a local book club. She has been a mentor to younger students and a PTA volunteer. Katie is a member of the Mu Alpha Theta Math Honor Society and the National Honor Society. She is the daughter of Susan and Bernard Mahoney of Lake Peekskill.
PVHS math teacher Jerri Cohen shared her perspective on Katie: "I taught Katie last year, and she is a very highly motivated, intelligent student. Her problem solving skills, coupled with her curiosity, and intense desire to understand mathematical and scientific concepts as completely as possible, make her the perfect candidate for the RPI Medal award. I know she is very excited and proud of this honor."
Math teacher and Make a Difference Club co-advisor Linda Cefaloni added: "This year, I have come to know Katie as a reflective, creative problem solver, and an intense, inspiring writer. Most of all, though, she is a caring and compassionate human being who seeks to touch the human spirit through her quiet diligence and commitment to excellence."
Asked about Katherine's accomplishments, her mother, Susan Mahoney, replied "We are bursting with pride here. It was a banner week: Katie got the RPI award and was accepted to the UConn Engineering Camp too."
The RPI Medal was first presented in 1916 with two purposes: to recognize the superlative academic achievement of young men and women, and to motivate students toward careers in science, engineering, and technology. This $15,000 per year merit scholarship is guaranteed for four years (five years for the School of Architecture program) for each medalist who is accepted and chooses to enroll at Rensselaer.
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