4/17/2026

STAMFORD HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL'S NEWSLETTER

55 Strawberry Hill Ave. Stamford, Connecticut 06902 

Week Ending Friday, April 17, 2026

Mr. Matthew Forker, Principal

STAMFORD STUDENTS SWEEP UB RISE SYMPOSIUM WITH HISTORIC WINS AND ELITE FINALIST SELECTIONS

Spring Break proved to be a season of historic achievement for our student researchers at the UB RISE High School Science Research Symposium.

We are incredibly proud to announce that sophomore Amelia Nandikesan was named a top five finalist in the high school division for her sophisticated proposal on microgravity’s impact on gene transcription. Her work was so exceptional that she was selected as a top three finalist overall, and she will represent us in the high-stakes Lightning Round this Friday, April 17th.

Joining Amelia in the spotlight are seven additional SHS students whose proposals were selected to be showcased among the top 162 projects in Connecticut:

• Daniela Hernandez

• Rylie Haynes

• Alex Polletta

• Magnus Smail

• Basil Lintern

• Amitai TelRav

• Samiksha Dhanapal

• Julia Akramovitch

In a truly world-class victory, Jaydee Cruz De Los Santos secured first place and a $1,000 prize at the UB RISE Climate Innovation Challenge. After a year of coding her revolutionary AeroLiDAR system, Jaydee stood as the only high school student among seven finalists; she competed directly against Doctoral candidates to claim the top spot. Please join us in celebrating these brilliant young scientists for their dedication and groundbreaking contributions to the field!

THIS WEEK’S UPDATE

Here are some quick updates and reminders for the academic week ending April 17, 2026.  Links have been provided, where applicable, to help with further details.  Have a great weekend with your families! 

APRIL DATES TO REMEMBER

April 22: Early Release

SHS GRADUATION DATE SET!

Wednesday June 17, 2026

2:00 PM

Boyle Stadium

(Rain Date Thursday June 18; Time TBD)

SHS STUDENT WINS PRESTIGIOUS $25,000 HORATIO ALGER NATIONAL SCHOLARSHIP

Fredy Cabrera Pinto was awarded the Horatio Alger National Scholarship of $25,000 for the Class of 2026.  He was 1 of 105 students across the country to be awarded this prestigious scholarship. 

This scholarship program is open to juniors each year and recognizes deserving young people who have demonstrated integrity, determination in overcoming adversity, academic potential, and the personal aspiration to make a unique contribution to society. 

Unique to other scholarship programs, in addition to the financial award, they also mentor scholarship recipients about the limitless possibilities that are available through the American free enterprise system, while underscoring the importance of helping others. 

Congratulations Fredy!

SHS VISUAL ART STUDENTS EXPLORE CAREERS AT SACRED HEART UNIVERSITY ART + DESIGN EXPO

On Thursday, April 2nd, the Sacred Heart University Art & Design Department hosted Stamford High School Visual Art students for the 31st Annual Art + Design Expo and Lecture. Under the supervision of Mr. Eaton-Koch, who served as the group’s chaperone, students engaged in a comprehensive exploration of collegiate-level artistry and professional career pathways.

The morning began with a guided tour led by Associate Professor Jack De Graffenried, who showcased the latest illustration work from Sacred Heart students to aspiring artists from across Fairfield County. This session provided SHS students with a valuable opportunity to review professional-tier portfolios and engage in a Q&A regarding art and design curricula and post-collegiate career trajectories.

The event concluded with a keynote presentation by Art Director Andy Jenkins. As a multidisciplinary artist and creative director, Jenkins shared insights from his extensive career as a "creative conduit," discussing his collaborations with multimedia artists and global consumer brands to elevate brand identity.

We would like to extend our sincere gratitude to Professor De Graffenried and Sacred Heart University for their continued partnership and support of our Visual Arts program. 

COLLEGE AND CAREER CENTER

The SHS College and Career Center hosted a College Admissions Panel with representatives from UCONN, University of New Haven, CUNY, Ohio Wesleyan, and Southern CT State University! Panelists responded to questions on the admissions process, applications, and the advice for selecting your high school classes.

The SHS College and Career Center Newsletter is up to date and can be found HERE. Follow the department on IG for updates and information and daily posts! @shscounselingdept  

May 1, 2026 is Decision Day for seniors. The College and Career Center will be hosting a What's Next Workshop for seniors to discuss 15 skills needed before you transition- Register on Naviance

AP Exams begin on May 4, 2026- look out for an email from Ms. Vazquez with your room number. All students must be able to login to their College Board account without verification on their cell phone. 

STAMFORD HIGH SCHOOL JOURNALISTS SWEEP CONNECTICUT PRESS CLUB 2025 HIGH SCHOOL CONTEST

Congratulations to our incredibly talented student journalists! Here is the complete list of Stamford High School winners from the 2025 Connecticut Press Club High School Contest:

Opinion

• First Place: Nicholas Sutin – A Great Place to Learn, A Hard Place to Live: How Far Some Stamford Teachers Go Just to Show Up

• Second Place: Hilary Ho – All the Things I Could Do, If I Had a Little Money: Addressing the Socioeconomic Gap in Theater

• Third Place: Lauren Levenson – Schedule Survey Confirms What We Already Knew

News Story

• First Place: Viktoria Kostyuk and Rachel Kelly – Controversy Builds Surrounding Planned Flexible Schedule

• Second Place: Viktoria Kostyuk – The Impact of New Immigration Policies on Stamford Public Schools

• Third Place: Amelia Nandikesan – New Members and a New Start: December Board of Education Meetings

Review

• First Place: Joaquin Field – ‘The Brutalist’: A Brutally Honest Review

• Second Place: Mia Davis – Fall Play “All in the Timing” is a Comedic and Thoughtful Experience

Feature Story

• First Place: Ieva Sakalauskas – Stamford High School’s Child Prodigy: Gifted Mathematician Now Focuses on Data Science

Best Newscast

• First Place: Joaquin Field – Weekly Knightly News: Halloween Edition 2025

STUDENT ATHLETES CONTINUE THEIR JOURNEY

This week, SHS hosted our third of three "Signing Days" to recognize athletes who have committed to continuing their academic and athletic careers at the collegiate level.

This ceremony is a testament to years of commitment and the delicate balance of juggling varsity and club schedules with rigorous academics. Congratulations to our seniors on this well-deserved milestone!

Diago Cerna - Soccer - Tiffin University

Princesse Stessy Hyppolite - Wrestling - University of Bridgeport

Jonah Lotstein - Tennis - Gettysburg College

Kripa Rao - Diving - NYU

Omar Rhazali - Tennis - The College of William and Mary

Payton Varnit - G. Lacrosse - Felician College

ACTION PICS OF THE WEEK

From our resident in-house photographer, Mr. Barron (SHS Science)

ATTENDANCE GRADE RECOVERY (AGR) INFORMATION

Questions about the AGR process?

Grades 9 and 12: jcarde@stamfordpublicschools.org 

Grades 10 and 11: dostasiewski@stamfordpublicschools.org

SHS “U-KNIGHTED NATION” TUTORING

If any student needs extra academic support throughout the school year, the SHS U-Knighted Nation organization is here to assist!  Made up of student volunteers, the UKN tutors are available to assist and help ANY student that may need it.

CELL PHONE POLICY FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ’S)

For cell phone Frequently Asked Questions, please click here.

“OPEN CAMPUS”

Parents and families, as a reminder, the SPS “Open Campus Policy” is only permissible for students in GRADES 11 and 12.