Salem High School CTE Program Honors Outstanding Seniors at 2026 Senior Awards Banquet

Johan Polanco named MAVA Scholar of the Year, awarded MVA Presidential Certificate of Merit; leads several multiple honorees

SALEM (May 27, 2026) – Senior Johan Polanco, an Early Childhood Education and Care student in Salem High School’s Career Technical Education program and the Massachusetts Association of Vocational Administrators (MAVA) Scholar of the Year, also received the Massachusetts Vocational Association (MVA) Presidential Certificate of Merit Thursday, May 21, to highlight the Fourth Annual CTE Senior Awards Ceremony at the M. Ruth Norton Auditorium.

The MAVA Scholar of the Year award is presented to the student whose scholastic achievements have significantly contributed to the local CTE program. Similarly, the MVA Presidential Certificate of Merit recognizes a student’s outstanding performance, dedication and commitment to their area of study.

Mr. Polanco was among several scholars to receive multiple honors at the ceremony, having also earned the Angela’s Preschool and Daycare Award alongside seniors Pauline Babineau, Jazmine Bouras, Daisy Gomez and Isabella Ortiz Cruz.

Ms. Ortiz Cruz also received the Rotary Directors Award for the Early Education and Care track while Monserratt Juarez received the Vocational Achievement Award.

Thursday’s ceremony opened with the induction of new members into the SHS National Technical Honor Society (NTHS), of which Mr. Polanco and Ms. Ortiz Cruz were among 27 new members. Joining them were seniors Carlos Polanco Ramirez, Safiyah Pina-Harding, Ayden Lacerda and Dewa Trisna, each of whom were also cited in their CTE pathway.

Mr. Polanco Ramirez received several honors, including the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 103 Award as well as the Vocational Achievement Award for the Electrical Technology track.

Ms. Pina-Harding was among four seniors honored with the Steve Whittier Memorial Scholarship Award, alongside Thomas Ferrioli, Mason Potorski, and August Hunter.

Mr. Potorski and Mr. Ferrioli were also the recipients of the Rinus Oosthoek Salem Rotary Club CTE Directors Award and Vocational Achievement Award for the Building and Property Maintenance track while Ms. Harding and Mr. Hunter received similar honors for Carpentry.

Thursday’s ceremony marked the first year of the presentation of the Brendan Balfour Award to the outstanding student in the Electrical Technology track, which went to Mr. Trisna, who was also the recipient of the Vocational Achievement Award for Electrical Technology.

Seniors Sindi Sula and Karly Swiniarski, both named to the NTHS last year, were the co-recipients of the American Red Cross Scholarship Awards and were named recipients of the Salem Rotary Directors Award and Vocational Achievement Award.

Other major award recipients included:

Senior Jazmine Chavez Rodriguez and senior Elijah McLellan, who were the recipients of the Rotary Directors Award and the Vocational Achievement Award, respectively, for the Culinary Arts track; and seniors Gemma Murphy and Amaya Lindor, who were similar recipients in the Graphic Design and Visual Technology program.

Additionally, seniors Elizabeth Mahady and Mr. Lacerda, received the Rotary Directors and Vocational Achievement awards for Programming and Web Development, while seniors Dwayne Stavros and Wyatt Millar took home similar honors for Automotive Technology.

Four students from Beverly High School who took part in the high school’s CTE tracks were honored at the ceremony, including seniors Colby Flynn and Corey Girard, who were named the Rotary Directors Award and Vocational Achievement Award recipients in the Automotive Technology track. Additionally, BHS seniors Vanessa Andre and Mya Harris also received the Rotary and Vocational Achievement honors in the Medical Assisting pathway.

With a diverse scope of programs for all SHS students as well as visiting students, the CTE program and Thursday’s ceremony echo the core principles of the District’s Strategic Plan, specifically elevating learning and centering belonging.

Salem High School 2025 Career Technical Education Senior Awards Ceremony

MAVA Outstanding Vocational Scholar of the Year

• Johan Polanco, Early Education and Care

MVA Presidential Certificate of Merit in Memory of Leo Desimone

• Johan Polanco, Early Education and Care

American Red Cross Blood Drive Award 

• Karly Swiniarski
• Sindi Sula

Steve Whittier Memorial Scholarship Award

• Thomas Ferrioli
• Mason Potorski
• Safiya Pina-Harding
• August Hunter

Brendan Balfour Award for the Outstanding Electrical Technology Student

• Dewa Trisna

Rinus Oosthoek Salem Rotary CTE Directors Award Recipients

• Dwayne Stavros, Automotive Technology
• Colby Flynn (Beverly H.S.), Automotive Technology
• Mason Potorski, Building and Property Maintenance
• Safiyah Pina-Harding, Carpentry
• Jasmine Chavez Rodriguez, Culinary Arts
• Isabella Ortiz Cruz, Early Education and Care
• Dewa Trisna, Electrical Technologies
• Gemma Murphy, Graphic Design and Visual Communication
• Sindi Sula, Medical Assisting
• Vanessa Andre (Beverly H.S.), Medical Assisting
• Elizabeth Mahady, Programming and Web Development

Rinus Oosthoek Salem Rotary CTE Merit Vocational Achievement Award Recipients

• Wyatt Miller, Automotive Technology
• Corey Girard (Beverly H.S.), Automotive Technology
• Thomas Ferrioli, Building and Property Maintenance
• August Hunter, Carpentry
• Elijah McLellan, Culinary Arts
• Monserratt Juarez, Early Education and Care
• Carlos Polanco Ramirez, Electrical Technologies
• Amaya Lindor, Graphic Design and Visual Communication 
• Karly Swiniarski, Medical Assisting
• Mya Harris (Beverly H.S.), Medical Assisting
• Ayden Lacerda, Programming and Web Development

Angela’s Preschool and Daycare Award

• Pauline Babineau
• Jazmine Bouras
• Daisy Gomez
• Isabella Ortiz Cruz
• Johan Polanco 

National Technical Honor Society

Class of 2026 Inductees

• Daniella Andruskiewicz 
• Saigely Baez 
• Rauny Batista de la Cruz 
• Isabella Beals 
• Delaney Cannon 
• Natalia Castillo 
• Gilianna Espinal 
• Julia Gauthier 
• Saylor Harrington 
• Celine Jones 
• Ayden Lacerda 
• Alexa Martin 
• Justin McCue 
• Janessa Medina 
• Savannah Muasya 
• Isabella Ortiz Cruz 
• Liliana Parga-Rodriguez 
• Jamiel Pepen 
• Safiyah Pina-Harding 
• Johan Polanco 
• Carlos Polanco Ramirez 
• Damian Ramirez 
• Ayana Ramos 
• Gabriella Reinwalt 
• Alexa Sano Bedard 
• Katelin Sicard 
• Dewa Trisna

Class of 2025 Inductees/Second-Year Members

• Myrene Ahmed 
• Oscar Fernandez 
• Anson Froeschl 
• Jurkely Hernandez Duran 
• Gianna Lougee 
• Elizabeth Mahady 
• Eden Mcclain 
• Sam Mulligan 
• Joel Mulsman 
• Gemma Murphy 
• Mason Potorski 
• Linsey Reyes Rodriguez 
• Dwayne Stavros 
• Sindi Sula 
• Karly Swiniarski

About Salem Public Schools

Salem Public Schools is an urban public school district in Salem, Massachusetts. Salem is a small, diverse city with a proud maritime and immigrant history. Our leaders and our teachers are all passionate about education and understand the urgency of improving student achievement with equity and social-emotional needs as the lens we view all of our work through. We respect and value the racial, cultural, and linguistic diversity of our students and their families, and have a strong commitment to the Salem community. Salem Public Schools staff serve all of our students, regardless of ability or language. Salem Public Schools enrolls approximately 4,000 students across its eleven schools.