Needham Residents Graduate from The Rivers School

By Adam Conner-Simons

Ten Needham residents were among the 83 students to graduate from The Rivers School in Weston on Friday, June 10.

Here is a look at each of the local grads:

Ethan Bauer was a strong science student at Rivers, taking on a summer science internship at Boston University Medical Center, where he conducted obesity and diabetes research. He is an accomplished violinist who served as concertmaster for National Orchestra Camp. A student in Rivers’ Conservatory program, he was recently awarded the school’s Classical Music Prize. Energetic, passionate and loyal, Bauer took on many roles during his time at Rivers, including student advisor and opinion editor for the school newspaper, “The Edge.” The son of Kenneth and Mimi Bauer, he will attend Vanderbilt University in the fall.

A highly talented guitar player, Colin Beagan participated in The Rivers School’s Conservatory program. He played in the Rivers’ Big Band and the Select 1A Jazz Combo, which won first place at this year’s Mingus competition in New York City. He was recently awarded the school’s David Killam Instrumental Prize. A quiet, yet creative student, Beagan also achieved great success in his science and Mandarin classes at Rivers. The son of Michael and Mary Beagan, he will attend Berklee College of Music in the fall.

An intelligent and original scholar, Aaron Behr was enrolled in The Rivers School Conservatory program, where he became the first pianist in its history to study both jazz and classical music. He was a member of Rivers’ award-winning Select 1A Jazz Combo that won first place at the Mingus competition. He has also won numerous individual music awards at Rivers, including the Conservatory Director’s Prize in his junior year and the Science Prize and the David Killam Instrumental Prize in his senior year. A high honor roll student and member of the Cum Laude Society, Behr completed a science internship last summer at Bruker Daltonics and presented for the company at a national conference. The son of Daniel and Donna Behr, he will attend Brown University in the fall.

Benjamin DuBois was a dynamic and passionate student at Rivers, where he served as president of his class his junior year and as a student advisor his senior year. For the latter role, DuBois met frequently with faculty members to work with them on a variety of initiatives. He was a member of the varsity soccer and basketball teams and took advanced classes such as AP Chemistry and AP Modern European History. He started a science tutoring club at Rivers and was a dedicated member of the school’s tour guide program. He recently received the prestigious Dudley Willis Trustee Prize. The son of Jon and Heidi DuBois, he will attend Vanderbilt University in the fall.

Jessica “Jessie” Frascotti was an energetic and compassionate member of the Rivers community. A student advisor during her senior year and a dedicated member of the service council for three years, she was known for standing up for others, and treating her peers fairly. She received a grant for a community service initiative she was involved in called the Winchendon Project. Frascotti took a challenging slate of classes, including AP Statistics and AP Environmental Science. She was also a strong athlete, playing on the varsity lacrosse team for three years and the varsity ice hockey team for four years. She was also the captain of the ice hockey team this year. The daughter of John Frascotti and Sharon O’Connor, she will attend the College of the Holy Cross in the fall.

Caring, honest and outgoing, Alexandra “Allie” Kaminsky was the editor of Rivers’ yearbook during her senior year. She volunteered her time to help the Heated Lions basketball team during her junior and senior years. She also took part in service trips to New Orleans, where she helped rebuild homes destroyed by Hurricane Katrina, and to Romania, where she volunteered in an orphanage. She took on a challenging course load, including AP Microeconomics and AP Environmental Science. The daughter of Thomas and Ruth Kaminsky, she will attend Lehigh University in the fall.

Brendan McNeill transferred to Rivers as a junior and quickly became a well-liked, accomplished athlete at the school. He played varsity soccer and lacrosse during his junior and senior years, and this year was awarded All-League and New England All-Star honors as captain of the lacrosse team. McNeill also was known for his strong writing and ceramics skills, earning a gold medal in the Boston Globe Scholastic Art Awards this year. The son of Cynthia Williams and Jack McNeill, he will attend Colby College this fall.

A selfless, positive member of the Rivers community, Margo Seresky matriculated at Rivers in seventh grade. Since then, she has excelled in Spanish, English and mathematics. Margo was the captain of the varsity tennis team during her senior year and co-president of Rivers’ Red Key tour guide program, organizing and leading tours for prospective families during their visits to Rivers. The daughter of Peter and Debbie Seresky, she will attend Syracuse University in the fall.

Engaging, thoughtful and hard-working, Robyn Seresky served as an ambassador for Rivers as co-president of the school’s tour guide program for prospective families. In addition to being well-spoken and responsible, Seresky was a member of Rivers’ varsity basketball team, which won the 2011 NEPSAC Class B Championship. She also has a passion for fashion and helped organize a charitable fashion show for her senior project. She recently received the school’s Three-Dimensional Arts Prize for Ceramics. The daughter of Peter and Debbie Seresky, she will attend Syracuse University in the fall.

Samira Yazdanseta was a quiet leader at Rivers who brought humor to the classroom. She ran on the cross country team during her junior and senior years and played junior varsity tennis and hockey during her freshman, sophomore and junior years. She also helped establish the dance team at Rivers and acted as a student advisor. She was a strong Latin and ceramics student who participated in a service trip to New Orleans. The daughter of Kianoosh and Khandan Yazdanseta, she will attend Trinity College in the fall.