August 23, 2005
MANCHESTER,NH — David Wolowitz of the law firm of McLane, Graf, Raulerson & Middleton, recently presented seven area high school students with the coveted Harvard Prize Book Award on behalf of the Harvard-Radcliffe Club of New Hampshire.
Students in their junior year are nominated by their school’s administration for exhibiting excellence in academic, extra-curricular and community-focused achievements. This year’s winners are Megan McMahon of Oyster River High School; Amanda Flitter of Dover High School; Emily Porter of Exeter High School; Amanda Randall of Nute High School; and Andrew Kinaci of Portsmouth High School. Each of the students received a copy of the book entitled, Making the Most of College.
About the Students Megan McMahon of Oyster River High School in Madbury, has just returned from a month-long archaeological dig in Turkey, with a program directed by the University of Chicago. She was a member of the school’s math team that competed in the state championship last year, is involved with the French club and competes on her school’s winter and spring tack team.
Amanda Flitter of Dover High School returns to school as vice president of Dover’s Key Club, a community service organization related to the Kiwanis Club. Amanda has been involved in the drama club since her Freshman year and was inducted into the National Honor Society as a Sophomore. She also holds a part-time job as a cashier at Market Basket in Somersworth.
Emily Porter of Exeter High School has just returned from a mission trip to the Adirondacks where she was part of a youth group that took on the task of renovating a small church in rural New York for handicap access. She is an assistant youth group leader in her own church, Christ Episcopal Church in Exeter, where she accompanies the Praise Band on piano. Emily has been riding dressage for four years in South Hampton, and is learning to fly an antique Piper J-3 Cub plane this summer. She has traveled extensively across the US and Mexico, and was recently awarded a scholarship medal by Renssalaer Polytechnic Institute for having the highest combined science and math grade in her school.
Amanda Randall of Nute High School spent five weeks this summer learning about Chinese language and culture in an advanced studies class at St. Paul’s School in Concord. Last year, she was awarded Nute High School’s “N” Club dedication award by her fellow team members for showing the most ambition in athletics, through her participation on the school’s basketball, softball and volleyball teams. As a Junior, she was elected to represent the school at Project Search at UNH and was named to the National Honor Society. Amanda returns to school this fall as president of the student council, having served as secretary for the past two years, and as her class secretary as a Freshman. She will also serve as co-editor of Nute’s yearbook this year.
Andrew Kinaci of Portsmouth High School has just returned from Boys Nation, in Washington, D.C. Sponsored by the American Legion, Boys Nation is a week-long citizenship and government program that is designed to instill in each participant a deep loyalty to America while providing practical insight into the structure and function of the federal government. Andrew is also a student body representative on the Portsmouth school board and president of school’s debate team. He is also on the fencing team, math league, and men’s ensemble.
About the Award
The national Harvard Prize Book Award program encourages Harvard alumni to conduct outreach to their local schools, to give students who may consider applying to Harvard a local contact and role model.
David Wolowitz, a Director at the McLane Law Firm’s Portsmouth Office, was the first to introduce the program to Seacoast schools, where he has been honoring students for more than twenty years. In total, 62 New Hampshire schools have had students honored with the award.
Wolowitz said of the program, “Every student willing to work hard to excel in academics and to be a positive, contributing citizen in his or her community needs to realize that attending Harvard, however prestigious, is not an unattainable goal.”
Rolf Goodwin, a fellow Director at McLane’s Manchester office and Harvard alumnus added, “With the drive they exhibit, these young men and women will no doubt be among our leaders of tomorrow.”
About the McLane Law Firm
McLane, Graf, Raulerson & Middleton, Professional Association, the largest law firm in New Hampshire, with offices in Manchester, Concord and Portsmouth, is committed to helping recognize outstanding abilities and achievements of young people in the community. For further information about the Harvard Prize Book Award, contact Attorney Wolowitz at (603) 436-2818 or david.wolowitz@mclane.com