WESTFIELD — Makaylah Motyl thought she was in trouble when she was called to the principal’s office at Gateway Regional Middle School. Instead, she received a check as a winner in an essay contest sponsored by the local Elks lodge.
AGAWAM — Debra “Debbie” King never intended to become a teacher. She wanted to be a nurse, but an anatomy and physiology class changed her career plans and led to a teaching career.
WEST SPRINGFIELD — When Adam Mahdi entered West Springfield High School as a ninth grader, he wasn’t thinking about being valedictorian of his graduating class in 2024. He planned to play basketball, which he didn’t think would give him enough time to take AP classes.
AGAWAM — Liam Kennedy wasn’t trying to become Agawam High School’s valediction when he entered ninth grade. But that all changed around his junior year when he started seeing what his friends’ grade point averages were.