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The holiday break is over and it’s time to recognize once again the incredible achievements of Rhode Island’s high school students.
Below you will find the nominations for The Providence Journal’s Student of the Week initiative and it’s time for you to pick the best of the best.
Voting is open until noon on Thursday, Jan. 16.
High schools across the state have been asked to submit nominations. A new round of nominees and voting will be available every Monday and close the following Thursday.
Participating Rhode Island high school principals, teachers and guidance counselors nominated students they say have shown outstanding academic and school achievement and community service.
We will announce a winner on providencejournal.com on Friday and in print in the Providence Sunday Journal.
Take a look at this week’s nominees and cast your ballot below.
Matalyn McLaughlin, Ponaganset High School
Ponaganset High School would like to nominate Matalyn McLaughlin as the Providence Journal Student of the Week. Matalyn is the ultimate verbal communicator. As a peer mentor assigned to a freshman home base, Matalyn enters the room with a huge smile and has control of the space. She immediately has the students’ attention and carries out the mentoring task with the control of a well-seasoned teacher. This student is a poster child of the PHS Vision of a Graduate as she displays all four of the learner qualities. Overall, she is an asset to the school and exemplifies the type of person we strive to educate at Ponaganset High School.
Marcos Ramirez, Toll Gate High School
Marcos Ramirez of Toll Gate High School won the 120lb bracket (35 wrestlers) at the Marshfield Holiday last week and now is currently ranked 20th in New England.
Kate Maness, South Kingstown High School
Kate Maness is an outstanding student and a leader and advocate for others in the South Kingstown High School community. She is an All-State field hockey player. She served as a team captain this year and is using her senior project to run a field hockey tournament to support the sport and donate money back to the SKHS program. Kate is a co-coordinator of the SKHS Freshmen Mentors, supporting ninth graders weekly in advisory and organizing student support for open house, showcase, and orientation events. As president of SKHS’s SafeBae chapter, Kate is an advocate against the normalization of sexual assault and promotes support for victims. Kate is also president of the SKHS Civics Club and a member of the RI Secretary of State’s Civic Liaison Program, meeting monthly with state staff and other RI students monthly, and working to increase youth civic engagement locally.
Landon Resendes, Middletown High School
Landon Resendes is a senior who was selected as one of two Rhode Island students to attend the US Youth Senate Program. In addition, he is our student government president and student liaison to the school committee and is retiring this month.
Landon is a natural-born leader, and a member of our winning Mock trial team, as well as our The Wave newspaper.
Local News
A Rhode Island husband and wife in their 50s were identified as the two people killed in a Swansea car crash Friday night.
Carlolyn Carcasi, 54, and James Carcasi, 53, of Bristol, Rhode Island, were killed in the Feb. 27 crash, the office of Bristol County District Attorney Thomas Quinn said in a press release Monday.
The crash occurred at the intersection of Route 136 and Route 6 in Swansea, Quinn’s office said.
Police in Cranston, Rhode Island identified the driver who allegedly hit the couple as Demitri Sousa, 28. Sousa allegedly shot and killed a man in Rhode Island nearly four hours before the crash, Cranston police said.
At around 12:18 a.m. Friday, Swansea police spotted Sousa’s Infiniti barreling down Route 6, Swansea officials said previously.
The couple was driving southbound on Route 136 when the Sousa crashed into the side of a Subaru Ascent. Both cars had “catastrophic damage,” and the Subaru was engulfed in flames, Swansea fire and police officials said.
Both occupants of the Subaru were declared dead at the scene, Swansea officials said.
Sousa was transported to a local hospital, where he is being treated for serious injuries. He is expected to live and will be held in Cranston police custody until he is medically cleared, police said Sunday.
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CRANSTON, R.I. (WJAR) — Women’s Fund of Rhode Island and U.S. Sen. Jack Reed celebrated Women’s History Month in Cranston with a panel discussion on Monday.
The event was held at the Cranston Public Library at 9 a.m.
Reed and other leaders of WFRI hosted a panel discussion with women leaders in environmental and agricultural advocacy, education, community resilience, housing, finance, workforce development, and more, officials said.
Women’s Fund of Rhode Island and U.S. Sen. Jack Reed celebrated Women’s History Month in Cranston with a panel discussion on Monday. (WJAR)
“Women have played a critical role in this process, most often without any recognition,” Reed said. “Today’s panel brings together an extraordinary group of women who are addressing the challenged of sustainability from various angles and I want to thank you all for your great efforts.”
The panelists highlighted their experiences, shared insights and tips on lifting up women’s voices, provided strategies for sparking change and more.
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According to officials, some of the panelists included Executive Director of the Rhode Island Food Policy Council Nessa Richman, Executive Director of Strategic Initiatives at Rhode Island College Kim Bright, Newport Housing Authority Executive Director Rhonda Mitchell and more.
Local News
A Seekonk man is accused of murder after he allegedly shot and killed a man in Rhode Island before causing a car crash in Swansea that killed two people last week, police said.
Demitri Sousa, 28, is charged with murder, using a firearm while committing a crime of violence, and carrying a pistol without a license, the Cranston Police Department said.
The shooting occurred Thursday night in Cranston, police said in a press release.
That night, Sousa allegedly arrived at the Cranston home of Javon Lawson, 35. Sousa began banging on the side door of the home, police said.
When Lawson approached the door, he was hit by gunfire from outside, police said.
First responders transported Lawson to the Rhode Island Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, Cranston police said.
“Based on the preliminary investigation, the motive is believed to be a dispute between the suspect and the victim over a mutual female acquaintance. Detectives are continuing this investigation to gain more insight, as well as to collect and analyze evidence,” Colonel Michael Winquist, Chief of Cranston police, said in an emailed statement to Boston.com.
Neighbors gave police video footage that “showed a male subject wearing dark clothing and a mask walking toward the residence moments before the shooting and fleeing immediately afterward,” Winquist said.
The suspect was also seen running to a white Infiniti sedan which then drove off, the Cranston police chief said.
Shortly after the shooting, a license plate reader captured the vehicle driving southbound on Route 10, and then later in Fall River and Westport, Massachusetts. The sedan’s license plate was registered in Sousa’s name, Winquist said.
At around 12:18 a.m. Friday, Swansea police spotted Sousa’s Infiniti barreling down Route 6, Swansea officials said.
Just moments later, Sousa allegedly “crashed into the side of another vehicle, a blue 2022 Subaru Ascent that had been traveling southbound on Route 136,” Swansea Police Chief Mark Foley and Fire Chief Eric Hajder said in a joint press release.
Both vehicles had “catastrophic damage,” and the struck car was engulfed in flames, the Swansea officials said.
The driver and passenger of the hit car — a man and a woman — were declared dead at the scene, they said.
“Swansea Police had been alerted to be on the lookout for the suspect vehicle. However, Swansea Police were not involved in the pursuit and were not pursuing the vehicle at the time of the crash,” the Swansea chiefs wrote. Swansea official have not announced charges related to the fatal crash.
Sousa had been driving the Infiniti and appeared to be suffering from serious injuries, Winquist said. Inside the car, police found a pistol and “additional .22 caliber ammunition was recovered” from Sousa at Rhode Island Hospital, Winquist said.
Police arrested Sousa and transported him to Rhode Island Hospital. Sousa is expected to survive, Winquist said. Sousa will be held in Cranston police custody until he is conscious and medically cleared, Winquist said.
“On behalf of the Cranston Police Department, I want to extend my deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of Javon Lawson and the two individuals who were killed in the crash in Swansea,” Winquist said.
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