Southeastern senior and U.S. Presidential Scholar nominee Piper Culp, right, with Commissioner Jeffrey Riley. (Photo courtesy Massachusetts Association of Vocational Administrators) 
Southeastern senior Piper Culp poses for photos with her family following last week’s event. (Photo courtesy Massachusetts Association of Vocational Administrators) 
Each of the six students were presented with awards from Commissioner Riley at the event. (Photo courtesy Massachusetts Association of Vocational Administrators) 
The six U.S. Presidential Scholar nominees honored by MAVA last week. From left, Shanay Patel, Worcester Technical High School; Lourdes Luna Ceballos, Greater Lawrence Regional Technical High School; Sophia Zoghbi, Worcester Technical High School; Piper Culp, Southeastern Regional Vocational Technical High School; Beck Hermann, Essex North Shore Agricultural & Technical School; Chloe Simard, Whittier Regional Vocational Technical High School. (Photo courtesy Massachusetts Association of Vocational Administrators)
SOUTH EASTON — Superintendent Luis Lopes and Principal Leslie Weckesser are pleased to report that Southeastern Regional Vocational Technical High School senior Piper Culp was honored last week for being a U.S. Presidential Scholar nominee.
The recognition took place at the Massachusetts Association of Vocational Administrators (MAVA) spring membership meeting held in Marlborough. As part of the March 3 meeting, Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) Commissioner Jeffrey Riley recognized Culp and five other vocational and technical school students for being U.S. Presidential Scholar nominees.
To conclude the meeting, Commissioner Riley presented each of the students with an award on behalf of the state. An administrator from each student’s school read a list of their accomplishments for those in attendance, with Culp’s presenter being Principal Weckesser.
“Piper has been such an active member of her community, and has shown great dedication to education,” said Principal Weckesser. “She is a wonderful young lady and I wish her the best of luck. I’m very proud that she’s pursuing a career in STEM.”
Culp, who is from East Bridgewater, has been on the honor roll every term of her high school career and will be graduating with her associate’s degree along with her high school diploma this year. She is a peer tutor, a member of the math club, and captain of the beekeeping team. She is an intern at Massasoit Community College and is part of the school’s Natural and Life Sciences Program. She is also a member of the National Honor Society.
Outside of school, Culp helps her mom at her print shop, Happy Frog Ink, in East Bridgewater. She has also volunteered at the East Bridgewater Business Association and has worked as a Little Vikings Junior Counselor and at Central Street Café, both in East Bridgewater.
She additionally holds a General OSHA 10 Certification, Until Help Arrives Certificate of Achievement and COVID-19 Contact Tracing Training Course Certificate.
The U.S. Presidential Scholar Award is a prestigious award given to distinguished high school students across the country. The award is one of the highest honors given to high school students, as only around 3,000 students across the country are nominated per year. As part of the process six students from local technical high schools were nominated this year.
“We are thrilled that Piper has been nominated as a Presidential Scholar, and the recognition is very well deserved for everything she has done in the classroom and in the community,” Superintendent Lopes said. “Piper embodies what it means to be a Southeastern student, with her passion for learning, willingness to help others and desire to make a real difference in the world.”
Finalists for U.S. Presidential Scholars Program will be selected and announced by the U.S. Department of Education in April, and will attend an awards breakfast in Washington, D.C.
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