21 Lynn public school students receive Laubner Awards

LYNN-For the first time, the Lynn Business Education Foundation presented 21 Lynn Public School students with the George F. Laubner Academic Award at Thursday night’s School Committee meeting.The Laubner awards, named for the late former superintendent, are a reincarnation of the Walter Harrison Academic Awards, given out for more than two decades by the former city pediatrician, who retired last summer.The LBEF decided to take over the program, which awards a $50 savings bond to one student from each school in grades five and eight, after speaking to Laubner’s brother, John, who agreed to support the program.The winning students were asked to write an essay describing how their education will effect their future and the future of the city of Lynn.”What (my brother) loved most was the school children,” John Laubner said speaking to a large crowd at the meeting. “He would be so pleased that we have some of the best children in the city of Lynn and in the state. I know my brother would be proud of what is happening here tonight.”Superintendent Catherine Latham and LBEF President Gale Thomas joined Laubner in presenting the savings bonds and certificates of honor to the students.The 2009 winners are Cesar Matul from Breed Middle School, Kelsey Littlefield from Marshall Middle School, Neyat Fiseha from Pickering Middle School, Ovenis Marinez from the Fecteau-Leary Junior/Senior High School, Alece Ntamuhanga from the Ford Annex, Amina Babic from the Aborn, Alondra Peral from Brickett, Shannon Magner from Callahan, Kosal Noum from Cobbet, Luz Matul from Connery, Gabrielle Graham from Drewicz, Rachel Gaudet from Ford, Molly Nhiv from Harrington, Zurich DeLeon from Hood, Claudia M. Buruca from Ingalls, Marina Broufas from Lincoln-Thompson, Jordan Corbishley from Lynn Woods, Shea Dunnigan from Sewell-Anderson, Riley Breen from Shoemaker, Emily Bucklin from Sisson and Bridget Sweeney from the Tracy school.