Date: Fri 13-Jun-1997

Publication: Bee

Author: DOTTIE

Quick Words:

top-students-Kalb-Tuot-grads

Full Text:

Top Students At NHS For `97: Lauren Kalb (valedictorian) & Delphine Tuot

(salutatorian)

(with photo)

BY DOROTHY EVANS

Webster's dictionary defines the word "benchmark" as a fixed and enduring

object or point of reference - something against which one measures progress.

A benchmark is used to set a standard.

Friday evening at 5 pm, 245 Newtown High School seniors will celebrate a

benchmark moment in their lives, as they look back on their last 17 or 18

years and prepare to receive their high school diplomas.

No doubt, high spirits and hilarity will be the dominant mood as the Class of

1997 sits down together for the last time and listens to several commencement

speakers offering carefully chosen words or wisdom.

Among those speakers will be Valedictorian Lauren Kalb and Salutatorian

Delphine Tuot, two academically outstanding students who have been a part of

the class throughout four years of high school and longer.

Lauren started in kindergarten and Delphine moved into Newtown in the seventh

grade.

They have firsthand knowledge of what their classmates have achieved and where

their abilities and talents lie. In their speeches, they may want to share

their own particular insights into what might come next.

Poised to receive their diplomas and become Newtown High School graduates, the

entire Class of 1997 will be sharing a benchmark moment - and the rest is

ceremony. The singing of the alma mater, the recessional, the picture-taking,

the hugs and the tears.

Valedictorian

Lauren Kalb

The daughter of Ron and Donna Kalb, Lauren lives on Taunton Hill Road with her

parents and 14-year-old twin brothers, Eric and Mark.

Headed for Brown University in the fall, Lauren says that academic freedom is

what she looks forward to most. She anticipates designing her own curriculum,

exploring diverse course opportunities in English and philosophy, hopefully

taking "nothing really practical."

She had a taste of that academic freedom during her senior year at Newtown

High, in teacher Kerry Baldwin's AP English class.

"We read a lot of great books and didn't discuss them too much. She encouraged

us to think for ourselves, even disagree with her," Lauren said.

Although Lauren looks forward to the "more relaxed" atmosphere of college

life, she knows she thrives on challenge.

She cited her experience as manager of the Newtown Boy's Swim Team, which was

a more demanding job than she'd imagined when she signed on.

"We had to set up for home meets, do times, manage the stop watches and keep

records. Sometimes with only four watches, we had to keep track of six lanes

and get the splits, too," Lauren said.

She was a member of the Newtown Girl's Swim Team, which she enjoyed, but she

won't be swimming for Brown, which is a Division I school, she said, because

"I'm not that good."

This summer, Lauren plans to pursue her hobby of painting watercolors, be a

lifeguard at the town park, and read more of those great books she has

recently discovered.

Right now, she is "not very far" into the science fiction classic by Robert

Heinlein, A Stranger In A Strange Land , but will "get into it" after

graduation, when she has more time.

Salutatorian

Delphine Tuot

When Delphine Tuot talks about attending Stanford University in the fall, her

eyes sparkle with anticipation.

"I can't wait. I'm so excited," she said recently, looking forward to a life

on the West Coast, which she said would suit her lifestyle perfectly.

"It's more relaxed, not so uptight. Everyone is very friendly. They lead a

balanced life out there," she said, speaking from her experience of visiting

the Stanford campus in April.

A balanced life is very important to Delphine, and it's what she's already

managed to carve out for herself at Newtown High School.

Although she plans to major in science and biology and hopes for a career in

medicine, Delphine will no doubt be almost as equally involved in sports,

music and service to her college community.

At Newtown, she was active in the Key Club, played violin in the Concert

Orchestra and participated in volleyball and tennis.

"Activities after school have helped me in school as well," she said, noting

that she had to work at time management and focusing her energies to fit

everything in.

This summer, Delphine and her parents, Danielle and James Tuot, along with her

younger sister, Chloe, may visit France for six weeks to "see family and

friends."

Then, before she knows it, she'll be packing her bags for California.