Talk of the Town by Patty Reiman

This month, the world’s attention will be on the 2024 Paris Olympics, and swimming is bound to bring lots of excitement. One local swimmer, Mackenzie DeWitt, achieved her goal of qualifying for and competing at the May Olympic trials in Canada. This was her second time qualifying for the Canadian trials, but she wasn’t able to attend in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hudson High alum Mackenzie DeWitt
earned a spot at the Canadian Olympic
trials. Photos submitted.

Mackenzie has been swimming since she was 5 and is about to enter her senior year at Ohio State University, where she swims for the Buckeyes. The 2021 Hudson High School grad has had her eye on the Olympics for quite a while.

“Every season on HEAT, we’d fill out a goal sheet for the season and for the future. Every year, my future goal was the same: to qualify for and compete at the Olympic trials,” she said. “Finally accomplishing this goal after 15 years in this sport has filled me with a great sense of accomplishment.”

Mackenzie’s parents – local veterinarians, Dr. Shane DeWitt and Dr. Tanya Grondin DeWitt – were born and raised in Canada, so she is a dual citizen. At the trials, Mackenzie finished the 100 fly in 1:01.78, just 26 seconds shy of her personal best time but not fast enough to earn a spot on the Olympic roster. She said she’s grateful for the once-in-a-lifetime experience and is looking forward to her final season at OSU.

“Being a part of HEAT and the HHS swim team has greatly shaped me and my swimming career,” she added. “Teammates developed into lifelong friendships. I am grateful for [coach] Matt Davis and his support and guidance through my time with both swim teams.”

Congrats to Hudson resident and recent high school graduate Jonathan Jin, who was named one of 21 Ohio semifinalists in the 2024 U.S. Presidential Scholars program. This year, only 625 students were chosen as semifinalists from across the nation. Individuals must be invited to apply and must have attained an exceptional ACT or SAT score that ranks them among the top 20 males or top 20 females in their state before further evaluation that includes personal characteristics, leadership and service activities.

Jonathan Jin

Jonathan graduated this past spring from Philips Academy Andover in Massachusetts. He spent his time at the boarding school actively involved in athletics (football and volleyball team captain) and extracurriculars that were based on academic and social interests. While at Philips, he received several writing and science honors and was founding drummer of the Burnouts, an indie/pop band that performed at school events.

Best of luck to you, Jonathan, as you head up north to the University of Michigan to major in economics and mathematics!

Several Hudson students and Hudson Middle School itself were recently recognized for writing and artwork aimed at inspiring compassion and empathy. HMS was named a School of the Year for its continued support of the “Stop the Hate” writing contest sponsored by Maltz Museum in Beachwood. Students Elizabeth Jia, Vandy Ickes and Helena Pearl were among the top essay writers in that contest. Mia Teusan and Anissa Halmaoui scored awards in the poetry category.

“This project helps the Hudson community better understand that some people may not feel a sense of belonging in our society and that we can all use our voice to make positive changes to the world around us,” HMS teacher Cathy Kantin said.

Separately, HMS students Emily Goertz, Mae Kosanovich, Lachlan Archer, Kamran Basran, Maggie Carr, Grace Ciborek, Tori Lee, Maxwell Monroe, William Patt, Hannah Reilly, Julian Schoff, Gwendolyn Stock, Mia Teusan, Eden Tipka, Robin Yan, Cristiano Negrillo, Daniella Sophia Salandanan and Mia Teusan turned out award winning art and writing projects in a contest sponsored by the Akron-Summit Council on Holocaust and Genocide Education.

HMS student Emily Goertz’s artwork was
on display at the Akron Public Library
following her first-prize win in a contest
sponsored by the Akron-Summit Council
on Holocaust and Genocide Education.
Photo by S. Serdinak.

To these outstanding Hudson students and others, enjoy the rest of your summer! Reach out to us at news@scriptype.com if you’ve got a story idea or some special news to share. ∞