Scarborough Living proudly congratulates all Scarborough graduates. May you chase your dreams with courage, lead with kindness, and always be curious.
SHS’s Top-Ranked Graduates and Their Postsecondary Plans
Jose A. Bencomo: University of Maryland
Carter C. Blanche: Virginia Tech
Fletcher O. Bristol: Elon University
Sydney D. Cloutier: Georgetown University
Eleonora J. de Vries: Clark University
Charlotte I. Durgin University of Vermont
Isabella P. Harmon: University of Connecticut
Lio J. Jeanneret: Concordia University
Lucas P. Klimkowski: Carnegie Mellon University
Edward A. Knutson: Southern Maine Community College
Vaishnavi Kuppala: University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill
Alden C. Liang: Colby College
Natalie J. Morgenbesser: University of California, Berkeley
Tran B. Nguyen: Southern Maine Community College
Ren Ciara Oenema: Maastricht University
Nana Akua Difie Osei: Dickinson College
Katarina M. Ousback: Duke University
Daniel P. Polisner: Bates College
Aditi Prasad: Colby College
Abigail M. Rasquinha: Northeastern University
Reed W. Thurrell: Bryant University
Julia E. Wardrop: Stonehill College
Cullen A. Whitaker: University of Wisconsin-Madison
SHS’s 2026 Valedictorian and Salutatorian
Scarborough High School 2026 valedictorian is Vaishnavi Kuppala, daughter of Aruna Badiga and Venkata Kuppala. Vaishnavi served as a Student Council Representative during her freshman and sophomore year and was a member of the National Honor Society, Math Team, Robotics Club, Art Club, Civil Rights Club, and Key Club. During her senior year, she served as an AP Biology Teaching/Lab Assistant, Media Relations Officer for the Civil Rights Club, and captain for her VEX Robotics Team.
Outside of school, Vaishnavi interned at the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Oncology Department as a research shadow. During her junior year, she was one of 12 students accepted to the NASA Maine Space Grant Consortium’s MERITS Research program, where she performed research in biomedical engineering at the University of Maine at Orono.
Her honors and awards include SHS academic awards, such as excellence awards in Spanish, Mathematics, and United States History; the Princeton Book Award; Maine Seal of Biliteracy in Spanish; recognition as a National Merit Finalist; and recognition as a Maine Affiliate Winner and National Honorable Mention for the National Center for Women & Information Technology’s Aspirations in Computing Award.
During her summers, Vaishnavi led the Florida Telugu Cultural Society’s Youth Mentorship Program as a lead student volunteer, mentoring cohorts of over 100 students in mathematics, science, and history, for which she was a gold honoree for the President’s Volunteer Service Award. Vaishnavi will attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in the fall, where she plans to study Neuroscience and Public Health, with the goal of attending medical school.
Scarborough High School’s 2026 salutatorian is Katarina Ousback, daughter of Brad and Martina Ousback. Katarina served as President of Scarborough High School’s Student Council and was a member of Key Club, National Honor Society, Sources of Strength, and Model United Nations.
As an involved community volunteer and member of Scarborough Key Club, Katarina served as the Key Club Division 4 Lieutenant Governor during her junior year and as the New England and Bermuda Key Club District Governor during her senior year. In this role, she represented nearly 7,000 students and launched a district-wide initiative that successfully raised more than $30,000 for Camp Sunshine.
During the summer before her junior year, Katarina worked in the United States Senate as a U.S. Senate Page. Katarina also served in leadership roles at Dirigo State, where she was elected Senator and Senate Minority Leader. During her senior year, she was selected as one of two students representing Maine in the prestigious United States Senate Youth Program.
Throughout high school, Katarina also participated in indoor and outdoor track. Honors and awards include Coca-Cola Scholarship Semifinalist, the Maine Youth Volunteer Honor Roll, National Latin Exam awards, the Harvard College Book Award, the AP Scholar with Distinction award, and multiple academic awards, including “Most Outstanding Student” in AP US Government, AP Economics, AP Latin Prose, Latin I, and Business. As a National History Day participant, Katarina also earned first place in Maine for her documentary on women in politics and first place in Southern Maine for her documentary on revolutions and reforms surrounding communism in Czechoslovakia.
Katarina will attend Duke University to study Public Policy and Economics, with the goal of becoming a lawyer and eventually serving in public office.
