Rebecca Freeman one of twenty-four RI & MA eighth graders to win Williams College Book Award

Rebecca Freeman received the Williams College Book Award Tuesday, June 4th at the Honor’s Night at Cole Middle School. The Rhode Island Williams Association (RIWA), a Williams College regional alumni organization, has sponsored this award program for the last 22 years.  Believed to be the only alumni association award given to eighth graders (alumni association awards are typically given to juniors or seniors), RIWA feels strongly about the importance of recognizing and rewarding excellence as students are about to enter the challenging high school years. Donations from local Williams College alumni cover the cost of the awards. The schools themselves select the winners, based on “academic excellence, significant contributions to the extracurricular life of the school, and clear leadership potential.”  Twenty-three other outstanding students from schools all over Rhode Island and Massachusetts will join Rebecca this award season in receiving this honor.  Ben Johnson, Ph.D., a local Williams College alum presented the award.  Congratulations to all the recipients!  As a prominent gate at Williams College proclaims... “Climb high, Climb far. Your goal the sky, your aim the star.”