By Foster Steinbeck and Anne White
The mission of the Greenwich Sentinel is to build a stronger community. For the past few years, the Sentinel has given out an award that follows this mission to lift up and bring together our community, to identify and strengthen that which makes us stronger, and to help others when possible. The person must be someone who demonstrates leadership through their actions as well as inspire others. It is often said that “strength lies in differences, not in similarities.” The recipient of this award understands and applies this to the obstacles that they have overcome.
This year, the Greenwich Sentinel is pleased to announce Greenwich High School seniors Caitlyn Hone and Nicole “Nikki” Walko as inaugural high school winners for the 2020 Greenwich Sentinel Award for their leadership, work ethic, community service, and, as important, their absolute commitment to their peers. The strength of their resolve together and individually to support and protect others is the quality the Sentinel looks for above else. These young women are only just beginning their careers and we see them making even more of a difference, as they mature.
Sentinel publisher, Beth Barhydt, said they were not planning to give a high school award but Walko and Hone inspired her editorial team to create one.
“Caitlyn and Nikki have demonstrated all of those qualities we look for in our adult recipients,” Barhydt explained. “They are fierce in their support of others, ready to step in and help without thought of rewards or titles. They are as excited for the success of others as they are for themselves.
“These are two extraordinary young women and we feel privilaged to have been able to report on and witness their grace. In the end, we look for those who can serve as an example to others. We would all do well to follow their example.”
Walko and Hone became close friends during their freshman year. Throughout their high school careers they spent their fall semesters together on the girls’ ski team and then their spring semester together playing girls’ rugby.
“I think we’ve been through a lot because high school is so challenging, especially Greenwich High School, which is so big – it’s so hard to keep one solid friend group,” Hone said. “You can float around with the classes you have. So, to have the friendship with Nikki that I do, it’s a highlight of my high school career.”
During their junior year, the pair accomplished something they had been working toward for two years. They brought the school’s girls’ rugby team to prominence, turning the team from a school club to a varsity sport, after increasing the number of players. In its inaugural season, the team placed fourth in the state playoffs.
“It was one of those moments that you see in movies,” Walko said. “We didn’t win but we made it where we wanted to be.”
Hone went on in her senior year to serve as Captain of both the Varsity Rugby team and Varsity Ski team. Walko played for the Varsity Field Hockey team, Varsity Ski team, and Varsity Rugby team, earning multiple awards for her sportsmanship and leadership on the ski team.
Girls’ rugby coach, Erin Martschenko, said both girls played an important role on the team. She cited Hone as the “linchpin” for the team’s success and highlighted Walko’s “infectious” positive energy.
“After losing the semi-final, rather than putting their heads down, Caitlyn and her teammates huddled together tightly and chanted, ‘fourth in the state, fourth in the state….’ with so much pride and genuine joy. That was a moment that brought tears to my eyes,” said Martschenko.
In 1987, as a student at Greenwich High, Walko’s father, Steve Walko, was similarly involved in the mens’ rugby team. While saying his rugby stories had influenced his daughter, Walko cited his daughter as an independent thinker.
“It’s a testament to her,” Walko said. “She and her friends and the coaches went to practice, even though it was a club then, and treated it like a team.”
Girls’ ski coach Matthew Hartigan, who worked with Hone as the Captain of the team, said he will miss her good sense of humor and personality. He mentioned that when she is around her teammates, “they smile, are motivated, and go to her when they have questions,” and that “she is trusted by her teammates.” As a co-captain, she was responsible for helping the incoming members transition to ski racing and help people new to the sport.
For her part, Walko was also seen as a someone who her teammates and coaches could look towards for help, “Walko is intelligent and efficient and can be trusted to assist coaches and staff,” added Hartigan. “Other teammates respect her and appreciate her support.” And, “Nicole is always someone her teammates can go to with questions.”
Off the field, Walko and Hone were involved in several other extracurriculars. Walko served as president of the GHS History Club and was a member of the Science and Social Studies Honor Society. She also found time to volunteer at her church and serve as an Assistant Head Life Guard. Hone volunteered at the Stamford Museum and Nature Center and at St. Agnes Church and found time to instruct children in skiing. Both were honor roll students and members in the National Honor Society.
“[Receiving this award] means a lot,” Walko said. “I never thought working with the [rugby] team and doing something like this would be that significant. Just to see that it was recognized, and that people care about what we’re doing and what we have done with the team and everything else means a lot.”
Hone will attend St. Lawrence University in the fall on a pre-Law track. Walko will attend Trinity University in the fall on a pre-Med track.
The Sentinel Award for High School students is given by The Greenwich Sentinel Foundation. In addition to an engraved gift, the award comes with a scholarship of $1,000 for the recipients to put toward college expenses.
