Weston High School Student Wins Statewide Math, Science Achievement Award

A Weston High School student was recently named a winner of a prestigious award in science and mathematics, the only Weston student ever to be given the award.

Grace Huckins, a 16-year-old senior, was named a winner of the Siemens award, a signature program of the Siemens Foundation administered by the College Board that recognizes the country’s top achievers in Advanced Placement Program (AP) science and mathematics courses.

According to a press release from Siemens, the award is given to one male and one female student in each state and comes with a $2000 scholarship. This year, 101 high school students in 50 states, including 96 seniors, 4 juniors and 1 sophomore, were recognized.

Huckins said though she was aware of the award, she had “no inkling” she was going to get it. 

But given her roster of academic achievements and pursuits, it’s quite likely that few others in her school community share her surprise.

Among those achievements include many state-level awards and acknowledgments in math and science as well as serving as the captain of the school’s science team and co-captain of its math team.

“From third grade I accelerated in math in school. I just happen to get it easily,” said Huckins, who skipped the fourth grade. As for science, she said, “I appreciate the opportunities it affords you to understand the world on a completely different level.”

And her aptitude isn’t limited to those disciplines. She’s also garnered awards and achievements in English and other subjects and currently serves as the editor of Maelstrom, WHS’s literary magazine. What’s more, Huckins has competed on the school’s High School Quiz Show team for two years, an experience she called “a lot of fun.”

Huckins’s achievements have also caught the attention of Weston Superintendent of Schools Cheryl Maloey, who called Huckins an “amazing young woman.”

“I have had the good fortune to watch Grace excel in a range of endeavors from the classroom, to the orchestra and even under the theatrical lights of the WGBH Quiz Show,” said Maloney. “She is an amazing young woman and an outstanding member of our student body. The Siemens award is extremely prestigious and we are very proud of her.”

Currently, Huckins is awaiting news from her colleges of choice--Harvard, Yale and Princeton--and intends to study neuroscience.