Friends and family of Siena Maturo describe her as kind, compassionate and intelligent. Maturo was a dedicated student, twin sister, track and cross country runner and friend to many NPHS students. Although Maturo tragically passed away on Feb. 27, 2025, her legacy lives on and is now going to be captured in a memorial plaque on the NPHS campus.
In order to raise funds for the memorial plaque, friends of Maturo organized a bake sale on Feb. 21, 2026. Zoey Sarrazine, senior, helped plan and promote the event. “We decided that using an Instagram account would be the best way to get other people in our grade and school involved,” Sarrazine said.
“A lot of people were able to get involved, whether it was baking items or getting involved through the Instagram, or stopping by to support us during the actual time of the bake sale,” Sarrazine said. “I would like people to remember Siena’s kindness and her compassion for everyone. She would always do the right thing and always put a smile on people’s faces,” Sarrazine said.
Millie Hampton, junior, worked alongside Sarrazine to organize the bake sale. Hampton particularly wanted to raise funds for a plaque because she recognized its permanence. “It is a nice, permanent reminder that she was a really, really good person and that everyone should just remember who she was,” Hampton said.
The bake sale had a substantial turnout, securing enough funds to purchase a memorial plaque. “I wasn’t expecting as many people to really repost and show up to it, but I feel like it just brought everyone closer in a more emotional way,” Hampton said. “Siena always knew what to say to make anyone feel better in the moment. She was just a really great person, and I wish everyone got to know her,” Hampton said.
Amelia Abram, senior, helped organize a sign-up sheet for people bringing baked goods. Abram noticed that the event helped many people connect emotionally. “A lot of people who hadn’t talked with each other, but all knew her, got together to work, and it was nice to see how much people cared,” Abram said. “[The plaque] is just a good memory for friends and family in the future, and it’s kind of like showing somebody that you care about them, even if they can’t see it in the most traditional sense,” Abram said.
Prior to the bake sale, the goal was $230. More than enough funds were raised, totaling over $2,000. The remaining funds are going towards the Siena Maturo Memorial Scholarship fund. Maturo is deeply loved and missed, and her legacy carries on in the hearts of her friends and family. “One of the reasons we wanted to have the plaque is just to remember her legacy, because she was such a great person and friend to all of us,” Sarrazine said.