Rochester H.S.

Graduates 20

By Martha Slater

Rochester High School held its 114^th commencement ceremony Saturday morning, June 14 in the traditional spot in front of the Civil War monument on the village park.

Clad in their blue and white caps and gowns, and led by class marshals Megan Harvey and Douglas Kingsbury, the 20 members of the RHS Class of 2008 processed across the park, to the strains of "Pomp and Circumstance" played by the school band. Graduating senior Christine Meagher sang the national anthem.

In his opening remarks, Principal John Poljacik observed that the almost-graduates "exhibited pride and stamina," and said, "I believe they hold the answers to the world’s problems."

"Our class has been together since kindergarten, and now we’re taking the next step in our lives—but this time without our mother’s hand and our lunch box," began salutatorian Christine Meagher. She spoke about the exciting experiences she had while she was an exchange student in Thailand last year, and advised her classmates that "to get the most out of life, get outside your comfort zone. You’ll gain a new perspective and more confidence, and you’ll always learn something about yourself."

"The big decisions you make in life are influenced by the little decisions you make," Meagher concluded, exhorting everyone to "take the path less traveled."

Noting that she liked "to be different and original," valedictorian Samantha Mishkit filled her speech with analogies based on her father’s advice that "life is like a game of poker."

"The people in your family are your pocket aces," she said. "Everyone has the opportunity to use the life cards they’re dealt—health, education, and community—and everyone makes the choice to use or abuse their cards. The health card is important because it’s to your advantage to take care of your physical and mental health. As for the education card, I may not be the smartest one up here, but I worked very hard."

Mishkit said she’d miss living in a small community, "where people who don’t even have kids come to watch you play basketball and you know everyone in your class. It’s not something that happens everywhere." She also praised the many groups "who work to meet the needs of the community."

Desiree Bourassa announced that the class gift would be a plaque in memory of David Allen, who taught at RHS for 30 years, and died last fall.

A novelist, storyteller, Vermont native, and self-described "collector of Vermont oddities," guest speaker Joe Citro elicited a laugh from the crowd when he began by announcing that he had been advised to "use a visual aid," and then held up a tiny photo slide.

Recalling the advice received at his own high school graduation in 1966, Citro noted that "one thing nobody told me was something I had to discover for myself—if you grew up here, no matter what you do, you become an unofficial ambassador for Vermont."

Citro also told several amusing true stories involving people from "away," as well as one of his father’s favorite stories (a parable delivered in true Vermont dialect) about a hunting dog retrieving a duck by walking across the water.

Citro concluded his remarks by asking the graduates to "think about what you already have packed in your life’s suitcase, what you already have to show for the life you’ve had, so far."

The graduates received their diplomas from school board chair Tim Crowley, who had the distinct pleasure of presenting one of them to his oldest son, Pat. They then turned their tassels, flung their caps skyward, and rang the old school bell, before forming a line to receive congratulations from the community.

Awards

Rochester Alumni Scholarships, Christine Meagher and Desiree Bourassa; Kirkpatrick Memorial Scholarship, Christine Meagher; Quarry Hill Creative Center Awards: Samantha Mishkit, Christine Meagher, and Eli Holmquist; Rte. 100 Snow Travelers Scholarships, Desiree Bourassa and Eli Holmquist; Advanced Illuminations Scholarship, Desiree Bourassa; Rochester Chamber Music Award, Christine Meagher; Inner Traditions "Go For It" Award, Desiree Bourassa; Oatmeal Studios Award, Eli Holmquist; Upper Valley Teachers Assoc. Award, Christine Meagher; and Rotary Scholarship, Desiree Bourassa.

Rodney L. Johnson Memorial Scholarship, Christine Meagher and Samantha Mishkit; White River Valley Players Award, Christine Meagher; Route 100 Lions Club Award, Justin Brouillard and Samantha Mishkit; Melissa Severy Memorial Scholarship, Desiree Bourassa; Class of 2007 Scholarship Awards: Desiree Bourassa, Christine Deller, and Patrick Crowley; Court St. Anthony Scholarship, Christine Meagher; White River Credit Union Scholarship, Desiree Bourassa; and Martin Farms Appreciation Award, Patrick Crowley.

Kyle Joseph Lizotte Award, Justin Brouillard; Marie Crovat Award, Samantha Mishkit; Special Faculty Award, Patrick Crowley; Tim "Toodles" Billings Award, Desiree Bourassa; John Baker Memorial Scholarship, Rebecca Dorman; Wing Scholarships: Desiree Bourassa, Samantha Mishkit, Christine Meagher, Rebecca Dorman, and Ashley LeBlanc; and Vermont Honor Scholarship, Samantha Mishkit.

Gilman Foundation Scholarships: Ashley LeBlanc, Desiree Bourassa, Mercedes Campbell, and Eli Holmquist; Alberta E. Fairbrother Memorial Award, Jonathan Colton; Rebekah Assembly of Vermont Award, Desiree Bourassa; David James Bourassa Memorial Award, Justin Brouillard and Desiree Bourassa; and RTCC Senior Awards, Dahcila Curley and Eli Holmquist.

RHS Grads and Plans

Desiree Bourassa, Simmons College; Justin Brouillard, Vt. Technical College; Mercedes Campbell, Castleton State College; Jonathan Colton, working world; Patrick Crowley, College of St. Joseph; Dahcila Curley, working world; Christine Deller, SUNY Plattsburgh; Rebecca Dorman, Castleton State College; Stephen Foley, working world; Richard Gaboury II, working world; Eli Holmquist, Vt. Technical College; Ashley LeBlanc, Vt. Technical College; Christine Meagher, University of Vermont; Samantha Mishkit, University of Vermont; Scott Mitchell, working world; Enrique Murray, Castleton State College; Mark Poole, working world; Joseph Schattenkerk, working world; Laura Smith, Ohio State University; Sonya Stone, working world.

____________