By Bradlee Dowling and Sienna Lamond, ’26
Editor in Chief and Staff Writer
This year, The Hawk will profile some of the truly special students in the Class of 2026. Each issue, we’ll ask several seniors about their Hanover High School experience to get to know a little bit more about them before they head off into the world. The chosen seniors showcase excellence, whether as a team captain, award winner, club leader, or academic achiever. Read our previous profiles at Senior Spotlight.
Samuel Light
Samuel Light has lived in Hanover his whole life, and over the years he’s built a very impactful high school experience. Sam has always loved athletics; he started out playing basketball and baseball in elementary school, and those sports have stuck with him ever since. Even now, he’s just as involved and says that going to games or playing in them himself has been one of his favorite parts of school.
High school also has given Sam the chance to explore other parts of his life. Over the past few years, he’s grown a lot closer to his religious beliefs and has become much more involved in church activities. In fact, he took that passion one step further by starting the Bible Club at HHS.
Looking back, Sam says one thing he misses about elementary and middle school is simple but nostalgic: “playdates.” Beyond that, he’s found things in high school that really stick out. Academically, he’s loved engineering and names Mrs. Collins as one of his favorite teachers. “She cares, and she shows it,” he says.
Outside of class and sports, Sam has also developed some unexpected skills. He runs a lawn mowing business, which he says has helped spark his interest in the business world. His dedication to work – whether on the court, in class, or mowing lawns -has earned him recognition as well. One of his proudest achievements is winning the Wayward Award for Sportsmanship from the MIAA. That meant a lot to him, because it’s completely about how you carry yourself, not just the score or stats.
When it comes to reflecting on high school, Sam’s favorite year is either freshman or senior year. He says both brought different experiences that helped him grow. If he could do it all over again, he admits he would spend less time complaining and more time appreciating the moment. “I’d take my time with stuff,” he says. “There’s no point in stressing about little things. You just gotta enjoy it.”
For Sam, the biggest lesson from his time at Hanover is clear and straightforward: “Hard work actually does pay off, working hard is actually worth something.” With college on the horizon and plans to study business, Sam is taking that lesson – and all the skills, friendships, and experiences he’s gathered – with him into the next chapter of his life.
Shane Mahoney
Shane Mahoney has been part of the Hanover community since first grade, when he moved here from Rockland, and much of his time in school has been shaped by the activities and interests he has stuck with over the years.
One of the most prominent activities in Shane’s life is hockey, a sport he began playing at a young age and continued throughout high school. His dedication to the sport paid off when he became a hockey captain, an accomplishment he says he is especially proud of. While hockey has always been important to him, Shane also discovered a new passion in high school – lacrosse – which he says became one of the best activities he has participated in.
Academically, Shane’s favorite class has been English, particularly with Mrs. Cotter. He explains that he enjoyed the class because “I always find it interesting,” and because it allowed him to focus on writing, research, and open-minded discussions. He appreciated being able to “come up with your own answers and be able to argue,” which made the class feel really engaging and meaningful.
Outside of sports and academics, Shane has interests that many people may not know about. One of these is playing the guitar, which he completely taught himself. Looking back at his four years of high school, Shane says senior year has been his favorite (so far), because it has allowed him to feel more comfortable and confident. If he could go back and do high school over again, he says he “wouldn’t stress about little things,” explaining that “in the grand scheme of things, enjoying yourself is much more important.”
After high school, Shane plans to attend college in the Midwest, where he hopes to study management. Reflecting on his time at Hanover, Shane says the biggest lesson he has learned is to stay true to yourself. “Be yourself, express who you are,” he says, adding that he “would like to see people try to be themselves more.” As he prepares to graduate in a couple months, Shane leaves Hanover with lasting friendships, meaningful experiences, and a mindset focused on confidence and enjoying the moment.
Charlie Campbell
Charlie Campbell started school in Hanover in kindergarten and has lived here his whole life. Throughout middle and elementary school, he played hockey and lacrosse. He says, “they are my favorite things to do,” and still plays them today.
In high school, Charlie started playing football. He has played now all four years, “which has been awesome to be part of.”
In elementary and middle school, Charlie’s grandparents used to pick him up from school, “and I miss that a lot.”
His favorite classes have been history with Mr. Perry, video production with Mr. Patch, and precalculus with Mr. Boutin. “[Mr. Perry] made history fun to learn and that was something I didn’t love before,” Charlie says. “[Mr. Patch] gives us the chance to be creative,” he explains, “and…math is my favorite subject and I like the way [Mr. Boutin] teaches it as he helps a lot.”
Charlie’s favorite school activity has been playing for the lacrosse team.
Charlie plans on attending college to study business. He believes that high school has influenced his choice, “by recommending colleges to me that I could succeed at.”
One accomplishment he is proud of is being named captain for the lacrosse team for his senior year. Congrats, Charlie!
Outside of school, Charlie referees for youth lacrosse and youth hockey games. He used to work at Brothers Bar and Grill as a busser as well, though he doesn’t anymore.
His favorite year in high school has been sophomore year, “because of the teachers I had that made the year fun, the seniors were a great group that year.” And perhaps the biggest detail from that year, “my (football) team made it to Gillette Stadium that year which was an unreal experience.”
If he could restart high school from the beginning, Charlie, “would try much harder in my classes.” He also wishes that he spent more time not worrying about things that truly didn’t matter in the end.
If he had to take away one lesson from all of high school, it would be, “to always live in the moment and cherish every moment because high school goes by very quick.”
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