By Bradlee Dowling & Sienna Lamond, ’26

Co-editor in Chief and Staff Writer

This year, The Hawk has profiled some of the truly special students in the Class of 2026. Each issue, we’ve asked 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.

Brianna Adams

Brianna Adams moved to Hanover from Randolph when she was just 2 years old! Since then, she’s been attending Hanover Public Schools. In elementary school, she started playing soccer, and she continued through her senior season of high school. She shares, “Through my involvement in soccer, I made a lot of new friends that I am still close with, even though the season is over.” 

In high school, Brianna started doing HOSA (Health Occupations Students of America). She is currently the volunteer coordinator for the club. She explains, “My role is to facilitate and carry out any service projects proposed by members of the group.” This is the club’s first year competing in the Massachusetts HOSA Leadership Conference, where Brianna will participate in a Behavioral Health event individually and a Health Education event with her team of two other members. “For Health Education, we are creating a lesson about food allergies to provide information and raise awareness about them. We then get to teach this lesson to a local Girl Scout Troop and submit our experiences to be considered for the HOSA International Leadership Conference,” she elaborates. In 2014, Brianna started Taekwondo and became a second-degree black belt before taking a break sophomore year. “I really enjoyed Taekwondo,” she explains, “because it made me feel confident and gave me a sense of discipline.” She misses the friends she made, “but we all meet up at Sweet Frog and hang out sometimes,” she says.

In high school, Brianna has been an exceptional student. She has always loved history and social science classes, so her favorite classes have been AP World History with Mr. Brown, AP U.S. History with Mr. Perry, and AP Psychology with Mrs. McCusker. She has genuinely enjoyed learning the course content in each of these classes and simply learning about historically and scientifically significant events. However, her favorite teacher has always been Mrs. Gately, “for her constant support and positivity both in class and the clubs she advises: Unified Sports and Friendship Connection.”

Brianna’s favorite high school activity has been Vox, the school’s select choral ensemble. “I have found some of my best friends in Vox, and the community is unmatched in its constant support.” Not only has Brianna been a dedicated member of Vox for the past two years, but she is now also the Vice President of the group. As Vice President, she assumes the responsibility of maintaining this special community and ensuring that the same energy is passed on to next year’s members. “It is truly something that has changed my high school experience for the better.” Vox is known for singing the national anthem at high school football and basketball games, and this has been one of her favorite activities within the choir. “I’ve been given the responsibility of handling the new ‘boom mic’ when we sing, and I take my job very seriously,” she adds.

After graduating, Brianna plans to study neuroscience. She isn’t exactly sure which path she will take with this degree, but she knows for certain that she wants to work in health care. “My decision to study neuroscience was motivated by my close relationship with the neurodivergent students that I have become great friends with through Unified Sports and Friendship Connection,” she shares. “In my chosen field, I hope to work with children who face similar conditions and help them live their lives to the fullest despite their differences.”

One accomplishment Brianna has felt proud of during her high school pursuits has been her success in DECA (Distributive Education Clubs of America). As a junior, the first year our school DECA chapter competed in the district conference, she and her partner went in completely blind to what this academic competition was truly like, but they ended up leaving with a clean sweep of the Marketing and Management Team Decision Making category. In her senior year, she and her partner competed in the same category again, scoring second place and earning the opportunity to compete at the state conference in March. At states, they finished fifth and qualified for the national competition, held in Atlanta in late April. “I am proud of my partner’s and my victory in something we were both not initially very experienced in.”

Outside of school, people may not know that Brianna is a preschool teacher at her church as well as the President of her church’s teen group. “I have been teaching since the beginning of my junior year, and I absolutely love it. Since I teach preschoolers, the class curriculum consists of a new craft every week and a small lesson about the Orthodox Christian faith,” she explains, “but the craft is really what the students look forward to.” Although the kids she teaches are 2-4 years old, she has formed personal relationships with each of them, sits with them during church, and enjoys walks to the church classroom together.

Her favorite year of high school was easily junior year. Despite finding it difficult to prepare to apply to college while simultaneously finishing the school year with good grades, the year as a whole overflowed with fun memories and enjoyable classes. “My teachers and two best friends, who were in all my classes, are really what made junior year my favorite.” If given the chance to do high school over again, she has a few things she would do differently. Academically, a couple classes she wishes she could’ve taken are Anatomy and AP Calculus. She also wishes she had taken freshman year a bit more seriously, knowing how it sets up the rest of one’s high school career. “However,” she says, “the main thing I would do differently would be to not take high school for granted. The seniors who told me these four years would fly by freshman year really were not kidding. These have been the fastest but some of the best years of my life, and I wish I had truly stopped and appreciated every moment.”

One lesson Brianna puts above all else is, “enjoy the little things and not take any moment for granted.” She has learned how important it is to be present in every moment. Her time left at HHS is limited, and she intends to spend every last moment well.

Heather McGinnis

Heather McGinnis moved to the town and came to Hanover Public Schools in 2013. She started first grade at Cedar Elementary School. When she was younger, she played all kinds of sports like softball, basketball, wrestling, golf, hockey, and soccer. Today, she still plays hockey and softball, and these are very special to her. She believes she is a very competitive person and loves meeting new people, and playing on these teams has allowed her to do both. Whether she was in elementary, middle, or high school, Heather has always kept a smile on her face and a positive attitude. She strongly believes in the importance of positivity, and cherishes her ability to choose it whenever she can.

Upon entering high school, Heather learned the importance of being open to trying things she had never tried before, “hanging out with new people, going to a different sporting event, or spending more time focusing on schoolwork,” she says. Being able to be more social and explore the waters outside of her comfort zone has allowed her to make some of her closest friends who she previously never imagined she’d be friends with. “Being a part of clubs and activities has allowed me to better my communication skills and do more for my community,” she says.

In elementary and middle school, Heather used to spend hours playing outside, bike riding, going on walks and hikes in the woods, and spending time with friends. Now, being so caught up with schoolwork and other activities and responsibilities, she finds it difficult to spend time outside like she used to.

Her favorite classes during high school have been Accounting and Art. For her, “Accounting has taught me many valuable lessons, how to manage money, file taxes, and budgeting, preparing me for adulthood.” On the other side of things, she says, “Art has allowed me to unlock my creative side I never thought I had and create something really special art.” Beyond these being her favorite classes, they just so happen to be with her favorite teachers. “Mr. File has been one of my favorite teachers as he is always so chill and such an encouraging teacher.” Heather expresses that he always sees the best in everyone’s art abilities and has compassion for all of his students. “Mrs. P has also been one of my favorite teachers as she has supported me throughout my four years and has been someone I can always talk to. She is extremely hard working and cares for all her students deeply,” Heather explains.

In high school, Heather’s favorite activity has been playing sports. She has built close friendships through the hockey and softball teams and she always has a good time playing. She also loves attending games: “I love the sports atmosphere and its competitive nature.” After high school, Heather plans to attend college and major in engineering. During her time at HHS, she loved her engineering classes and learned that this area of study excites her most. Some accomplishments she has felt most proud of are being named captain for both softball and hockey, “as well as being named unsung hero for my hockey team,” she adds. She puts so much hard work into her athletics, so being recognized means a lot to her. 

Outside of school, she volunteers in the summer helping teach street hockey to kids. “I love the sport and it brings me joy working with kids,” she says. She also has discovered golf and pickleball as fun and interesting activities outside of the classroom.

Her favorite year of high school was freshman year: “it was full of meeting new people and exploring a new school.” She recalls everything being a little scary and intimidating, but with the promise of everything to come, she thinks of that year fondly. She also loves her time so far as a senior, “as I know everything and can be more confident,” she answers. Heather admits that if she could do high school over again, there isn’t much she would do differently. “I’m glad with all the experiences I’ve been through,” she explains. If she had to do anything differently, she would wish she had more confidence going into high school, “to be more successful in my classes and have the reassurance that everything was going to be okay.” Her one lesson to take away? “Be yourself and always have a positive attitude.”

By Bradlee Dowling & Sienna Lammond, ’26

Co-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.

Haley Ray

Her favorite class was history, specifically her sophomore year with Mr. Perry. Having it first period made it easier to wake up in the mornings, especially since Mr. Perry had such enthusiasm and excitement for the subject every day. Aside from her academic life, Haley’s favorite moments in high school involved attending pep rallies! She has enjoyed watching her classmates compete, cheering them on, and having school spirit. One of her proudest moments is when she made it into the National Honor Society this year.

Outside of school, Haley is currently working at Playa Bowls in Hanover. When looking ahead, Haley is planning on going to college and studying business. Haley’s favorite years of high school were her sophomore year and her senior year. If she had the chance to go back and do her high school experience all over again, she would take more challenging courses and join more clubs. The most important lesson from life so far is that you should not take your time for granted because high school flies by much faster than you think.

Jameson Bryan

Her favorite teacher is Mrs. P because she is always so welcoming and encouraging, which has made a huge difference for Jameson’s outlook on the school environment. Outside of the classroom, Jameson’s favorite high school activity has been field hockey. She also plays lacrosse and works during the week, and something she is especially proud of is her ability to balance school, sports, work and life.

Planning to attend college next year, Jameson says she has learned a lot from high school, especially about the importance of hard work and responsibility. This will surely stick with her in the future. Jameson’s favorite year of high school has been senior year. If Jameson had a chance to redo her years at HHS, she would have done a few things differently. For example, she would have gotten more involved in clubs and would have tried a little harder in freshman year. Jameson learned one big thing from high school: not to take everything too seriously and to enjoy the little things in life.

Bryan Collins

Bryan Collins moved to Hanover from Weymouth just before starting kindergarten. Back in elementary and middle school, Bryan had a deep passion for Boston sports. Throughout high school he has stayed true to his favorite teams: the Patriots, Celtics, Red Sox and Bruins.

At HHS, Bryan found interest in business. “Before hgih school, the aspect of business kind of seemed boring to me. But after taking a couple of accounting classes with Mrs. P, I realized that there are so many interesting ways that business can be used.” This realization led him to DECA, a business club at HHS. There, his passion for business flourished as he competed at the district conference in January with his partner Leo Galvin and qualified fo rthe state competition in March.

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

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.”

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.”

By Sienna Lamond and Bradlee Dowling, ’26

Staff Writer and Editor in Chief

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. In our last article, we covered Leo Galvin, Abigail Kajunski, and Ireland Cronin, so go show those incredible seniors some love by reading our first article in this series! Now, these next seniors are certainly worth the wait, so let’s read about them!

Abigail Minasi

Abby moved to Hanover in July of 2013, entering kindergarten at Center School. Starting in first grade, she played baseball/softball. This spring, Abby will play Varsity Softball for her fourth year; she has served as captain for two!

In high school, Abby started playing field hockey. She describes it as ” one of the best decisions I have made going into high school.” This is because she had so much fun learning a new sport and playing with her friends. Upon entering high school, Abby had to let go of soccer. She says, “. . .at times, I do miss it.” But she is happy having gotten the opportunity to try new things.

Her favorite class at HHS has been AP Precalculus with Ms. Mathisen. She recalls, “I loved her class because she was such a nice teacher, always there when you needed a hand. She is also so easy to talk to and get extra help when needed.” Abby’s favorite high school activity was the District 1 DECA conference in junior year. She said she “had so much fun staying overnight at Quincy Marriott and participating in the role plays.”

After high school, Abby plans to go to college and become a nurse, “specifically,” she says, “a pediatric nurse.” She has always loved her science courses like AP Biology and Anatomy and Physiology. She found an appreciation for working with kids after taking Early Childhood Education, which influenced her interest in pediatric health.

Abby is most proud of making it into the National Honor Society, racking up many hours of community service, and maintaining a GPA above 4.0. Outside of school, Abby has worked at Dunkin’ for 3 years! “I started as a sophomore in 2022.”

Looking back, Abby believes junior year was her favorite year of high school. “I enjoyed the classes I took and had fun being a softball captain.” If given the chance to do high school over again, “I would take my freshman year a little more seriously and work harder to get better grades.” She wishes she had learned how to study in her freshman year. And she also wishes she had gone to more football games throughout the years.

The biggest lesson she takes away from high school? “Time flies by.” She suggests that students “make the most out of the little time you have.” Her four years of high school have gone by so fast, and she wishes she could go back and have more time.

Damaris Mejia-Miller

From day one, sports have been a huge part of Damaris’ life. In elementary school, it was softball. In middle school, she switched to soccer. And now, she just wrapped up her last season of Varsity Volleyball, which has become one of her favorite parts of high school. “It’s such a good community and space where I feel comfortable enough to be myself,” Damaris says. “The energy in the games is just so fun and engaging.”

Something new she picked up in high school was getting more involved in clubs,  something she didn’t really do in middle school. But while she’s grown a lot since then, she still misses some of those childhood moments. “In elementary school, I used to go out with my neighbors, and we’d all rollerblade and play around,” she says. “I definitely miss it since most of them have moved away or we grew apart.”

When it comes to classes, Damaris says her favorites have been Spanish, U.S. History, and Art. She especially appreciates teachers who make learning fun and engaging. “Mrs. Gately is my favorite because her class was always engaging, and she’s super understanding and easy to talk to,” she says. “I also like Mr. File because his classes are fun and really inclusive. There’s no set idea of what ‘good art’ is, and I love how he emphasizes that.”

Looking back at all four years, Damaris says sophomore year was her favorite. “My classes were really fun, and I made a lot of new friends who I’m still really close with.” But the year she’s most proud of is junior year, just because of how tough it was. “Everyone says it’s the hardest year, and I totally agree,” she says. “I took more challenging classes, and it was a lot. But I’m proud that I tried my best and got through it.”

If she could do high school all over again, she says she’d focus less on what other people think and more on just being herself. “I’d try to take freshman year more seriously, but I’d also just have fun and not stress so much.”

And if there’s one big lesson she’s learned from all of it, it’s this: “Don’t stress about what you can’t control. If you get a bad grade, accept it and try to do better next time. Staying positive helps you learn from mistakes without feeling overwhelmed or discouraged.”

From kindergarten to senior year, Damaris has grown up with Hanover and it’s clear she’s leaving behind a legacy of kindness, resilience, and authenticity.