By Michael Greene, ’22

Staff Cartoonist

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By Norah Kelley, ’24

Staff Writer

Graduating from high school means going in a different direction from the people and friends that you have grown up with. It can be a scary step, but HHS seniors are excited for new opportunities. While they start planning for the next chapter of their lives, many are going to miss their high school experience, and the memories they have made will remain throughout their lives. 

Most of all, the Class of 2022 is going to miss being with their friends every day. 

“It’s easy to make friends when we’re all required to be at the same place,” said Anna Bucchianeri. “I think sometimes we take this for granted.”

Emma Talbot called it “the sense of home.” Jordan Kennedy said it’s “feeling like you know everybody even if you aren’t friends with them.”

Michael Losordo will always remember “having lunch with my best friends and joking around the table.”

Seniors will not only miss the friendships from within their class, they have also built strong bonds with younger students through sports, music, and all the clubs offered at HHS.  

“I will miss my underclassman friends and the community that the music wing provides,” said Karen Bell. 

Joe Campo echoed that. “Going to the band room before and after school was a notable part of my day because there was always someone in there to start a conversation with,” he said. “Now, whether they were supposed to be in another class during that time, I don’t know, but if I had a study, the band room was the place I’d go.”

For Bella Kelley, camaraderie and comfort came from the Unified Sports Team, which she participated in since freshman year. “This was my absolute favorite part of high school and I love all the friendships and memories I have made,” she said.

Preston Miller will miss the rugby team most of all. Ray Tschudy has great memories from cross country and track, and attending home games for other sports. 

Many students will miss the influential teachers they had in their four years at HHS. Abby Jones and Jack O’Callaghan called their teachers “amazing.” Dan Leskow said his were “incredible” and “helped me get where I am today.” Nora Dailey, Jack Rynning and Robbie Barrett singled out Mrs. “Momma” Pereira for having a big impact on their lives.

In addition to the teachers, class president Jamie Parry said what he’ll miss most about HHS is “the cookies.”

Whatever their plans are after graduation, the Class of 2022 will carry their experience and memories with them. The halls of HHS will definitely not be the same without them.

By Caris Mann, ’22

Staff Writer

Four years at Hanover High School have gone by in a blink of an eye. It wasn’t too long ago that the Class of 2022 first walked into the school as freshmen, not sure what to expect. We have learned so much since then and now it is our turn to pass on advice. Here is what the senior class has to offer:

“Don’t be afraid to get involved. Time really does go by so fast, and you don’t want to end up as a senior wishing you did more during your high school career. I’m so glad that I did so much because not only do I have some really great memories, but I have even greater  friends.”- Anna Bucchianeri

“I would advise that the younger students try to get out of their comfort zone as much as possible and to try new things. A lot of kids might worry about being judged or having something turn out poorly, but now is a perfect opportunity to try things.”- Cara Jenkins

“Enjoy your time. One grade isn’t worth stressing over. Balance time between friends and school.” – Carter Zielinski

“Be yourself and put yourself out there. Don’t be afraid to be loud and obnoxious. Who cares what others think? Be you and that’s all you need at the end of the day”- Cullen Gardner

“I wish I had known that my freshman GPA mattered more than I thought, maybe I would have tried a little harder.”- Duncan MacDougall

“Don’t take anything for granted because when people say it flies by it actually does.” -Gianna Rizzo

“Don’t spend so much time worrying about homework and grades. Give yourself some time to enjoy high school.”- Jamie Parry

“Get involved as much as you can. Whether it is sports, clubs, volunteer work or extracurricular fun activities, get involved. You make great memories that you’ll remember for years.”- Lauren Salvas

“Keep room for passion within the school work”- Jackson Coughlin

“…Try and enjoy more of the simple moments. It can be very easy to be consumed in being a perfectionist with grades, but I learned that the relationships that I made with my friends and teachers are so much more important in the long term.” -Michael Greene

“Take your classes seriously, but enjoy your time in them; have fun and take the time to appreciate the little things that make your experience great.”- Michael Losordo

“Success is not handed to you. Work for what you want to accomplish in your career.”- Robbie Barrett

By Grace Van Duyn, ’22

Staff Writer

Looking back on the last four years, it is fair to say that our class did not have a typical high school experience. We all had no idea how much COVID would impact our lives, and for how long. With our sophomore, junior, and senior years affected by the virus, The Hawk asked students to reflect on the experience of living through a pandemic. 

“I learned to be more self-sufficient and independent,” said Gillian Mastrocola. “I became more adaptable and improved my ability to teach myself difficult topics, and I spent more time with my family and improved my mental health.” 

Many of us made similar self-discoveries, like Vincent Castaldini, who said, “I learned who I was as a person from the time we missed (in school).” Emma Talbot gained a “sense of independence and started doing things for myself, not others.” Anna Bucchianeri “learned not to doubt myself and that I could be strong.” Bella Kelley felt “the pandemic put into perspective what is important to me.”

Some students found the pandemic – with remote school, hybrid schedules and online classes – made them better students.

“COVID taught me a lot of time management skills that got me to set my own deadlines and stay on top of my work,” said Ben Manning. Duncan MacDougall is “now able to learn better over a Zoom call and with weekly deadlines instead of daily ones.” Bridget Sellon learned “to divide and conquer my work.”

For Cara Jenkins, COVID “showed us that we are able to adapt to new situations. Although it created many issues,” she said, “we were able to look for the positives and use the time for other things, such as families and hobbies.”

Hobbies picked up by the class included friendship bracelets for McKenzie Bottomley and skateboarding for Rose Giordani. Jamie Parry built a boat. Lauren Salvas “took the time to do things I love at home.”

Many students credit the pandemic for giving them more time with, and appreciation for, friends and family. “It made me realize the importance of spending time with others,” said Michael Greene. “I learned to better appreciate my family,” said Caden Chadwick.

Fitness was a coping mechanism for some students. Pat Callow started working out daily during the pandemic, saying “I learned that  not everything is a guarantee.” Carter Zielinski felt COVID “showed me how important staying active and exercising is for mental health.” Jack O’Callaghan focused on “keeping extra healthy and keeping busy.”

One of the greatest themes among our experiences was learning to appreciate what we have. “Don’t take anything for granted,” said Lauren Casey. “You never know when 

you may lose it.” Nieve Rowlette added that we should “live in the moment and be happy for what is to come.” 

COVID “made me realize how much I take time for granted,” said Preston Miller. “I always used to complain about not having enough free time, and quarantine gave me more free time than I’d ever had and I still felt like I was wasting it.”

Molly McGlame found that after remote school, she was grateful when classes resumed in person. “As much as school can be dreadful sometimes, we are extremely lucky to have such a beautiful building to come to every day to see everyone and interact with our great students and staff.”

This pandemic has definitely been a struggle for all of us, but it also showed us how resilient we can be. No matter how big or small our accomplishments have been at HHS, we should give ourselves extra credit for them during this difficult time. COVID has shown us that we can manage challenging times, and that we can sometimes even turn them into something positive.   

“Things may get hard,” Tiana Wakefield summed up, “but there is a way through it.”

By Abby Van Duyn, ’24

Staff Writer

As seniors near the end of their high school careers, they can’t help but look back on the memories they’ve made. Friends, sports, teachers and class trips are among the highlights named by students who responded to The Hawk’s Class of 2022 survey.

Spirit Week stands out for Bridget Sellon and Jack Johnston. Abby Jones added that last fall’s pep rally out on the turf was one of her favorite memories.

For Molly McGlame, it’s “any school dance or sporting events. I love having these memories of being with my grade and school.” 

Anna Bucchianeri will never forget “the family we have created in the music department.” Several students in band, chorus and drama echoed the sentiment, with Joe Campo saying he “enjoyed every minute of it.” Zach Lawit loved playing with the band at football games, and both he and Carsten Schwarz have great memories of the band’s trip to Williamsburg, Va. For Lauren Casey, Karen Bell and Rose Giordani, the best memories came from Drama Club.

Sports offered many highlights, especially the boys hockey state championship at TD Garden. Lauren Salvas loved her two years on varsity volleyball, and teammate Emma Talbot called senior night “very meaningful.” Reilly Laubenstein will treasure her swim and cross country seasons, as will Gianna Rizzo with soccer. Willow DiGravio cited cheerleading senior night as her favorite memory. Michael Losordo loved “taking the bus to sporting events, specifically baseball, with a huge speaker and snacks for the team.” Jack Rynning is proud of winning the Patriot League in golf his sophomore year.

Classes and teachers were the best memories of some students. Breanna Thomas loved her Partnership in Art classes, and Preston Miller cited his freshman Ceramics 1 class. For Jackson Coughlin, it was engineering. Ben Manning will never forget AP World History, with “Mr. Perry walking in saying ‘Me and Ben are royalists’ and talking with me about The Crown.”

Some students will never forget how the pandemic impacted high school. Caden Chadwick loved “reading outside during COVID times.” Nora Dailey will remember “online school at home.” For others, the easing of restrictions, including the hybrid schedule, was their favorite thing. “The end of the 2020-2021 school year just had a fun vibe as people were finally able to be back together and spend time outside in the nice weather,” said Brayden Scott. 

Field trips also stood out. For Dan Leskow, it was the Peru trip during February vacation. Gillian Mastrocola loved her French class trip to Quebec. Duncan MacDougall enjoyed the senior trip to Harvard Square. 

Allie Fiske’s highlight was unique. It was “when I brought my chicken in,” she said.

Some students couldn’t pick just one thing. “It was literally every day I got to spend with my friends,” said Cullen Gardner said. Jack O’Callaghan will never forget the “lots of good laughs.”

By Ashley Stracco, ’24

Contributor

Have you ever wanted to give back to the community, but you just did not know how? The Outreach Club found a way. They made it their goal to spread as much Easter cheer and love to the community as possible, by acting as assistants to the Easter Bunny. This past weeked, members of the club, along with some friends from other schools, put together 43 Easter baskets for children in Friends of the Homeless shelters and for the Hanover Food Pantry. In addition, they created 100 Easter treat bags for senior citizens in need.

The Outreach Club previously completed a Valentine’s Day service project for the Hanover Senior Center, in which they made 100 treat packages full of candy, gift cards, and essential items. Those involved say the project made them feel like they were making a difference, and they wanted to get further involved, so they volunteered to help with the latest endeavor. 

The Easter project involved a great deal of organization, effort, and generosity. Supplies were very costly, and the club raised more than $2,000 from the community, which led to the project’s great success.

Hanover students who helped with this project include Ashley Stracco, ’24, founder and president of the Outreach Club; Brody Leibfarth, ’24, vice president of the club; Baylor Speckmann, ’24, treasurer of the club; Nunzio Minasi, ’24; Caden Fly, ’24; Thomas Perkins, ’25; Trevor Leibfarth, eighth grade and Chris Stracco, fourth grade. Students from other schools included Jack Faggiano, a junior from St. Sebastian’s; Anna Sheppard and Gabby Bethony, sophomores from Notre Dame Academy; Ciara Leonard, a freshman from South Shore Tech; Finn O’Gara, a junior from Marshfield; and Tommy Scully, a freshman from Norwell.

Hundreds of people benefited from this project, including the volunteers.

“It’s always great to help out those less fortunate than I am,” O’Gara said. “I was lucky enough to be blessed with friends and family in my life so I wanted to help out. It is truly humbling to make a difference in so many people’s lives.”

Brody Leibfarth, vice president of the club, was a great help to the project, which he said have been very rewarding.

“They make me a better person,” he said. “I’ve made so many great friends by doing these projects, and I truly have fun while helping the community at the same time.”                       

Treasurer of the Outreach Club, Baylor Speckmann, said he’s inspired by how the community comes together for these projects.

“It amazes me how many great people there are that donate their time, money, and effort into creating a better community for all,” he said. “It inspires me to try to be the best person I can and try to do my part as a citizen.”

Participating in projects like this is a great way to earn community service hours, and club members are already thinking about their next event. New members are always welcome, as helping the community truly has more benefits than you can imagine. If you would like to donate to, or participate in,  future projects, please email astracco24@hanoverstudents.org.