By Callia Gilligan, ’22

Staff Writer

The Class of 2021 is finally having a prom! After a Junior prom cancellation last spring, months of hybrid learning and a sometimes-bumpy return to in-person classes, the seniors are capping off their final year at HHS with a long-awaited prom on Saturday, May 15th. 

The event will look a bit different this year, taking place in a tent outside the school, the trees in the courtyard decorated with lights. Advisers Mrs. Mia Gallagher and Mrs. Kathy Gallagher have been working hard with the class officers to preserve the traditions, which will include dinner, dancing and even red carpet photos. Everything will take place outside, and the weather is expected to be beautiful.

That the prom is happening at all is a grand accomplishment in this year of uncertainty. Planners had to navigate frequently changing COVID rules, but pulled it together with tremendous help from the community. That community, according to Mrs. Kathy Gallagher, includes:

• Class officers Fiona, Shamus, Sean, Nick, Jack and Caroline, “who sold their vision of the night to the classmates”
• Mrs. Curtis, Mrs. Curley and the Dirty Works Club, who spent “hours getting their hands dirty cleaning and planting the flower beds”
• Mr. Faria, Mr. Amonte and the engineering students, who have been “integral” in building ramps, a giant decorative wall and more
• The prom chaperones for the evening:  Mrs. Collins, Mrs. Aborn, Mrs. McHugh, Mrs. Curley, Mrs. Parry, Ms. Doyle, Mrs. Keefe, Ms. Corbett, Mrs. Mann, Officer John, administration and our class advisors
• School nurse Roz Davis and the HPS health team for conducting several rounds of COVID testing over two weeks to ensure the event could be held safely
• Parent volunteers Brenda Maver and Daryce Morris, “our resourceful and creative prom decorators”
• Grill 43 and HHS parent Joe Hiffa, for catering dinner
• Mr. Steve Ryerson of HPS for capturing the memories of the evening, including on the red carpet
• The Hanover DPW Facilities and Maintenance Departments, for mowing, weed-wacking, moving tables, and getting everything into place – including the giant wall!
• The Senior boys who literally picked up that giant wall and the other numerous decorations – “too many to name, but a big shout out to them!”
• Principal Mr. Paquette “for everything”

Due to the lingering pandemic, there are several regulations that students will have to follow in order to ensure that prom can operate safely. In addition to requiring COVID testing, the event has been limited to just HHS seniors, no dates from other grades or schools. Students must wear masks at all times except when eating or drinking and stay socially distanced during dancing; that means no slow songs this year. Finally, students have been advised not to gather in groups of more than 10 people before or after the dance.

“It’s going to be pretty nice,” said class secretary Sean Dever. “We could really only start planning two to three weeks ago, but I’m happy with how it all came together.”

For Class President Fiona Hutchison, the prom is a much-needed way to bring together a class that lost many of its milestones and was even split in two for half of the year.

“Everyone is starting to get excited and it’s making me so happy,” she said. “It means the world to me. The seniors have something to look forward to and a way to come together as a grade. It’s a great way to reconnect and celebrate our senior year.”

By Natalie Mowbray, ’22

Staff Writer

For most of us, the Coronavirus pandemic seemed surreal at first and it was a difficult concept to grasp. It prompted unanswerable questions about when it would end and what would happen next. More than a year since cases hit the region and we went into lockdown, we have grown accustomed to this new way of life. We no longer question the new guidelines and restrictions to our past way of life (although we eagerly embrace any signs of a return to normalcy). As this shift has occurred, many people had a singular moment in which they realized that this coronavirus was going to be a bigger threat and have a larger impact than any of us could have anticipated. For many Hanover High students, that moment was tied to the shutdown of school and sports in March of 2020.

“I was getting ready for Spanish class when I remember hearing about everyone saying that their afterschool sports were cancelled,” one student recalled. “I couldn’t believe it.” 

The reality hit home for another when school was shut down for two weeks. “Once we went into a quarantine, I had a feeling that we would not be going back,” she said. That two weeks became four weeks, and then, as the student had feared, the rest of the year.

The HHS boys hockey team can collectively agree when they realized the virus was a big deal. It was the day their state championship game at the TD Garden was cancelled. First, they’d heard there would be no fans allowed, but when the entire game was called off “not only was it a huge disappointment,” one player said, “it was a wakeup call that this new virus was going to change our way of life.”

HHS teachers had their own moments of realization. For many, it was during the staff meeting March 12, 2020, when they learned the evening session of parent-teacher conferences would be cancelled. Teachers were instructed to take home what they might need in case the shutdown lasted a few weeks.For others, it was the first time they used Zoom and glitched through an awkward conversation with a class they hadn’t seen in weeks. 

Some students and staff say the moment happened outside of school, when they saw all the empty shelves at the grocery store or first picked up takeout from a deserted restaurant. 

At this point, most students have gotten used to walking into HHS with their masks on and socially distanced from others. But it’s interesting to look back on our thoughts as the pandemic descended upon us. Reflecting on these moments of fear and realization, it’s easy to understand how hard it was to fully fathom such an unprecedented and scary situation.

After a week of speculation, we have the winners of The Hawk’s Guess Who contest. Congratulations to student Kacey Hillier and teacher Ms. Nixon for leading with eight correct matches. They each will receive a $10 Dunkin Donuts gift card. More than 50 staff members and students entered, and the wrong answers were more fun than the right ones! See the correct matches below. Thanks to all the teachers who submitted photos and participants who joined in the fun.

The Hanover High School student newspaper, recently rebranded The Hawk, is running a free contest to raise interest and gain followers. The aim of “Guess Who?” is to match the baby picture to the HHS staff member. Get the most right and win a $10 gift card to Dunkin Donuts. If there’s a tie, the winning entries will be put into a raffle and one will be picked at random.

It’s easy to enter. Visit our table during lunches April 12-16, follow us on Twitter (@HanoverHSHawks) and Instagram (@hanover-hawks-newspaper), or use the link below. It’ll take you to a Google form with pictures of the 10 teachers today and then 10 baby pics to try to identify.

The contest ends 3 pm April 16. Good luck!

https://forms.gle/op4vTV58VVgLYCiu8

By Grace Van Duyn, ’22

Staff Writer

With the pandemic, many of us have felt the extreme consequences that come with all of this isolation and change. We have had to alter our lives in numerous ways as parts of our normal routines have become impossible. But, as this pandemic progresses, we are finding new ways to ease back to normalcy. As we begin to do things like open up schools and resume sport seasons, I think it is also important that we try to get back to doing community service too. 

In normal circumstances, Hanover High School requires all students to perform at least 10 hours of community service per year. With the requirement waived for this year, pretty much everyone I talked to has not been volunteering. But according to my guidance counselor, any hours we perform now can be counted toward next year. So, if you find yourself wanting to get a head start for the upcoming year, or if you’re interested in finding new ways to get involved in the community, check out the Cardinal Cushing stores.

In December, Cardinal Cushing opened up its new storefronts at 405 Washington Street in Hanover. The marketplace is the result of a five-year, $10 million building project that expands the Cardinal Cushing campus and provides the students with new opportunities. I have volunteered there before, and I asked them about the opportunities they are offering during the pandemic. While the students at Cardinal Cushing continue to work through the pandemic, they stay more behind the scenes. The school relies on volunteers to be up close with customers during business hours. If you are interested in volunteering, this might be something to pursue further.

But even if you are not interested in volunteering, buying anything from the Cardinal Cushing shops goes to an amazing cause, and helps them to build upon what they like to call their “neighborhood.” The Cushing Cafe is known for its delicious coffee and scones, and is open from 9 am-1 pm Monday through Friday. In addition to coffees and drinks, it is also a great place to stop in for a quick lunch. They often have special meals and treats for holidays like their delicious cookies at Christmas. The Unique Boutique, a gift shop filled with one-of-a-kind jewelry and art, is open weekdays from 10 am-2 pm and is a great place for anyone looking for unique art pieces. They also have many seasonal items that make great gifts. In addition, there is a thrift store called Take 2, also open weekdays 10 am- 2 pm. With thrift shopping being trendy, especially among our age group, many thrift stores can seem picked through. But the Cardinal Cushing thrift store is a hidden gem that anyone who likes thrifting should check out. Lastly, they not only are sustainable by refurbishing old clothes in their thrift store, but they also have a greenhouse too. 

Cardinal Cushing’s new storefronts offer both shoppers and volunteers such a great variety of ways to get involved with things they are passionate about or want to explore.    

https://cushingcenters.org/support/shop/