Graduation 2016
& Where Are They Now?
Kaitlyn Evarts, Â VUHS, 2008
VUHS Â Class of 2016
OVUHS Â Class of 2016
Damas Limoge, Â Mount Abraham, 2009
MUHS Â Class of 2016
A salute to our graduates! During  the  high  school  graduation  season  we  tell  the  graduates  to  look  forward  to  the  future  with  hope  and  optimism,  while  those  of  us  who  have  been  out  of  school  for  awhile  take  this  moment  to  pause  and  look  back  on  our  own  years  in  high  school  and  just  beyond. The  newly  minted  graduates  look  forward  to  the  next  stages  of  their  lives:  moving  away  from  home,  perhaps  seeing  D ELW RI WKH ZRUOG JHWWLQJ WKDW ¿UVW SRVW JUDGXDWLRQ MRE ¿JXULQJ RXW ZKDW LW¶V DOO about.  It  is  a  time  full  of  promise  with  a  fair  measure  of  apprehension  thrown  in.  Look  for  those  familiar  faces  in  the  photos  inside  from  the  Middlebury,  Mount  Abraham,  Otter  Valley  and  Vergennes Â
union  high  school  graduation  ceremonies  this  past  weekend. At  the  same  time,  parents  and  alumni  VHH WKH IUHVK \RXQJ IDFHV DQG FDQ¶W KHOS but  look  back  at  how  their  own  lives  and  those  of  their  friends  and  acquaintances  have  progressed  over  the  years.  We  join  in  the  reminiscing  and  asked  graduates  from  these  four  local  high  schools  to  tell  us  a  little  about  where  life  has  taken  them  in  the  years  since  JUDGXDWLRQ ,QVLGH \RX¶OO ¿QG SUR¿OHV RI a  handful  of  Vermont  natives  in  their  20s  —  people  you  may  have  known  when  you  were  in  high  school.  We  chose  a  selection  of  people  who  graduated  between  six  and  \HDUV DJR LQ WKH KRSHV WKDW WKLV \HDU¶V
high  school  graduates  will  be  able  to  see  something  of  their  own  generation  in  the  SUR¿OHV <RX¶OO ¿QG D YDULHW\ RI vocations  and  avocations  UHSUHVHQWHG LQ WKH SUR¿OHV EXW they  barely  scratch  the  surface  of  the  diversity  that  can  be  found  among  the  young  people  produced  in  Addison  County. Enjoy  the  stories  and  the  photos  and  wish  a  graduate  well.
MUHS Â Class of 2016
Corey Robinson, Otter Valley, 2007
Dr. Kathleen Gill, Â MUHS, 2008
Mt. Abe  Class of 2016 A Special Publication of The Addison Independent • June 16, 2016
VUHS Â Class of 2016
PAGE 2C — Addison Independent, Thursday, June 16, 2016
Middlebury Union High School CONGRATULATIONS CLASS OF 2016!
MUHS Class of 2016 MIDDLEBURY — Middlebury Union High School held its 2016 commencement ceremonies on Saturday, June 11, at 10 a.m. in the Memorial Sport Center in Middlebury. The graduates were: Ali Abdul Sater, Sophie Andrews, Claire Armstrong, Carolyn Balparda, Drew Barnicle, Timothy Baroz, Lauren Bartlett, Nicholas Beauchamp, Clifford Bell III, Cloey Bell, Ember Benatti, Emma Best, Katina Boise, Jonathan Bolduc, Anders Bright, Courtney Bronson, Jordan Broughton, Hannah Buttolph, Douglas Campbell, Molly Campbell, Kenneth Caul III, Keith Charbonneau, Sophia Chicoine, Tsering Chophel, Alya Christensen, Cassandra Clark, Nicholas Coe, Austin Comes, Dillon Costigan, Patrick Covell, Alyssa Crogan, Kyle Desabrais, Emma Donahue, Crystal Doran, Mara Dowd, David Dregallo and Jesse Durant. Also, Chantele Duval, Seamus Eagan, Mikayla Farnsworth, Matthew Ferguson, Tim Ferguson, Cortland Fischer, Jonathan Fitzcharles, Emily Fleming, Alexandra Forbes, Chelsea Forbes, MaKayla Foster, Maddy Gardner, Christopher Garner, Beatrice Garoiu, Nathan Gebo, Dana Gero, Harlee Gero, Oakley Gordan, Cole Gregory, Christopher Grier, Parker Gross, Gretchen Groves, Adrianna Guyette, Marcelo Hanta-Davis, Annina Hare, Alexa Herrera, Arden Herriman, Nicholas Holmes, Travis Hornbeck, Joshua Hotte,
Jackson Hounchell, Rhiannon Howard, Morgan Huestis, Mikayla Humiston, Massimiliano Hurley, Nora Keathley, Cassie Kehoe, Jacob Klemmer, Wyatt Laberge, Cassondra LaRoche and Holden Laroche. Also, Brady Larocque, Alisha Lavallee, Hannah Lawrence, Breanna Lepri, Brittani Lepri, Signi Livingstone-Peters, Alyssa Lucia, Thomas Manley, Tajah Marsden, Eric Mathewson, Maxim Mayone, Birch McGee-Lane, Ian McKay, Noah McWilliams, Chase Messner, Benjamin Miller, Ryan Miller, Harriet Milligan, Austen Moore, Amanda Moricette, Danielle Morris, Dylan Moulton, Jerry Niemo, Wyatt Norris, Justin Northup, Maia Parsons, River Payne, Kyle Pecsok and Wilder Perera. Also, Melissa Plouffe, Nikhil Plouffe, Lyndsy Quenneville, Brynna Riche, Sawyer Ryan, Sophie Saunders, Kylie Scheck, Justin Seguin, Udai Sharma, Alexander Sheldrick, Hannah Sheldrick, Lewis Short, Benjamin Silver, Eamon Small, Kelsey Smith, Liam Smith, Meaghan Stanley, Jennie Staret, Hillary Stone, Hope Sunderland, Grey Sutor, Haven Tate, Hannah Tavis, Kendra Treadway, Jesse Trudeau, Joseph Vanacore, Scott Vincent, Julia Vorsteveld, Asa Vessa, Addison Wales, Jordyn Walker, Dylan Warner, Kayla Welch, Alexandra Whipple, James Whitley, Destinnie Wilke, Tyler Woods, Bruce Wright and Elias Wyncoop.
Addison Independent photos/ Trent Campbell and John McCright
Congratulations Class of 2016!
May your future be !
&
BRIGHT COLORFUL!
o G o t y Wa Tigers! 802-388-6054 M-F 7:30-5:30, Sat. 8-3 16 Creek Road, Middlebury, VT countrysidecarpetandpaint.com
Addison  Independent,  Thursday,  June  16,  2016  —  PAGE  3C
Where Are They Now? RECENT MIDDLEBURY UNION HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES
Nathaniel Severy, MUHS, 2008 Hometown,  current  residence,  age:  I  grew  up  in  Corn- wall,  I  currently  live  in  Salisbury,  I’m  26  years  old. Family:  My  wife,  Kerianne,  is  wonderful  and  is  always  pushing  me  to  be  a  better  person  in  everything  that  I  do.  What  I  am  up  to:  I  work  for  the  University  of  Vermont  Ex- tension  Service  doing  agronomy  outreach,  where  I  help  farm- ers  manage  crops  and  nutrients  on  their  farms.  I  also  help  run  my  family’s  organic  dairy  farm  when  I’m  not  at  work.  When  I’m  not  doing  that,  I’m  working  on  renovating  the  house  my  wife  and  I  bought  one  and  a  half  years  ago.  How  I  got  to  where  I  am  now:  I  went  to  the  University  of  Maine,  where  I  majored  in  Ecology  and  Environmental  Sci- ence  with  a  concentration  in  Soil  and  Water  Science.  In  col- lege  I  had  a  really  great  adviser  who  recommended  me  for  my  ¿UVW UHDO VFLHQFH MRE DV DQ DVVLVWDQW LQ D 86'$ VRLO UHVHDUFK laboratory.  He  then  hired  me  my  senior  year  to  work  on  a  research  project  that  I  was  a  co-Âauthor  on. Adults  to  whom  I  can  attribute  my  current  success:  I  was  lucky  enough  to  have  so  many  supportive  adults  through- out  my  life  that  it  would  be  unfair  to  name  just  one.  +RZ P\ 9HUPRQW URRWV KDYH LQĂ€XHQFHG ZKR , DP WR- day:  I  put  a  lot  value  in  family,  honesty,  working  hard  for  what  you  want,  and  always  looking  toward  the  future  while  never  forgetting  the  past.  I  think  all  of  those  are  very  “Ver- montâ€?  values  and  have  helped  me  get  to  where  I  am  today.  My  memories  of  high  school:  My  low  point  in  high  school  ZDV GHÂżQLWHO\ ZKHQ P\ XQFOH GLHG RI FDQFHU 0\ KLJK SRLQW ZDV HLWKHU ZKHQ , ZHQW RQ D 12/6 WULS WR $ODVND GXULQJ WKH summer  backpacking  and  sea-Âkayaking  or  when  I  went  on  a  service  trip  to  Romania. My  advice  for  this  year’s  crop  of  graduating  seniors:  The  best  thing  you  can  do  is  get  away  for  a  few  years  so  you  can  really  see  and  understand  how  great  this  place  is  and  then  come  back  and  appreciate  all  that  Vermont  has  to  offer.
Ben Mench-Thurlow, MUHS, 2007 Hometown,  current  residence,  age:  Grew  up  in  Shoreham,  Vt.;Íž  cur- UHQWO\ UHVLGLQJ LQ /RV $QJHOHV &D- lif.;Íž  27  years  old. Family:  My  mother,  Julia  Mench,  has  always  been  supportive  of  my  career  in  the  music  industry. What  I  am  up  to:  Currently  sit- ting  at  home  after  a  long  day  of  work.  This  past  weekend  I  was  in  $XVWLQ 7H[DV ZLWK RQH RI P\ FOLHQWV who  was  performing  at  the  X  Games. How  I  got  to  where  I  am  now:  I  graduated  from  Berklee  College  of  Music  in  Boston,  Mass.,  with  a  degree  in  Music  Business  and  now  am  a  music  agent  at  one  of  the  larg- est  agencies  in  the  world.  I  never  wanted  to  book  bands,  but  I  fell  into  it  after  having  played  in  many  bands  throughout  my  time  at  MUMS,  MUHS  and  college.  I  was  always  that  guy  in  the  band  that  booked  all  of  the  shows.  I  grew  my  contacts  over  the  years  and  con- tinued  to  book  bands  all  over  the  country.  I  was  able  to  obtain  an  in- ternship  at  a  company  called  The  $JHQF\ *URXS LQ /RQGRQ 8 . ZKHUH , OLYHG IRU WKUHH PRQWKV )URP there  I  was  able  to  get  an  internship  DW WKHLU /RV $QJHOHV RIÂżFH $W WKH end  of  that  internship  I  landed  a  full- time  assistant  position  at  a  company  FDOOHG $3$ Over  the  past  four  years  there,  I  worked  my  way  up  the  corporate  lad- GHU DQG QRZ KROG WKH WLWOH RI $JHQW Throughout  my  years  I’ve  had  the  pleasure  of  working  with  bands  such  as  Judas  Priest,  Pennywise,  Brand  1HZ 'DYH .R] ,PDJLQH 'UDJRQV $:2/1$7,21 5LVH $JDLQVW <HO- lowcard,  The  Monkees,  Cake,  Kansas,  Hawthorne  Heights  and  many  more. Adults  to  whom  I  can  attribute  my  current  success:  My  mom  is  one  of  the  most  crucial  people  in  my  life.  Not  only  is  she  a  major  supporter  of  keeping  art  and  music  in  schools  throughout  Vermont,  but  she  is  an  avid  supporter  of  the  local  music  scene.  She  taught  by  example Â
DQG JDYH PH WKH FRQÂżGHQFH , QHHG WR become  a  better  musician  and  busi- nessman. I’d  also  like  to  attribute  my  suc- cess  to  Julie  James,  who  used  to  run  the  Video  Production  class  at  the  +DQQDIRUG &DUHHU &HQWHU DQG $QQH Severy  who  is  the  MUHS  band  di- rector.  Both  of  these  individuals  gave  me  the  resources  I  needed,  en- couraged  me  to  embrace  and  develop  my  creativity,  and  consistently  drove  me  to  surpass  their  high  expecta- tions.  Without  these  three  individu- als,  I  wouldn’t  be  where  I  am  today. How  my  Vermont  roots  have  LQĂ€XHQFHG ZKR , DP WRGD\  Ver- monters  are  kind  and  understand- ing  people.  We  love  art,  music,  and  FDQ DOZD\V ÂżQG WKH JRRG LQ SHRSOH Living  in  a  society  where  everyone  seems  to  be  “in  it  for  themselves,â€?  I’ve  made  it  a  point  to  always  bring  D OLWWOH ELW RI 9HUPRQW WR /RV $QJH- les.  Whether  that  be  taking  the  extra  second  to  ask  someone  how  their  day  is,  giving  a  smile  and  a  wave  when  I  pass  someone  on  the  street,  or  just  respecting  people  for  who  they  are. My  memories  of  high  school:  )UHVKPDQ \HDU ZDV SUHWW\ WRXJK Bigger  school.  Harder  classes.  Lots  more  names  to  remember.  The  teach- ers  at  MUHS  were  always  there  to  lend  a  hand  when  needed  though.  My  low  points  at  high  school  where  quick  and  hard  to  remember  because  when  I  had  an  issue  with  something,  I  seemed  to  always  have  someone  to  WDON WR DERXW LW $V IRU KLJK SRLQWV WKHUH DUH WRR PDQ\ WR DFFRXQW $QQH Severy  is  a  champion  of  champi- ons  and  her  music  program  was  top  notch. My  advice  for  this  year’s  crop  of  graduating  seniors:  Whatever  happens,  the  only  thing  that  matters  is  now.  The  people  in  your  life  right  now.  The  music  you  are  listening  to  now.  The  experience  you  are  having  right  now.  Now  is  the  most  important  moment  of  your  life.  Make  that  mo- ment  count.
Dr. Kathleen Gill,  MUHS, 2008 Hometown,  current  residence,  age:  I  grew  up  in  Middlebury,  and  FXUUHQWO\ OLYH LQ 0LGGOHEXU\ $JH 26. Family:  I  am  getting  married  this  6HSWHPEHU WR 'DQ )LÂżHOG ZKR LV D 2006  MUHS  graduate. What  I  am  up  to:  I  just  gradu- ated  from  veterinary  school  in  May.  I  attended  Ross  University  School  of  Veterinary  Medicine,  which  is  DQ $PHULFDQ VFKRRO ORFDWHG RQ the  island  of  St.  Kitts  in  the  Carib- bean.  I  recently  started  working  for  0HDGRZEURRN (TXLQH LQ $GGLVRQ County  as  an  associate  veterinarian.  How  I  got  to  where  I  am  now:  I  always  knew  I  wanted  to  be  a  vet- erinarian,  and  I  have  ridden  horses  since  I  was  7  years  old,  but  it  wasn’t  XQWLO , JRW P\ ÂżUVW KRUVH ZKHQ , ZDV a  sophomore  in  high  school  that  I  realized  I  wanted  to  be  an  equine  veterinarian.  I  started  shadowing  VRPH GDLU\ DQG HTXLQH YHWV LQ $G- dison  County,  and  graduated  from  the  University  of  Vermont  in  May  ZLWK D %6 LQ $QLPDO 6FLHQFH Pre-ÂVet.  I  was  accepted  at  Ross  University  and  although  it  was  a  ORQJ ZD\ IURP KRPH , ÂżJXUHG LI I  had  to  leave  Vermont  anyways  to  go  to  vet  school,  I  might  as  well  go  somewhere  cool!  I  lived  in  St.  Kitts  for  two  and  a  half  years  during  the  classroom  part  of  my  education,  and  then  went  to  Colorado  State  University  for  one  year  of  clinical  training.  I  always  knew  I  wanted  to  come  back  to  Ver- mont  to  practice,  and  luckily  I  was  able  to  get  a  job  with  a  veterinarian  who  had  been  my  mentor  since  I  was  in  high  school. Â
Adults  to  whom  I  can  attribute  my  current  success:  I  really  owe  it  to  my  parents,  Paul  and  Mary  Gill,  for  helping  me  live  my  dream  and  reach  my  goals.  They  didn’t  have  to  drive  me  to  New  Haven  once  a  week  for  riding  lessons  or  agree  to  let  me  get  a  horse  (as  long  as  I  paid  for  it!),  but  they  did  because  they  knew  it  was  important  to  me  and  would  have  a  life- long  impact.  When  I  said  I  was  applying  to  a  school  in  the  Carib- bean,  they  encouraged  me  to  go  and  helped  me  in  every  way  possible.  How  my  Vermont  roots  KDYH LQĂ€XHQFHG ZKR , DP today:  I  was  always  very  proud  to  tell  people  in  school  that  I  was  from  Vermont,  and  usually  their  response  was,  “oh  such  a  beautiful  state!â€?  Growing  up  in  rural  Vermont  made  me  appreciate  agriculture  and  how  hard  our  farmers  and  animals  work  for  us.  It  also  made  me  appreciate  the  natu- ral  beauty  of  our  state.  I’ve  lived  in  a  state  with  billboards,  and  I  won’t  do  it  again.  My  memories  of  high  school:  I  think  we  can  all  agree  that  high  school  in  gen- eral  is  nobody’s  favorite  time.  Everything  about  high  school  is  awkward,  and  you’re  just  trying  WR ÂżJXUH RXW ZKR \RX DUH LQ WKLV world  without  people  thinking  you’re  a  weirdo.  I  think  my  high  SRLQW ZDV SDVVLQJ $OJHEUD EH- cause  I  was  thrilled  I  wouldn’t  have Â
to  take  it  over.  I  also  really  enjoyed  Mr.  Scaramucci’s  biology  class  —  wearing  waders  and  catching  insects  in  the  creek  was  the  best!  My  advice  for  this  year’s  crop  of  graduating  seniors:  'RQœW EH afraid  to  leave  Vermont  and  go  wher- ever  you  need  to  go  to  achieve  your  GUHDPV , ZDV WHUUL¿HG WR OHDYH KRPH
to  go  to  vet  school,  but  I  can’t  tell  you  how  glad  I  am  that  I  went.  I  didn’t  think  I  could  appreciate  Vermont  any  more  than  I  already  did,  but  leaving  gives  you  perspective  and  makes  you  realize  how  incredible  this  state  re- ally  is.  Leaving  removes  you  from  \RXU FRPIRUW ]RQH VR \RX FDQ ÂżJXUH out  who  you  are  and  what’s  LPSRUWDQW WR \RX <RX FDQ always  come  back,  and  when  you  do,  you  will  be  a  better  and  more  accepting  person. Â
May your success in life be HQKDQFHG ZLWK ĂŽWQHVV ZHOOQHVV
Congratulations, Class of 2016! Always show your Tiger Pride! John  Fuller,  Master  Plumber   •   388-Â2019 Serving  Addison  County  since  1989
$OO VWXGHQWV WHDFKHUV SURIHVVRUV join for just $9 8QOLPLWHG FOXE XVH LQFOXGLQJ SRROV FODVVHV
Middlebury
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vermontsun.com
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PAGE  4C  —  Addison  Independent,  Thursday,  June  16,  2016
Mt. Abraham Union High School CONGRATULATIONS CLASS OF 2016!
Mt. Abe  Class of 2016 BRISTOL  —  Mount  Abraham  Union  High  School  honored  the  class  of  2016  at  its  commencement  ceremonies  on  Saturday,  June  11. The  graduates  were: Lyn  Archer  Ackert  Smith,  Sydney  Jan  Alderman,  Harley  Jason  Allen,  Chase  Hunter  Atkins,  Hope.  A.  Avery,  Danielle  Lynn  Bachand,  Cobi  Jordan  Hunter  Badger,  Kyle  S.  Barrows,  Sean  Cutler  Beloin,  Jezriel  Roo  Berry,  Autumn  Jade  Bill,  Caleb  Christopher  Boise,  Eliot  S.  Brett,  Finnian  Shea  Brokaw,  Kayla-ÂMay  M.  Brouillard,  Brenton  Douglas  Brown,  Kylie  Amber Â
Brown,  Samantha  Erin  Bruce,  Amelia  Francis  Bruhl,  Amber  Marie  Butler,  Britney  Elizabeth  Callaert,  Zoe  Rae  Cassels-ÂBrown,  Genevieve  Dominique  Chiola,  Andrew  John  Cloutier,  Jordan  Christine  Cota,  Caleb  Daniel  Cousino,  Tyler  Austin  Cousino,  Julie  Marie  Cox  and  Brooklyn  Ann  Currier. Also,  Fiona  Claire  DeWitt,  Emily  Frances  Dion,  Kyle  Kenley  Dixon,  Gabriel  Noronna  Doane,  Leslie  Anna  Donlin,  Sebastian  K.  Durante,  Daniel  James  Emmell,  Lane  Aviva  Fisher,  Danielle  R.  Forand,  Riley  Sage  Forbes,  Hannah  Lee  Funk,  Matthew Â
Warmest Congratulations to The Class of 2016
C.  George,  Ellie  Lynn  Gevry,  Jackie  Richard  Gorton,  William  Benjamin  Greene  II,  Anna  Bliss  Hauman,  Megan  Ann  Hughes,  Matthew  Dylan  Jackman,  Colin  George  Jennings,  Joshua  Clifton  Johnson,  Daniel  Shane  Kirby,  William  M.  Knight,  Mahli  Jane  Qu  Ting  Knutson,  Brian  Thomas  Kuhns,  Eliza  Rose  Kurth,  Miranda  Sophia  Lamson,  Tate  Louis  Maille,  Kenneth  Alan  Marcelle  Jr.,  Taelor  Lea  Martell  and  Ariel  Elektra  Martin. Also,  Rachel  Turner  Mayer,  Caroline  Wilson  McArdle,  Kelsey  Anne  McCormick,  Jessica  A.  McKean,  Reagan  Joan  Menard, Â
Charles  Raycroft  Meyer,  Derek  Joseph  Meyer,  Anthony  Edmond  Miller,  Yvette  Jewel  Moran,  Danielle  Ramona  Morse,  Matthew  Keith  Mullin,  James  Donald  Munger- Rucker,  Juniper  Nardiello  Smith,  Elias  William  Nezin,  Christopher  M.  Nolan,  Ross  Paul  Norton,  Emma  Keefer  Ober,  Makayla  Marie  Ouellette,  Layla  Rose  Paine,  Tucker  Davis  Paradee,  Elijah  S.  Pedriani,  Amy  Johnson  Pitts,  Morgan  Kathryn  Pratt,  Britney  Ann  Ramsey,  Isaac  James  Record,  Wesley  Jared  Reynolds,  Lucas  Stefan  Richter,  Anthony  James  Robideau  and  Austin  Murray  Roorda. Also,  Macey  Marie  Ross,  Mercedee  M.  Rougier,  Kayla  Lillian  Marie  Roy,  Stacie  Jessica-Âlyn  Sabourin,  Carsen  Enrique  Sanchez,  Allison  Brook  Sargent,  Mercedez  Lynn  Shackett,  Julia  Cole  Siminitus,  Kamille  Helene  Snell,  Sara-ÂJo  Olivia  Snide,  Alicia  Mary  Stone,  Laura  Marie  Sundstrom,  Marc  Alan  Swenor,  Nickolaas  Mathias  Szczecinski,  Harmony  Rising  Taggart,  Teona  Marie  Trombly,  Tabitha  Louise  Vincent,  Anthony  J.  Warner,  Rowan  Frost  Warren,  Dylan  A.  Weaver,  Ashley  Marie  White  and  Jesse  Matthew  White.  Exchange  students:  Igor  Grecmal,  Andrea  Rinaldi  and  Matteo  Susanna. Â
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Addison  Independent,  Thursday,  June  16,  2016  —  PAGE  5C
Where Are They Now? RECENT MT. ABRAHAM UNION HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES
Raia Savage, Â Mount Abraham, 2007
Damas Limoge,  Mount Abraham, 2009 Hometown,  current  residence,  age:  Bristol,  Vt.;Íž  Somerville,  Mass.  (although,  I’m  in  Palo  Alto  for  the  summer);Íž  24. Family:  Mother:  Karrin  Wilks,  Father:  Ed  Limoge,  Sisters:  Liana,  Emmeline. What  I  am  up  to:  I’m  currently  in  graduate  school  at  the  Massachu- setts  Institute  of  Technology,  with  a  summer  position  at  the  Robert  Bosch Â
R&D  facility  in  California.  I’m  pur- suing  studies  in  stable  adaptive  con- trols,  with  a  focus  on  advanced  bat- tery  management  systems,  as  part  of  a  degree  in  Mechanical  Engineering. How  I  got  to  where  I  am  now:  I  did  my  undergraduate  studies  at  Northeastern  University,  pursuing  WKUHH FR RSV ÂżUVW DW *( LQ WKHLU energy  division;Íž  then  MIT  Lincoln  Laboratory,  a  defense  R&D  labora-Â
WRU\ DQG ÂżQDOO\ 5HVROXWH 0DULQH Energy,  a  start-Âup  in  downtown  Bos- ton.  After  graduating  with  a  degree  in  Mechanical  Engineering,  and  mi- noring  in  Computer  Engineering,  I  worked  at  Lincoln  Laboratory  for  14  months  before  continuing  my  educa- tion  at  MIT.  Being  able  to  leverage  a  functional  knowledge  of  computa- tional  science,  as  a  pairing  with  your  (See  Limoge,  Page  10C)
Hometown,  current  residence,  age:  Starksboro,  New  York,  N.Y.,  27. Family:  My  mom  and  dad  (Elaine  and  Dave)  have  al- ways  encouraged  me  to  go  out  and  forge  my  own  way  —  an  invaluable  life  lesson.  The  older  I  get  the  more  and  more  I  have  realized  how  fun  they  are  as  well. Tess  keeps  me  on  my  toes  in  only  the  way  a  sister  can.  She  also  lives  in  New  York,  and  I  am  always  in  awe  of  her  accomplishments  (she  just  graduated  from  a  master’s  pro- gram  at  NYU).  I  love  having  her  here  because  at  the  end  of  the  day,  no  one  knows  you  better  than  your  sister!  What  I  am  up  to:  I  work  in  integrated  marketing  for  Ma- rie  Claire  —  a  fashion/beauty  magazine  with  a  focus  on  the  young  urban  professional;Íž  our  reader  is  smart,  ambitious  and  stylish.  Mainly,  I  work  with  brands  to  help  develop  and  implement  programs  across  platforms  (in-Âbook,  social,  digital,  event  strategies)  that  merge  our  editorial  credibility  with  the  individual  brand’s  messaging  to  create  a  fun  and  lasting  impression  among  our  readers. How  I  got  to  where  I  am  now:  I  went  to  the  University  of  San  Francisco.  Originally  I  thought  I  was  going  to  major  in  Psychology  or  Political  Science  but  found  that  Market- ing  piqued  my  interest  more  than  anything.  I  love  explor- ing  the  WHY  in  people’s  decisions  and  how  people  process  information  to  form  opinions. :KHQ , ÂżUVW VWDUWHG LQ WKLV LQGXVWU\ , ZRUNHG IRU Cosmo- politan  and  O,  The  Oprah  Magazine  in  San  Francisco.  I  had  two  bosses  that  were  female.  They  were  instrumental  in  opening  doors  for  me  because  they  were  able  to  culti- vate  my  interests  and  helped  me  explore  career  paths  that  , FRXOG ÂżQG VXFFHVV LQ 7KHLU VXSSRUW DQG HQFRXUDJHPHQW ultimately  moved  me  to  New  York  and  they  used  their  con- QHFWLRQV KHUH WR KHOS PH JHW P\ ÂżUVW MRE LQ 1<& Adults  to  whom  I  can  attribute  my  current  success:  I  feel  like  #GirlBosses  everywhere  have  contributed  to  my  success.  I  love  to  see  women  blazing  paths  in  their  respec- WLYH ÂżHOGV DQG PDNLQJ QDPHV IRU WKHPVHOYHV 7KHLU GULYH and  innovation  only  pushes  me  to  dream  bigger. Personally,  I  know  quite  a  few  #GirlBosses  but  the  original  LV RQH RI P\ ÂżUVW IULHQGV 'HQQLVH &DVH\ , KDYH DOZD\V ORRNHG up  to  and  admired  her  independence,  personal  strength,  tenac- LW\ DQG ÂżUP DVVHUWLYHQHVV ZKLOH VWLOO EHLQJ NLQG +RZ P\ 9HUPRQW URRWV KDYH LQĂ€XHQFHG ZKR , DP WR- day:  I  have  so  much  pride  for  where  I  came  from  and  I Â
WKLQN WKH PDLQ ZD\ WKDW P\ 9HUPRQW URRWV KDYH LQĂ€X- enced  who  I  am  today  is  by  giving  me  a  strong  sense  of  community.  There  is  a  friendliness  and  charm  that  comes  along  with  the  care  that  people  have  for  each  other  in  Vermont.  I  try  to  hang  on  to  this  feeling  as  I  navigate  times  of  my  life  that  are  maybe  less  friendly  or  even  lonely. My  memories  of  high  school:  High  point  would  GHÂżQLWHO\ EH WKH IULHQGV , KDG WKURXJK KLJK VFKRRO some  of  which  I  still  see  today.  Also,  I  worked  at  a  golf  course  and  I  will  always  have  such  fond  memo- ries  of  my  summers  there.  Low  point?  Eeek!  I  don’t  want  to  get  myself  in  trouble  so  I  think  I  will  keep  that  to  myself,  J. My  advice  for  this  year’s  crop  of  graduating  se- niors:  I  was  at  a  conference  recently  (in  San  Francis- co,  actually)  and  Drew  Barrymore  said,  “If  you  want  to  leap,  leap!  But  work  hard  all  the  way  through  the  fall.â€?  I  think  that’s  excellent  advice  for  any  graduat- ing  senior  ‌  trust  your  gut,  own  your  choices,  and  always  have  fun.
Emma Brown,  Mount Abraham, 2007 Hometown,  current  residence,  age:  Bristol;͞  Newton,  Mass.;͞  27  years  old. Family:  Parents,  Bruz  and  Terry  Brown  (Bristol). What  I  am  up  to:  I  work  at  Stone- hill  College  as  an  assistant  dean  of  admission.  I  have  the  chance  to  travel  the  country  to  recruit  students  to  visit,  apply  and  hopefully  attend  Stonehill  College.  I  have  traveled  to  places  such  as  San  Francisco,  Calif.;͞  Minne- apolis,  Minn.;͞  Washington,  D.C.;͞  and  Richmond,  Va.;͞  to  nationally  recruit  as  well  as  more  locally  in  New  Eng- land  to  Maine,  New  Hampshire  and  Cape  Cod.  Outside  of  our  travel  sea- son  we  read  applications  for  the  next  class  and  I  also  work  with  our  student  tour  guides  and  transfer  applicants. Adults  to  whom  I  can  attribute  my  current  success: , GH¿QLWHO\ DW- tribute  much  of  my  success  to  both  of  my  parents.  As  I  have  gotten  older  and  spent  more  time  away  from  home  , FRQVWDQWO\ UHÀHFW RQ KRZ WKH VXS- portive  environment  that  I  grew  up  in  and  the  encouragement  that  I  still  get  from  my  parents  every  day  has  con- tributed  to  my  journey.  My  parents  are  both  incredibly  driven  in  what  they  do  and  have  always  taught  me  to  be  passionate  about  what  I  do  and  to  always  work  hard  to  achieve  my  goals.  I  wouldn’t  be  where  I  am  with- out  them.  Professionally  I  have  been  fortunate  enough  to  have  many  men- WRUV DOO RI ZKLFK KDYH LQÀXHQFHG PH VLJQL¿FDQWO\
How  my  Vermont  roots  have  LQĂ€XHQFHG ZKR , DP WRGD\  I  am  GHÂżQLWHO\ D VPDOO WRZQ JLUO OLYLQJ LQ a  big  city  and  I  won’t  ever  forget  the  compassion,  care  and  family-Âfeel  that  comes  from  a  small  town.  I  often  feel  that  living  in  a  big  city  like  Boston  it  is  easy  to  get  lost  and  not  necessarily  feel  a  connection  to  your  neighbors  and  community.  I  think  my  roots  are  a  big  reason  that  I  have  found  a  home  in  higher  education,  particularly  small  liberal  arts  colleges  like  Stonehill,  be- cause  we  are  part  of  a  great  commu- nity  here  that  resembles  in  many  ways  ZKHUH , JUHZ XS LQ WKH ÂżYH WRZQ DUHD I  also  have  brought  with  me  my  “soft- drivingâ€?  —  I  will  never  keep  up  with  the  aggression  and  craziness  of  Boston  drivers!  I  might  have  had  to  trade  in Â
my  green  license  plate,  but  I  am  still  a  Vermont  driver  at  heart  who  can’t  help  but  stop  for  pedestrians  even  when  they  aren’t  at  the  crosswalk. My  memories  of  high  school:  +LJK SRLQWV ZHUH GHÂżQLWHO\ WKH OLIH- long  friendships  I  developed,  particu- larly  through  sports  teams.  Softball  was  a  major  focus  of  my  high  school  career  and  I  will  always  look  fondly  on  the  memories  we  all  made  on  the  diamond.  My  best  friend,  Kayla  Flint,  was  my  second  baseman,  bus  buddy  and  locker  partner  and  now  she  is  get- ting  married  this  summer  —  while  our  lives  are  moving  forward  and  changing  every  year  our  friendship  and  the  memories  of  her  behind  me  on  the  pitching  mound  will  last  for- ever!  Lows  were  on  basic  academic  preparation.  The  transition  to  college  was  harder  than  I  had  anticipated  it  would  be,  so  I  wish  I  had  been  able  to  maximize  on  more  honors  and  AP  courses  to  help  prepare  me. My  advice  for  this  year’s  crop  of  graduating  seniors:  Take  advantage  of  each  step  in  your  life,  college  or  professionally.  Working  higher  ed  I  would  also  encourage  all  graduates  to  pursue  their  next  degree  whether  it  be  at  four-Âyear,  two-Âyear  or  at  the  community  college  level.  Education  is  the  key  to  the  next  step  in  our  lives,  so  take  advantage  of  it  and  know  that  the  “sticker  priceâ€?  isn’t  always  a  stop- ping  point,  there  are  resources  to  help  you  make  higher  education  possible  for  all!
Chadwick Estey,  Mount Abraham, 2008 Hometown,  current  residence,  age:  Grew  up  in  New  Haven,  Vt.  I  am  26  years  old. Family:  Parents  are  Michael  and  Kimberly  Estey  and  1  older  brother,  Jordan. What  I  am  up  to:  I’m  currently  working  up  in  Burlington  at  City  Market  as  the  media  coordinator,  at  Onion  River  Co-Âop  and  pursuing  other  passions  on  the  side. How  I  got  to  where  I  am  now: Â
I  went  to  Saint  Michael’s  College  from  2008-Â2012  and  graduated  from  there  with  a  Bachelor  of  Science  in  Business  Administration  and  a  fo- cus  in  marketing.  It  certainly  has  not  been  a  straight  progression  to  where  I  am  now  as  I  have  worked  a  few  jobs  that  gave  me  insights  and  clues  about  where  I  wanted  to  focus  my  energy.  I’ve  learned  over  the  past  few  years  that  it’s  important  to  network  with  as  many  people  as  possible.  It  may  not Â
open  a  door  right  away  but  it  could  very  well  lay  the  foundation  for  big  things  down  the  road.  You  never  know  where  one  person  could  lead  you  to  or  to  whom  they  may  lead  you. Adults  to  whom  I  can  attribute  my  current  success:  I  would  have  to  give  my  parents  a  lot  of  credit  on  how  I  was  raised.  It  may  sound  cli- chÊ,  but  I  wouldn’t  be  where  I  am  (See  Estey,  Page  11C)
HERE’S TO WHEREVER YOUR FUTURE TAKES YOU!
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PAGE  6C  —  Addison  Independent,  Thursday,  June  16,  2016
Vergennes Union High School CONGRATULATIONS CLASS OF 2016!
VUHS  Class of 2016 VERGENNES  —  Vergennes  Union  High  School  held  commencement  ceremonies  on  Friday,  June  10. The  members  of  the  class  of  2016  are: Britney  T.  Aldrich,  Felicia  E.  Armell,  Tamara  Lynn  Aunchman,  Levi  J.  Baldwin,  Jesse  Daniel  Barnes,  Nyomi  Lee  Bean,  Jacob  A.  Birchmore,  Bailey  Yvette  Bissonette,  Laura  Boelens,  Dylan  Ross  Bougor,  Lathrop  Brownell,  Grace  A.  Chamberlain,  Broc  Raymond  Clark,  Kelsey  Morgan  Coleman,  Riley  Burk  Colompos, Â
Zachary  Comeau,  Justin  W.  Connor,  Bradley  P.  Correia,  Hailey  Virginia  Cray,  Tyler  J.  Crowningshield,  Brevin  Cushman,  Quinlan  C.  D’Andrea,  Joshua  Dam,  Morgan  D.  Delorme,  Kyle  E.  Dow,  Kyra  Catherine  Duggento  and  John  Duke. Also,  Jack  E.  Eisenhower,  Taija  Fish,  Jaymee  Fulcher,  Aaron  S.  Gaines,  Emma  Rose  Gardner,  Brianna  P.  Gebo,  Eli  Goldman,  Edward  William  Haskell,  Jeb  Daniel  Hodsden,  Eleanor  K.  Hubbard,  Julia  Brooke Â
Johnson,  Kira  Marie  Johnson,  Tami  Marisa  Johnson,  Tyler  Kepes,  Crystal  Marie  King,  Alex  James  Krumrie,  Emily  Rae  Lalumiere,  Joshua  Leon  Lorrain,  Anissa  Martin,  Emily  P.  Martin,  Megan  Kayla  Martin,  Hunter  W.  Mashak,  Alyssa  M.T.  McClay,  Tyrell  L.  Montani,  Silas  Anthony  Mullin,  Jesse  Joseph  Nary  and  Joshua  Newton. Also,  Cody  Palmer,  Ryan  Lee  Paquin,  Will  C.  Phillips,  Sarah  Brooke  Poirier-ÂThayer,  Xavier  Provencher, Â
Paige  Lyne  Quesnel,  Jordan  M.  Racine,  Ethan  M.  Reardon,  Nathan  Rowell,  Michael  E.  Safford  III,  Natalie  La’Tiesha  Salley,  Nikkilette  La’Keisha  Salley,  Ian  Shalek,  Joshua  M.  Sickles,  Gunnar  Thomas  William  Sonwaldt,  Nicole  K.  Stearns,  Sara  Ann  Stearns,  Bradley  J.  Sturtevant,  Karina  A.  Tarte,  Kimberly  Terry,  Keisha  M.  Thompson,  Dustin  H.  Tierney,  Shawnna  Louise  Vander  Wey,  Troy  Hendrik  Verburg,  Kareena  Antje  Vorsteveld  and  Brett  Joseph  Woods.
Photos courtesy of Kristine Kirkaldy
VERGENNES
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Class of 2016
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Addison  Independent,  Thursday,  June  16,  2016  —  PAGE  7C
Where Are They Now? RECENT VERGENNES UNION HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES
Kaitlyn Evarts, Â VUHS, 2008
Katie Sokolowski, VUHS, 2009 Hometown,  current  residence,  age:  23.  I  grew  up  in  North  Ferrisburgh  and  I  currently  live  in  Brooklyn,  N.Y. Family:  My  parents,  Roy  and  Pat  Sokolowski,  and  grandma  Joan  Rabideau  still  live  in  North  Ferrisburgh.  My  brother,  Robert,  lives  in  Scurry,  Texas,  with  his  wife,  Jenn. What  I  am  up  to:  I  am  a  CNC  mill  operator  and  machinist  at  DCM  Fabrication  in  the  Brooklyn  Navy  Yard.  DCM  Fabrication  is  a  full-Âservice  shop,  provid- LQJ ÂżQH PHWDOZRUNLQJ DQG ZRRG ZRUNLQJ &1& FRP- SXWHU QXPHULFDO FRQWUROOHG PLOOLQJ DQG ÂżQLVKLQJ We  fabricate  custom  furniture,  displays,  installations,  and  art  for  a  very  wide  array  of  clients  such  as  Cal- vin  Klein,  Givenchy  and  Frye.  In  my  free  time  I  am  a  printmaker  and  take  horticulture  classes. How  I  got  to  where  I  am  now:  I  went  to  the  Pratt  Institute  here  in  Brooklyn,  N.Y.,  where  I  majored  in  Illustration.  At  some  point  in  my  junior  year  I  decided  that  freelancing  was  not  a  good  choice  for  me,  and  strongly  pursued  printmaking.  Upon  graduating  I  was  presented  with  an  opportunity  to  learn  the  ins  and  outs  of  laser  cutting  at  a  home  goods  company,  which  led  me  to  another  wonderful  opportunity  to  learn  CNC  milling  and  fabrication. Adults  to  whom  I  can  attribute  my  current  suc- cess:  I  attribute  my  current  happiness  to  my  incredibly  VXSSRUWLYH SDUHQWV P\ FROOHJH SURIHVVRUV PRVW QRWD- bly  Tim  O’Brien  and  Rudy  Gutierrez)  who  allowed  me  to  stray  very  far  from  illustration  with  my  printmak- ing;Íž  my  partner,  Matt  Leta,  who  can  always  make  me Â
Hometown,  current  residence,  age:  Panton;Íž  I  currently  split  my  time  between  Richmond,  Va.,  and  Laurel,  Md.,  because  of  work.  Currently  25. Family:  0\ SDUHQWV -RKQ DQG /LVD still  live  in  Panton.  My  younger  sister  Erika  graduated  from  VUHS  in  2012,  890 LQ DQG LV FXUUHQWO\ ÂżQLVK- ing  her  master’s  degree  while  living  in  Massachusetts.  I  don’t  have  a  husband  or  human  children,  but  I  have  a  year- and-Âa-Âhalf-Âold  golden  doodle,  Gus,  who  is  my  world.  What  I  am  up  to:  I  currently  work  IRU 3& &RQVWUXFWLRQ IRUPHUO\ 3L]]D- galli)  as  a  project  engineer.  I  started  LQ WKH PDLQ RIÂżFH LQ 6RXWK %XUOLQJWRQ after  I  graduated  from  UVM  in  2012,  and  then  was  transferred  to  Maryland  in  March  of  2013,  and  then  most  re- cently  to  a  project  near  Richmond Â
laugh;͞  and  my  boss  for  taking  a  chance  on  a  girl  with  zero  training  in  CNC  milling. +RZ P\ 9HUPRQW URRWV KDYH LQÀXHQFHG ZKR , DP today:  Despite  living  in  Brooklyn  for  almost  seven  years  now,  I  frequently  have  my  days  where  I  desper- ately  need  to  see  plants  and  have  some  peace  and  quiet.  While  New  York  is  fun  and  full  of  opportunity,  it  can  get  a  little  overwhelming  some  times.  I  never  thought  I  would  see  the  day  where  I  would  miss  Vermont,  but  here  we  are! My  memories  of  high  school:  My  low  points  were  things  that  most  teenagers  struggle  with,  such  as  math  class,  heartbreak,  and  the  strong  desire  to  leave  my  small  town  and  live  in  the  big  city.  But  I  made  some  really  wonderful  friends  while  at  VUHS  who  always  encouraged  me  to  be  myself.  With  their  support  I  felt  comfortable  making  the  decision  to  graduate  from  VUHS  a  year  early  to  go  after  my  dream  of  attending  art  school.  I  graduated  from  high  school  at  age  16  and  from  one  of  the  top  art  schools  at  20. My  advice  for  this  year’s  crop  of  graduating  se- niors:  Don’t  shy  away  from  pursuing  a  career  path  that’s  a  little  different.  Keep  in  touch  with  your  family  and  make  sure  they  stay  a  part  of  your  life.  Open  a  savings  account.  Really.  The  average  young  adult  can  YHU\ HDVLO\ IRUJHW WR PDLQWDLQ ¿QDQFLDO VHFXULW\ HVSH- cially  in  a  trying  job  market)  but  it’s  very  important.  Surround  yourself  with  positive  people.  The  world  isn’t  always  going  to  be  kind  to  you,  but  don’t  forget  to  be  kind  to  others.
LQ 'HFHPEHU , DP DOVR ÂżQLVKLQJ up  my  Master’s  in  Engineering  Man- agement  through  an  online  program  at  Clarkson  University. How  I  got  to  where  I  am  now:  I  went  to  UVM  right  after  high  school  and  graduated  in  2012  with  a  B.S.  in  Civil  Engineering  and  an  Economics  minor.  I  also  swam  on  the  varsity  team  all  four  years.  During  college,  I  worked  at  the  Fat  Hen  in  Vergennes  and  Long  Trail  Physical  Therapy  in  Vergennes  and  Middlebury,  and  coached  the  Ver- gennes  summer  swim  team  for  one  season.  Between  my  junior  and  senior  years  at  UVM,  I  interned  with  PC,  working  on  a  renovation  project  of  an  academic  building  at  UVM.  Some  people  focus  on  having  a  job  related  to  their  major  each  summer  while  in  col- lege,  but  I’m  thankful  for  having  very  different  jobs  because  it  allowed  me  to  meet  and  interact  with  a  wide  range  of  personalities  and  experience  different  challenges.  :KHQ , LQWHUQHG DW 3& WKDW ÂżUVW VXP- mer,  I  had  never  really  considered  construction  as  a  career  —  I  wanted  to  become  a  structural  engineer  and  design  roller  coasters  or  bridges.  And  while  I  didn’t  love  every  day  of  my  intern- ship,  I  really  enjoyed  the  challenges  of  construction,  working  with  different  trades  and  personali- ties,  and  being  able  to  see  the  work  literally  come  together  in  front  of  me.  I  continued  to  work  part-Âtime  through  my  senior  year,  accepted  a  full-Âtime  offer Â
upon  graduating,  and  have  been  with  PC  ever  since.  PC  has  been  a  great  company  to  work  for  —  I  love  that  it  is  Vermont  based,  but  has  allowed  me  to  live  in  different  areas  along  the  East  Coast.  It  has  the  opportunities  of  a  large  company  with  the  feel  of  a  small  company,  and  I’m  proud  to  call  myself  an  employee-Âowner. 3& KDV GHÂżQLWHO\ KDG WKH ODUJHVW LP- pact  on  shaping  my  career,  and  who  I  am  professionally,  because  it  is  the  only  place  that  I  have  worked  in  this  industry.  But  outside  of  work,  swim- ming  at  the  Division  I  level  for  four  years  is  undoubtedly  the  experience  that  has  shaped  me  most  as  a  person.  The  swim  season  was  long,  it  went  IURP WKH ÂżUVW GD\ RI VFKRRO XQWLO WKH end  of  February,  with  practice  twice  a  day  and  six  days  a  week.  Swimming  on  top  of  an  engineering  major  forced  me  to  prioritize  what  I  wanted,  and  to  manage  my  time  to  maximize  my  per- formance  in  those  priorities,  and  this  is  still  how  I  approach  life  today.  While  I  joke  about  being  “retiredâ€?  from  the  pool,  those  four  years  with  Coach  Cournoyer  pushed  and  stretched  me  mentally  and  physically,  more  than  I  ever  thought  possible,  and  I  wouldn’t  trade  the  early  morning  practices  or  long  bus  rides  for  anything. Adults  to  whom  I  can  attribute  my  current  success:  Vergennes  had  a  lot  of  great  teachers.  All  of  the  teachers  that  stand  out  to  me  had  two  things  in  common  —  they  challenged  their  stu- dents  while  making  class  fun  and  inter- esting.  This  started  with  Mrs.  Muzzy  in  middle  school  and  included  Mrs.  O’Daniel,  Mrs.  Kayhart,  Ms.  Wiger  and  Mr.  Powers  through  high  school.  Student  Council  was  a  huge  part  of  my  high  school  years,  and  I’m  thankful  for  DeBlois,  Cook  and  Thomps  for  help- ing  us  to  do  so  much  and  have  so  much  fun  as  a  class.  In  college,  my  swim  coach,  Gerry  Cournoyer,  also  played  the  role  of  dad,  shrink  and  drill  ser- geant.  He  talked  me  off  a  ledge  every  (See  Evarts,  Page  10C)
Abby Benton,  VUHS, 2008 Hometown,  current  residence,  age:  I  grew  up  in  Waltham,  Vermont,  and  am  currently  a  digital  nomad,  moving  each  month  to  a  new  city  around  the  world.  I’m  26  years  old. Family:  My  amazing  parents,  Bill  and  Kristin,  live  and  work  in  Ver- gennes  and  each  own  a  small  business  LQ WRZQ 0\ VLVWHU (OL]D 98+6 Âś and  brother-Âin-Âlaw,  Alex,  also  live  in  9HUJHQQHV 0\ EURWKHU :LOO 98+6 ’05),  and  his  girlfriend  currently  live  in  the  Burlington  area.  What  I  am  up  to:  I  currently  work  in  digital  marketing,  specializing  in  social  and  programmatic  media  plan- ning/buying,  and  am  traveling  the  world  with  a  program  called  Remote  Year.  Remote  Year  offers  the  opportu- nity  for  a  hand-Âpicked  group  of  profes- sionals  to  travel  the  world  for  a  year,  moving  to  a  new  city  each  month,  while  building  a  global  professional  network  and  learning  about  different  cultures.  I  embarked  on  this  trip  in  February  2016  and  will  return  to  Ver- mont  in  early  March  2017. How  I  got  to  where  I  am  now:  Af- WHU 98+6 , FRQWLQXHG P\ VWXGLHV DQG soccer  career)  at  Skidmore  College  in Â
Saratoga  Springs,  N.Y.  I  graduated  magna  cum  laude  from  Skidmore  in  2012  with  a  Bachelor  of  Arts  degree  in  Business-ÂEconomics.  During  my  time  at  Skidmore,  I  had  the  opportunity  to  study  abroad  at  the  University  of  Westminster  in  London,  England,  for  a  semester.  After  graduation,  I  bounced  around  a  bit  for  various  internships  and  jobs,  living  in  Vergennes,  Boston  and  Saratoga  Springs,  but  I  eventually  end- ed  up  in  Burlington,  Vt.,  in  the  spring  of  2014  and  lived  there  until  I  left  on  my  current  adventure. Adults  to  whom  I  can  attribute  my  current  success:  Vergennes  is  such  an  amazing  community,  it’s  hard  to  attri- bute  my  current  success  to  only  a  few  individuals,  as  everyone  has  helped  me  in  some  way  or  another.  I’d  have  to  say  that  outside  of  school,  my  fam- ily  and  our  close  family  friends  were  DQG VWLOO DUH KXJH FRQWULEXWRUV WR P\ overall  success.  I  can’t  thank  them  enough  for  providing  me  with  the  op- portunities  I’ve  had  in  my  life.  Inside  of  VUHS,  I  want  to  thank  Jon  Yarnall,  Lee  Shorey,  Ralph  Paquette  and  Annie  Sullivan  for  being  key  mentors  in  my  life  and  helping  lead  me  to  where  I  am Â
today.  They  have  each  inspired  me  and  have  been  incredible  people  to  keep  in  touch  with  over  the  years  for  when  I’m  looking  for  advice  or  to  be  challenged  intellectually.  The  entire  VUHS  fac- ulty  deserves  recognition,  however,  and  I  can’t  thank  them  enough  for  a  wonderful  high  school  education,  both  academically  and  athletically. How  my  Vermont  roots  have  in- ÀXHQFHG ZKR , DP WRGD\  Vermont  is  an  incredible  place  to  grow  up,  es- pecially  Vergennes.  The  sense  of  com- munity  is  unbelievable  and  something  you  take  for  granted  until  you  leave  town  and  experience  someplace  new.  Having  lived  in  big  cities  in  the  U.S.,  Europe  and  South  America,  I  can’t  say  enough  about  how  amazing  it  feels  to  return  home  to  a  place  where  you  can  go  to  a  local  event  and  somehow  catch  up  with  old  teachers,  classmates,  friends  and  community  members,  all  in  a  few  hours.  No  matter  where  I  am  in  the  world,  my  Vermont  roots  con- stantly  remind  me  to  stay  humble,  take  in  my  surroundings,  and  enjoy  every  little  moment;Íž  the  Vermont  way  of  life. My  memories  of  high  school:  I  was  fortunate  to  be  part  of  many  win-Â
Congratulations Grads in upon o c s i g th
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ning  athletic  teams  at  VUHS,  which  included  two  basketball  champion- VKLSV DQG DQG D VRFFHU FKDPSLRQVKLS DQG EHLQJ LQYLW- ed  to  the  New  England  golf  champion- ships  multiple  years.  The  relationships  built  with  teammates  over  four  years  are  incredibly  strong  and  last  long  af- ter  graduation.  Homecoming  was  also  D KLJKOLJKW HYHU\ \HDU EXLOGLQJ Ă€RDWV with  your  classmates,  marching  in  the Â
parade,  and  ultimately  having  the  larg- est  cheering  section  in  the  state  at  the  soccer  games  was  such  an  amazing  feeling  of  camaraderie. I  think  the  low  point  of  high  school  was  the  waiting  between  submitting  college  applications  and  hearing  ad- mission  decisions.  Even  that  wasn’t  too  much  of  a  low  point,  it  was  just  hard  to  sit  and  wait  around. My  advice  for  this  year’s  crop  of Â
graduating  seniors:  I’ll  have  to  revert  to  one  of  my  VUHS  senior  yearbook  quotes  on  this  one,  “Life  just  is.  Go  with  it,  grow  with  it,  live  and  let  live.�  Don’t  try  to  make  extravagant  plans  of  how  you  want  your  life  to  turn  out  or  set  concrete  milestones  because  things  will  happen  that  are  out  of  your  con- trol.  Take  everything  in  stride,  adjust  accordingly,  and  make  the  best  of  ev- ery  situation.  Good  luck  and  have  fun!
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PAGE 8C — Addison Independent, Thursday, June 16, 2016
Otter Valley Union High School CONGRATULATIONS CLASS OF 2016!
OVUHS Class of 2016 BRANDON — Otter Valley Union High School held commencement exercises for the class of 2016 on Saturday, June 11, at 11 a.m. The graduates are: Jordan Albarelli, Logan Alger, Tyler Allen, Jacob Bertrand, Nathan Bertrand, Kasey Billings, Alycia Boudreau, Calli Bruce, Thomas Burnell, Cheyenne Capek- Reed, Colby Case, Emma Cijka, Devon Corey, Chyenne Dayton, Marcel “MJ” Denis, Bradley Disorda, Nathan Doty, Jaid Drake, Amber Eastman, Danielle Eddy, Maia Edmunds, Collin Eugair, Jamee Eugair, Elijah Falker, Jared Felkl, Bryton Fontaine, Ashley Forrest, Emily Fox, Benjamin Francoeur, Haley Gearwar, Tyler Giddings, Julia Gosselin, Dylan Greeno, Michael Guess, Alexis Hedding and James Heroux. Also, Payton Hinds, Katelyn Houle, Shana Houle, Francis Hunt, Amy Jones, Dylan Keith, Janna Keith, Alyssa
Kennett, Caitlyn Ketcham, Tyler Kimball, Isabelle Kingsley, Benjamin Konarski, Daniel LaFountain, Alexis Lape, Keegan LaRock, Trevor Lear, Carson Leary, Kristen Lee, Colton Lena, Cameron Lewis, Alaisha Lucia, Dillon MacDougall, Ann Manning, Austin McCullough, Nathan McKeighan, Cody McQueen, Tyler Merrill, Colin Nicklaw, Robertas Nielsen, Porter Noble, Sierra Norford and Haley Palin. Also, Jeritt Patch, Andrew Patten, Trevor Peduto, Callista Perry, Evan Perry, Lennon Philo, Nikkitta Powell, Keenan Pratt, Julner Remy, Logan Riesterer, Nicole Rossi, Dennis Ryan, MacGregor Shannon, Michaela Sherwin, Cherie Smith, Kendra Stearns, Zachary Stewart, Samantha Sumner, Alyssa Sweatt, Lucas Tremblay, Christopher Watkins, Matthew Wedin, Annmarie Welch, Garrett Welch, Tyler Whittemore, Hannah Williams and Makala Wright.
Photos courtesy of Lee Kahrs Brandon Reporter
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Addison  Independent,  Thursday,  June  16,  2016  —  PAGE  9C
Where Are They Now? RECENT OTTER VALLEY UNION HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES
Corey Robinson, Otter Valley, 2007 Hometown,  current  residence,  age:  I  grew  up  in  Brandon  and  cur- rently  live  in  Cambridge,  Mass.  I’m  26  years  old. Family:  My  parents,  Doug  and  Bonnie  Robinson,  still  reside  in  Brandon,  and  graduated  from  OV.  My  brother,  Eric  Robinson,  resides  in  Denver;Íž  he  graduated  from  OV  in  ’04. What  I  am  up  to:  I  live  and  work  in  Cambridge,  Mass.  —  the  biopharma  FDSLWDO RI WKH ZRUOG , ZRUN DW 6DQRÂż Genzyme  as  a  global  product  man- DJHU LQ FRPPHUFLDO VWUDWHJ\ 6DQRÂż Genzyme  is  the  Specialty  Care  divi- VLRQ RI SKDUPDFHXWLFDO JLDQW 6DQRÂż we  specialize  in  life-Âsaving  therapies  for  people  with  rare  diseases. How  I  got  to  where  I  am  now:  I  went  to  UConn  (University  of  Connecticut)  and  majored  in  Phar- macy  and  Business  Administration.  I  graduated  in  2011  with  my  BS  in  Pharmaceutical  Studies,  and  in  2014  earned  my  Doctorate  in  Pharmacy  (PharmD)  and  Master  in  Business  Administration  (MBA). 0\ ÂżUVW SKDUPDF\ LQWHUQVKLS ZDV in  2008  (summer  after  my  freshman  year  at  UConn)  at  Marble  Works  Pharmacy  in  Middlebury  (you  prob- ably  have  heard  of  it).  This  job  solid- LÂżHG P\ GHVLUH WR FRQWLQXH WR SXUVXH a  career  in  pharmacy. Tom  McDonald  (no  longer  works  there)  was  a  pharmacist  at  Marble  Works  when  I  was  doing  my  in- ternship  there.  He  was  a  great  men- tor  to  me.  He  also  went  to  UConn  and  earned  a  pharmacy  degree  and  MBA.  He  took  the  time  to  show  me  the  business  side  of  pharmacy  and  probably  is  what  sparked  my  interest  in  a  non-Âtraditional  pharmacy  career  path. Adults  to  whom  I  can  attri- bute  my  current  success:  Parents.  They’ve  been  my  compass  through  the  highs  and  lows.  I  would  not  be  where  I  am  today  nor  the  person  I  am  today  without  their  continuous  guid- ance,  support  and  love  throughout  my  life. How  my  Vermont  roots  have  LQĂ€XHQFHG ZKR , DP WRGD\  To  me  Vermonters  are  hard-Âworking,  friendly  and  frugal.  I  think  those  characteristics  stem  from  the  farm  culture  that  is  ubiquitous  in  Vermont  (my  Mom  grew  up  on  a  farm  and  my  Dad  worked  on  the  farm).  I  have  all Â
Ryan Faber, Otter Valley, 2007 Hometown,  current  resi- dence,  age:  Grew  up  in  Pitts- ford  (until  2nd  grade),  Sudbury  (from  2nd  grade  on),  current  town  of  residence  Sudbury,  current  age  27. Family:  Brother,  Chris  Faber  (Otter  Valley  gradu- ate);Íž  parents,  Kim  Faber  and  Jeff  Faber;Íž  girlfriend,  Megan  Breen,  who  lives  with  me  in  Sudbury  (originally  from  Mil- ton,  Vt.). What  I  am  up  to:  Project  engineer  at  Omya. How  I  got  to  where  I  am  now:  I  graduated  from  Clark- son  University  in  2011,  stud- ied  Civil  Engineering  with  a  concentration  in  Structural  Analysis.  Held  various  roles  in  the  civil  construction  indus- try  from  laborer,  to  foreman,  to  project  manager/project  engineer.  Worked  for  James  Madison  Construction  paving  concrete  highways;Íž  install- ing  concrete  sidewalks,  curbs,  gutters  etc.  Project  manager Â
for  PLC  Trenching  installing  underground  electric  cable  for  wind  farms  around  the  country.  Able  to  travel  across  the  coun- try  while  working  here.  Project  manager/estimator  for  Trinity  Construction  doing  civil  site  work.  Phelps  Engineering  in  Middlebury.  Currently  with  Omya  in  Florence. Adults  to  whom  I  can  attri- bute  my  current  success:  No- body  in  particular.  However,  everybody  who  has  been  a  part  of  my  life  I  can  say  has  con- tributed  to  my  success.  They  have  been  there  to  pick  me  up  when  I  was  down,  and  to  push  me  forward  when  I  seemed  to  be  stuck.  It’s  the  people  that  you  surround  yourself  with  that  will  push  you  to  be  either  the  best  that  you  can  be,  or  that  will  drag  you  down  with  them. How  my  Vermont  roots  KDYH LQĂ€XHQFHG ZKR , DP today:  Since  the  day  I  gradu- ated  college,  I  was  looking  for  a  job  in  Vermont.  After  four Â
years  of  working  in  various  companies  and  roles,  gaining  H[SHULHQFH , ZDV DEOH WR ÂżQG D good  position  here  in  Vermont  with  Omya.  I  love  to  be  in  the  outdoors.  I  enjoy  mountain  biking,  hiking,  boating  in  the  warmer  months,  and  snow- boarding/splitboarding  in  the  winter  months.  I  have  had  the  opportunity  of  living  in  differ- ent  areas  of  the  country,  and  nothing  compares  to  Vermont.  Entry-Âlevel  jobs  seemed  to  be  hard  to  come  by  in  Vermont  so  I  had  to  gain  some  experience  before  I  could  live  here.  My  memories  of  high  school:  High  Point:  Vermont  state  champions  in  football. My  advice  for  this  year’s  crop  of  graduating  seniors:  Enjoy  everything  while  you  can.  Do  the  things  that  make  you  happy.  The  things  you  want  to  do  in  life  might  not  come  easy,  but  that’s  what  makes  it  all  worthwhile  in  the  end.
three  of  those  character  traits. I  may  not  be  the  smartest  in  the  room,  but  I’ll  be  damned  if  I’m  not  the  hardest  working.  Even  in  the  “big  cityâ€?  of  Boston  I  try  to  give  it  a  small  town  feel,  as  such,  I’m  involved  in  many  close- knit  organizations. )UXJDO PLJKW QRW EH WKH PRVW Ă€DW- tering  word,  maybe  “an  appreciation  of  the  little  thingsâ€?  would  be  a  bet- ter  description.  Like  most  Vermont- ers,  I  would  much  rather  spend  my  weekend  outside  the  city  cycling  or  hiking,  than  shopping  on  Newbury  Street  or  barhopping  downtown. On  the  other  hand,  my  current  life- VW\OH KDV JUHDWO\ LQĂ€XHQFHG KRZ , perceive  Vermont.  Since  high  school  graduation,  I’ve  been  fortunate  enough  to  travel  to  many  places  in  the  world.  The  more  I  travel  and  the  more  places  I  see,  the  more  I  appre-Â
ciate  small-Âtown  Vermont  —  I  can  now  say  I  wouldn’t  have  wanted  to  grow  up  anywhere  else  in  the  world! My  memories  of  high  school:  A  low  point  came  in  sophomore  year  (2004);Íž  I  broke  my  collarbone  in  two  SODFHV GXULQJ P\ ÂżUVW VWDUW DV WKH varsity  quarterback,  which  happened  to  be  our  homecoming  game.  Our  football  team  did  not  win  a  single  game  that  year,  and  we  were  play- ing  8-Âman  football.  Then  there  was  a  high  point  in  junior  year  (2005,  the  very  next  year),  with  a  mended  col- larbone,  I  was  the  starting  quarter- back.  That  year  we  went  to  11-Âman  football,  we  had  a  new  head  coach,  and  we  were  undefeated  (11-Â0)  state  champs! My  advice  for  this  year’s  crop  of  graduating  seniors:  No  matter  what  you  end  of  doing  in  life,  do  it  with  passion  ‌  and  with  a  smile.
Claire Freson,  Otter Valley, 2008 Hometown:  Pittsford;Íž  Current  town:  Point  Arena,  Calif.;Íž  Age:  26. Family:  I  live  with  my  partner,  Krispin,  in  his  hometown.  My  parents  still  reside  in  Pittsford  and  my  older  brother,  Eric,  is  happily  living  with  his  wife  in  Gunnison,  Colo. What  I  am  up  to:  Very  recently,  Krispin  and  I  returned  to  Point  Arena,  where  we  met  three  years  ago.  We  had  previously  been  living  and  working  in  Vermont  for  about  six  months  after  a  grand  travel  adventure.  This  summer,  we  are  building  our  own  tiny  home  on  wheels.  Using  our  savings,  we  will  be  building  full-Âtime  while  living  in  a  spare  apartment  on  Krispin’s  family  farm.  I  have  very  limited  experience  with  con- struction  of  any  kind,  and  am  therefore  very  excited  to  build  a  house  from  the Â
ground  up  (literally  ...  we  have  spent  the  past  week  gathering  and  milling  the  logs  that  will  become  our  building  lum- ber!).  The  fact  that  our  home  will  be  on  ZKHHOV ZLOO DOORZ IRU WKH Ă€H[LELOLW\ WR accommodate  whatever  career  move,  academic  endeavor,  or  other  adventure  comes  our  way  next. How  I  got  to  where  I  am  now:  I  spent  four  great  years  attending  UVM.  I  had  planned  on  spending  six  years  there  obtaining  a  doctorate  in  physi- cal  therapy,  but  instead  I  graduated  in  2012  with  a  BS  in  Exercise  and  Move- ment  Science.  At  the  time,  I  was  still  interested  in  healthcare,  though  my  education  and  experiences  at  UVM  had  shown  me  that  I  did  not  want  a  career  in  rehabilitative  care.  Instead,  I  opted  to  explore  a  more  preventative  side  of Â
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healthcare.  I  served  the  country  by  join- LQJ $PHUL&RUSV VSHFLÂżFDOO\ D SURJUDP called  HealthCorps.  I  spent  just  under  a  year  volunteering  my  time  at  a  primary  care  clinic  trying  to  improve  health  out- comes  in  this  isolated  and  underserved  area  in  northern  California.  The  con- nections  that  I  made  in  the  small  com- munity  were  meaningful  and  I  ended  up  staying  in  the  area  for  a  few  more  years.  During  this  time,  I  continued  to  work  at  the  health  center  and  also  dabbled  in  emergency  medicine  while  working  as  an  EMT  for  the  local  ambulance  service  that  covers  60  miles  along  the  coastline. Best  of  all,  I  met  the  love  of  my  life  right  here  at  the  edge  of  the  continent.  He  has  helped  me  grow  tremendously  as  a  person  and  we  have  gone  far  beyond  the  borders  of  this  small  town  where  we Â
met.  Last  year,  we  spent  seven  months  backpacking  all  over  the  world! Sometimes,  I  think  about  my  friends  from  college  who  are  now  several  years  into  their  careers  as  physical  therapists.  I  am  a  goal-Âdriven  and  work-Âoriented  person,  so  from  time  to  time  I  wonder  if  I  made  the  right  choice  by  not  continu- ing  along  that  path.  However,  at  the  end  of  every  day  I  am  happy  to  be  where  I  am,  be  who  I  am  with,  and  I  wouldn’t  trade  my  memories  or  experiences  in  this  life  for  anything  else.  Adults  to  whom  I  can  attribute  my  current  success:  There  are  many,  many  SHRSOH ZKR KDYH LQĂ€XHQFHG ZKR , DP today.  One  person  who  had  a  huge  im- pact  on  me  from  a  very  young  age  was  Sally  Forrest.  She  owned  the  farm  that  (See  Freson,  Page  10C)
PAGE  10C  —  Addison  Independent,  Thursday,  June  16,  2016
Limoge‌ Â
(Continued  from  Page  5C) passion,  in  my  case,  mechanical  en- gineering,  will  be  a  very  useful  skill  when  pursuing  work  or  education. Adults  to  whom  I  can  attribute  my  current  success:  Mount  Abra- ham  has  a  great  selection  of  teach- ers,  who  are  able  to  work  within  their  means  to  enable  students  be- yond  a  conventionally  laid  path.  Teachers  like  Tom  Tailer,  Melanie  Stultz-ÂBackus,  Rick  Desorda,  Teri  Fitz-ÂGerald,  Simone  Skerritt  and  Andy  Kepes  were  adults  that  affect- ed  my  trajectory  in  a  meaningful  and  lasting  way.  Additionally,  as  for  members  of  the  community,  I  would  add  Gerrie  Huets  to  that  list.  What’s  fascinating  is  that  as  I  look  at  those  names,  not  all  of  them  taught  sub- MHFWV LQ WKH ÂżHOG , FXUUHQWO\ SXUVXH but  each  of  them,  in  very  real  ways,  taught  me  to  be  a  better  student. How  my  Vermont  roots  have  LQĂ€XHQFHG ZKR , DP WRGD\  The  further  I  am  from  living  in  Vermont,  the  more  tied  to  the  state  I  feel.  It’s  as  if  the  idiosyncrasies  that  I  had  previously  associated  with  common  human  nature,  and  subsequently Â
Freson‌ Â
those  that  became  my  personality,  were  almost  uniquely  attributable  to  growing  up  in  Vermont.  There’s  a  causal  relationship  between  the  noble,  admirable  people  of  the  state,  in  all  socioeconomic  classes,  and  the  land  from  which  they  grow.  An  industrious,  stoic  population  that  effortlessly  transitions  to  jovial  and  empathetic,  with  impeccable  awareness.  I  have  great  pride  in  calling  Vermont  my  home,  forever  and  always,  in  hopes  of  embodying  its  nature. My  memories  of  high  school:  The  highest  points  of  my  high  school  career  were  the  times  I  was  able  to  look  around,  calmly  assess  my  situation,  and  understand  that  regardless  of  immediate  outcomes,  I  would  be  able  to  continue  pursu- ing  my  goals.  This  feeling  came  during  sporting  events,  in  the  mid- dle  of  exams,  while  socializing,  and  even  while  I  was  making  poor  de- cisions.  Having  these  moments  of  clarity  drove  me  towards  accepting  the  importance  of  immediacy,  with  respect  to  long-Âterm  outcomes. Conversely,  the  lowest  points Â
were  when  I  lacked  that  ground- edness.  When  the  magnitude  of  events  and  people  shook  my  focus,  and  stole  my  presence  away  from  a  given  moment.  Loss  of  loved  ones  or  not  meeting  the  expectations  of  friends,  while  dealing  with  the  humbling  task  of  navigating  teen- age  social  circles,  often  brought  me  from  a  path  I  had  envisioned  for  myself. My  advice  for  this  year’s  crop  of  graduating  seniors:  Establish  a  set  of  wants  and  needs  in  your  life.  Aim  tirelessly  for  the  needs,  and  accept  the  wants  when  they  present  them- selves.  When  you  fail  in  achieving  all  of  these  goals,  as  everyone  does,  be  willing  to  accept  those  shortcom- ings  as  a  part  of  the  process,  enable  yourself  to  re-Âevaluate  your  goals,  and  re-Âestablish  your  bearing.  This  helps  in  learning  to  embrace  a  fail- ure  as  motivation  for  future  success.  Know  that  you  are  precisely  where  you  need  to  be  to  get  where  you  want  to  go,  but  that  it  requires  im- mense  effort  and  positivity.  Luckily,  you’re  born  with  that  potential,  be- cause  you’re  a  Vermonter.
(Continued  from  Page  9C) ZDV P\ ÂłVHFRQG KRPH´ IURP ÂżUVW grade  through  high  school.  I  learned  to  horseback  ride  there,  made  life- long  friends,  and  learned  countess  invaluable  life  lessons  under  her  guidance.  Sally  allowed  all  of  us  “barn  kidsâ€?  great  freedom  when  it  came  to  how  we  spent  our  time  with  the  horses.  However,  she  ran  a  tight  ship  in  regards  to  safety  rules  as  well  as  how  we  interacted  with  each  oth- er.  From  an  early  age,  we  learned  to  be  responsible  for  ourselves  and  oth- ers,  accountable  for  our  actions,  and  considerate  toward  all.  She  pushed  us  to  become  our  best  selves.  De- veloping  this  strong  moral  compass  early  on  (in  addition  to  great  parent- ing  —  thanks  Mom  and  Dad!)  cer- WDLQO\ LQĂ€XHQFHG WKH GHFLVLRQV , KDYH made  throughout  my  life  so  far.  Sally  has  been  a  great  friend  and  mentor  throughout  the  years,  and  I  will  be  forever  grateful  for  her  generos- ity  and  guidance  during  my  school  years. How  my  Vermont  roots  have  in- ÀXHQFHG ZKR , DP WRGD\  I  loved  growing  up  on  a  dirt  road,  in  a  small  town,  and  surrounded  by  the  forest.  Nature  is  the  ultimate  playground!  I Â
am  very  grateful  to  have  had  the  quiet  woods  as  a  backyard  haven  through- out  my  childhood.  There  are  also  so  many  great  things  about  growing  up  in  a  rural  environment  that  you  just  ZRQÂśW ÂżQG LQ DQ XUEDQ VHWWLQJ However,  the  years  I  spent  in  Bur- lington  were  a  different,  yet  equally  satisfying,  time  in  my  life.  While  Burlington  is  far  from  being  a  very  diverse  city,  having  colleges/univer- sities  there  attracts  individuals  from  all  over  the  country  and  world,  let  alone  the  city’s  many  great  features  that  make  it  a  spectacular  place  to  live.  Like  most  college  towns  or  ur- ban  areas,  there  is  a  much  wider  ar- ray  of  cultures,  opinions,  and  beliefs  WKDQ \RX RIWHQ ÂżQG LQ D VPDOO WRZQ , WKLQN LW LV EHQHÂżFLDO WR H[SHULHQFH life  outside  your  hometown  at  some  point  in  your  life.  It  opens  your  eyes  and  your  mind  to  how  differently  people  live  and  helps  us  better  un- derstand  one  another.  No  matter  where  I  live  in  the  fu- ture,  I  will  always  have  a  part  of  Ver- mont  with  me,  along  with  all  of  the  great  memories  made  and  beliefs  I  formed  while  living  there. My  memories  of  high  school:  High  school  is  unlike  any  other  time Â
in  your  life.  The  time  spent  with  friends,  involvement  in  sports  and  other  extracurricular  activities,  and  academic  opportunities  are  bound- less.  I  made  friends  who  I  remain  close  with  today,  cherish  the  memo- ries  made  with  my  basketball  and  lacrosse  teams,  and  believe  that  my  high  school  experience  prepared  me  well  for  college.  Of  course,  I  made  poor  decisions  during  high  school,  but  the  important  thing  is  that  I  learned  from  them.  Regardless,  whether  you  are  loving  your  high  school  experience  or  not,  remember  that  this  time  is  only  a  short  period  of  your  life.  You  will  never  relive  these  years! My  advice  for  this  year’s  crop  of  graduating  seniors:  While  it  is  LPSRUWDQW WR ¿QG VRPHWKLQJ WKDW \RX can  do  to  make  a  living,  there  is  so  much  more  to  life  than  how  you  earn  money.  Remember  that  your  job  sta- tus,  what  you  do  for  work,  and  your  advancement  within  your  career  are  far  from  being  the  only  things  that  GH¿QH ZKR \RX DUH 7KH ZRUOG QHHGV more  people  who  are  passionate  about  what  they  do  and  about  life  in  general.  Discover  your  passion,  ex- plore  it,  and  don’t  let  it  go!
for  me  —  adjusting  to  the  new  mix  of  students,  a  new  building  and  all  of  the  drama  that  comes  with  middle  school.  But  the  Class  of  2008  was  full  of  amazing  people  —  funny,  smart,  driven,  athletic  —  and  I  had  a  great  group  of  friends.  I  always  tried  to  get  the  most  out  of  every  experience,  and  in  high  school  I  tried  to  maximize  my  involvement  in  extracurriculars  to  take  advantage  of  every  opportunity  that  I  could.  I  always  thought  that  VUHS  was  a  good  size  because  you  had  the  oppor- tunity  to  be  a  part  of  so  many  things.  I  was  class  president  for  all  four  years,  involved  in  the  musical,  band,  math  team,  National  Honor  Society,  and  so  many  other  pop-Âup  activities.  It  was  a  lot  of  fun.  But  graduation  had  to  be  the  highest  point.  I  got  to  read  the  names  because  I  was  class  president,  some  of  the  boys  (Josh,  Robert,  Colin,  Mitch)  thought  it  would  be  funny  to  pass  out  eggs  to  the  people  on  the  stage  (principal,  school  board  chair,  superintendent,  graduation  speaker,  myself),  and  as  I Â
got  further  down  in  the  alphabet,  the  pile  of  eggs  under  the  podium  in  front  of  me  got  larger  and  larger.  I  was  so  afraid  that  as  people  came  up  on  stage,  that  they  would  bump  the  podium  and  I  would  end  up  with  cracked  eggs  all  over  my  shoes.  But  no  eggs  were  harmed  in  the  graduation  of  the  Class  of  2008,  and  we  all  had  some  pretty  good  laughs.  My  advice  for  this  year’s  crop  of  graduating  seniors:  The  millennial  generation  has  a  reputation  of  entitle- ment,  but  entitlement  won’t  get  you  far  and  you’re  better  than  that.  Work  hard,  take  risks  and  have  fun.  The  people  around  you  will  notice  hard  work  and  passion,  and  you’ll  be  rewarded  for  it.  Try  things  that  you  are  afraid  of,  push  further  than  you  think  you  can  go,  don’t  be  afraid  to  struggle,  and  never  stop  learning.  And  last  but  not  least,  Vermont  is  a  great  place  —  whether  you’re  ready  to  get  out  as  soon  as  you  have  a  diploma  in  hand,  or  you  have  no  intention  of  leaving,  remember  your  roots  and  be  thankful  to  have  grown  up  in  such  a  wonderful  community. Â
Evarts‌  (Continued  from  Page  7C) summer  when  I  wanted  to  quit,  and  he  saw  potential  in  me  that  I  couldn’t  see  in  myself.  Besides  my  parents,  he  has  been  the  biggest  force  in  shaping  me  into  the  person  I  am  today. How  my  Vermont  roots  have  in- ÀXHQFHG ZKR , DP WRGD\  My  appre- ciation  for  Vermont’s  natural  beauty  and  deep  sense  of  community  has  increased  tremendously  since  mov- ing  away.  Vermonters  have  a  sense  of  pride  in  where  they  come  from,  and  for  the  work  that  they  do.  They  appreciate  nature,  are  passionate  for  the  causes  that  they  believe  in,  and  they  are  inno- vative.  Vermont  is  a  very  special  place,  and  while  Vergennes  may  be  small,  I  feel  like  it  was  the  perfect  size  to  allow  me  to  really  focus  on  experiences  and  opportunities,  make  real  and  lasting  connections  with  so  many  people,  and  be  more  than  just  a  number  or  a  face  in  the  crowd.  And  it  is  these  connections  that  help  me  stay  grounded  despite  moving  further  away  every  few  years. My  memories  of  high  school:  Middle  school  was  probably  hardest Â
GOOD LUCK 2016 GRADS! “High  expectations are  the  key to  everything.â€? —  Sam  Walton Â
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Addison  Independent,  Thursday,  June  16,  2016  —  PAGE  11C
Estey…  (Continued  from  Page  5C) today  without  their  guidance  and  un- conditional  love.  I’ve  also  been  for- tunate  enough  to  connect  with  some  very  successful  people  over  the  last  year  and  they  have  given  me  insights  on  principles  that  can  be  applied  to  many  areas  of  my  life.  How  my  Vermont  roots  have  in- ÀXHQFHG ZKR , DP WRGD\  Vermont  KDV LQÀXHQFHG PH LQ D IHZ GLIIHU- ent  ways.  When  you’re  young  and  growing  up  you  tend  to  take  a  lot  of  things  for  granted,  including  where  you  come  from.  For  me  personally,  I  can  say  that  I’m  fortunate  to  grow  up  where  I  did,  under  the  values  and  morals  that  I  did,  associated  with  loving  and  caring  people.  Being  from  Vermont,  I  learned  that  hard  work,  time/patience,  and  commit- ment  to  simply  name  a  few,  are  all  just  part  of  the  success  formula.  Al- though  there  have  been  many  times  I  wish  I  would  venture  out  of  Vermont  and  New  England,  if  only  for  a  year  or  so,  I  wouldn’t  trade  me  being  born  here  for  anything.  0\ PHPRULHV RI KLJK VFKRRO  High  school  was  an  interesting  time Â
in  my  life.  Most  of  my  high  school  memories  stem  from  sports  and  time  with  my  close  friends.  I  wasn’t  the  most  social  outside  of  sports  but  for  me  at  the  time,  that’s  all  I  wanted  to  do.  With  winning  three  state  cham- pionships  (two  baseball  and  one  basketball)  sports  is  mostly  what  I  thought  about.  It  can  be  hard  at  times  to  feel  like  \RX WUXO\ ¿W LQ ZLWK FHUWDLQ KLJK school  groups  but  looking  back  now,  it’s  all  about  being  yourself.  I  remem- ber  one  of  my  high  school  teachers  telling  me  my  senior  year  that  I  was  going  to  do  great  in  college  and  I’ve  always  remembered  him  saying  that  a  lot  of  people  go  to  college  and  try  to  recreate  themselves  and  change  to  look  better  for  others,  but  that  he  knew  I  was  comfortable  in  my  own  skin  and  would  create  my  own  cir- cles  around  my  true  self.  Thank  you  Mr.  D! 0\ DGYLFH IRU WKLV \HDU¶V FURS RI JUDGXDWLQJ VHQLRUV My  advice  to  anyone,  not  just  graduating  seniors,  would  be  to  truly  be  yourself.  I  know  what  it’s  like  to  feel  different,  be  shy  and  uncomfortable  in  certain Â
situations  but  the  truth  is,  you’re  not  alone.  This  is  why  I  would  tell  you  to  let  your  true  self  shine  and  follow  your  own  dreams  and  desires.  If  you  want  something  in  life,  don’t  ask  for  someone’s  opinion  who  doesn’t  have  what  you  want,  because  when  you  do,  you  buy  their  lifestyle.  I  would  also  say  to  seek  mentors.  They  can  be  life-Âchanging  if  you  ¿QG WKH ULJKW RQH ZKR ZLOO WUXO\ take  the  time  and  energy  to  help  you  but  you  have  to  be  willing  to  search.  Lastly,  I  would  say,  to  not  let  VRFLHW\ GH¿QH \RXU VXFFHVV 7KLV has  been  something  I’ve  battled  with  a  lot  since  graduating  college.  Whether  it’s  consciously  or  subcon- sciously,  society  has  ingrained  in  us  the  life  we’re  supposed  to  live.  But  in  reality,  in  today’s  world,  there  are  truly  endless  options  if  you’re  will- ing  to  work  for  your  dreams.  Will  it  be  easy,  no  way,  but  it  will  be  worth  it.  If  you’re  happy  doing  something  that  you  love  but  your  friends  think  you’re  crazy,  who  cares.  Be  your- self  and  you  will  attract  true  friends. Â
Congratulations to Ellie Gevry and the Class of 2016! Good luck on your future endeavors!
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Addison County Automotive #1 Washington Street, Middlebury ‹ 4VUKH` -YPKH` HT WT ‹ :H[\YKH` HT WT
Wherever  you  may  go,  we  hope  you  engage give advocate volunteer in  your  community
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Middlebury & Vergennes
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All the best to this year’s grads!
In  Bristol  Works!
United  Way  of  Addison  County Addison County’s No. 1 Pharmacy PO  Box  555 48  Court  Street,  Middlebury,  VT 802-Â388-Â7189 www.UnitedWayAddisonCounty.org
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Addison County’
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We welcome you and your family! www.marbleworkspharmacy.com We welcome you For  more  info  and  pharmacy  hours:
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PAGE  12C  —  Addison  Independent,  Thursday,  June  16,  2016
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Serving Addison County Since 1948
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