What have you done since graduating from LI? 
I lived in Providence, RI as a Corps Member for City Year, an AmeriCorps Program where we supported underprivileged youth in elementary schools. I continued working at Camp Downer in Sharon, VT, from counselor to village leader to program head overseeing arts and aquatics programs. I continue to maintain that being a counselor is the most incredible job - getting paid to play with kids outside and living and working alongside lifelong friends, and if you’re really lucky (as I was) meeting your future spouse! 

With Camp as my summer anchor bringing me back to Vermont every year, I moved around, from Charleston, SC, to Boston, then to Boulder, CO. I graduated with a degree in history from the University of Colorado and spent an incredible semester abroad at Lancaster University in England. 

After graduation I made my way back to Vermont, settling in Burlington and working for Westport Hospitality a (local company that owns the Courtyard Marriott and Hotel Vermont in Burlington) starting off in the restaurant and then moving up to Sales Manager. Phil and I got married in 2014 in Greensboro, VT. Then, after participating in Leadership Champlain, a yearlong professional development and community engagement program, I re-calibrated professionally and began working for the State of Vermont, first in the Department of Vermont Health Access for a few years and then moved over to the Department of Disabilities, Aging and Independent Living, where I’ve worked for the past six years supporting Vermonters with disabilities prepare for obtain, maintain and advance in a career pathway of their choice through HireAbility Vermont’s central office in Waterbury. 

Phil, our son Theo and I live in Essex Jct. and remain involved with both Camp Downer and Lyndon Institute, serving on the Board of Trustees and continuing on as class secretary - who knew that a small decision to run for class office would lead to a lifetime role, but it’s been a wonderful way to keep in touch with my classmates over the years. 

What is your first memory of being really excited? 
The first day of school. Growing up in Walden, we had school choice and toured around many area high schools. I loved LI, it felt authentic and a school where you could be yourself, even if you weren’t quite sure who that was yet... I’m eternally grateful to have selected LI, really incredible teachers, classes that really prepared me for college and life, and the most beautiful campus! Great friends and community, and of course such silly shenanigans that are part of rural high school life.

What are you most proud of from your LI experience?
The art I produced, I’m still amazed that it is something I created, such talented teachers in their own right and their bringing in other incredible artists to learn from.

What was your favorite lunch from the cafeteria?
I don’t remember a standout meal; I honestly only remember the sandwich line. What I loved was the social aspect of it, time to catch up with friends you didn’t have class with. It was such a short amount of time - did we really only have 17 minutes?!

What extracurricular activities did you participate in?
Basketball, Spanish Club, Student Council , weightlifting club, and being the Victoria Viking mascot. Getting to be Victoria Viking senior year was such an honor and so much fun.

Which class helped you the most with your future endeavors?
Vermont History with Mr. Nelson. Memorizing all the counties in VT and shire towns has been very useful working for the State of Vermont. It also was such an interesting class, and I’ll never forget the audio clip he played from VPR with an interview from a woman describing when she saw Champ in Battery Park in Burlington and that he looked like “Dino the Dinosaur”.

What was your AOL screen name/first email address?
QTpieHPG and boarder_gurl84@yahoo.com

What is your favorite Pep rally memory?
Mr. Flynn wearing a costume, glasses and fake teeth and doing the skit about what a Hilltopper is. Also of course the chicken - senior year prank.

Where was your favorite place to hang out after school?
With a 45-minute commute home, we really didn’t have time to hang around until we got our licenses. Our little Walden car-pool was always an adventure, especially when we went up and over Stannard Mountain. I’m forever thankful to our friends parents in Lyndonville that took Rachel and I in and allowed sleepovers on school nights, so we didn’t always have to drive.

What event was your favorite during Winter Carnival?
Air Band! I loved being part of group performances (Whole She-Bang) and was always so impressed watching my classmates' creativity and humor.

What do you miss the most about your time at LI?
The community, we showed up for one another games, concerts, plays, etc. The varied interest, talents and support we all had and gave. People making mixed CDs/tapes for one another. I loved the curated thoughtfulness of what songs you’d pick for one another. Also thinking back to spending HOURS trying to download a single song on Napster, or having a blank tape in the stereo waiting for the radio to play a song…

Who was your favorite teacher at LI?
Mr. Johnson (History), his love of history and the way he and the other history teachers had so much fun together really made learning fun and kept us laughing.

What was the #1 song you loved to hear your senior year?
What’s Luv? Fat Joe, Ja Rule and Ashanti

What was the best advice a teacher gave you?
Mr. Stahler, senior year, advised those of us attending college to always go to every class, even if you didn’t do the homework (you’re paying for it!) and to sit in the front two rows in the center. That way the professor would recognize you if you ever needed support or an extension. This saved me my senior year of college!

Who was  your best friend?
Rachel LaCasse -BFF’s since 3rd grade and co-Walden Girl. I’m also very lucky to still be friends with so many of my LI classmates, coaches and teachers.

If you had to do it all over again, what would you do differently?
I would have taken more art classes, what an incredible program.

What is something at LI that you absolutely loved being a part of?
The Spanish Club and our trip to Mexico my junior year, we had the most incredible time. The perfect mixture of adventure, cultural experience and creating life-long memories and friendships.

What is something you wished had been different about your LI experience? 
I wish there was more time to take classes that generally interested you, versus what was required to graduate. Looking back, high school is the last time you have dedicated space to learn and explore that you aren’t paying for. I wish I had taken boat building, or carpentry, automotive, etc. More the tangible life skills classes.

What advice do you have for students as they look for future careers or programs to apply to?
Don’t be afraid to try things out or recognize when something isn’t the right fit. Focus on the positive and moving forward. This is your life, live it!

What was your first car?
My first car was a silver Mazda 626 that had some quirks, but the perfect first car to teach all my friends to drive stick and learn that it’s not a great idea to paint the dashboard with glitter nail polish - it will blind you when driving into the sun! I loved all our first cars; they always had personalities and were easy to spot around town. From Krysta and Kara’s vanity plates to Amanda’s purple neon where the CD’s would come flying out of the visor when you took a turn too fast. To Orhan’s green geo and Eri’s Oldsmobile that Rachel and I would play silly pranks on. To Jason’s red cavalier and Danny’s big truck, the freedom these vehicles gave us…

Did you know what you wanted to study or focus on academically?
Yes, I always loved history - I took 5 history classes (out of 7) my senior year! But I never knew what I’d actually do with it to have a career. It was important to realize there are so many careers out there, you don’t have to have it all figured out in high school, focus on what you enjoy, and the rest will fall into place.