Inter-Lakes salutes its top grads

MEREDITH — The top graduating seniors at Inter-Lakes High School have a wide range of interests. Two plan to use their careers to make a positive environmental impact, two want to advocate for the betterment of others, one wants to study the stars and another wants to care for animals. And two aren’t sure what their futures will hold. All of them, though, said their years at Inter-Lakes helped shape them into who they are today.

Georgiana Ducsai

Georgiana Ducsai plans to study biological studies at Wellesley College, in Wellesley, Massachusetts. She might also complete a dual degree program at MIT with engineering, or perhaps will double minor in astronomy and creative writing. Ducsai intends to apply her education toward a career in environmental protection, but in many ways, she’s already started toward that goal.

As a junior, Ducsai joined the local chapter of the Citizens’ Climate Lobby as a youth advocate, and campaigned for the successful passage of a climate change-related article at the Meredith Town Meeting. She’s also advocated for the replacing of Sandwich’s street lamps with more efficient LED bulbs, and replacing the town transfer station’s battery recycling system with an improved, more widespread method.

Ducsai said she learned how to be a leader and to step into her confidence while a student at Inter-Lakes. She fended off a challenger for the position of student body vice president, and beat out two other candidates for the Daughters of the American Revolution Good Citizen Award. She also found herself a sought-after college essay coach.

“Not only has this taught me a a lesson in some sorely needed confidence, but that we all hold a power we don’t always realize, and need to move through life knowing that people do pay attention to us,” she said. “Live in a way that will inspire others to be their best selves: you never know who you may be helping.”

Evelyn Hicks

Evelyn Hicks, who played softball at Inter-Lakes, credited the support and encouragement she got at home for her academic success.

“My parents pushed me to do well,” Hicks said. She will be attending the University of New Haven, in Connecticut, to study forensic psychology in the fall. For someone interested in that pursuit, New Haven is one of the most sought-after schools. That’s why she said her acceptance there is one of her proudest accomplishments.

“I am most proud of getting into my top choice school, through all of my hard work done at I-LHS,” Hicks said.

As for what will she do after she receives her undergrad degree, Hicks is open to possibilities. “I mainly hope to do well in college and find a job that I love,” she said.

Rebecca Leberman

Rebecca Leberman has been active in extra-curricular activities at I-LHS, including band and chorus, NHS and track and field. It was her experience as a soccer player that sticks out for her, though, especially helping to take the team into the second round of the playoffs during her senior year.

“This might not seem like a big accomplishment to a lot of people, but our team has had a lot of speed bumps,” Leberman said. When she was a freshman, the team had nowhere to go but up. They had a new coach, and it took a few years for individual players to raise their skill levels, but that work finally paid off in the 2019 season.

“In past years I felt that I was letting my team down during those rough seasons and that I was not good enough. This year I started believing in my abilities and being proud of myself.” That made her a better teammate and leader, she said. “I loved being part of this team and felt like I finally fulfilled my potential this year.”

Leberman will be attending Chapman University for business administration, with an emphasis in marketing, this fall. She isn’t certain what she’ll do with that degree. However, she said that she has learned to value others around her, and hopes her career will allow her to be a benefit to her community.

“I would like to be able to become successful enough to give back, especially to those who have gotten me to where I am,” Leberman said.

Katherine Losada

Katherine Losada has also been active while at I-LHS, as a member of the soccer and track and field teams, the math team, the science and international clubs, and NHS. She is also fascinated by languages, fluent in Spanish and English and, in her spare time, studying the language and culture of Italy.

One of her favorite experiences at I-LHS was a biology project during her sophomore year. Her class was challenged to conduct an experiment with Wisconsin Fast Plants, and she and her partner reached out to the scientist who engineered the plants. That led to them being invited to join his personal research project on a new batch of modified seeds.

When it comes to her college major, though, she’s thinking bigger.

“I want to reveal the reality of our cosmos,” Losada said. “I want to be able to answer the intriguing questions that fuel the blaze of my curiosity. I look forward to investigating the cosmos at Boston University and potentially working for NASA, unraveling the secrets of the universe.”

Rachel Taggett

Rachel Taggett will be heading to Durham this fall, where she will study biomedical science at the University of New Hampshire.

Taggett missed out on her senior season of lacrosse this spring, but had many other extracurriculars to list, including concert and marching band for all four years of her time at I-LHS. She also volunteered for community efforts such as blood drives, Hands Across the Table, Breast Cancer walks, and, as an animal lover, the New Hampshire Humane Society.

“My desire to become a veterinarian has always driven me to do the best I can,” Taggett said. Having that goal in mind has helped her to success in the classroom. “I am most proud of my ability to take advanced placement classes and thrive in them.”

Maya Weil-Cooley

When Maya Weil-Cooley was in elementary school, she was diagnosed with dyslexia, which meant she couldn’t follow the same roadmap that most of her classmates could. “I realized that I needed to figure out different ways to approach my learning so I could overcome this barrier,” she said. Weil-Cooley credited her teachers who, despite her diagnosis, pushed her to “ask questions, think outside the box, and take risks.” Those educators also gave her the tools to succeed outside of the classroom, she said.

During her junior year, Weil-Cooley used some of those tools to help create the Mental Health Support Group. She worked with teachers and administrators to identify resources and build what she called “a more inclusive community. I had to speak for my peers, voicing the concerns and needs of the student body. I learned that I am really good at speaking up about issues that are important to me, and it felt euphoric. I was helping to make a difference in people’s lives.”

Weil-Cooley said it was that experience that informed her decision to major in public policy and women’s studies at Hamilton College, in upstate New York, this fall. Her ultimate goal is to become a women’s health care advocate.

Joe DeTolla

Joe DeTolla said there was much about his time at Inter-Lakes that has shaped his goals for the next stage in his life. He was active in clubs and teams, and said that he learned responsibility, teamwork, respect and dedication from his extracurricular participation. His teachers gave him a desire to learn more, especially about biology and history, which he will study at Providence College, in Rhode Island, this fall.

But it was his involvement in volunteer organizations, specifically the Meredith Rotary Club, which DeTolla said made him decide what he wants to do as a career. After completing his undergraduate program, he said he wants to go to law school and become a medical malpractice attorney.

“I also really feel the need to help and protect the greater community for the betterment of society which has been influenced through my work in community service. Volunteering and giving back to the community have shaped the very morals that I live by and, therefore, I want to continue to help make the world a better place,” DeTolla said.

Helen LaRowe

Helen LaRowe, who is headed to Montana Tech to study petroleum engineering, was a four-year athlete. “Sports were my grounding place, without them I doubt I would have the confidence and drive to be where I am,” she said.

That mix of teamwork, and a competitive spirit, followed her into the classroom.

“The encouragement of those who genuinely care about my success is very inspirational. It is a heartwarming feeling to know I had help and support whenever I needed it,” LaRowe said. “Also, side note, a little friendly competition had a pretty big hand in getting me to where I am now as I am sure it did many others.”

LaRowe plans to use her degree to help find new, cleaner ways to produce energy. “Then I want to retire to a horse ranch where I can rescue abused, forgotten or meat marketed horses and give them a safe, loving home. And no matter what, I just want to make sure that I give back to those who have helped my throughout my life. If I’ve learned anything in my short eighteen years it is that recognition and gratitude go a long way in someone’s life.”

Inter-Lakes High School will celebrate the Class of 2020 with a live streamed graduation beginning at 10 a.m. on Saturday.