The Inter-Lakes Magnifcent Seven

MEREDITH — Overestimating this group of high school seniors is nearly impossible.

The Inter-Lakes High School Class of 2021, which includes graduates from Meredith, New Hampton, Center Harbor, Holderness and Sandwich includes seven seniors in the top ten percent who are united by enviable characteristics, including drive and compassion.

Raven Strother of Sandwich is heading to George Washington University in Washington, DC to study psychology, sociology and criminal justice.

Her high school extracurricular career was capped by four years on Student Council, serving as president and treasurer during 11^th and 12^th grade; four years on Math Team, including as captain her junior and senior years; three years on the Nordic ski team and two years as school board representative.

“I’ve always wanted to change the world. One of my biggest strengths is my empathy. I want to use this to help people,” she said. 

“The pandemic showed me a different side of myself. I struggled with mental illness and was in therapy for the last year. It helped me realize when you need to be self-aware. The pandemic majorly changed things. I was stuck by myself in my tiny town” of 1,500. “I would love to perform psychology research on adolescence, and the new behavior," that has emerged.  She’s also considering becoming a social worker, or working as a therapist in a criminal rehabilitation center.

Strother said serving as class president has been the most important part of high school. “I’m not always calm, collected or logical. I had to figure out how to remove emotions from that. There are a lot of high school personalities. I had to bring the class together without a lot of contention between us.”

What would she like others to know? “I’m going to change the world someday. I want them to know that, and to remember my name. You can make anything out of anything. What matters is how much work you put into it and what your brain says you can do,” said Strother.

Aislinn Hird of Sandwich will attend Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York, where she will combine studies in communications with illustration and design.

“My dream is to be a published graphic novelist,” said Hird. Reading about the Creative Growth Center in Oakland, California, for people with mental disabilities “made my cry and changed my life.” Eventually she would like to create artistic working spaces for young people and people with disabilities. “I feel art should always have a healing aspect.”

Her own art focuses on celebration, but she respects its role in retelling tragic events. “Art may focus on wounds that need to heal” and should have a “healing purpose for the individual, and society.”

In addtional to winning the Renaissance and Jane Eyre Awards for artistic and literary achievement, Hird received accolades for drawing, jewelry making, painting, sculpture and critical essay writing. She has played the flute and harp since 2016, and has been on varsity Nordic skiing since 2015. She started a handcrafted accessories company, Ashe Tree Designs in 2015, and worked at Samuel H. Wentworth Library for three years. This year she was vice president of the National Honors Society at Inter-Lakes.

What she will remember most from high school is the faculty “and what they’ve given to us in the last two years. I could see them give every fiber of their energy to us and I’m so grateful. I made some special relationships with some of the teachers and I’m pretty sure we’re going to stay in touch after I graduate.”

What would she like people to know? “I stress cook and stress bake. It’s highly effective and I highly recommend it. I made a lot of cheesecake and sushi during quarantine. I always have some ingredients stashed away so I can whip something up.”

Joshua Felch of Meredith plans to study public health and education at Brigham Young University in Idaho, in preparation for working in a hospital or as a teacher in the health field.

“Growing up, my family always had caregivers in the house. Just seeing how they helped my grandmother made me want to help others in a similar way,” he said.

Most memorable from high school are “All the friends I made and the positive relationships. Each is individual and special to me.

“Wherever I am I want there to be a positive environment. The connections I make with people are always genuine. I give people the benefit of the doubt.”

Felch has played the trombone since fourth grade, was in band and jazz band for four years at Inter-Lakes High School, and spent four happy years on the Math Team as well. At interscholastic competitions “there’s a huge group. You can just talk to other people who love math.”

Felch ran three years on varsity cross country, and participated in track and field during his senior year. He volunteered cleaning up local hiking trails, raised money for the NH Humane Society, and did community service for the National Honor Society during his junior and senior years.

Aalianna Marietta of Meredith will major in journalism at UMass – Amherst, and potentially minor in women, gender and sexuality studies or sociology.

“I’ve always been passionate about social justice and I love writing.” Journalism was her choice because “It will be interesting to learn about new things constantly,” she said.

She was accepted into the univeristy’s journalism program, and into a summer program at the New York Times, which she turned down because it would only be offered online, not in person in New York City.

What she’ll remember most are her teachers at Inter-Lakes. “They’re passionate about what they teach and that really rubs off on students, especially me. My English teachers taught me to believe in my own voice.”

Another benefit: “It’s been great to grow up with the same group of people and have friends since elementary school, and have those friendships now, too."

During high school, her favorite activities were Rotary Interact Club, a service club, International Club, track and cross country. Her favorite subjects were English, sociology and psychology. She received a Clarkson School STEM Scholars Award, and excellence awards in English, geometry and Spanish.

What would she like people to know? “I’m a feminist. I’m an introvert. I was raised to believe that empathy and acceptance and travel are really important. My dad really likes to travel as a way to be exposed to different cultures.” Family trip destinations have included Zambia, South Africa and Spain.

Danielle Donahue of Holderness is heading to UNH to major in health sciences, with the goal of becoming an obstetrician and gynecologist.

“I’m not sure exactly how this dream came about, but I’ve always been interested in the medical field. I love babies and talked to my own doctor about it. She just made me love it,” Donahue said.

During high school, she participated in National Honor Society, dance and tennis, and worked at the Squam Lake Marketplace for two years, making sandwiches. “I love to work hard. I always need to be doing something,” she said.

Donahue said her role model is her mother, who is an English teacher at Inter-Lakes. “It’s very hard to be a teacher. During COVID she was taking classes online while teaching. I really admire her.”

Of her high school experience, Donahue said she’ll remember great friendships. “Coming into freshman year here, I had no friends. The teachers have really helped me along the way. I’ve had some great teachers here.”

Kyle Gable of Meredith plans to study physics at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in New York, and go to graduate school in preparation for a career in research.

“I’ve always been fascinated by math and science. Physics is kind of where they meet. I like googling different concepts and getting lost in stuff.”

He studied astrophysics last fall and differential equations this spring through online independent study courses offered through MIT. His focuses of interest now include quantum and particle physics, optics, condensed math physics, and how magnets work. “I would spout science facts in my family, and say, ‘Did you know...” – passionate interests that were not always shared in his household, especially as he kept coming up with more.

Gable was a member of the International Club and Math Team, the 12^th grade director for Interact, the treasurer for the National Honor Society, the trumpet section leader for concert band, and team captain for the varsity cross country and Nordic ski teams.

What he said he will remember most is “my friends, and how interested and fascinating learning can be when you’re excited about something. I’ve taken classes in subjects I’m not interested in. I’m not a fan of English. But I’ve really enjoyed them because the teachers are passionate.”

What would he like people to know about him? “I’m very hard working and motivated and I care a lot about other people and how my actions affect them. I’m a very curious person.”

Kayla Sassan of Meredith will study secondary education at UNH.

“I’m not sure if I want to teach English or math yet, but I’m very excited about this career path because I love working with other people and I think being a teacher gives you lots of opportunities in your community to get involved and make changes. I’ve had such positive experiences and some have really changed my life.”

At Inter-Lakes High School she participated in chorus, International Club, Math Team, National Honor Society, Science Club, Student Council, class leadership and dance, and volunteered for New Hampshire Democrats.

“Just these little interactions in the hallways. I’ll remember those really well,” Sasssn said. “Going to a small school has really helped me a lot. I’ve been able to get to know a lot of people.  Why they are the way they are. It made me be very open and accepting as a person, and I’m really grateful for that.

“I want people to know that I’m a safe person to talk to, and they can tell me anything. I look for the best in people. As a teacher I want to be a role model for students and make a safe space wherever I go.”