Compassionate and Courageous: Anthony Salerno

Anthony Salerno, Class of 2009, Northern Virginia

What are you up to? I am coming up on my 6th year anniversary of serving in the United States Army. I hold the rank of Sergeant and I am Military Police, but I currently work as a Protective Agent for the Office of the Secretary of Defense, so I travel constantly, and never know where I am going to be next.

How'd you get here? Well, when I graduated in 2009 I started working right away for Naugatuck Ambulance as an EMT. After a few years ( in 2011) I decided it was time for a change and applied to the Savannah, GA Fire Department. When that did not work out (they were put on a hiring freeze) I decided to join the military. I knew that I wanted to continue to help people in whatever way I could, and I felt that being a MP would give me more opportunities than being a medic. 

On January 9, 2012 I went to Basic Training and Advanced Individual Training (AIT) at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri. After 5 months, I graduated and went off to my first unit (512th MP Co) which was also on Fort Leonard Wood. Right around July 2012 my company started to ask for volunteers to deploy to Afghanistan with a sister company (13th MP Co) and I volunteered. I went through the process and in mid August 2012 went to Fort Bliss Texas for deployment training with my new company. On Halloween night in 2012, I got on a plane in Missouri headed for Afghanistan. 

I returned home from my first deployment in July 2013 and went on my second deployment about 18 months later in January 2015. That deployment really helped me to get to where I am today. I returned home to Fort Leonard Wood in October 2015 and was on orders to change duty stations to Fort Belvoir Virginia in February 2016. I have been stationed here at Fort Belvoir since, and have spent most days making sure a high level Department Of Defense officials or Army Officials are safe. For all of those who may not know, Protective Services is basically what the Secret Service does for the President.

What are your goals? Currently my goals are a little different than most who I graduated with. My main goal is to finish a degree, any degree. The military does not require a degree so I never went to traditional brick and mortar college. This in’t a bad thing because I have a lot of real world experience that many of my classmates may not have had. 

My secondary goal is to successfully transition out of the military into a Federal Law Enforcement position. This has, at times, proved to be a little difficult but I know that with enough work and the proper drive anything is possible.

What has been your biggest challenge? That is a tough question. I’ve had many challenges. I have a few that I’m embarrassed by that would be right at the top of my list, but two that I’m not embarrassed by are:

On December 8, 2012 while I was deployed, a US Navy SEAL was killed in action (KIA) in Afghanistan. That Navy SEAL's name was Nicolas Checque and he was one of the best people I have ever had the chance to talk to in my life. Nick was such a humble person and an all around good guy. Losing him was a very difficult moment and it remains difficult. Luckily, as of right now, I am very close to where Nick is laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery and for the past 3 years I have gotten the chance to visit him multiple times. 

The second challenge that I can say I've faced is much like the first. On October 11, 2015 while getting ready to leave Afghanistan for the second time, a British Puma Mk2 helicopter crashed on our base. As I had numerous years of medical experience under my belt I responded to the crash site to help tend to the wounded. About 3 1/2 hours later, after all of those who were in the helicopter had been successfully extricated from the wreckage, I was able to leave. 

Those two days stick with me to this day. They remind me daily of how precious life is. They also remind me to help someone anytime I can help. If I can spare change for someone, I will. If someone needs a shoulder to cry on or to punch, I'll do my best to help. There is no way of knowing how long you will be here, but there is a way of knowing what you will leave behind once you're gone.

What has been your happiest moment? I have had so many happy moments it is hard to pick just one. I would have to say that my most recent happiest moment would be December 1, 2016. That is the day I was promoted to Sergeant. I had worked so hard and had been studying my butt off to get promoted, and on that day it happened. My mom flew down from Watertown to come put the new rank on my chest, and I couldn't have been happier.

Advice for WHS Students? Don't worry that life doesn't go as you plan it. There is no way to plan the next 2, 3, 5, 10, 15 years of your life and say, “This is what I am going to do.” In my line of work we always say to new people that you need to remain rigidly fluid in that you need to be set on your current path; you need to be giving your all at all times, but you better be prepared when the schedule changes 14 times in one day. Look at the goals that are within your reach and dedicate yourself to them, they will help you achieve the bigger picture goal someday.

If you could tell your high school self one thing, what would it be? Be honest in everything you do, don't rush in unless it is needed, help everyone you have the chance to help.

Food for Thought: Chelsea Kyle

Chelsea Kyle, 2009, Manhattan, NY

What are you up to? I work as Senior Visual Editor, Photographer for Condé Nast, specifically working with sister brands Epicurious and Bon Appetit. I direct, shoot, and produce all the photography for www.epicurious.com. Basically, a food story or recipe idea gets pitched to me from our Food Editors and I help facilitate how that gets represented visually. When we are working on big projects that require a larger team, I’m helping organize a team of freelance artists including additional Photographers, Food Stylists and Prop stylists. My time is split between being in the studio shooting and desk work editing, retouching, coordinating, etc. I occasionally shoot professional freelance gigs on my time off photographing restaurants, architecture, interiors design, and fashion.

I’m constantly surrounded by a lot of very passionate people who love food. Naturally, I have developed a deep love for the food world and I’ve picked up cooking myself. I live with one of my childhood friends (and fellow WHS alumni) who is also a photographer. My third roommate is a food stylist and a chef. My boyfriend is a pastry chef and food stylist. We love what we do so much that most of the time you’ll catch us on weekends in the kitchen with cameras.

How'd you get here? I was raised by my very old fashioned grandmother and my very forward thinking, modern mother. Both passionate as hell, especially when it came to me. I’d like to think I had a nice balance of both their ideals but the reality of it made it very difficult to choose between a traditional path pursuing a “reliable” career in science or break the norm and go to a trade school for photography.

After getting accepted to my dream school, Savannah College of Art and Design, I declined and chose to attend University of New Hampshire to study Nutrition. It didn’t take long for the little voice in my head to start screaming, “You’re in the wrong place.” So I went home to Connecticut and attended classes at Central Connecticut State University until I figured out my next step. I was accepted to University of Hartford for photography but the summer before my first fall semester, I was sitting in my mom’s kitchen expressing how I didn’t want to spend 2 of 4 years taking general art classes before I could focus solely on photography. I wanted a trade school that got me hands on experience with photo equipment and shooting right away. She encouraged me to follow my heart and we started looking at trade schools.

I finally found a home at New England School of Photography (NESOP) in Boston where I graduated with a focus in Advertising and Commercial photography and minored in Creative Imaging. During my studies at NESOP, I was interning at Boston Magazine and tutoring students in classes below me. Soon I started getting freelance photography gigs. By the time I graduated, I was shooting freelance full-time. I had clients all over Boston, small businesses, publications, etc. Three years later, through connections and recommendations, I got a call from Condé Nast and a month later I dropped everything to move to New York to start my current job.

What are your goals? I want to inspire people to follow their dreams like I have. I want to continue to bring people joy through the world of art, showing people a different side of life, and filling people up with beautiful representations of other people’s thoughts and ideas. I want to encourage people to fight for themselves and what they love.

My grandmother grew up in a time when she wasn’t allowed to pursue her dreams. She was a woman held back by society and an abusive father. She didn't stop; even when her mother killed herself, her sister died from a poorly treated infection and her marriage failed leaving her with 4 kids. She set out on her own and successfully raised four children and then three grandchildren (me!). She was a Girl Scout Leader growing up and countlessly told us girls that we could be whoever we wanted to be. She and my mother gave me a childhood of wonderful experiences and taught me to always say yes to opportunity. 

Sadly, my mother battled with a vicious eating disorder, depression, and addiction and died as a result little over three years ago. She was an incredible person; she tried so hard to be her best and it took a toll on her mentally. My mom studied many religions seeking solace. She could recite scripture, religious readings, and spiritual anecdotes that she had memorized but through her many pursuits she couldn’t find faith in herself. It was difficult to comprehend how someone so smart, beautiful, and strong could be so saddened by their own mind. I wanted desperately to give her courage and support the way she did for me. 

Both of these wonderful women in my life gave me the strength and confidence to achieve whatever I set my mind to when they couldn’t do it themselves. I hope to encourage others to do the same.

Advice for WHS Students? Success means more than just employment and executing your job well. Understand and appreciate the jobs of those who work around you and be inspiring and present. Small acts of consideration and kindness go a long way to making your work and personal life better for you, as well as for those around you. Your work ethic is important, but the attitude you bring to work and the way you treat others is just as important, if not more.

If you could tell your high school self one thing, what would it be? You'll change your mind a lot. That's okay. Nobody except you can tell you what makes you happy.

Website offers way for alumni to share stories of their lives

WATERTOWN — Watertown High School alumni Colleen Murphy wants to share the stories of her fellow graduates. To that end, she has created the website Town, found at www.townmag.co.

“I started thinking about it in college,” Mr. Murphy said. “I was doing a lot of cool things, travelling, doing internships; in high school, I wouldn’t have thought it was possible.”

Ms. Murphy, a 2009 WHS graduate, noted that Watertown didn’t have an alumni network for graduates to share their stories and experiences. She wanted to tell the stories of the little guy, not just the “heroes” that other alumni groups seem to focus on. She wanted to tell the stories of teachers and people who fix the roads.

Town collaborators include Miranda Weidemier, Chelsea Kyle, Julian Focareta, Chad Boulier, Mike Garceau and Demosthenes Gakidis.

According to townmag.co, “We are out to connect and strengthen Watertown High School. Through creativity, honesty, and empathy, we are determined to create a more informed WHS class. Our mission is to tell real and raw stories of success and failure to bridge the gap between alumni and current students. This is a new kind of alumni network where we value ‘success’ with an open mind.”....... Read More

Read more from Town Times

UConn Alumni: We Need Your Help

The current proposed state budget will cut $200 million to $300 million dollars from UConn over two years and will affect funding for research programs, Division I athletic teams, financial aid and scholarship funds.

This can directly impact our WHS community. 20% of TOWN Mag's alumni who submitted stories went to University of Connecticut. On top of that, around 50% went to state schools including Central Connecticut State University and Eastern Connecticut State University. As Watertown is a middle class community, these cuts will directly affect students who do not have enough resources to attend UConn; cuts will affect financial aid and scholarship funds.

Our very own WHS townie and UConn MD Candidate, Adam Bartholomeo, spoke out last week against these budget cuts. 

"The level of cuts proposed could make UConn School of Medicine and Dental Medicine and Urban Scholars unaffordable for many students/families, potentially shut down programs like UST, and drive excellent students and our future workforce away from the state, perhaps permanently. Connecticut needs knowledgeable doctors, and an investment in UConn SoM/DM is an investment in CT’s own workforce."

Read more of Adam's statement here.

Want to get involved? Reach out now to your local state legislators. Call, write, or e-mail that you are against the budget cuts to UConn. One of our representatives is also a WHS alumni and may agree that these budget cuts to UConn directly affect our Watertown community.

Joe Polletta, joe.polletta@housegop.ct.gov , 860.240.8700

Eric Berthel Eric.Berthel@cga.ct.gov, 860.240.8800

---

We are curious to see just how many WHS Alumni went to UConn for their education. We're waiting to hear back from the high school from their data, but in the meanwhile, let us know if you attended UConn.

Redefining Success

Our mission is to tell real and raw stories of success and failure to bridge the gap between alumni and current students. This is a new kind of alumni network where we value "success" with an open mind. 

This means including everyone at the table to share their story. Success can have a variety of different meanings to a group of diverse people and to limit ourselves to one definition could quite possibly change the decisions we make in our lives.

Have you overcome mental illness? Have you preserved through addiction? Have you raised three kids and sent them to college when all of the odds were against you? Have you faced racial or social injustices? Have you lost someone close to you and you’re getting through? Are you on a journey right now but you don’t know where you’re headed? We want to be able to show the reality of success and that life has so many different paths to choose from.

Success has 2 definitions within the dictionary:

1) the fact of getting or achieving wealth, respect, or fame

2) the correct or desired result of an attempt

We place a ton weight on definition number one, “the fact of getting or achieving wealth, respect, or fame”. These are superficial measurements put in place to rate people and put some on higher pedestals than others. To devalue many other contributions to society can be negative effect on our community. Wealth, respect, or fame - how can these be the only adjectives that correlate to success? Look at our teachers who help shape future generations - fame and wealth is hard to come by while working in education - and yet these are some of the most successful people who contribute to our society. They should also be celebrated. Their story matters too.

Definition number two, “the correct or desired result of an attempt”, is an open-minded definition of success. Many alumni magazines or publications glorify a person’s path to triumph. They choose the success stories they see fit into our societal definition and leave out many details about the journey. We are determined to do the opposite, to share all stories to the community and to focus on the adventure alumni took to get there.

We are out to connect and strengthen Watertown High School. Through creativity, honesty, and empathy, we are determined to create a more informed WHS class by sharing the multi-faceted, multi-leveled stories of success and failure. Can our small town start changing the definition of success?

How do you view success? Do you have a story to share? Share your story today! 

We Love Summer

Riding into that summer sun. Townies, we’re taking a little break for the summer months, but we’re always accepting story submissions. If you’ve got a moment this summer, make sure to write and share your story so we can start sharing when August comes around!

TOWN - Survey

Finally, our last survey. We asked students what they thought of TOWN mag, and we won’t lie, we LOVED the responses. We think we'll keep on doing what we're doing. Are you an alumni and interested in inspiring WHS students? Share your story today. #townmag #whs 

5 Classes That Should be Taught at WHS

We came up with a list of 5 classes that we think would be beneficial for all students to take in high school. Many of these classes are offered at universities throughout the country, but what if all students were exposed to them in high school? We focused on classes that would help broaden the mind, benefit a community, and give students a upper hand when it comes to the world outside of school.

1. Philosophy

Philosophy teaches you to think, question, and wonder about this complex world. It invites conversation, debate, and serious questioning of our perception of reality and morals. It also allows students to learn humility and vulnerability. Just how big and important are we? What is justice? What is truth? What is virtue?

In Italy, history and theories of philosophy are taught throughout Italian high schools. The result is a culture that allows it’s people to really engage in their feelings without being ashamed. They are not alone in their quest for truth; many countries throughout the world make teaching philosophy a priority.

Teaching philosophy to our students could lead to a more empathetic and understanding community. It would give students a tool to use for better self-awareness, which can result in better decision-making and a happier society. Let’s give our students the opportunity to learn about deeper thought and understanding, something that would make Plato and Socrates proud.

2. Personal Finance

Personal finance classes should be mandatory for all students. Great money habits are critical, especially right now. The reality of student loans, taxes, credit cards, and credit score can really become overwhelming if you don’t understand the system. Additionally, it would be great to teach high school students to have simple saving skills. We can expose some financial secrets that Wall Street bankers don’t want you to know, and it would allow students to get ahead of the game to understand the big picture. Although high school students may not be thinking that far in the future just yet, having access to that knowledge is critical when big decisions on personal finance do come up. 

3. Culture and Religion

Understanding, appreciating and respecting each other’s thoughts and beliefs teaches empathy and tolerance, which is vital for a growing and diverse community. There are many different beliefs systems and cultures throughout the world, and it would be beneficial for high school students to gain more exposure to each. Though some of this is covered in world history, it may be more interesting and beneficial to learn about current cultural events and religious traditions in this global society to give students a more solid outlook on how the world works. To be clear, there is a difference between teaching religion and teaching about religion. Read more here.

4. Logic and Mathematical Thinking

It seems like Logic and Mathematical Thinking would be covered in your conventional algebra class, but surprisingly, it’s not. Logic and Mathematical Thinking covers how to think like a mathematician, versus how to actually do the math. In these studies, only variables are used (no numbers) and it lays a base for a mathematical thinking process. This class could be beneficial in many aspects of a high school student’s life; it would be helpful for students struggling with basic algebra to students preparing for SATs. Read more about logic and mathematical thinking here and here. 

5. Environmental Studies/Science

The impact humans have on the environment is very real, and yet we don’t learn about it until we are in college. Creating ecologically literate students would benefit our future and our children’s futures. Environmental education is not only facts and figures about the natural world, it’s a deeper understanding of how dependent we are on nature, and how dependent nature is to us. By exposing students to environmental studies when they are in high school, they could pursue a degree in that field, and eventually could help reduce waste or curb CO2 emissions or change the world! Whether we like it or not, climate change is happening and we need to arm the next generation with the knowledge to help combat it. Read more about  AP Environmental Science here.

We also asked Juniors at WHS what classes they would like to see added to their curriculum. The results somewhat crossed paths with ours; some students said they wanted to see environmental studies and personal finance classes. The most popular class they wanted to see in the cirriculum: Cooking. 

What classes would you like to see taught and why? We’d love to hear from you!

Life In Watertown Survey

We had a little fun asking Juniors at Watertown High School about life in Watertown. The results were pretty hilarious to read and brought us back to our high school days. Some were really positive responses, but a lot were negative outlooks on Watertown (we asked students to make a hashtag for Watertown and one response was #dontcomeheretohavefun).

Of course, the negative responses make us question how the town and community can step up it's game. We are all for adding a skate park (one request from the survey), which has been something townie teenagers have dreamed of for years. We guess the town budget would have to pass first before we think the town will get a skate park, but hey, a townie can dream. On a serious note, we think that more things for teenage townies to do would really be a benefit the community overall and we're all for supporting these type of community initiatives.

The responses really brought us back to the days when we used to say, “I can’t wait to get out of this town.” Now that we are out.. well.. we love going back.

Real World Survey

We asked students about the crazy, scary, amazing Real World. They told us about their dream jobs and if they are ready for world outside of the classroom. We’re excited to report students feel very ready for the Real World and have high hopes and dreams!  

After High School - Money Survey

We asked students about money and their understanding of loans, interest, and finances. We won’t lie, these results weren’t exactly straight A’s. We found that many students feel confused or unconfident when it comes to finances. We’re now wondering how the community can help make information about money, finances, and loans more accessible and understandable to all students so that they can make solid financial decisions. Let's get to 100% of students who understand loans, interest, and feel confident in their finances. 

After High School Survey

In January of 2017, Juniors at WHS took a survey from TOWN Mag in their SSP class. Our goal was to get a picture of who students are, what they want to be, and where they are going. The answers we received were positive and inspiring. We can tell from their interests they are a diverse set of students, but many share the same hopes and dreams for a bright future. They are a confident, determined group of students and we are excited that they’ll soon join us in being WHS alumni.

Watertown Ancestry: A Look at Our Diversity

We think diversity can serve a community and allow it to be more prosperous, interesting and empathetic. Also, who wouldn't want ten delicious pizza shops to choose from? At some point in time, our ancestry leads us back to immigration (for most of us in the US). Ancestry is one's family or ethnic descent (the evolutionary or genetic line of descent of an animal or plant). A few weeks ago we asked Juniors at Watertown High School about their ancestry and ethnicities. We were curious to hear about the diverse set of students that walked the halls and the families that have helped shape our community.

We asked how many generations of family have lived in Watertown. Exactly 50% of students surveyed said they are second or third generation living in town. The chart to the right represents our findings. We also asked students about their ancestry and an overwhelming amount of students come from Italy, Ireland, and Albania. Also, around 33% of students reported having multiple ethnicities. Now we are wondering, are you a WHS alumni and where do you come from?

Townie Turned VP: Matt Frappier

Matt Frappier, Class of 2001, New York, New York

What are you up to? I work as a Vice President in charge of Earned Media at Edelman, a global PR firm based in New York City. To break it down, I work with consumer brands that we interact with every day (think Dove, AXE, Porsche, TJ Maxx, Marshalls, HEINEKEN, the list goes on on and on...) and develop strategies to generate coverage in the news.

How'd you get here? It's been a long road getting here! After high school I entered Iona College as a journalism major. I was going to change the world writing stories for the New York Times.. until I took a copy editing class that nearly killed me. My academic advisor suggested I switch my major to Public Relations and the rest was history. Given that my college was so close to NYC I was able to intern throughout my last year in school and kickstart my career. After graduation I looked high and low for jobs LITERALLY pounding the pavement all summer going on interview after interview until something finally came up. Sadly, what I thought would be my dream job wound up with me being laid off. So, I regrouped moved back home and figured everything out.

Little did I know that six weeks later I would get an offer that would literally change my life and actually get me on the right path. Since that fateful day in April 2006 I have done anything you can possibly imagine - plan hotel openings on New Year's Eve in Las Vegas, handle programs on behalf of people like Arianna Huffington and even take celebrities to the secret 103rd floor of the Empire State Building! I am thankful for everything I have done and where my career is headed.

What are your goals? I want to continue to evolve and grow in my career. Even though I have been doing this for over a decade now the industry is changing and to stay relevant I need to continue to grow with it.

Advice for WHS Students? NEVER GIVE UP. After I got laid off I was so disappointed and depressed, but after a couple days I got myself up and started interviewing for jobs. If I had never done that I doubt that I would be anywhere near as successful as I am today.

What do you feel grateful for today? I am grateful for everything I have achieved, it's been a long, crazy ride and I am thankful for everything that has been and that will be.

Happy Valentine's Day!

We're spreading the love to all of you townies. Whether you're single and killing it or married with adorable kids, we hope you have a great love-filled Valentine's Day!

Do you have a beautiful, corny, amazing, sappy, love story? Share it today!

Townies Worldwide

We've received responses from Saudi Arabia to South Africa to Australia. Have you let us know where you are? Take our quick survey now and let us know where you are at! Where In The World Are WHS Alumni? 

Thank You Future Alumni

Two weeks ago Juniors at Watertown High School were introduced to TOWN Mag in their SSP classes. Students read TOWN stories and took the time to answer survey questions. We’re excited about the feedback we received and think it will be helpful for not only TOWN Mag but WHS and the community in general. It’s important to us that we understand the thoughts and aspirations of current WHS students and not make assumptions.  Thank you future alumni. Also, thank you to Michelle Baim and Nicole Lewis for allowing us this opportunity!

We asked if students had any comments or questions about TOWN Mag and this was one of the questions that stood out to us. We'd love to answer it.

---

“Why did you care enough to make this? It seems strange for random adults to care about some angsty teenagers.”

We care because even though we are random adults, we were once angsty teenagers. Except we didn't have a resource to tell us what was out there in the world after WHS, we didn't have a variety of role models who stuck around town and we truly didn't have a clue what we were getting ourselves into. We've seen graduates live life to the fullest, pursue careers that we would never have been exposed to at WHS, live around the world, and follow their dreams. But we've also seen graduates spend a ton of money transferring schools, change majors and take extra classes, fall down and not get back up, become unemployed after receiving a very expensive degree, or go into extreme debt. We realized that if we had heard any of these stories while we were in high school we may have made different decisions or we may have been more motivated and inspired. These stories aren’t shared to younger generations and we decided they needed to be. As a community we need to learn from each other.

We sat in those same seats staring out the same windows while the teacher spoke in the front of the classroom, having no idea what was about to come next. 

Finally Sharing My Story: Colleen Murphy

Colleen Murphy, Class of 2009, WTN -> BOS -> FLO -> SF -> CLT

What are you up to? I recently made a dramatic change in my life and moved from San Francisco, California to Charlotte, North Carolina (I’m always down for an adventure) so that I could kick it with one of my favorite humans and my high-school sweetheart, Chad. After 5 years of being apart, we reconnected via e-mail. Soon enough, Chad flew out to visit SF last November and we’ve been back together since. 

When it comes to my career, I feel like I have a ton going on right now. I’m the lead creative on the marketing team for a tech company in San Francisco. My employer allowed me to work remotely from North Carolina. Since I work from home, a lot of my day is spent on the computer designing, meeting via Skype, or e-mailing. Working from home is a love/hate relationship; it can be so lonely that I talk to my plants but it also allows me to have a flexible schedule and to travel more often.

In addition to my full-time job, I run TOWN Mag. I started working on TOWN in January of 2016 but it’s been an idea long before that. I had been sitting on the idea since college and with the support from some creative Watertown friends, I started doing the work. I love being able to combine art, design, technology, and social impact. I want to give back to my roots and include everyone in the conversation; everyone’s story truly does matter. 

I’m also teaching graphic design and photography to amazing high schools students at Behailu Academy here in North Carolina. My main goal is to use my creativity to make positive change and inspire others. I’ve always been interested in social change and activism, and now more than ever I’m determined to create community, teach empathy, and use my skills to shed light on certain causes, whether it be through photography or graphic design.

How'd you get here? It’s a long story. I am so lucky, I feel as though I’ve lived a lifetime in my short 25 years on earth.

In 2014, I graduated from Northeastern University in Boston, MA with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in graphic design and a minor in photography. My overall university experience was eye-opening, expensive, interesting, inspiring, and nomadic. Northeastern has a program called COOP and my career experience bleeds into my college experience. Throughout the past 5 years, I’ve lived in 4 different cities, 2 different countries, I’ve worked for 4+ companies, with so many different job titles. I worked for Reebok as a photography and graphic design intern. I worked in Florence, Italy as a European tour guide/intern for a travel company. I nannied, freelanced, and worked at a daycare. I pedicabbed my way through senior year, giving rides to people in and out of Fenway during Red Sox games.

After graduation, I applied for 150 jobs in San Francisco, my next destination. All rejected. I decided to move to SF anyway. I nannied until I landed a design job at a start-up electric bike company. Pretty soon I was riding around San Francisco photographing an electric bike. Then, all of a sudden - bam! The love of my young Watertown life shows up at my door in San Francisco after 5 years of being apart. My philosophies and values started to shift. Fast forward a year later and here I am, living under the Mason Dixon line, learning to love, with my career fully in-tact, figuring out what is coming next.

I think these past couple of years I’ve felt the most confused and rejected. It has been a crazy ride. There have been such high moments like launching TOWN, or learning to ski in Lake Tahoe, or riding an electric bike down the Las Vegas strip. I’ve met amazing people from all over the world; from Kazakstan to Colorado to Florence (shout out to all of the inspiring friends I’ve met). But I’d also be lying if I said that it’s all roses and rainbows all the time. There are low moments too, like feeling completely alone on a snowy Boston night, or having coworkers who are complete bullies, or having a crazy roommate constantly threatening you with lawsuits. Would I trade it? No way. This is what makes life so fantastic and interesting. I’m always learning so much about myself and the world and I’m extremely lucky to have these opportunities, even the "low" moments (I've been really lucky and haven't had "lows" like some people have).

Throughout it all, Watertown has been my roots and support system. My parents have helped me financially and emotionally, and for that I am grateful and privileged. My friends from home remain as important to me as they did 10 years ago and although we have followed extremely different paths, we still know we're townies at heart.

What are your goals? I want to do everything. It’s kind of scary because it’s hard for me to really decide what I really want to do. I’m confused! First and foremost, I’d like to find a city that I really want to live in for longer than 1 year. I am interested in activism and social impact, and I’m thinking about going back to school for education, political science, or art. I also want to be a photographer for the New York Times or National Geographic. I want to hike in every country and I want to live in Japan for at least 3 months. I also have a few business ideas that focus on art, social impact, and international travel. For now, I’m riding the wave. Since I don’t know exactly what I’m destined to do, I’m following my heart and standing up for what I believe in and trusting the universe will show me the way.

Advice for WHS Students?  There are no rules or limits in life, only consequences. You can do whatever you want. There are, of course, steps to be taken to get where you want to go, but as long as you have an end goal in sight, for years or decades, you can do it. If you are determined and focused, you can do whatever makes you happy. If you are confused about what makes you happy, be patient, it will come. If you feel like money limits you on doing what makes you happy - don’t let it. Save your money for your goals and only buy things that you need.  If you feel like nothing really matters, you are kind of right. We truly are just floating in space. But a great teacher and friend of mine once said, “Nothing really matters. But why not make it matter?” 

If you could have a superpower just for today, what would it be? TO FLY.

Happy New Year from TOWN

2016 was an amazing year for TOWN Mag and we couldn't have done it without you. We are excited for a successful 2017 and we hope you are too.  Thank you for a great 2016!

Attention 2016 Townie Storytellers

Have you shared your story with us this past year? We have great news! Juniors at Watertown High School will be reading your stories in class on January, 25 2017. We are excited to finally share these stories with current students. We'd love to give you the opportunity to further your impact. First, you can submit your contact information to share with students. Second, if necessary, you can update your story. Thanks again for taking the time to write and submit your fantastic stories!

Students will have a ton of questions after reading your story. Submit your contact information so that students can e-mail or call you with questions about your story.

Time has gone by since you shared your story with TOWN and there may be parts you'd like to update. Update your story before January 25, 2017 and we will make changes for you.