Giving Hope: Heather Humphrey

Heather Humphrey, Class of 2008, Oakville, Connecticut

What are you up to? I work as a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner for an outpatient behavioral health program. I care for both patients with mental illness as well as substance abuse. I provide medication assisted treatment (such as Suboxone) to individuals with Opiate Use Disorder and work with an amazing group of clinicians to provide group programs and services to these patients. 

Other than my career I’m a mom to two beautiful boys and I have an amazing husband.

How'd you get here? Growing up I’ve had a lot of personal experience with substance abuse and mental health. Seeing first-hand what it can do to someone and their loved ones pushed me to find a way to help those in need. Watertown High School have me a great starting point, as I started in the CNA program there. From there I went to college for to become a Registered Nurse (RN) and began my career as a Psychiatric Nurse on an inpatient floor. I became manager of the floor while I pursued my degree as a Psych Nurse Practitioner. Once this was done, I started working at the outpatient program. They had a need in their addictions program, so I offered to help there (not realizing at the time I had an interest in addictions). I fell in love with working with those patients and the rest is history. I now work with those who have mental health issues as well as those with substance abuse problems.

What are your goals? The goal I have for my practice, and life in general, is to give people hope. Hope that there is help out there and someone who cares. Hope that the addiction doesn’t have to continue to run their lives and that they can and will overcome it. My goal is to help people realize that mental health as well as addiction are a disease. I believe there needs to be more education about mental health and substance abuse problems and more support from our communities to help these individuals.

If you could tell your high school self one thing, what would it be? As much as I love my life and where I am both personally and in my career, there are days I wish I traveled more, tried new things, explored the world. Be fearless, don’t let anyone tell you what should make you happy or what kind of life you should have.

Always Smiling: Jeffrey Desena

Jeffrey Desena, Class of 1996, Watertown, CT

What are you up to? I am currently the District Resource Officer for all of the public schools in the Town of Watertown. I spend the majority of my day at Watertown High School but I also teach D.A.R.E. at Swift Middle School. The program is geared towards helping kids make smart decisions and really go over their options prior to high school. In my spare time I coach youth soccer in town for WAYS.

How'd you get here? It was a long road, to be honest. I graduated from WHS in 1996 and had no clue what career path I wanted to follow. I attended Naugatuck Valley Community College initially for Business Management. I felt like something was missing and took a few Sociology and Criminal Justice courses which really deepened my interest in Law Enforcement. I began taking police tests and was hired by the Town of Watertown. Over my 18 years here, I’ve worked night and day shift patrol, did a temporary Detective Bureau stint, and have been Union Vice President and Treasurer. The School Resource Officer position was posted in 2016 and it is something I always wanted to do. I felt like I would be a good fit because even though I had a great family growing up, I often found myself in trouble due to bad decision making and poor friend choices. I can relate to the kids and give them constructive criticism based on my experiences. I have been amazed at their trust in me and there is not a day that goes by where I do not go to work with a smile. It can feel like a burden when a lot of kids count on you, but I love it and would not have it any other way. I feel like I found my true niche in my profession.

What are your goals? My future goals are to continue working with kids, and trying to be a positive influence. When I retire I would ultimately like to move down south. The hotter the better.

What has been your biggest challenge? My biggest challenge has been trying to find myself within my career. Although I love policing, I always felt like something was missing being on patrol. A lot of your interactions with people happen in negative situations. Once in a while, you feel like you make a difference, but a lot of the time you have to uphold the law and be stern. As District Resource Officer, it me an opportunity to do the community policing I absolutely love to do.

What has been your happiest moment?: When kids tell me they appreciate what I do for them.

Advice for WHS Students? Just be yourself. High School is about finding yourself. I feel when you are being yourself - that is true happiness.

If you could tell your high school self one thing, what would it be? Listen to Mom and Dad! They were right.

One Small Step for a Man, One Giant Leap for Watertown: Clive Arlington

Clive Arlington, Class of 1955, Fairhope, Alabama

What are you up to? I'm 80 years old, retired and enjoying the good life on the Eastern shore of Mobile Bay.

How'd you get here? After graduating from WHS, I joined the United States Air Force and received training as an electronic technician. I worked as a technician for 2 years in my 4 year stint. I started as a freshman at the University of Florida in 1961, graduated with a degree in Electrical Engineering in 1965. Hired by Boeing to work on the Apollo program at Kennedy Space Center - eventually selected to the launch team for Apollo, SkyLab and Shuttle programs. You likely saw me at the console during those televised launch activities. 

During the Shuttle days I worked for Martin Marietta (now Lockheed Martin) and was sent to work on projects in Texas, California, Denver, Colorado and New Orleans, Louisiana - eventually promoted to executive management before taking an early retirement in 1993. I worked for the next 17 years in the IT business with two small companies. Retired (for the fourth) time in 2010.

I'm married. The youngest of my two sons passed away in 1994. Brian lives in Knoxville, Tennessee. His 3 children (my grandchildren) live in Phoenix and Tennessee.

My classmates at WHS will likely recall me as the shortest, most mischievous young man in our class. Having emigrated from England in 1950, I still had a British accent that I used to my advantage.

What are your goals? I knew in my Junior year at WHS that I wanted to be an engineer. When my employers began grooming me for management, I recognized my lack of training in that area and attended graduate school at night finally receiving a Masters in Management Science from TCU in 1971. At the age of 40 or so, reaching a healthy and comfortable retirement was my goal. I am there, although it took longer than I had hoped.

If you could tell your high school self one thing, what would it be? Find the proper combination of humility and self-confidence as you progress in your career. Treat others as you would want to be treated and don't forget where you came from.

This photo was taken after the successful launch of the first Shuttle on April 12, 1981. Immediately behind the guy numbered 25, you can see a man in a dark shirt leaning over behind the console. Directly behind him is Clive. Clive is wearing a white shirt and tie and there is a guy to his right in a white jacket with his right arm held high.

Animals and Art: Bonnie Longo DaSilva

Bonnie Longo DaSilva, Class of 1986, Prospect, CT

What are you up to? Advocating for animals; showing, teaching and sharing how amazing and wonderful they are. We can all co-exist to make the world a better place to live. I'm using my photo designs to show bring awareness to nature and animals. Learn more on my website: bonniemariesphotodesigns.com and my online store.

What are your goals? To serve and help others and to advocate for animals. Also, to share my appreciation of nature through my art.

What has been your biggest challenge? Well that's a huge question! Life is full if changes and challenges and I've learned to weather it and ride the wave. I was born and pronounced deceased and revived. I lost my Dad at 7 years old, and I've lost many loves and family members along the way. I'm still not back to normal from an injury in 2010. There were a lot of challenges for me in school because I was labeled with a learning disability. I’ve learned we need to strengthen our core to overcome and stand firm through life; to move through life humbled and to be a survivor. I've learned that along the way, we need appreciate every day of life.

What has been your happiest moment? Watching my nephews grow up and sharing my life with animals. From them, I learn to be a better human. Also, taking photos of nature.

Advice for WHS Students? Follow your passions and dreams. Work where you are inspired and always learn to appreciate. Feel good and love what you do. Weather the difficult days one day at a time, as they will pass as clouds. Life would be boring without all of the bad parts. Never say never and don't lose hope; always hope and a new day with be on it's way. ☮

If you could tell your high school self one thing, what would it be? Learn; learn, as much as you can and apply it to what you love in life. Take time to take it all in with open eyes and to see all of the wonders. Don't waste time at a job that you don't want to do. Life does go by really fast when you're not paying attention. I learned this from Bobby, my nephew. 

Full of Spirit: Elizabeth Saraceno

Elizabeth Saraceno, Class of 2009, Brooklyn NY

What are you up to? I manage sales for a liquor brand in Brooklyn.

How'd you get here? I moved to New York at age 18 for college at Pace University and I spent a year in Westchester, New York, about an hour north from midtown NYC. I quickly decided it wasn't for me. I ended up transferring to the city campus and moved into an apartment. I bartended throughout college to make extra money and ended up really falling in love with spirits and the cocktail scene. I spent my free time studying liquor and flavor profiles and traveled to distilleries and breweries to learn more. I got my first job working for a distributor selling small craft liquor in the lower east part of Manhattan. It was tough, my rent was $1,350 a month and I made $400 a week.. do the math. However, being surrounded by so many successful and progressive people only made me work harder. I was the youngest and one of the few females in the industry.. I had the odds against me but it only pushed me harder. I eventually moved into a different job, working directly for a supplier. I went from managing an area in Manhattan to managing a brand in all 5 boroughs. It was great for a while but soon I left to go back to a different, yet bigger liquor distributor, which is where I am now.

What are your goals? To become a manager for an entire division at a large liquor distributor, to live alone in Brooklyn, and to have a washer/dryer/dishwasher in my apartment.

What has been your biggest challenge? Moving to NYC at age 19, completely by yourself, is a struggle in itself. I see a lot of people I went to high school with that live in New York City stick together and that’s great, but I pride myself in moving somewhere and making new friends, a NYC family, my life. I feel like when you’re a kid and you’re growing up you adapt to the life your parents chose and you know nothing else; but to move to a place when you’re so young unafraid, I think that’s a challenge in itself. I love the life that I created, but the biggest challenge was doing everything alone; finding an apartment, moving in with strangers, starting new jobs, walking into new bars and restaurants to form relationships for work, and even something as simple as making friends. I’m grateful, a lot of people give up on NYC after the first couple years but I’m going on my 9th year here.

What has been your happiest moment? My happiest moments are always when I walk out of a bar (an account for work) and feel that I nailed the meeting. The account may have placed a large order and given me a cocktail placement on their menu, and I swear there’s no better feeling than feeling like you’re exactly where you’re supposed to be.

Advice for WHS Students? You don’t have to do what you go to college for. Your major is just a guide to get your degree and if you’re passionate about something off the beaten path, there’s a job for it. Also, move out of Watertown. Get out of your comfort zone. Be friends with people who are different than you. Have conversations with people of different races, cultures, religions, upbringings. People have some crazy stories and you learn so much when you just listen. Also, nobody cares about who you were in high school. The real world doesn’t care. You don’t put prom queen on your resume.

If you could tell your high school self one thing, what would it be? I would tell myself to spend more time caring about people that matter. I spent a lot of time caring about all of the wrong things. I also stressed myself out over minuscule things.. things that I can’t even remember now because they’re so irrelevant. I would also tell myself that I’m really proud of you, for having the courage to move to NYC, because I truly love my life.

The Good Life: Paul Frohn

Paul Frohn, Class of 1979, Portsmouth, NH

What are you up to? Retired Air Force and currently in the FEMA Reserves

 How'd you get here? Stationed at Pease AFB 1981. Since I left Watertown/Oakville, I have had a lot of adventures. I completed the last item on my bucket list in September when I crossed the Golden Gate Bridge on a bike. February 23rd, my grandson was born, so all I have left to do in life is to enjoy life itself. I hope my fellow graduates were able to find their life adventures like I have. My military goals started when I was going to Swift Junior High and it is still going in retirement. 

What are your goals? Happiness.

What has been your biggest challenge? Don't have any.

What has been your happiest moment? Family.

Advice for WHS Students? Follow your dreams and complete your bucket list ASAP.

If you could tell your high school self one thing, what would it be? Do not worry about what others think. Follow your dreams ASAP and don't be afraid to ask. If you don't ask, you are stuck with a no.

Accepting the Unexpected: Nathaniel Habegger

Nathaniel Habegger, Class of 2009, Manhattan, New York

What are you up to? I currently work as a Creative Coordinator for a marketing firm in downtown Manhattan. I manage social media and in-house photography. I also help with ideation of events/marketing plans and I contract talent. In addition to my full-time job, I run my own menswear blog and manage social media channels daily. On top of it all, I shoot photos professionally for clients and for my own blog.

How'd you get here? Well, before moving to New York, I wanted to be an actor. I acted in all of the high school shows, loved music, and was incredibly passionate about that career path. Six terrible auditions and college rejection letters later, I realized that acting was too much rejection for me to handle. At this point in my life, I had put all of my eggs in one basket and assured myself that being on Broadway was the ultimate goal. Also, at this point in my life, I had taken advantage of a teacher-student relationship to change my grades in the school computer system. This act of tom-foolery lead me into an emotional downward spiral (as I was almost expelled months before graduating high school.. terrifying). I fell from the pedestal I had put myself on and didn't know who I was anymore or what I was going to do. I felt like a delinquent and that I would never recover from this mistake. So after graduating in 2009, I took the summer to figure out what I wanted to do. I always loved fashion and I loved art. I went to Western Connecticut State University for a year to gain credits before transferring to a private school in Manhattan called The Laboratory Institute of Merchandising. I wish someone had told me that none of my credits from Western would transfer to LIM, but that’s ok. What’s another loan to pay off right? 

I moved to New York and thought I was the best. Come to find out, everyone in New York is the best and I was the worst of the best (or maybe a little better than the worst, but still.. small fish big pond situation). I worked for Coach as a Visual Merchandiser for about 4 years. A Visual Merchandiser is a term used in the fashion/retail industry for someone who creates window displays. I left that job to start working as a Creative Coordinator, which is what I do now. In the process of all of this, I started my own menswear blog and made insane connections with people all over the city through Instagram.

What are your goals? I want to write a book, open a restaurant, take beautiful photographs, open a ceramics studio and start a fashion company. It’d be really cool if I could do all of that, but we’ll see.

What has been your biggest challenge? Self acceptance. I think the hardest part of this journey (which by the way is still JUST starting) has been accepting myself for who I am and not who I think people want me to be. After high school, I left the comfort of home, family, and friends. I had such a strong sense of self and was incredibly confident. Moving to New York really knocked me down a few pegs. It made me see life on a much larger scale. Figuring out who you are is an ever going project that seems endless, and it kind of is. Figuring out how to love the part of yourself that has flaws and that part of yourself that you don’t like is the biggest challenge. It’s the most rewarding when you overcome all of that; when you can sit with yourself and appreciate who you are through and through. By the way - I’m still working on that…it ain’t easy kids.

What has been your happiest moment? There are a couple happy moments I've had recently. One being the day I started my current job. Another would be being featured in a digital campaign for Uniqlo. Both really made me feel like I had made it even though I’m still fighting to make it!

Advice for WHS Students? Start to look outside yourself. Start to be curious about what else is out there in the world. Watertown is an amazing town to grow up in, but I think it’s incredibly beneficial to look beyond the horizon to see what other opportunities are out there. How can you appreciate something if you never lose it? Another tidbit of advice: If your dreams don’t come true immediately, that doesn’t mean they never will. Some dreams don’t come true (like me being on Broadway because I’m not a knock out actor, but was passionate about it!) but your dreams can morph. Allow yourself to accept the ebb and flow that is life. You won’t win them all, but if you do something that makes you feel fulfilled, you’ll be happy. You can reinvent yourself everyday, and should. ALSO: You’ll realize how lovely being in high school is the second you step into the real world.. so enjoy it while it lasts.

If you could tell your high school self one thing, what would it be? I would tell my high school self to shut up and sit down. I was so cocky in high school. I thought no one could touch me and that I was the best. Turns out, I was really lazy and kind of a jerk. Don’t get me wrong, I think most people who knew me would agree I was a good kid, but I was definitely not interested in working hard in class. I’d also tell my high school self that I can do anything I put my mind to and then to actually put my mind to it instead of sitting waiting for life to happen.

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.

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.

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.

Studying Bio in the Midwest: Elizabeth Mendes

Elizabeth Mendes, Class of 2013, Evansville, IN

Update: “In Indiana the sky goes on for miles regardless of the direction you're looking in. Almost everyone who has asked me where I went to college has asked me why I picked Indiana (specifically UE). I didn't want to live in Connecticut. The only school I applied to in CT, and my only rejection, was Yale. I think I applied to around 12+ colleges including: Boston University, University of Miami (Florida), Penn State, and Colorado State (just to name a few). Out of all of those I picked a small private liberal arts school in the middle of the US that I HAD NEVER VISITED BEFORE! Why? I honestly don't really know. At the time I was between archaeology (UE) and environment engineering (Umiami), and I just kind of decided to go with what 7 year old Elizabeth would have done. UE had a great program, gorgeous looking campus, small class sizes, and gave me a wonderful scholarship. ⁣⁣
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So one hot day in August I loaded up a mini -van and made the trip out to UE for the first time. It was the best choice I could have made. In Indiana I made friends I consider family, grew as a student, and met professors who truly believed (and still believe) in me. I look back on every individual experience I had throughout my undergraduate career and reflect on how truly precious it was. ⁣⁣
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I am in graduate school, but it doesn't compare to those first few years where you discover who you really are. High schoolers or people reading this post thinking about going to college. Go with your gut. Pick a place that is sticking out to you (even if you don't really know why) and just do it, it might be a truly treasured experience. ⁣Do not be afraid to "let college consume you", I think if you are going for a career / path in academia, that is kind of what you have to do. I KNOW there are many other roads to take, but I love the one I traveled. ⁣⁣

"No memory is ever alone; it's at the end of a trail of memories, a dozen trails that each have their own associations." ⁣⁣

What are you up to? I'm a Biology Major and a senior at the University of Evansville.

How'd you get here? Applied to college right out of high school and ended up choosing to go to the  University of Evansville.

What are your goals? I want to eventually go to graduate school and get my PHD in Animal Physiology.

Advice for WHS Students? Don't give up. It doesn't get easier when you graduate and go to college and it probably never will, but the wisdom and experience you gain through the work you put into your future will pay off.

What do you lie about? I try not to lie.

High Performance Techie: Matt Dwyer

Matt Dwyer, Class of 2010, Los Alamos, New Mexico

What are you up to? I am currently working as a Computer Science Researcher at Los Alamos National Laboratory along with getting my Master of Science online. I am in the High Performance Computing (HPC) Design group on the visualization team. If you don't know what HPC is, think of thousands of powerful computers connected in a room about the size of a football field used to run one or more simulations. My team is tasked with creating and testing emerging visualization technologies that can be used to enhance the understanding of the simulations run on these supercomputers.

How'd you get here? During my undergrad at Lynchburg College, I had an internship at Oak Ridge National Laboratory which opened up an opportunity my senior year to intern at Los Alamos National Laboratory. Through hard work and a great deal of learning, I made a good impression and landed a full-time job.

What are your goals? My goals are to get a Ph.D. in Computer Science and become a leading researcher in my field.

Advice for WHS Students? Make every opportunity a learning opportunity. Even if you don't intend to pursue higher education, make it a point always be open to new ideas and learn from your mistakes in every aspect of your life.

What can you smell right now? Black coffee and chicken pot pie.

Electrified: Steve Sicard

Steve Sicard, Class of 2011, Southington, CT

What are you up to? Currently I am two years into my electrical apprenticeship for an industrial company in Waterbury. I service industrial and manufacturing facilities across the state as well as build control and automation systems. I spend most of my time working, but I have recently enrolled back in school to get an electrical engineering degree.

How'd you get here? I guess this all started my senior year of high school. To be honest, I never really cared much about school. I skated my way through high school, having more fun than anything else. I don't regret that, high school was a blast and I'm glad about how I did it.

Senior year everyone was applying to schools and figuring out what they wanted to do for the rest of their lives. I, on the other hand, was in denial about it ending. So, when March came around and I had to make a decision on what to do, I chose to go to Western Connecticut State University to study Criminal Justice. This decision was based solely on the fact that many of my friends were going there and that everyone always told me that I HAD to go to college after high school. Two years of school went by and I realized how much I despised the subject. That's when it hit me. Why should I go to school and waste all this money on something I don't even like? I actually signed a leave of absence form that day and dropped out of school, unbeknownst to my parents, of course.

I finished out the semester working full time for a local amusement park as a mechanic. This is when it all changed for me. My boss at the time was very supportive in my decision but also pushed me to do better. He encouraged me to work with every type of trades-person that he hired and told me to try to find one I liked and pursue it. I tried all of them, but found electrical work especially interesting. Fast forward 3 years and here I am: trade school completed, half-way through an apprenticeship, and back in school for something I really love.

What are your goals? As of now (they seem to change constantly) I'm pursuing my master electrician's license, a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, and working to obtain a professional engineering license. I have been all over the place in what I want to do with my life and I finally have found a future I'm very focused on. I'm fascinated by electrical control and automation and want a career in designing and building those systems.

Advice for WHS Students? For starters, you DO NOT have to go to college directly after high school. I 100% believe that higher education is the way to go, but don't rush it. If you don't really understand what you want to do, you could end up with years and thousands of dollars wasted on something you will may never use, with possibly a paper to show for it (if you make it through). Instead, take every opportunity to try different things and explore what really interests you. Once you have found that out, pursue it with everything you got. You'll never fail if you give something 100%.

Secondly, NOTHING is going to be given to you. You have to work your ass off for everything. One of the biggest things I have noticed about my generation is the sense of entitlement everyone seems to have. Don't expect to get anywhere in life being lazy, it may have worked in high school, but in the real world you will fail.

Finally, never stop striving to do better. One of the best quotes I have ever heard was this "Successful people continuously learn new things, unsuccessful people think they know it all."

P.S. Don't be afraid to work with your hands. Growing up I worked on anything I could get my hands on, from cars to bikes, but I was always told that it wouldn't take me anywhere. WRONG. The world will always need skilled trades.

Inspiring Future Mathematicians: Kayla Bingham

Kayla Bingham, Class of 2011, Manchester, CT

What are you up to? Currently I am teaching 8th grade math at Chippens Hill Middle School in Bristol. This is my first year teaching, so I'm busy with work all the time and my students can be very challenging as well. However, I'm really happy with what I am doing because I have some pretty amazing students, and I get to help them navigate their final year before going on to high school as young adults. I hope to show them how cool math can actually be and how useful the skills they are learning will be to them in the future.

How'd you get here? After starting my undergrad at UCONN in engineering, I quickly realized that that particular field wasn't best suited for me and I decided to pursue one of my childhood career aspiration of becoming a teacher. It didn't take much for me to decide on education because I had many amazing teachers in Watertown Public Schools. Many of my high school teachers had a clear passion for both teaching and their subject area, so I knew that teaching secondary math is where I belonged. After receiving my Bachelor of Science in mathematics from UCONN, I applied for their Teacher Preparation Program for College Graduates, an intensive, one-year program that allowed me to earn my Master's degree and complete a certification program simultaneously.

What are your goals? Well, my first goal is to survive my first two years of teaching, with observations and evaluations as well as completing the TEAM program for new teachers. I also really want to help my students understand that math isn't so scary and difficult, and there's no such thing as a "math person." Everyone learns at their own pace, and it might just take you longer and more practice to get it.

Advice for WHS Students? Similar to what I want for my students! Believe in yourself and work hard. Not everything in life comes easy, but more often than not, it's worth the hard work and the journey getting there. Also, don't let people tell you that your career goals aren't good enough. One reason I started in engineering was because of outside pressure. I'm glad I changed my plans to something I truly enjoy doing.

How did you start your day? I started my day by waking up nice and early to get to school!

Our Town Yogi: Jessica Proulx

Jessica Proulx, Class of 2000, Watertown CT

What are you up to? Currently I am the owner and director of The OM Center a yoga, massage, yoga teacher school, wellness retreat, meditation center here in Watertown. I am also the CEO of a yoga inspired apparel company called OM ShanTEEs and a screen printing business called CT Inked Apparel. I live in Watertown with my boyfriend and life partner of 16 years and spend so much time traveling around the world, creating art, and teaching.

How'd you get here? I have no freaking idea! Yoga has been a passion of mine since I was a teenager and I have been studying Eastern Philosophy and religion for many years. I took the traditional path of college (UCONN grad), studied abroad in Thailand, and worked a corporate job - but it just didn't quite fit. You learn very quickly how little money matters when you are unhappy. I took the dive into my current life about 5 years ago and it pretty immediately became a monster. My life has grown into a passion playground where I live big and really love what I do.

What are your goals? To see everything and do everything I can before this life is over. I plan to retire from this current scene around 45 and who knows from there. I am ready for whatever I open myself up to.

Advice for WHS Students? LIVE. Live big. Don't settle for what you think it the right thing to do and instead do what your heart guides you to do. When you live passionately, things tend to fall into place. Let go of fear. See the world - you will learn more from meeting people and eating food and living in different places than any book could ever teach you.

What do you lie about? Not much - I can't think of anything. Honesty is very important!

Air Force Staff Sergeant Making Moves: David Davidson

David Davidson, Class of 2009 (from Kaynor Tech) Luke Air Force Base, Glendale, Arizona

What are you up to? I am currently a Senior Airman (sew on Staff Sergeant) in the United States Air Force, stationed at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona. I'm a Aircraft Armament Systems Technician, which basically means Aircraft Weapons Load Crew member. I work on the F-16 Fighting Falcon. It's my responsibility to ensure that the weapons system on the aircraft works properly to ensure safe and successful weapons release. I also load the various bombs, missiles, and guns that are on the aircraft. I'm married with two kids, a 4-year-old and 9-month-old. I am also working on getting a certificate in Medical Billing and Coding.

How'd you get here? I did not graduate from Watertown High School, but I did go to school in Watertown up until 8th grade and spent a pretty good chunk of my life living there. I ended up going to Kaynor Tech for high school. I chose the electronics shop as my trade of choice.

I wasn't too sure what I wanted to do after high school. After graduation, I was denied a scholarship at NVCC, which lead me to work a year at CoCo Key Water Resort as a lifeguard.

I started to become really interested in the military, more specifically, the air force. I got the ball rolling on the process of getting into the air force and I finally left for basic training in November of 2010. I graduated from basic training in January of 2011. After spending 5 months in Texas, I graduated tech school. After tech school, it was onto Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho. During the four years spent in Idaho, many things happened. I started working on the F15E Strike Eagle. I was TDY (temporary duty assignment) to quite a few places (Louisiana, Las Vegas, Panama City, Salt Lake City) and had a seven month deployment overseas. Also, during this time, I met and got married to my wife. In July of 2015, I PCS'd (Permanent Change of Stations) to Luke Air Force Base.

What are your goals? Up until recently my goal was to make the next rank of Staff Sergeant. I found out a couple weeks ago that I'll be putting on Staff Sergeant on October 1st, and I can say that I achieved that goal. My next goal is to get back into school and start working on a degree to set myself up for my future outside of the air force.

Advice for WHS Students? Don't limit yourself for your plans after high school. I studied electronics for four years in high school and now I'm working in a labor intensive aircraft maintenance job where I rarely put my knowledge of electronics to use. There are countless career fields out there. If you try one and you like it you should stick with it. If not, then try something else. It's better to do something you like than to be miserable doing something you don't.

How did you start your day? My day typically starts the same. I wake up at 5 am, shower and put the uniform on, have a bowl of cereal and then I'm out the door for work.

Expect the Unexpected: Lindsay Bugryn

Lindsay Bugryn, Class of 2009, Watertown, CT

What are you up to? I just started my 2nd year of teaching! Last year I taught 2nd grade and this year I am teaching Kindergarten in Waterbury. I absolutely love being in the classroom day to day. It's amazing to see how much my students learn throughout the year. I am also coaching the dance team at WHS. This will be my 4th year coaching the team. It's a great way to share my passion of dance with others! 

Who would of ever thought I'd be dating someone from high school that I never spoke to?! Well, I am! We've been dating for 4 years, 3 of those years he's been serving in the Air Force. Only a few months left until he's back to Watertown! 

If I'm not teaching, planning lessons, coaching or spending time with friends and family, you can always find me hanging out with my dog!

How'd you get here? I attended University of New Haven for my undergrad. I received my Bachelors Degree in Communications. My dream was to become a news anchor. That dream quickly changed after I was crowned Miss University of New Haven my senior year and started working with children in school systems. As I began to spend more time working in different schools, I realized I could be a positive influence while doing something I really enjoyed. I was able to work with children of all ages, however, I became very passionate about working with elementary aged children. Seeing how eager elementary school children are to learn made me recognize I could make a huge impact and help mold their futures. 

This led me to go back to school for my masters degree. Almost two years ago, I received my Masters in Elementary Education from The University of Bridgeport. After completing my student teaching in Wolcott, I was awarded Outstanding Student Teacher of the year. I was then offered a full time position teaching in Waterbury. Since then, I have loved every minute of it and can't wait to see what the future holds.

What are your goals? I plan to go back to school for my 6th year. Down the road I may decide to take on an administration role, but for now the classroom is where I want to be! I also hope to continue to build the dance team at the high school!

Advice for WHS Students? Expect the unexpected, prepare for obstacles, dream big, be happy and always believe in yourself.

How did you start your day? With 20 big smiles from my Kindergarteners!

Thriving in the Desert: Joshua Thompson

Joshua Thompson, Class of 2011, Phoenix AZ

What are you up to? I'm currently working as a dining room manager for a retirement community. I love working with the elderly; they inspire me everyday to keep pushing towards my goals and working towards a better me.

How'd you get here? I graduated high school in 2011 and went off to my dream school In Boston. Unfortunately, life took quite a turn and I packed up and moved to Phoenix, AZ after only a year and a half of college. I thought I would never get anywhere out here. I was lost. No friends, no job, no nothing. After only a month, I received a call from a company I didn't even remember applying to. I honestly thought it would be temporary. I was hired as a server and relief cook. I worked my butt off proving myself to anyone who would pay attention. After a year, I became a kitchen supervisor. But that just wasn't for me so I worked and worked until I was given the opportunity to run the dining room. It has been an amazing experience to this day.

What are your goals? My goal right now is to be in upper level hotel restaurant management. Maybe even run my own hotel someday.

Advice for WHS Students? Don't give up. You may be growing up in a small town but you're not limited to the small town. You really can do anything and go anywhere. If you have a dream to go somewhere, then go. Don't worry about the money, it will find its way. Everything always works out. If you put good out into the world you really will get it back ten times over.

If you could travel anywhere tomorrow, where would you go? Thailand.

The Power of Predicting the Future: Ryan Jacovich

Ryan Jacovich, Class of 2009, Watertown, CT

What are you up to? Currently working as a database marketing analyst at Reed Exhibitions in Norwalk. They are the worldwide leader in organizing trade shows in both the business to business (B2B) and business to consumer (B2C) realms. Some of the more well known shows we organize include the PGA merchandise show, New York Comic Con, PAX shows, and Book Con. 

My job comes into play on the data side. I spend a lot of my time writing SQL code to pull data from our internal database of contacts. This determines our set of individuals that would receive messaging about an upcoming show. 

The other major portion of my job is devoted to special projects mostly of a statistical nature. This is the area that interests me the most because I can try to literally predict the future! We use statistical modeling techniques to try and solve business problems. A few examples include predicting which of our exhibitors are likely to not come back to the following year's event, and scoring a specific list of individuals to try and figure out who the best customers are. Some of these projects are being done for the first time within the company, so I've been able to grow with these projects. The fact that all of this can be done using math is honestly pretty amazing. 

My most recent project has been to build an entire database from scratch using a newly learned programming language.  Myself and two others from the team have been pulling our best "Silicon Valley" impersonation by not only building the database, but putting that data into a visualization software program for others in the company to be able to consume it easier.  Rather than having to make some charts and graphs in excel, you simply just pick what you want to see and everything you need to know appears at the push of a button.  It has been the most difficult thing I've ever tried to do, but it has been incredibly rewarding.

I have been granted the opportunity to work on some amazing projects here.  It is easy to go to work when you love what you do and enjoy who you do it with.  Our team knows how to stay loose and have fun.. certainly not your stereotypical data nerds.

How'd you get here? I graduated from Bryant University in 2013 with a degree in Business with concentrations in Finance and Applied Math and Statistics (quite the mouthful). I started off planning to be some sort of Wall Street banker managing my investments, but quickly learned that it wasn't all that interesting to me. 

I've always been a math person and my first statistics class had me hooked. I graduated with a 4.0 in my stats concentration and got my first job right out of college at Mohegan Sun. I was privy to all sorts of interesting data on our customers and was able to learn my second programming language. I also was able to apply the statistical modeling techniques I had learned at Bryant. I was there for a year and half until I was headhunted on LinkedIn (get a profile if you don't have one) and wound up at Reed 3 weeks later.

What are your goals? I want to keep learning. I have the privilege of working with a full-time statistician, which has been amazing for advancing my knowledge in the field. I want to be able to answer questions with data rather than opinions. An answer backed up by numbers and facts is a powerful answer indeed.

It's also a goal of mine to get my work-life balance back in order. I've been spending a lot of time focusing on work, so I've made it a point to go out more. I've picked up golf in the last year, joined the company softball team, and made some more appearances at happy hours in the Norwalk area.  I'm still undecided, but I've thought about moving down to Fairfield/Norwalk as well.. great area!

Advice for WHS Students? 

1. Although you may be a ways away from the work world.. make sure you find something you enjoy doing. Sitting down at a desk job would be brutal if I didn't honestly love working with data. 

2. I mentioned it earlier, but get a LinkedIn and keep it updated.  I've come across countless opportunities from it and it's the only reason I'm at Reed right now.

3. Be respectful and open to helping people.  They will remember; trust me!

What is your greatest weakness? Probably my attention to detail. Sometimes I get too wrapped up and focused on a problem. I can do 90% of the work in 30 minutes but the last 10% might take 2 hours.  That 90% might be good enough already!