The Class of 2020 has come far over the course of this year. They have shown themselves to be adaptive and strong, willing and supportive, but, mostly, they have proven their steely ability to stay the course even in stormy seas. After a private conferment of diplomas, which will be live-streamed on several Facebook pages, we will celebrate the class with a town-wide parade on June 13 at 2:00 p.m. Stay in your yards and on your streets, because we’ll be driving to you. The bulk of what would normally be part of the graduation ceremony will be pre-recorded and made available online for all to enjoy. Rangeley family and friends, both near and far, these are your graduates, and we thank you for all you have done to contribute to their success: Looking forward to calmer waters ahead and closer celebrations in the near future. Congratulations, Class of 2020. We couldn’t be any prouder.

RLRS Class of 2020 Student Advisor Timothy Straub

Editor’s note: Thank you to student advisor Tim Straub for coming up with the questions for this year’s senior issue. Student’s were given the option to skip any questions. Thank you to the students for taking the time to answer the questions so that the community may know a little bit more about who you are. The people of this town know it’s been a challenge until the very end, are very proud of you, and will always be rooting for you. Congratulations!

Toni Almeraz

What have you missed most since Distant Learning began?

Honestly, I miss everything, seeing little kids in the halls, seen my friends, and even… some teachers…don’t tell them I said that..

If you could travel back in time to any moment in history which would it be, and why?

I’d go back to when dinosaurs existed. So I can tame and ride an t-rex.

What do you consider to be your life’s greatest accomplishment thus far?

Making it this far.

What mystery would you like solved?

The exploration of the ocean.

How long could you last without your phone?

Depends on the urgency of why I would not need my phone.

If you had to be quarantined with one other person for an entire year who would it be?

Ian, I suppose there would be issues, I don’t know if we’d both come out alive though…

What are your plans for the immediate future?

The Coast Guard.

Which of your accomplishments are you most proud of and why?

I’ve continued living despite the obstacles in my life. I think making it the entire four years of high school is big accomplishment in general, everyone

Who would you want to give thanks to?

Everyone who has supported and loved me… Friends and family, Susanne Lillis and Ian Crawford for putting up with my mood swings and welcoming me in. Matt Stout for being there for me when I needed a friend. Abi Kennedy for letting me vent and being my best friend. The Smiths for treating me like family. Cant forget about Brain the Brian, And last but not least my little sister for being the squishiest, most amazing, strongest person i’ve ever known.

What are some of your favorite songs, bands, movies or hobbies?

I love music in general I don’t have a preference. Disney movies in general. I running, drawing, being outside.

What, or who, will you miss the most?

My siblings and friends.

What advice do you have for the Class of 2021?

Don’t give up. Don’t be so serious. Don’t stress out so much. Most importantly have fun, everything is going to change after high school, so enjoy being considered a kid for as long as possible.

How would you like to be remembered?

I wanted to be remembered as me, awkward, giggly, and short.

 

Keegan Austin

What have you missed most since Distant Learning began?

I’ve missed getting to be around people other than my family every day…

If you could travel back in time to any moment in history which would it be, and why?

July 7, 1980 Led Zeppelins last concert

What do you consider to be your life’s greatest accomplishment thus far?

Learning to play guitar and performing with Ragged Jack

What mystery would you like solved?

Whether or not Carol Baskins killed her husband

How long could you last without your phone?

Awhile. I mostly use it for music.

If you had to be quarantined with one other person for an entire year who would it be?

My cousin Logan

What are your plans for the immediate future?

Turkey hunt, fish, and Play guitar

Which of your accomplishments are you most proud of and why?

Learning to play guitar, Learning how to duck hunt self taught, harvesting a Maine Grand

Slam at 10

Who would you want to give thanks to?

My parents and grandparents for all they do, Corey Bonnevie for teaching me to play

guitar, and Paul Noyes for being a great boss.

What are some of your favorite songs, bands, movies or hobbies?

Guns N Roses, Five Finger Death Punch, Eric Church, Jason Aldean, Pretty much any

Rock or Country Music (Not pop country(Luke Bryan, Dan + Shay)). Hunting, Fishing.

My favorite movie Is Stepbrothers. I like pretty much any “dumb” comedy (Think Adam

Sandler, David Spade) Also love Star Wars.

What, or who, will you miss the most?

Seeing all the friends I’ve made here and being able to hunt and fish pretty much right in

my back yard.

What advice do you have for the Class of 2021?

Enjoy it while you’re here. Its going to be over before you know it.

How would you like to be remembered?

As the one who loved Music, The Outdoors, and making people laugh.

 

Nolan Boone

 

If you could travel back in time to any moment in history which would it be, and why?

1920s

What mystery would you like solved?

What happened to Jeffrey Epstein, and what would have happened if he didn’t die?

How long could you last without your phone?

Forever, I did it in my past life

If you had to be quarantined with one other person for an entire year who would it be?

Bill Cosby

What are your plans for the immediate future?

Curl up into a ball and roll down the stairs.

Which of your accomplishments are you most proud of and why?

Maybe if I was somebody else I could look back and find what I thought to be an accomplishment but for now that remains blank.

Who would you want to give thanks to?

I want to thank everyone especially BE, TS, ME, and I want to thank myself for not giving up even though I kinda gave up. That’s how most of my time in high school felt, it felt as if I already gave up but was pretending I was still trying, but, yeah, thanks to me!

What are some of your favorite songs, bands, movies or hobbies?

Hobbies are important. Trust me, I didn’t have one.

What advice do you have for the Class of 2021?

Listen to Kenny.

 

Camdan Carmichael

What have you missed most since Distant Learning began?

Being able to be around friends and have a face to face conversation.

If you could travel back in time to any moment in history which would it be, and why?

November 5, 1955. I want to be there when Doc Brown invents time travel.

What do you consider to be your life’s greatest accomplishment thus far?

My greatest accomplishment thus far would have to be getting into the college that I wanted to and being accepted into my field of study.

What mystery would you like solved?

The DB Cooper Heist.

How long could you last without your phone?

If I lived in a beach house in the Bahamas a long time:).

If you had to be quarantined with one other person for an entire year who would it be?

Ryan Reynolds!!!

What are your plans for the immediate future?

If the immediate future is 10 minutes from now, sleep.

Which of your accomplishments are you most proud of and why?

Getting accepted into the college of my choice because it is the next big step not only in my life but in my career.

Who would you want to give thanks to?

Mom, Jared, Grandpap, Tim, Matt, Jonny, Mark, Mike, Tiger, and many more.

What are some of your favorite songs, bands, movies or hobbies?

Favorite bands Steve Miller band, AC/DC, and Eagles; favorite songs “The Joker,” “Take it Easy,” “You Shook Me All Night Long,” and favorite hobbies are fire fighting and skiing.

What, or who, will you miss the most?

All my Friends and Family.

What advice do you have for the Class of 2021?

Get homework turned in on time!!!!

How would you like to be remembered?

As a great student and an all around nice guy.

 

Lauren Eastlack

What have you missed most since Distant Learning began?

I have missed seeing all my friends in the hallway everyday

What do you consider to be your life’s greatest accomplishment thus far?

Graduating high school as valedictorian.

How long could you last without your phone?

I could probably last a week without my phone!

If you had to be quarantined with one other person for an entire year who would it be?

I don’t know but definitely not Emily or Matt!!

What are your plans for the immediate future?

I plan to attend UMO in the fall for Business Management.

Who would you want to give thanks to?

Thank you to my family, friends, teachers, and the entire community of Rangeley for always supporting me.

What are some of your favorite songs, bands, movies or hobbies?

Bon fires, movie nights with friends, and jet skiing with my cousins.

What, or who, will you miss the most?

I will miss my friends and family.

What advice do you have for the Class of 2021?

Senior years goes by really fast, so have fun!!

 

Lauren Farmer

What have you missed most since Distance Learning began?
I had an art class every day where Olivia and I would stream movies while we worked. We’ve got most of the lines from Ten Things I Hate About You memorized.

If you could travel back in time to any moment in history which would it be, and why?
I’d go to the Hammersmith Odeon Theatre on July 3rd, 1973. It was David Bowie’s last concert as Ziggy Stardust.

What do you consider to be your life’s greatest accomplishment thus far?
I’ve put so much dedication into my art in the past year so I was immensely proud of myself for having gotten into several different amazing art programs.

What mystery would you like solved?
Who was D. B. Cooper?

How long could you last without your phone?
No more than a few hours. It’s the only way I can talk to my friends that live far away and I can answer burning questions in minutes!

If you had to be quarantined with one other person for an entire year who would it be?
Ansel Elgort.

What are your plans for the immediate future?
Hopefully, I’m headed to Chicago in the fall to study animation. Everything is still up in the air because of how the world is, but wherever I may be in the next coming months, I’ll be working on art.

Who would you want to give thanks to?
My parents for always supporting my eccentrics, Mrs. Schrader for teaching me to love writing, and Mrs. Johnson and Mr. Straub for pushing me every step of the way.

What are some of your favorite songs, bands, movies or hobbies?
My taste changes a lot but I’ve been playing Blondie’s cover of Hanging On The Telephone on repeat. I listen to a lot of podcasts like Welcome to Night Vale, The Magnus Archives, and The Adventure Zone. I also still love making costumes and I try to find time to read when I can!

What, or who, will you miss the most?
Mr. Straub!

What advice do you have for the Class of 2021?
Take risks and follow your heart. Persevere through the work, even if you’re worried about everything else you’ll have to do. You’ll figure it out, just take one step at a time.

How would you like to be remembered?
The past few years I’ve taken a lot of risks that have paid off far better than I could ever have imagined. If you had asked me in Freshman year where I saw myself after graduation, it wouldn’t have been going to art school in Chicago, especially not to study animation, which back then was simply a minor fantasy of mine. I really believe that you can do anything if you put your mind to it, so I’d be happy to be remembered for my determination.

 

Ian Lillis

What have you missed most since Distant Learning began?

Seeing friends

If you could travel back in time to any moment in history which would it be, and why?

Last spring to convince people to play baseball because I missed out on two baseball

Seasons

What do you consider to be your life’s greatest accomplishment thus far?

Getting accepted to every school I applied to.

How long could you last without your phone?

All day if I have to.

If you had to be quarantined with one other person for an entire year who would it be?

No one

What are your plans for the immediate future?

Attend The University of Maine to study Kinesiology

Which of your accomplishments are you most proud of and why?

Never having a loosing school baseball season

Who would you want to give thanks to?

My parents, my friend group, my bosses, my girlfriend, and my teachers

What are some of your favorite songs, bands, movies or hobbies?

Movie: Fast and Furious saga, Song: You Was Right by Lil Uzi Vert, Hobbies: Baseball,

Working out, and hanging out with friends.

What, or who, will you miss the most?

My Parents probably

What advice do you have for the Class of 2021?

Don’t take life too seriously no-one makes it out alive.

How would you like to be remembered?

A Hard worker at whatever I’m passionate about.

 

Hunter Parsons

What have you missed most since Distant Learning began?

I miss the interaction with my  classmates, how we’ve worked together, and lunch room chats with friends.

If you could travel back in time to any moment in history which would it be, and why?

If I could I would go back to the first time I started playing basketball, it just filled me with joy and hope and made me who I am today, body and mind.

What do you consider to be your life’s greatest accomplishment thus far?

I have many accomplishments in my life but my greatest accomplishment so far would have to be my athletic sports career.

How long could you last without your phone?

I probably could last a few weeks without my phone, I’m not too addicted.

What are your plans for the immediate future?

I want to go on to college and play sports and major in business

Which of your accomplishments are you most proud of and why?

I graduated, why? Because it was hard.

Who would you want to give thanks to?

I want to thank my parents for always being by my side even when things go bad. I want to thank my brothers Sam Grondin and Scott Grondin for being the best bros they could possibly be. I want to thank coach Jeff Larochelle for teaching me what it means to be part of a team, and the life lessons that come playing the game of basketball.

What are some of your favorite songs, bands, movies or hobbies?

I listen to Skrillex and Usher and Chris Brown’s music, I play basketball, I play video games to pass time as well when there’s nothing to do at home.

What, or who, will you miss the most?

I’ll miss all the great times me and the team have had, all of the blood, sweat and tears I will leave on the court for all the memories I have had, too many to count.  I hope I’ve inspired others to be great, as I was inspired by an NBA player’s work ethic which drove me to want to be successful in this line of artistry.

What advice do you have for the Class of 2021?

Just be yourself, go with the flow and strive for greatness, anything is possible if you put one hundred percent of your mind to whatever you want to do in your life the success will come.

How would you like to be remembered?

I want to be an example to others, kindness and giving, hardworking, and the will to never give up on anything I put my mind to.

 

Levi Pitt

What have you missed most since Distant Learning began?

I miss seeing all of my peers the amount of times that I did in school.

If you could travel back in time to any moment in history which would it be, and why?

I would travel back to when I was a kid with no responsibilities.

What do you consider to be your life’s greatest accomplishment so far?

I wouldn’t say I only have one, but all the things I have learned.

What mystery would you like solved?

The cure for cancer and COVID-19.

How long can you last without your phone?

I can last a pretty long time without it.

If you had to be quarantined with one other person for an entire year who would it be?

My mom.

What are your plans for the immediate future?

I’m joining the Navy.

Which of your accomplishments are you most proud of and why?

I think I am equally proud of all of them.

Who would you want to give thanks to?

My mom, my teachers, and my friends.

What are some of your favorite songs, bands, movies or hobbies?

I can never choose one song over the other, I like a lot. My favorite movie is definitely Braveheart and I love to play basketball.

What, or who, will you miss the most?

I’m going to miss being with my friends.

What advice do you have for the Class of 2021?

Have fun with everyone there while you can.

How would you like to be remembered?

A cool guy.

 

Olivia Pye

What have you missed most since Distant Learning began?

I haven’t missed anything, this is more of a vacation. I am bummed I’ll be missing my last prom and a traditional graduation.

If you could travel back in time to any moment in history which would it be, and why?

The 1800’s, like in the Little Women book and movie because I love the story and fashion.

What do you consider to be your life’s greatest accomplishment thus far?

The American Visions Award and National Gold Medal for my HOLGA photography piece.

What mystery would you like solved?

What actually happened to the Nikola Tesla files.

How long could you last without your phone?

Forever. It’s nice to have and makes life convenient, but isn’t a necessity.

If you had to be quarantined with one other person for an entire year who would it be?

Netflix

What are your plans for the immediate future?

I’m attending Maine Maritime Academy to major in International Business and Logistics, and I have been recruited to play soccer as well. I’m excited to be on the ocean coast!

Which of your accomplishments are you most proud of and why?

My cupcake business, Maine Monster Cupcakes. I have had opportunities to donate cupcakes to auctions to help fundraise money to support families or charities. I have grown as a person because of this.

Who would you want to give thanks to?

My Mum and Dad, Susan and Matt, Jim and Deanna Jannace, Bunky, Paul and Laura Reynolds, Colleen and Mike Koob, Larry Koob, my teachers, and the rest of my family and friends

What are some of your favorite songs, bands, movies or hobbies?

Songs: Beautiful Crazy – Luke Combs, Bad Day – Daniel Powter

Artists: HARDY, Old Dominion, Dan and Shay, Morgan Wallen

Movies: How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days, Little Women, and Hidden Figures

Hobbies: Dirt biking, photography, reading, hiking, kayaking, snowboarding, fishing, and going to the shooting range

What, or who, will you miss the most?

Adi and Kiley, I consider them my little sisters

Charlie for the unforgettable memories and continuous smiles

Kelyn my puppy

And the best for last, my mum and dad

What advice do you have for the Class of 2021?

Hard work does pay off

How would you like to be remembered?

An intense competitor, a helpful classmate, a loyal friend, and a hard worker

 

Gaige Savage

What have you missed most since Distant Learning began?

I have missed going to foster tech every other day.

What do you consider to be your life’s greatest accomplishment thus far?

My greatest accomplishment for me is getting accepted into CMCC.

How long could you last without your phone?

I could go a while without my phone. It’s really not that important to me.

What are your plans for the immediate future?

My plans for the immediate future are to go to College and complete my 1 year for plumbing and heating.

Who would you want to give thanks to?

I would like to give thanks to my Mom and Dad for pushing me through even if I didn’t want to. I would also like to thank Mr.Straub for being a great role model and showing me how to live life to the fullest.

What are some of your favorite songs, bands, movies or hobbies?

My favorite song would be “Self Care” by Mac Miller

What, or who, will you miss the most?

I’m gonna miss Foster Tech days.

What advice do you have for the Class of 2021?

My advice for the class of 2021: Don’t rush it, cherish every moment next year, and before you know it you will be done.

How would you like to be remembered?

I would like to be remembered as a nice kid who has a lot of heart.

 

Matthew Stout

What have you missed most since Distant Learning began?

Helping the younger grades

If you could travel back in time to any moment in history which would it be, and why?

Before I fought a pole, I would want to win.

What do you consider to be your life’s greatest accomplishment thus far?

Working hard

How long could you last without your phone?

Years

If you had to be quarantined with one other person for an entire year who would it be?

Ian Lillis

What are your plans for the immediate future?

To attend Eastern Maine Community College and get my CDL

Which of your accomplishments are you most proud of and why?

Figuring out my future and moving to Rangeley

Who would you want to give thanks to?

The Haley family, the Millbury family, and the Herbert family

What are some of your favorite songs, bands, movies or hobbies?

Favorite movie is The Accountant

I like working

What, or who, will you miss the most?

Mr. L, Mrs. Hathaway, Mrs. Ellis, Mrs. Philbrick, Mr. Straub, and the 3rd grade students

What advice do you have for the Class of 2021?

Work as hard as possible

How would you like to be remembered?

Funny and hard working

 

Gabrielle White

What have you missed most since distant learning began?

My friends and teachers.

If you could travel in time to any moment in history which would it be, and why?

Basketball season so I could re-do it because I love the sport.

What do you consider to be your life’s greatest accomplishment thus far?

Getting through school even though I’m not in school.

What mystery would you like solved?

All of them.

How long could you last without your phone?

A very long time.

If you had to be quarantined with one other person for an entire year who would it be?

My cousin Gaige.

What are your plans for the immediate future?

To continue working and go to college.

Which of your accomplishments are most proud of and why?

My basketball career because it has helped me become the strong young women I am today.

Who would you want to give thanks to?

Everyone who has helped me through my high school career.

What are some of your favorite songs, bands, movies or hobbies?

I love Luke Combs, I love scary movies and I love to hunt and fish.

What, or who, will you miss the most?

All of my teachers, definitely basketball, but most of all seeing my Nephew Hunter.

What advice do you have for the class of 2021?

Don’t take anything for granted and have as much fun as you can.

How would you like to be remembered?

A young student who worked hard and set a good example for the younger kids.

 

 

Brian Williamson

What mystery would I like to be solved?

I would like to find out if the legendary money pit on Oak Island really exists.

What, or who, will I miss the most?

I will miss playing sports with the friends I made here the most.

What are my plans for the immediate future?

To go to college and live my best life.

How long could I last without my phone?

I believe that I could last a long time if I needed to.

If I could travel back to any moment in history which would it be and why?

I think that I would like to go to either ancient Greece or Ancient Egypt because those time periods are filled with so many exciting stories and myths that I would like to see the truth behind them.

 

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