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BY LARRY GRARD
Staff Writer 06/06/2009

enlarge Photo by Jason McKibben

PICTURE TIME: Lawrence High School senior Jake Hayes, foreground, photographs classmates, from left, Anganette Stinson, Molly Cooper, Julia Spieldenner, Ashley Ball, Leah Gankofskie, Tiala Glabau and Erin Dudley as nearly 200 students from Albion, Benton, Clinton and Fairfield get ready in the school’s gymnasium for commencement exercises Friday night in Fairfield.

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In his opening remarks, Lawrence High School teacher Eric Brown proclaimed that "this is Bulldog nation." Brown described class co-presidents Courtney Rowell and Eric Pratt as "dedicated Bulldog-ians."

Following the playing of "Pomp and Circumstance," band director D. Loren Fields belted out the school song, which starts with "Dear old Lawrence High we love you, the gray and the blue."

It was like that.

Welch spread the school spirit.

"We have spent the past four years together, and I have seen the best in all of you," she said.

Welch, who will study pre-veterinary science at Boston University, noted the stress of the past few months -- college applications, interviews, job applications.

"Now, many of us are beginning to feel a little cramped in these hallways, as our confidence and our abilities grow," she said. "We are in control of our future."

LaPorte, the valedictorian, who plans a nursing career, happily proclaimed that a record 87 percent of Lawrence graduates will be continuing their education this year.

"I am so proud to be a part of the class of 2009," LaPorte said.

LaPorte also pointed proudly to the accomplishments of her mother, who taught Spanish for 19 years, then went back to school and became an art teacher.

"You can be anything you want," she said. "You might have to make some changes."

Pratt, who plans to study veterinary science at the University of Vermont, echoed that thought.

"Don't stop trying if you don't win at first," Pratt said. "Hard work does eventually pay off."

And Rowell, who will major in international studies at American University, advised her classmates: "Don't let others decide who you will become."

The graduating class of 2009 from Lawrence High School:

Brandy Lynn-Marie Armour, Tyler E. Ashland, Brian A. Audet, Emily Ann Bacheller, Meghan Margaret Marie Baker, Richard Arthur Baldic, Ashley Renee Ball, James E. Bartlett III, Kimberly Joyce Bartlett, Kaitlin Renee Belanger, Lauren N. Belanger, Dillon L. Bellefleur, Daniel Clinton Bernardini, Garielle Jilliann Bickford, Marissa Love Black, Andrea Leigh Blaisdell, Nicholas James Blood, Amanda Sue Boudreau, Anthony James Boudreau, Stacey Lynn Boulette, Heather Rachael Boynton, Damien Nelson Braley.

Christopher George Caron, Nicholas Arthur Cates, Kimberly Marie Caverly, Grace Louise Chavis, Elizabeth Sue Chenevert, Marissa Joyce Cibrian, Benjamin John Leland Clark, Casey Alex Clark, Justin Michael Clark, Katie Lynn Clifford, Sarah Ann Clifford, Joanann Cloukey, Jayme Lynn Cloutier, Jordan D. Cochran, Garrett Brent Collins, Christina Marie Colson, Jasmine Nicole Colson, Molly Lynn Cooper, Ashley Ann Coro, Devyn Marie Curless-Clark, Anthony Steven Davis, Joshua Andrew Davis, Edward Timothy Dawe, Thomas Alexander Drouin, Erin Elizabeth Dudley.

Hannah Elizabeth Faulkner, Daniel Patrick Fleming, Payge Yvette Flewelling, Taylor L. Follansbee, Ashley Elizabeth Fortin, Brittney Taylor Fortin, Gaige Ryan Fuller, Ian Allen Gage, Leah Ann Gankofskie, Rikki Michele Garcia, Stephanie Susan Getchell, Amanda Katheren Gheorghe, Daven L. Giroux, Emilee Sue Giroux, Arianne Tiala L. Glabau, Matthew Stephen Gola, Amanda Lee Gorneau, Cory Allan Grard, Gregory James Graves, Kelcie Grenier, Patrick David Griffin, Nicole Elizabeth Guimond, Matthew Stephen Gurney.

Justin Earl Hall, Shaun William Hallee, Benjamin D. Halliwell, Brittany Rae Hamlin, Maxwell Joseph Haney, Zackary A. Hann, Elizabeth Maria Hannon, Leanne M. Harding, Jacob Dana Hayes, Angela Marie Hines, Bryan Paul Hinkel, Spencer James Hodges, Jeremy John Holt, Matthew Robert Huck, Cameron Joseph Huggins, Jody Ann Jackson.

Chase Michael Karter, Thomas Edward Kent, Brandon Allen King, Evan Andrew Klane, Keith Lowelle Kolreg, Julia Ruth Kusiak Carey, Amanda Lee LaCroix, Keri Ann Lancaster, Jodi Ann Langlois, Devon Alexander Laplante, Caitlin Gabrielle LaPorte, Jacob Leo Laverriere, Brock William Lawrence, Jessica Kate Leary, Maggie Jean LeBrun, Corey Richard Lee, Samantha Glenda Lessard, Eric P. Letourneau Jr., Lindsey Rae Letourneau, Jessica Jean Lewis, Amanda Marie Longstreet, Megan Elizabeth Lovley, Joshua David Lund, Jason Truong Luong.

Robert C. MacArthur, Matthew W. MacLean, Anthony Lee Mann, Travis Earle Marcia, Erica Jo Marcoux, Lauren Elizabeth Marcoux, Stephanie Betty Martin, Sydnie Ellen Martin, Christopher John Mathieu, Devin Michael McDonald, Elizabeth Blair McDonald, Desiree T. McLean, Abbey Margaret McQuilkin, Jacob D. Miller, Tyler R. Millett, David Allen Monk, Rossiter Thomas Mosher, Kelli Jean Murray, Taylor C. Murray, Misty Iesha Myron, Katie-Lyn Marie Newell, Sydney Elizabeth Nichols, Erika Lynn Noiles, Cote Alex Noonan, Keith Charles Noyes.

William W. Oakes II, Norbert Harold Page, Holly Jennifer Paquette, Marie Claire Paradise, Jade Lita Parker, Dean Joseph Pelletier, Kenneth Alan Pelotte, Matthew Gregg Perkins, Tyler Jakob Perkins, Kiera Ann Plante, Whitney A. Pollard, Eric David Pratt, Kevin Alex Pressey, Jacob Dwayne Reid, Kristina Lyn Reider, John Henry Reynolds, Cody L. Rioux, Courtney Louise Rowell. Storme Marie Savage, Nicholas Charles Sayers, Cyanne Kimberly Schoenig, Olga P. Shabunya, Hebert Erlon Shores III, Kyle A. Spann, Brooks Arthur Spaulding, Nathan Allen Spaulding, Julia Margaret Spieldenner, Matthew Edward Stevens, Anganette Sites Stinson, Ashley Jean Strickland, Andrew Lewis Thibodeau, Alex Michael Tingley, Christopher James Toner, Joseph Alexander Turlo, Jeffrey Edward Tuttle.

Aimee Leigh Vigue, Benjamin Francis Violette, Erica Lynn Violette, David Michael Walsh, Marina Sue Welch, Brittney Ashlyn White, Andrew Scott Wilson, Javae Lyn Wood, Jenna Renee Woods, Chelsea Michelle Wright and Suzanne Yeung.

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