Principal Bottomley's Blog

This week’s Student Feature Friday is senior Brian Garry who is a humble leader and dedicated wrestler. During February vacation, Brian became Holliston’s first ever four time sectional champion, earning him the Outstanding Wrestler of the Tournament (MVP). A week later, he became Holliston’s first ever two-time state champion with an 8-0 win over a wrestler from Taconic Regional. His win in the state finals gave him the school record for career wins at 152. He is back at Methuen this weekend competing in the New England Championship. When asked why he loves wrestling so much he stated, “you can see the hard work pay off. You get out what you put in.” He has been a captain since sophomore year and he likes being able to lead by example, to push himself and others to be the best versions of themselves that they can be.

In addition to wrestling and playing football, Brian is also interested in helping others and leading by example outside of the athletic arena. His youth group, through St. Mary’s church went to Texas last year to help out a community in need. He and the group assisted by painting houses, cleaning and doing yard work. He described the experience as meaningful because you are able to see the effect you have on others and it feels good to help those in need. Brian is looking forward to the future and is interested in studying business next year. One of his teacher’s described him as “the definition of hard-working” and I have no doubt he will succeed in his future endeavours. 

Q: Your dedication to the sport of wrestling is impressive. What is it about the sport that you love so much?

A: I love wrestling first because it is available to all athletes regardless of height and size. It is unique in the fact that there’s a weight class for everyone and it allows the participants to get creative while finding their own wrestling style. I also love the sport because it is a very tough and grueling sport, where you are one on one and can only hold yourself accountable for your success or failure. This builds mental toughness that can be applied in all areas of life. In my own opinion, something about a one on one sport where it is you vs another human is like nothing else.

Q: What skills have you learned from wrestling and from the nutritional restrictions that have transferred to other aspects of your life?

A: Through wrestling I have been able to improve my productivity and time management skills because I have to micromanage numerous things at once (practice, school, and nutrition). The sport overall keeps me motivated to be better as a person. It also has made me more resilient in response to the amount of discipline that is required to achieve success in the sport.

Q: As a captain you have added responsibilities. Why does a leadership role appeal to you?

 A: A leadership role appeals to me because it allows me to motivate my teammates and bring the team closer together, to ensure that everyone is improving. That is the best part about being a leader, knowing that you are helping the people around you become better themselves. A leadership role also forces accountability, which is useful in anything you do.

Q: What advice do you have for others who have not yet found their interest or passion?

A: My advice in finding one’s passion is to give the things they try a real chance before they give up on them. When playing a sport or finding a hobby, it often takes a lot of time to truly master a task, but after effort is put in and progress is made is when a hobby becomes more fun and enjoyable. So, don’t put too much pressure on yourself to be good or great at something right away. Do something you find fun, and stick with it long enough to learn whether you love it or hate it.

This week’s Student Feature Friday is junior Matt Perera whose enthusiasm for life and general positivity is contagious. Matt is involved in so many activities, both at HHS and outside of school, yet he manages to achieve a healthy balance while still striving to improve in all aspects of his life. Since picking up the trumpet in 4th grade he has been an avid musician, making it into Districts each year since 8th grade. Last year he earned the top trumpet spot in the CDMMEA Central District Festival. In addition to his participation in Concert Band, Jazz Band, Claflin Hill Orchestra, T-Tones & Act II, he has petitioned to take on an independent study this year writing his own music for the trumpet. His goal is to write music that brings more energy and melody to the trumpet. In other words, he wants to write music that will “get stuck in people’s heads and they can sing or hum along to.”

Matt is always looking for ways to step outside of the box and pave the way for others. He is a captain of the frisbee team and Vice-President of the class of 2021. He works hard to make sure others feel included and sees that as a huge responsibility of a leader. Matt’s “why not” attitude allows him to try new activities, creatively approach problems, and progress towards becoming a well-rounded person.

Q: What is it about music, and playing the trumpet, that is so meaningful to you? In other words, why do you devote so much of your time to playing music? What drives you?

A: Honestly, playing the trumpet and music overall has given me opportunities to meet so many people I wouldn’t have met otherwise, and the better I’ve gotten at my instrument the more people I get to see. Whether it is the groups here at HHS, Claflin Hill, or All-State, I can make so many goofy memories with people who just enjoy playing their instruments and want to have a good time.

Q: During our conversation you spoke about the type of leader you strive to be and the importance of inclusion for everyone. How do you want others to view you as a leader and what strategies do you use to include others?

A: I want people to see me as the leader that just enjoys what he does and wants others to enjoy it as much as he does. I want to be someone who works hard to succeed, who encourages others to keep going with him, all while having an overall positive attitude. I really want to try and create the perfect balance of success and overall fun and good spirit.

Q: I would love to hear a little bit more about some of the ways you have pushed yourself to be as creative as possible in your classes and why you have taken that approach (i.e. video project, Stand By Me in garage band, writing your own music for the trumpet).

A: A lot of it comes from the idea that “If I have to do this, I better make it somewhat interesting, and how can I make it stand out?”. I could make a slide presentation, or I could write a partially goofy video script with my best friends. I finished our final project in How to Make Media Music a week early, so why not try and use my resources and recreate one of my favorite songs for fun. I started trying to write my own covers because I was too cheap to buy music online, and it allowed me to make the song how I wanted. I have to do the announcements in the morning so I better try and make it fun for myself and the listeners. I signed up for the sport and I’m here, so I should try and be the best player I can be. Overall, it’s more fun to make the most out of the situation than be bored doing it by the books.

Q: What advice do you have for students who have not yet found their passion/interests?

A: Just try as many things as possible! One of them has to work. Obviously it’s a lot easier said than done, but the payoff is always worth it. Of course I haven’t enjoyed every thing I’ve ever done, and I’m definitely not the most confident person, but I can always be happy knowing I gave it my all and I have a fun story to share in the future.

This week’s Student Feature Friday is senior Isabella Ceresia whose passion for the environment has led to many interesting and rewarding experiences. Isabella’s interest in animals started at an early age when she would receive books from her cousins and would spend long periods of time reading and learning about all kinds of animals. She also spent quite a bit of time at the aquarium when she was younger and in 9th grade, was invited to participate in ClimaTeens, a group of dedicated teens 14 to 18 years old who care about the oceans and want to contribute to a healthy future. Through her work in this program she was twice invited as a panelist to educate the public on the environment and the power of engaging youth.

Isabella’s passion and care for the environment extended to her own community of Holliston when she coordinated a large project with NHS students, New England Aquarium Live Blue Ambassadors and the Town of Holliston Conservation Commission to remove 9 different types of invasive species from the Holliston Rail Trail. Whether it’s protecting endangered Right Whales, participating in climate change strikes, fishing in the middle of the ocean to determine the catch and release mortality rate of groundfish with different fishing gear, or strengthening her skills as a 2nd Degree Black Belt in Yoshitsume Jutitsu and a 1st Degree Black Belt in Hakko Denshin Ryu Jujutsu, Isabella is an incredibly impressive student who cares deeply about her environment and wants to make the world a better place. I have no doubt that she will have a big impact on protecting the environment for future generations. 

Q: Your passion for protecting the environment and your love of animals and wildlife are clearly fueling your endeavours. Where did your interest in wildlife originate?

A: While growing up, I’ve been surrounded by so many experiences that have reinforced my love for aquatic life, which makes it difficult to choose only one. My mother’s passion for the environment and her career in the science field became a shared passion at a young age.  I recall trips to the New England Aquarium, whose animals and exhibits always fascinated me. Together we watched National Geographic and Animal Planet nonstop, whose channels demonstrated the significance of the ecosystems and its inhabitants and inspired a sense of passion for the ocean and marine life.  She opened me up to to a world that hooked me and it’s almost although this passion for our ecosystem is part of my DNA. Simple experiences like these have encouraged me to learn more about this subject and push me to get involved in more programs that would support my love for the ocean and our environment. Over the years, I have been afforded the opportunity to participate in programs at the New England Aquarium, such as, Climateens, Live Blue Ambassadors, and ACCOL, which continue to stimulate my passion for marine life. They teach me important facts about the effects of climate change, possible solutions to improve and conserve our environment, and ways to communicate this knowledge to the public.

Q: Can you describe why your experience with ACOLL has been so powerful for you and how it has shaped your future interests?

A: I was always interested in field research but I didn’t have much experience, except when I went to Peru in freshman year, so this was the real first-hand experience to work alongside scientists who were collecting data in an actual study. It kind of solidified that this is what I would like to do as a career. I was able to find what these scientists did on a regular basis. For example, for the big fishing trip, I had to wake up at 3:30 AM to get to New Hampshire by 5:00 AM to get on the boat. We then set off and waited for 2 hours to actually get to the proper fishing place. I loved being on the boat and collecting all the data. I also found it incredibly interesting to analyze the data and find ways on how to present it (which was something I didn’t really expect).

Q: When asked about improvements at HHS you stated that there should be more taught to students about becoming politically active. Why do you think this is so important for students and how have you become politically active outside of HHS?

A: I’ve always been a little intimidated by politics and never thought that my voice would make an impact on our government so I tended to listen instead and gain insight based on other people’s opinions. I think that if our school presented facts and some opinions on different current figures, people would be able to form their own ideas, instead of piggy-backing off of another. I think it’s especially important to the seniors, who will be voting in 2020. I’m personally still trying to find how to become politically active but I’ve been able to participate in the Boston Climate Strike in September. I think the best way is to find something you are really passionate about and find events that relate to that. I also think you can be more politically aware by asking the people around you about their opinions and just having a conversation about it.

Q: What advice do you have for students who are still searching for their passion or interest in life? 

A: I’d probably say not to be too worried about finding one big passion or interest right now. it’s something that you find naturally as long as you’re open to new experiences. By stepping out of your box, you can potentially find an interest that you’d never known about.