Page 17 - Newsletter_Winter_2020

Houlton Graduates

Reprinted by permission – Bangor Daily News-Upbeat/ John Holyoke

When 88 Houlton Middle-High School seniors graduate on "It was a shot in the dark. I went on the National Institutes of
Thursday, it will be without much of the traditional fanfare. They Health [website]. I thought, 'They probably don't list his email
haven't been in school for months and many regular activities were address,' but sure enough, it was there," Tweedie said. "I said, 'This
scrapped due to COVID-19. man is getting inundated, but I'm gonna try.' An email came back
that said, 'Dr. Fauci is busy, but he tries to get to all of his emails,
But they'll have something that past Houlton classes never dreamed so there might be a delay.' A couple of days later, there was a video
of: A special video for them featuring actors, athletes, politicians -- from him."
heck, even Dr. Anthony Fauci makes an appearance -- wishing the
Aroostook County grads the best. While many of the comments consisted of boiler-plate graduation
wishes like "congratulations" and "work hard," others messages were
All the project took was a principal with a pretty cool idea. delivered as well.

Go to YouTube and type in Houlton High School Class of 2020 Baumgartner, who plays the balding Kevin in "The Office,"
Video. seemed to relish the chance to work on his comic chops during the
pandemic hiatus.
"I thought that it was important, given all that the students
have missed, that we find a way to go above and beyond, and do "Principal Tweedie, your principal, asked me to send you a
something special," Principal Tim Tweedie said. "This idea had message. Now, I understand you are graduating this week. Nice!
come to mind, and I said, 'I'm gonna try. We'll see.'" Congratulations," Baumgartner said. "Let's face it. Some of you
never thought that you would graduate. But you did. Yes!"
Tweedie, who was named principal in April, began sending out
emails and direct-messaging Twitter accounts of celebrities about Later in the video Baumgartner suggests that at some point in the
two months ago, when he was still an assistant principal at the summer, when it's deemed safe, the graduates should get together
school. In his pitch, he asked for celebrities to send video messages and party. And nothing says party like chili, according to the actor.
that would fit into a graduation video. It didn't take long before he
began receiving replies.
"You did it!"
“[Tennis hall-of-famer] Billie Jean King was the first one who
responded back to me. I have her on Twitter, and I sent her a direct
message. Two days later I got a response saying 'I'd be happy to,'" Actor David Koechner, who plays Todd Packer in "The Office," also
Tweedie said. added some levity.

Then the sales pitch got much easier. “Hey, what's up, my nerds?" Koechner said. "What has two thumbs
and loves the Houlton High School class of 2020? This guy!"
"From there, you're able to tell people, 'Billie Jean King is sending a
clip, maybe you could as well,'" Tweedie said with a laugh. Lewis Cleale, a Houlton High alum who is appearing in "Book
of Mormon" on Broadway, was among those who offered
congratulations.
Some of his work involved cold-calling, or messaging, fan pages of
celebs. Some involved networking with Mainers like Bill Green and
Tim Sample, who suggested others who might pitch in. "I know you're not going to be able to hold your typical Houlton
High School gymnasium, sweaty, June pomp and circumstance, in-
person graduation ceremony, like everybody else since the beginning
But there was another tactic that worked just as well. of time, but don't let that reality diminish the fact that you have
done something really amazing, really incredible, and really long-
"It was a whole lot of groveling," Tweedie said. lasting for your lives," Cleale said.

Tweedie said he sent out between 100 and 125 requests. Among Tweedie posted the video on Tuesday night on YouTube, and many
the 23 celebrities who replied with video greetings: Boston Red Sox students and parents reached out to him to tell him they enjoyed it.
manager Ron Roenicke, Boston Bruins star Zdeno Chara, senators There was one thing missing, however.
Angus King and Susan Collins, actor Brian Baumgartner from
"The Office," and Fauci, the doctor who has become the face of the "My one regret is that we couldn't have an event where we were all
Trump administration's response to the ongoing pandemic. together. I would have loved to have been able to see their reactions,
but obviously that's not possible given the circumstances," Tweedie
Tweedie said he was most surprised by Fauci's response. said. "But it was still neat to hear the reactions from the students,
and the parents as well."

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