Page 53 - Newsletter_Winter_2021

be involved where and when I could; especially with my mother being on the board early on. I worked with my class rep to put
a window together one year, and later added my name to the rep list in hope to have news for every newsletter. While living
in Southern Maine, I became an administrator for the Facebook page which Linda Fitzpatrick Easterbrooks ’81 created from
her home in Winthrop, Maine. When I moved back to Houlton in late 2017, with a 12-hour night shift job, my top goals
were 1) to save to buy a home which happened 6-7 months later, and 2) to become more involved with HHSAA. I heard there
was an issue with the financial records getting updated, so I learned the QuickBooks program and worked with Paul Callnan
and Bruce Haggerty ‘86. Soon the books were up-to-date and accurate quarterly reports could be given to the board at any
time. I continued to update the books while becoming involved in different committees, such as the reunion and fundraising
committees. In 2020, an opening on the board became available and I was voted on and offered the treasurer position.

My HHS memories are many, as I had spent my eight prior educational years at St Mary’s School and started school in
kindergarten with Mrs. Ellen Askren at Littleton Elementary School, I did not know many of the students at HHS well but
had some community contacts with some. I recall fitting in well socially, though I was a bit shy, but academically I remember
being bored at times during my first year. An example was in Mr Scott Emack’s college English class when I would voluntarily
diagram sentences while my classmates identified distinct parts of the sentence, such as subject, verb, adjective, adverb, etc.
Band class was also a unique experience for me going from a small band crammed into the small library room at St Mary’s
to a band with nearly 100 members still crammed into a large backstage room for practices. Then there were the basketball
tournament trips, and Mr. David McGillicuddy ‘62 would fight with the school board to have the whole band go which
meant the need for 2-3 school buses just for the band and equipment. I recall Mr. McGill saying something like “if the school
wants a band there, then the whole band is going.” Bus trips, stopping at
the mall to shop, filling the whole floor section because we were the largest
My goal for HHSAA is to band, and cheering HHS teams on so we could do it again; this was how
continue to grow both February break was spent. I was a lucky one, my family always seemed to be
at the games when there were snowstorms, and I could ride home with them
in membership and instead of the bus. I remember my friends telling me of the time the bus
endowment funding. drivers decided the roads were too bad to continue the drive home; so, the
band spent the night in Orono, at one of the schools, sleeping in the gym
and getting home around 10 AM the next morning.
Since moving back to Houlton and getting more active with HHSAA, I have undertaken a couple of independent projects
to assist HHSAA. First, I created an index of all the articles which have been published in the North Star Newsletter from
1997 to present with the goal being we could review which alum or faculty had been spotlighted in the past and bring unique
features to the newsletter for your enjoyment. This led me to find an error with the volume/issue numbering, and with Jon
McLaughlin’s help, this was recently corrected. The second project is still in process, but I have had fun going though the
digital yearbooks and making a list of all the graduates. My original goal was to be able to create a memorial presentation for all
past alum, but I found my family genealogy skills kicking in; especially when I found out my great grandmother was an HHS
alum from 1903. I have a list of over 10,500 alums dating back to 1901; mind you these are mostly maiden names for the girls.
I continue to update this list to create a special memorial presentation for the HHSAA 25th Anniversary Multi-Class Reunion
in 2022. If you have anyone (friend, family, or faculty) you would like to be sure are included, please pass their full name
(including maiden if known), class year or years served HHS, date of death or approximate year. Please mail to HHSAA c/o
Rachel Fitzpatrick PO 990 Houlton ME 07430 or email rafitzpatrick207@gmail.com or message the Facebook page.
As HHSAA Treasurer, I have become involved in the many opportunities HHSAA has for scholarships. It is unbelievable
how the funding for scholarships has grown from the first $500 scholarship to the most resent presentation of $72,000 in the
form of eighteen different scholarships, and now our new Tools & Trades Program for non-traditional students which started
presenting awards late this summer. If you know a HHS senior, who will be continuing their education, please encourage
them to apply via the guidance office. For other alum living in the Southern Aroostook Area, who are looking to gain skills
or continue a degree, check out our website for more info on the Tools & Trades Program. Applications for this program are
accepted on an ongoing basis and reviewed monthly by the committee.
My goal for HHSAA is to continue to grow both in membership and endowment funding. As we get closer to the 25th
Anniversary in 2022, I will continue to try to reach out to others with innovative ideas for events or ways to help further the
education of HHS alum. Since I heard there had been a prior alumni association, in the early 1900s, which died off after 25
years, I have had concerns that our current association would do the same. I want to do everything possible to discourage
that from happening and encourage everyone to get involved. Please feel free to reach out to any board member, committee
member, website, Facebook, etc. and let them know your ideas or discuss how you can get involved. In the new post pandemic
world, Zoom, along with other technology, has opened participation to a broader audience.

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