Meet the Cape and Islands High School Seniors Pointing the Way to the Future
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1 RISING STARS 5/14 CAPE COD TIMES May 14, 2012 RISING STARS Meet the Cape and Islands high school seniors pointing the way to the future. 2 RISING STARS 5/14 3 RISING STARS 5/14 2 RISING STARS May 14, 2012 3 About Rising Stars n BARNSTABLE HIGH SCHOOLn BY GWENN FRISS the letters each year. nominated each other, have Jeni Landers, an attor- [email protected] For 19 years, Dennis- been chosen over the years ney at Wynn & Wynn can’t tell you how glad Yarmouth Regional High by different judges. PC in Hyannis, was born I am to be the editor of School guidance counselor As I read the nominations and raised in Dennis. She Dylan the Rising Stars annual Annette Bowes has faith- each year, I wish they could is a dedicated volunteer, RISING Isupplement and not one of fully nominated students all be Rising Stars. But then including serving on the the judges. every year. But this year, I realize, they are. Be sure board of directors of Cape While we all get to read she also was a mother nomi- to check out not only the 20 Cod Young Professionals, STARS and enjoy the nominations nating her daughter, Eliza profiles but also the list of providing pro bono legal Banks – 108 of them this year – the Bowes, who started Scottish nominees at the end to find services to WE CAN for judges then have to rank Highland Dancing at age 5, names of graduating seniors women in transition and EDITOR their top 20 choices. Those Breton Step Dancing at 7 whom you may be fortunate helping out the Girl Scouts Gwenn Friss On the future: “I’m hoping to go into pre-med three independent rankings, and fiddle at 8. She has been enough to know. of Eastern Massachusetts. combined through the magic the under-18 New England But first, thank you to our Jeni lives in Dennis with DESIGN next year and hopefully become a doctor.” of math, produce a list of the Scottish Fiddle Champion for judges, community members her husband, Chris Graser, Nora De Vita young people whom you’ll the past two years and often who do yeoman’s work: and their 2-year-old son, During an interview at his ON THE COVER BY PATRICK CASSIDY find profiled in these pages. volunteers at events includ- Richard G. Brothers Jacob. [email protected] family’s Marstons Mills home The volunteer judges ing the Barnstable Senior recently retired as president Robin Smith-Johnson Ceara Tavares ylan Banks knows Dylan’s mother, Donna, says change from year to year, Center St. Patrick’s Day of Cape and Islands United works as the newsroom she has never needed to tell PHOTO BY balance. but I consistently hear two dinner. Way, a full-time post he held librarian at the Cape Cod Between main- him to do his homework. things: “This is so hard!” and In Provincetown, a teacher for 14 years. In all, Brothers Times, as well as teaching Christine Hochkeppel taining a sky-high The second of three boys “Thank you for asking me.” nominated the entire senior has spent 28 years with in Cape Cod Community D – including an older brother www.capecodonline.com grade point average, leading I understand both of those class – all five girls who United Way and will con- College’s language and Barnstable High School’s who is a professional snow feelings. But it’s kind of nice opted to finish their educa- tinue to help out even though literature department. She /risingstars chapter of the Best Buddies boarder and a younger broth- that it’s difficult because it tion in the high school which he is now, he says, “in semi- is the author of a blog on program and surfing, he had er who fences – Dylan has shows what a great group of closes next year. retirement.” Originally from Cape history called “Cape better. always stayed true to himself, teens you – parents, teachers, Ceara Tavares, shown Roxbury, Brothers and his Rewind.” Her book of poet- The California-born trans- she says. employers, siblings – nomi- dancing on the cover, is the wife, Ellen, have lived in ry, “Dream of the Antique plant who came to Cape Cod “Dylan was born kind nate. youngest of three daugh- Chatham for more than 25 Dealer’s Daughter,” is forth- via Florida is also just about and caring,” she says, noting It’s also fun for me to read ters. All of the siblings, who years. coming from Word Press. the nicest person you’ll ever that Dylan didn’t join Best meet, according to his family Buddies so he could put it on and friends. a resume or college applica- Wendy Pennini first met tion . “To me that’s the success Dylan at the beginning of the – when you do things that are school year after he became from your heart,” she says. friends with her son Stephen, Sitting beside his mother, a fellow student who has Dylan waits quietly until Come enjoy spring. Down Syndrome. questions come his way. “There’s so much about Stephen Pennini inspired him that’s just so giving,” his involvement in Best Pennini says about why she Buddies, he says. nominated Dylan to be a “We just got along really Rising Star. well I guess,” he says. “He just Dylan often drives Stephen made me laugh and I made home after Best Buddies him laugh.” meetings, Pennini says , add- It was the dissection of a ing that the pair also talk on cat at school that convinced the telephone most nights. Dylan to go into medicine, he Best Buddies is an interna- says. He has always liked sci- tional organization founded ence and plans to enter pre- in 1989 to give people with med in college, he sa ys. intellectual disabilities more It doesn’t take long for the chances to socialize and learn conversation to turn toward marketable skills. Dylan is Dylan’s passion: surfing. president of the program’s When he saw his older Barnstable High School chap- brother surf, Dylan thought it I love collecting shells and ter. was “the coolest thing in the His dedication to Best world.” enjoying the Cape beaches before Buddies and her son is even Surfing has even played more impressive given every- a role in his choice of col- the summer crowds arrive. thing else Dylan has on his leges, which Dylan had nar- plate, Pennini says. rowed down to two coastal Dylan has a laid-back surf- schools: University of Florida er mentality but still takes his and University of San Diego –Robin S. schoolwork seriously, Dylan’s before, recently, choosing the “ high school counselor Jim West Coast. Buckman says. “I couldn’t imagine not “He’s able to keep things in being able to surf,” he says. STEVE HEASLIP/CAPE COD TIMES perspective,” Buckman says . “I’d probably go crazy. Plus “He can really go anywhere with organic chemistry I Dylan Banks at Coast Guard Beach, where he sometimes goes before school to indulge his passion for Plan your stay and be anything he wants to don’t know how I’d relieve surfi ng. He will attend the University of San Diego, having chosen a school on a coast partly because ” be.” stress without surfing.” of the stress relief he fi nds in riding the waves. Beautiful Beaches | Golf | Museums | Shopping | Dining 4 RISING STARS 5/14 5 RISING STARS 5/14 4 RISING S TARS May 14, 2012 5 n CHATHAM HIGH SCHOOL n n CAPE COD REGIONAL TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL n STEVE HEASLIP/CAPE COD TIMES Matthew Perocchi, in the kitchen at Cape Cod Regional Technical High School, loves feeding people and hopes to have his own restaurant one day. MERRILY CASSIDY/CAPE COD TIMES Christie Macomber is the news editor of Chatham High School’s newspaper, the Devils’ Advocate. Matthew Perocchi Christie Macomber Advice to incoming freshmen: “Come in with an open mind. Try everything and don’t pass any opportunities by.” BY LAURIE HIGGINS “He’s always been very helpful, not for members of the public who come mean to him. One of Bachand’s most CONTRIBUTING WRITER only to me and the other instructors, into The Hidden Cove Restaurant at memorable moments observing his How friends would describe her: “That I’m willing to help others. I’m not judgmental of others.” hen Barnstable resident but to other students,” Bachand says. the school. star chef pupil was after one of his Matthew Perocchi first ar- “Many of his peers and underclass- “The most important thing I’ve last football games. Matthew was rived at Cape Cod Regional men look up to him to assist them learned at Tech is communication and sweating and his uniform was cov- magazine. It is this attitude Christie has will keep an open mind. WTechnical High School in with their own assignments and for teamwork in the kitchen,” Matthew ered with grass stains, but he was BY JASON COOK Elaine Aschettino, Christie’s advi- applied to nearly every aspect of Attending a small school like Harwich four years ago, he was not advice.” says. “Without that, you don’t really surrounded by family members and [email protected] sor for the newspaper and teacher her high school career. Be it the Chatham High (with 246 graduates sure which trade he would pursue. But Matthew says that leadership plays have an organized kitchen. It falls holding his baby nephew with the can express everything on pa- of many honors English courses, Young Women’s Club (“I’ve always last year) elicits mixed feelings from as soon as he explored the culinary arts a big role in a lot of things he does apart and your food doesn’t end up biggest smile on his face.