Seabrook —HAMPTON | In Winnacunnet High School auditorium Friday night at about 5 the air was filled with excitement and electricity.
A sea of blue- and white-robes, seniors were taking pictures, fixing each other's hair, adjusting hand-pained mortarboards and making sure graduation gowns fit as perfectly as graduation gowns can fit.
And there was a lot of hugging, as friends who'd struggled or sailed through four-years of high school knew their time together as one unit was about to end.
"High school was life changing," said Seabrook senior Jessica Gosselin, who'll be a nursing major as N.H. Technical College this fall. "And there were many ups and downs."
Amanda Doyle, of Seabrook, is heading the Great Bay Community College as a dental hygiene major. For Amanda, high school was a great experience.
"I got a lot from it," Doyle said. "Mr. Michaud was my favorite teacher. He teaches math, but I took his course in consumer issues. I really liked it."
Another nurse-to-be, Amy Houben, of Seabrook, will also head to Great Bay Community College. For Amy, high school was a very eventful experience.
"But, graduation is big," Houben said. "Graduating from high school is very important."
Seabrook's Sara Brown and Sara Adams nodded. To both who were about to walk and take home a high school diploma, the night was huge. Making it through high school may not always have been easy, but both young women have career goals before them that would not be possible without it.
Brown is off to St. Joseph's College in Maine to major in biology/pre-med and then medical school.
Adams is heading south to the University of Massachusetts at Lowell to major in criminal justice. After that either a police academy or law school will claim her.
Where ever they go, however, all five graduates said their friendship won't fade. .
"Oh we'll be apart when we're at school, but we'll be together during the summers," Jessica said.
"No matter what, we're tight," Amanda said.
As for who at Winnacunnet they thank the most for being there through thick and thin, all five gave the same names.
"Oh Ms. Price (a school secretary) and Mr. Weaver (vice principal)," Jessica said, as every one in the circle of friends nodded.
"They've been with us all the way," said Sara Brown.
"Even when it was bad, Mr. Weaver was there for us," Sara Adams added.
As the graduates got ready to march to their seats on the field, Seabrook parent Kelly O'Connor was sitting in the bleachers at football field. Commencement didn't start till 6, but O'Connor had been in the bleaches since 4:30 p.m.
O'Connor's son Michael, Jr., was among the 291 Winnacunnet seniors getting their high school diplomas. Mom, Kelly got to the football field early to reserve enough seats for the whole family, including husband Michael O'Connor, Sr.
"He did really well at Winnacunnet," Kelly O'Connor said. "He got the support he needed here."
Next year, Michael will attend the University of Connecticut, accepted in the bio-medical engineering program there, and the O'Connors are very proud of him.
"Of course I'm proud, that's my boy," Michael O'Connor, Sr. said.
"Everyone here's proud," Kelly O'Connor said. "How could they not be. This is the first stepping stone."
Jessica Gosselin of Seabrook gets her hair just right with the help of a classmate prior to Friday's graduation ceremonies at Winnacunnet High School in Hampton. Ben Laing/Staff Photo(Click for larger image)
