by Kathleen McAleese
Managing editor
The halls of Westford Academy would be a duller place without the presence of one senior in particular. She lights up rooms and glows with charisma, and as a nominee for the title of Westford Kiwanis Apple Blossom Queen, the faculty around her certainly feel the positivity she emits. This student is Olivia Peterson, and she has been named graduation speaker for the 2014 graduating class.
Positivity is the name of the game for Peterson, as one of the mentalities she held while writing was to think about moving forward and having an overall positive message. Her “bubbly” personality even lent itself to her writing process.
“I just wanted to be happy and positive… It’s kind of a reflection of my spirit,” said Peterson.
Additionally, she drew inspiration from her optimistic family environment, English teacher Brian Mahoney, and Latin teacher Sarah Bjorkman.
“She’s always so positive, so bubbly. It’s contagious and it has really carried through my high school career,” said Peterson of Bjorkman.
Bjorkman also had words of praise for Peterson, saying that she derived her attitude in the classroom from Peterson herself.
“To see a student that enthusiastic to learn inspired me to be a better teacher,” said Bjorkman. “Any amount of positivity that she got from me was really a reflection of her own positivity.”
There is no hiding her infectious personality, but Peterson did manage to keep her goals about becoming the speaker relatively quiet.
“I knew I wanted to do it and I waited ‘til the last minute like I do for everything,” Peterson laughed. “It was something I was hoping for but I kept it a secret from people just because I wanted to keep it on the down low.”
She had even known about her selection for almost two weeks before telling her parents, who were completely unaware of her submission to begin with.
The process of selecting a graduation speaker began with eight auditions. Whittled down to then
four, a finalist is chosen.
After getting her initial drafts down, there was still work to be done. Peterson’s first audition lasted 11 minutes, a time that certainly needed to be reduced. Despite the lengthy draft, she advanced into the next round. Working with English teachers Rebecca Ingerslev, Brian Mahoney, and Theater Arts Director Michael Towers, she was able to edit, revise and practice her speech which turned out to be at a winning caliber.
“I was honestly shocked. I wasn’t expecting it to actually happen. I felt good about my speech but there were so many other great people that it could have been anyone,” said Peterson.
Looking ahead, she lacks the nervousness that one could expect with the daunting task of standing up in front of both the entire graduating class, but parents, relatives, and underclassmen and delivering her speech. Still working with Towers, she is becoming increasingly aware of the setting she will be in. Auditions, held in the Performing Arts Center are very much different from the outdoor setting at the graduation ceremony.
“Im excited. I’m surprised not nervous honestly. Maybe I will be the day of, but its such an honor that its such an exciting time,” she said.
Thinking even further into the future, Peterson is currently enrolled at Stonehill College, but is still waiting to here from George Washington University, her top choice.
“It was the first time I really felt like I had a voice. I felt like I wanted to leave my mark on the school and being given the opportunity was such an honor and was so flattering…” said Peterson. “I’m excited to share the moment with people.”
