A Time for Portraits of Togetherness

Amy Kandall teaches ceramics and painting at Nauset Regional High School. Last year, during the first months of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Provincetown Independent asked her to create an illustration to honor the Class of 2020. She painted five individual portraits of students, all of them wearing masks. They sat outdoors at Amy’s house in Truro, and, as she painted, they spoke about how to deal with uncertainty, separation, and loneliness; about living in a changed world; and about trusting that all would be well again, one day in the future. Those portraits were published in the Independent’s June 4, 2020 edition. This year, Kandall painted a different scene, with graduating seniors finally able to be together and set aside their masks. The following is excerpted from her reflections.

This year, we were vaccinated and could be together again for the first time in a very long while. I wanted to celebrate this togetherness by painting portraits of seniors in groups inside my studio. I wanted to see what their energy would be like with one another in this historic moment. I wanted to capture their joy in being able sit close once again, without masks. I wanted my portraits to include their emotions after going through a global pandemic, their thoughtfulness and newfound maturity.

The three groups I painted came together organically because the students were so eager to be around one another. Each group interacted differently while I painted.

Lucy Crosen and Bella Hay are the two Outer Cape girls closest to my daughter, Frida Mamo. Bella lives down the street from Frida, and Lucy lives nearby. They all work in the local food service industry. Lucy worked at the Fox and Crow all winter long. Bella is now picking up shifts at her father’s restaurant on the pier in Wellfleet. Frida is a breakfast cook at the Blue Willow in South Wellfleet. They go see sunsets and walk in the forest together.

The three girls jumped at the chance to sit for a group portrait. They were very loud. They wanted to talk a lot; their energy was vibrant.

Michael Notaro and Anthony Lovati Brown, on the cover of this special edition, were excited to have their friendship memorialized. They are going off in different directions after high school, and they don’t know what it’s like to be away from one another. These are Outer Cape kids who have been together since their first years of school. Their parents have known each other since before they were born. They grew up blocks from one another in Provincetown.

During the portrait sessions they had many stories to tell each other. They laughed and joked. They enjoyed each other’s company.

Rhys Krieger-DeWitt and Simone Rein Bosworth have had such a longstanding friendship that they are like brother and sister. Their parents grew up together, and Rhys and Simone were raised on neighboring farms in Truro. As toddlers, they were pushed around side by side in a red wheelbarrow. They had dinner at each other’s homes. Rhys has chosen to go to the University of Tampa. Simone will be going to San Diego State University in California. Soon they are going to be on opposite coasts.

These two know each other so well that they didn’t have to talk much during the portrait session.

Just being together for three hours was a gift. And, in those three hours, the strangely perfect amount of time to make a portrait, we shared a ritual of seeing and being seen in all its uncertainty. And we all agreed that, whatever it would be, it was going to be okay.

Celebrating the Outer Cape’s Class of 2021

I’m going to be studying elementary education at the University of Maine. It’s in Orono — I had never been there before visiting, but I fell in love when I did. I’ve wanted to be a teacher since third grade. My favorite teacher at Wellfleet elementary school, Mrs. O’Keefe, inspired me — everything we did was project-based and interactive. Family roots me here. My mother and brother have supported me and pushed me, too. But I’m ready to start a new life. At least it’s only seven hours away. I’ll definitely miss the beaches. I grew up around them and I’m a beach attendant. But if there were one thing I wish I could take with me, it would be my friendships. I’ll try to remember what it was like to go to Nauset, at first not knowing hardly anyone, and now having so many friends I hope to keep. —Anna Shantz

I’ll be going to the University of New Hampshire, most likely to major in entrepreneurship or history.I think that I am who I am because of where I grew up. People have told me that when I talk about my personality, I always say that I am from Provincetown. Growing up here has made me not judge people and accept everyone for who they are and want to be. I make sure to always make eye contact and be kind to everyone I meet or talk to because that’s what my mom taught me when I was younger. I want all my friends to remember me as the guy who could make them laugh, and the friend their parents liked to have around. —Anthony Lovati Brown

I have deferred a year from going to the University of Vermont and I am doing a program called Verto Education. Deciding to take the full International Baccalaureate diploma shaped my high school experience. I was asked to reflect on myself as a student and learn on a personal as well as academic level. I would like to go on to college for journalism and learn about the world. I am passionate about videography, and one day I hope to make documentaries on topics that matter. For these last couple of months at Nauset, I have been known to have a camera with me wherever I go. I hope that people don’t remember me as the annoying girl who stuck her camera in your face. Instead, I want to be known as the girl who had a good idea. I want to document the moments we had together as a class so we can all look back at them and see how much we have grown and changed since our times at Nauset. —Arabella Hay

I am hopeful that Covid will go away and we will learn to manage it. This summer, I will be working at Jams in Truro. I plan to go to Landmark College in Putney, Vt. in the fall. I am looking forward to meeting new people at Landmark. I look forward to seeing friends on the Cape every year. I could not live without friends. I’ll miss the ocean and high school, but mostly I am going to miss everyone terribly. I knew pretty much everyone on campus. —Asa Aldren Keane

I’m a science and math person. I chose San Antonio because it has strong programs in health, and good hospitals. I hope to go on to study medicine. My family here means so much to me. My sister and my mom have influenced my direction. And my grandma lives close by, so I can drop in and she’ll make me tea and cookies. I wanted to go somewhere warm, and my Dad has friends in San Antonio. I know it’s got cute little diners, but it’s going to be really weird not watching the sunrise at Marconi before school with my Hole-in-One bagels and coffee. One thing I hope I’ll take with me from high school is what I learned about being open to ideas. I have to thank my friends for bearing with me and for making me who I am. I’m going to be far outside my comfort zone, but I’m incredibly excited. —Bailey Smith

I hope college will prepare me to enter a field where I can help better the environment. I’m not sure what will set me back in the years ahead, but I think I will roll with the punches when they come. I’m hopeful about a future that overcomes Covid. I do want to leave the Cape and see other parts of the world. But, in the end, I want to come home. The ocean and the community root me here. I could not live without the ocean and I know I will miss beach days at Lecount’s in Wellfleet. If I could take one thing with me from here, it would be the sense of community found in the courtyard at Nauset. The things my classmates have done for me, and the memories we made, will stay with me. I want my classmates to know that I appreciate that. —Benjamin LaBranche

As of right now, I’m hoping that next year I’ll be attending the Massachusetts Fire Academy. I am a junior firefighter on the Provincetown Fire Dept., and my dream is to become a full-time firefighter and emergency medical technician. Until then, I am working for Cape Cod Excavating, a job that I love. I’m also planning on starting my own landscaping business. I plan on staying on the Cape, as I am a native son of Provincetown and my roots are deep. I could not live without my mom and stepdad. They have supported me all these years and have taught me everything I know. —Christian Matthew Costa

I applied to college early, so was enrolled in high school but taking courses at Bennington. I wasn’t focused on senior year as a rite of passage, but I was excited to see my classmates at graduation. I’m painfully introverted, and in high school I developed a friend group for the first time. The college required a winter internship and mine was at the Truro Historical Society, helping prepare for a Wampanoag exhibit. I never thought of research as something I could enjoy, but I learned a lot about the history of sewing machine patents and worked in a room full of textiles. What I want to do with my life is write. It seems like Bennington’s a good school for that. But I do get such bad sea fever. There are mountains and a river there, but when I got back to the ocean it was a spiritual experience. —Clementine Valtz

I hope I am able to find a job that I’ll love. I plan on attending Cape Cod Community College for a year and then transferring to UMass to study information technology. Then I’d like to get a job as an I.T. director eventually. I plan on living in or around Boston for a while, but all my family is from Cape Cod, so I’ll come back to visit. I couldn’t live without my computer. I’ll miss Provincetown the most. It’s like a second home to me. I want my classmates to know that I won’t forget the ones who made my high school experience great. —Cole Soults Christopher Jackett

I knew I wanted to go to Cape Cod Tech for as long as I can remember, and I’m so glad I did. The Tech has many great teachers. I took marine services as my shop. Mr. Riker and Mr. Rand, my shop teachers, are amazing. I learned so much from them. I was lucky enough to have Ms. Cronin for two years for history. Mr. Scott, my criminal justice teacher, is a retired police officer. Learning from him was a one-of-a-kind experience. Mr. Ganss taught me a lot about the business side of life and finance, which I found very interesting. My entire family is from Provincetown. My mom and dad and both of their families have lived here their whole lives. Our family business, Cape Cod Excavating Inc., has been in my family for generations. I enjoy excavation and working there. —Collin J. Silva 

My favorite memory of Cape Cod Tech is the time I spent in shop. As a freshman, I chose marine services as my shop and began playing lacrosse for the school, which I’ve now done every year. These choices shaped my high school years and helped me grow into the person I am today. Next year I will be attending Massachusetts Maritime Academy for marine engineering. Growing up out here has put me in the commercial fishing industry, and, because of that, my favorite place to be is out on the water. My plan is to earn my degree and contribute to the workforce. —Ebben Ryder-O’Malley

I hope I’ll find my passion in college, and still have time to explore the outdoors. St. Michael’s is in Colchester, Vt., and I think the adaptation from a surfer guy from the Cape to a snowboarder in Vermont should be exciting and fairly easy. I’m not sure what I’ll major in, but I’m interested in psychology. I aspire to help people. In high school, I learned to stay curious. I constantly try and discover new things, and that’s what makes me who I am. Without that, I wouldn’t be me. Even though I won’t be on Cape Cod for the next four years, one day I intend to come back here. Growing up here was the greatest privilege. This is unlike any other place, and those who’ve lived here long enough understand why. I think what I’ll miss most are the sunsets. There is nothing like the Cape’s light. —Edward William Loomis

I am hopeful for progressive change and for health and wealth for my loved ones. I have been flirting with the idea of pursuing law as a career, but never committed to anything until now. I want to break the stigma of lawyers being crummy people. I must leave and spread my wings, but I hope to maybe retire or do something later in life in Wellfleet. I will miss the freedom, and the ability to take off your shoes and walk on the beach whenever. One thing I take from my high school years is to be committed to impressing yourself every day, not others. I pray that my classmates realize that putting yourself first and valuing yourself is not selfish. —Eli Kochen

I’m hopeful about my future career. I’m very excited to become a profiler for the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit. The biggest challenge for me this fall will be the social dynamic of college. I’m an introverted person, and I think college will push my boundaries and will make me more social. I could not live without my baby sister. The day she was born I finally found my purpose in life, and that’s to be the best big sister I could possibly be. I’ll miss the Cottage Street bakery, Pizza Shark, and Sam’s Deli. I’m sad to say goodbye to my classmates, but I’m looking forward to seeing where all of our lives go. We’re the next generation and we’re going to take over the world! —Elizabeth Baird

I am hopeful that Zoom university is over for good. I don’t know what my job will be after college. Adjusting to the culture in San Antonio will likely be a challenge. I’m grateful that I was lucky enough to grow up on the Cape, but I’m very excited to explore beyond it, since we are isolated here. I could not live without my supportive parents. I will miss the running trails by the school. If I could take one thing from my high school, it would be the school mural. —Ella Kelly

I’m excited to move to New York, but I know I’ll be delighted to return to the Cape when summer arrives. I especially love these places in the summer. Some locals have strong opinions about tourists, but I actually love seeing my hometown spots alive with people. I want my classmates to know how much of an honor it has been growing up with them. I am hopeful for the state of our entire country because of my peers at Nauset who understand the importance of staying informed, caring about politics, and voting (in both local and national elections!). —Ella Mae Dixon

I’m planning to study finance. I am hopeful that with my degree, after college, I can succeed in the business world. I’ll be at Bryant University, in Rhode Island. Just living there will be a big change for me. Being from Truro, I’m not used to having a ton of stores and plazas like where I’ll be at Bryant. Later, I don’t think I’ll live on Cape Cod. I want to expand and live in a place where I’m not so comfortable. Still, I’ll always be rooted here because it’s where my parents are and where I grew up. I could not live without technology. But what I’ll miss the most is Cliff Road, overlooking East Harbor and Provincetown. If there were one thing I could take with me, it would be the friends I’ve made over my high school years. I am going to miss them. —Ethan Lucy

The amount of growth I’ve experienced over the last four years is immeasurable, and looking back as a senior, I’m thankful for it all. I feel the pandemic made me cherish the close friendships I have and was able to hold on to during quarantine. I live in Wellfleet on the same street as all my best friends. We drive up and down Ocean View at least twice a day and it always brings me a sense of peace and joy. Next year, I’ll be living in Manhattan, studying psychology and human rights at the New School. I’m excited for the real-life experiences New York City has to offer. As I go into the world, I want to strengthen our society’s ability to solve problems from a humanitarian point of view. We are living in a very intense and angry world and there is so much work to be done in our country. I hope to be an advocate for positive change. —Frida Mamo

I moved here from Saint Andrew, Jamaica when I was 12. I especially love summers here on Cape Cod and spending time at the beach with my friends. Some of my favorite memories of Nauset High School are of getting to go to the beach during gym classes. Looking back at my high school years, I can see that time really does go by fast. I’ve learned that you should cherish the time you have with the people you care about. This summer will be the last time I have with my friends, as next year I am going to UMass Amherst to study education and communications. I want to teach young children, and, before that, I plan to work as a flight attendant so I can see the world. —Jada Gentles

I’m planning to stay on the Cape and to work full-time starting in the fall. I do currently have a job, but I hope to have a career working with animals, and I am actively seeking a job in that field. I would like to become a dog breeder. At Cape Tech my shop was information technologies. Some of the teachers who were special to me were Mr. Rocque, my shop teacher, and Ms. Chapin, my math teacher. I could not live without the support of my family and my friends. —Kendra Ashley

I’m looking forward to college as a fresh start. I’ll be studying forensic science at Curry College. I’d love to go into detective work, or go to the police academy and get more experience. The biggest change is going to be campus life and a new cheer team. I’ve cheered at Nauset for every possible season, and a new team and coach is a big change for me. I could not live without the support my family, friends, and boyfriend have given me. They push me every day to be my best self and to work hard for my future. I struggled a lot with mental health and the cheer team really helped me get through some tough times. Without the support of the team and coach this year, I feel like I wouldn’t have shown up to school. It gave me something to look forward to when online school made my senior year feel crushed. No matter how far we all go or what we end up doing, I’ll be here to support my classmates in any way I can. The strengths they’ve shown this year with all the challenges Covid threw at us was amazing. —Lily Anderson

This fall, I will be attending Washington and Lee University in Virginia. I am going in undecided about what I want to study but excited to see where it takes me. I’m very interested in studying abroad and hope to travel as much as possible in and after college. I think the biggest challenge for me will be adjusting to life away from home and everything I’ve known for the past 18 years. It will be a transition, but I am ready! The community, raw beauty, and local feel of the Cape make it so difficult for me to leave. I will especially miss sunsets at First Encounter Beach. I feel so lucky to have so many things that make saying goodbye so hard. If I could take one thing with me from my high school years, it would be the memory of Friday, May 28, 2021 — my last day of high school ever. —Lily Nannini

I’m planning to major in global studies at Saint Michael’s College in Colchester, Vt. My favorite memory of high school is my time spent playing the cello in Nauset’s music program. There is a type of joy and freedom you can experience only when you are playing in a full orchestra and feeling the music come together. My history teacher taught me how to balance work with a calm mind. Nothing ever goes to plan, and the key to success is being able to roll with the punches and try to have a good time doing it. I’d like to be remembered for my kind heart and loving attitude. Nauset taught me that my happiness comes from giving others joy. The impacts you have on the world can be big or even just as small as giving someone something to smile about. —Lucy Crosen

I’ll be attending American University in Washington, D.C. in the fall, and I think the biggest change will be how politically driven the campus and city is, which I find very motivating and inspiring. I am looking forward to a more lively winter season along with a change of scenery. I could not live without a planner. If I do not write things down, there is a 90-percent chance I will forget it. I will miss going down Ocean View Drive the most. It is one of my favorite reminders of how lucky I am to be so close to the beach. I won’t forget Crime and Punishment, which my English class read freshman year. I was not looking forward to reading it, but it became my favorite book by the time we finished it. I want my classmates to know how proud I am that we got through the past two hectic years. I loved spending time, in person or online, with each and every one of them. —Margaret Ann Cox

I would like to believe I will be remembered for making people laugh. Ms. Weeks, my gym teacher for the first three years of high school, always put a smile on your face and made each student feel like a one-of-a-kind person. My strongest subject was math. I’m attending Mass. Maritime for marine engineering and am hoping to develop my own environmentally friendly business. I took an environmental science class at Nauset and that was a huge eye-opener. I have a lot of family history in Provincetown, and my dream is to live anywhere near the ocean, own a property, and start a family. —Michael Notaro

I’m hopeful and honored that God has given me the chance to make something great for myself. I believe that, in the near future, I will be accomplishing a lot more in track and field. I might even be running in the Olympics. I will be leaving Cape Cod after high school. My mother and sister are the main reasons I’m still living here. In the fall, I will be attending American International College in Springfield. I don’t really know what to expect, though I hear people talking about college a lot. I will miss Skaket Beach in Orleans, along with the Rock Harbor Grill’s chicken Alfredo. If I could take anything with me, it would be the Nauset High School library. It has helped me with a lot of my work. —Monique Malcolm

I plan on staying on the Cape after graduation since I will be attending Cape Cod Community College to study early childhood education. If I end up leaving this place, I will miss Nauset Light Beach, because I made a lot of memories there and it is a special spot to me. I am hopeful that, one day, everyone will understand each other and that way everyone can live a good life. I would like to tell my classmates to take the opportunities that are there for you and live your lives to the fullest. —Natalie Rose Magliozzi

My dream is to make my own animated TV show and try to be remembered in history like Stan Lee. I plan on staying with my family on Cape Cod and see what step to take next. I hope that my TV dream takes off, like it did for Olan Rogers, who created Final Space, because I feel like there’s an adventure in the stories we create in our imagination. If I were ever to meet Olan Rogers, I would say, “Thank you for getting me through a tough time in my life.” His creative stories were a big adventure for me through that tough time. I want to make this dream come true to inspire others out there. Focus on your passion and you will get there. —Nicholas Floyd Young

When I look back on my years at Nauset High School, my favorite memory is of making new friends and branching out to meet new people when I started my freshman year. I always pictured my senior year to be about being with my friends as much as possible, but we made it work with what we had, and it has been a good time. My freshman year math teacher, Mrs. Reeves, taught me not only math but also how to be a better human. I plan on studying entrepreneurship and finance at the University of Tampa and then starting my own business and contributing to society by expanding job opportunities for others. —Rhys Krieger-DeWitt

I am from Mandeville, Jamaica. When I arrived here in ninth grade, it was a big change for me to get used to the workload at Nauset. To be honest, I didn’t do so well in the beginning, but the school was welcoming, and many teachers supported me. I want to give a special shout out to Ms. Bentz, my English teacher, who helped me a lot. In the fall, I will go to American International College to study criminal justice and continue to do track and field. I really found my spot in school when I got into track. I did track and field for all four years, and what I learned more than anything is patience, and that time is the master. I feel every student should know this: everything will work out. Don’t force things. When I’m running a race, it’s all about patience. School is just like that. Knowing that, you’ll come out on top. —Richard Ramsay

Some of my favorite memories from Nauset High School are of watching the seasons change in the courtyard. There is one tree, especially — in the fall, its leaves turn orange; in the winter, it is covered in snow; and in the spring, in flowers. My high school experience here has made me feel more mature and prepared for what the rest of the world holds for me. I am going to major in criminal justice so that one day I can become a lawyer. I want to stand up for people who don’t have the resources to stand up for themselves. After seeing what has been going on in our country, the riots and protests, I want to do more to help those who are underrepresented and feel they aren’t heard. —Simone Rein Bosworth

I’m from Jamaica. I’ve been here since January 2019, and I miss Jamaica every day. Living on Cape Cod is nice, though. I love my friends here and I love visiting Provincetown. My favorite memories of my years at Nauset are of talking and laughing with my friends and having lunch with my English teacher, Ms. Kelly. My high school experience has shown me that you must work hard to achieve your goals, and that hard work does pay off in the end. I’ve also learned that not everybody is your friend, that some people are fake. My plans for my future are to go into the Army to do culinary for four years. At the same time, I’m going to be studying online at Johnson & Wales University. —Tishauni Smith

While I love living in a small town in a very tight-knit community, the world has so much to offer and I can’t wait to find it. Especially with the past year or so being what it was. I’m attending the University of Vermont in the fall with a plan to major in journalism, though I also may look into environmental sciences. One obstacle I see is the mistrust of the media in the world we live in. I do not plan on staying on the Cape, but I’ll always return to the ocean. I could not live without the amazing group of friends I’ve been lucky enough to surround myself with. I would be a much more boring person without them. If I could take one thing with me, it would be a brick from backstage at the high school auditorium. It holds years of names, memories, and shows. I would love to be able to have that with me forever. —Sarah James Kelly

EDITOR’S NOTE

Graduation Stories

Last June, when the Independent produced its first special edition honoring our towns’ high school graduates, we learned how hard it can be to get in touch with high school seniors on the verge of summer, and in the anxious frenzy of preparing for graduation ceremonies in the midst of a pandemic. This year, we tried again — and, again, we found that it was painfully hard to reach people. This time, of course, the frenzy was related to the sudden relaxation of pandemic social restrictions, along with the joy of actual graduation ceremonies, proms, and family gatherings.

If you are a member of the Class of 2021 and we missed you, our invitation still stands. Send us a photo and 150 words or so about your memories, passions, and hopes. We’ll keep telling your stories.

Once again, we are indebted to artist Amy Kandall for the portrait of Nauset High graduates Michael Notaro and Anthony Lovati Brown on the cover. We extend our sincere congratulations to all of this year’s Nauset and Cape Tech graduates and their teachers and mentors, and we look forward to reporting on their lives after high school, here on the Outer Cape and wherever they go in the world. —Edward Miller