Senior Speakers [Nov. 8]

The 2021-2022 Senior Speaker series continued on November 8 and featured 8 members of the Class of 2022: Damien Crain, Jae Park, Lauren Burton, Bella Lutton, Hannah Van Dyke, Alexey Shorin, Damien Trites, and Jack Lynam.

Damien Crain, a three-year senior from Salisbury, Connecticut, discussed the importance of having a positive atmosphere in your dorm room. He advised, “Make your room feel as comfortable for you as possible and...develop good relationships with your roommates because those are the people that will remember you for the rest of their lives.”

Four-year senior from Busan, South Korea Jae Park spoke about what he learned while at Suffield. “Don’t leave things until the last minute [and] try something new... Suffield is really what you want to make of it and it can really be some place you can call home if you give it a chance.”

Lauren Burton, a four-year senior from Duxbury, Massachusetts, touched on how music has impacted her life, before performing a song that she wrote. “Throughout high school, music has helped me build up the confidence within me I never thought I could have. I write songs to help get my thoughts out and realize my emotions.”

From San Francisco, California, three-year senior Bella Lutton shared details about the many moves her family has made while she's grown up. “After eighteen years, I've lived in three countries, three different states, nine moves in total, and attended eight different schools in twelve years. Fortunately for me I finally feel settled living with my immediate family and thirty or so aunts, uncles, and cousins in Mexico. Until next fall, of course."

Two-year senior from Southwick, Massachusetts Hannah Van Dyke spoke about her strong relationship with her nana, who came into her life after her biological grandmother passed away when Hannah was young. It was often baking that brought them together. “The simplicity of spending time with one another and bonding over spreading frosting onto a cake is what brought us joy. I will never forget these moments.”

Alexey Shorin, a two-year senior from Moscow, Russia, and Damien Trites, a four-year senior from Wilbraham, Massachusetts, presented together. Alex spoke about finding his place at Suffield during the pandemic. After a tricky start, he now says, “I was wondering what would be the right word to describe Suffield and I realized that the best one will be “home” because home is where you feel needed and safe.” Damien found his second home in Suffield's Performing Arts Center, saying, “The second my ears were blown out by the comically large sound in the small room, I was in love. Almost every day after that, I went to the PAC after classes to practice... Over the years, I have developed a large interest in musical composition and sound design.” The duo then shared a musical performance together.

Jack Lynam, a four-year senior from Suffield, Connecticut, reflected on his past summers as a camper at the Northeast Kingdom Running Camp, and the first time he ran four miles up a mountain. “The way up was always a mental battle from start to finish, but once the summit was reached, the feeling of this achievement was like no other, along with the beautiful and breathtaking scenery that added to the positive atmosphere.”

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