What A Difference A Year Makes
By Sandra Gauvin
Last year at this time, April and I had the extreme
pleasure of visiting each school district in Aroostook
County and surprising our 2014 Aroostook
Aspiration’s Initiative Gauvin Scholars. It’s impossible
to describe feelings when you deliver that kind of
exciting, heart-warming news to a hopeful young
person and her family. Suffice it to say that happy
tears were shed by all, even the guidance counselors.
Over the last year, our scholars have grown,
changed, and matured. Although they didn’t
understand the true gift they received on that
day in May, they comprehend it now. As a
matter of fact, they understand much more
about life and about living than just one
year ago. In retrospect, the scholars agree
that the journey from senior in high school
to the end of freshman year in college has
been a journey of major transition.
One of the scholars, Andrew White from
Washburn, remembers a person
who gave him some great
advice about attending
college. According
to Andrew, “In
my
times
of
questioning my
major, he’s helped
me explore the
possibilities
of
other majors and
has given me great
insight as to what
decisions would
benefit me the
most regarding my
future. Without
him,
college
would make a lot
54
SUMMER 2015
less sense than it does right now.”
Now that these scholars are finishing up their first
year of college. Stephanie Hammond from Easton,
remembers how she felt when she began her first
semester. “Walking into my freshman year of college,
I was as nervous as anyone could ever be. I knew I had
to make new friends, I would have much more
difficult classes and homework, and there
was always the fear of failing.” Stephanie
completed her year very successfully,
overcoming personal tragedy in the
process, and she is looking forward to
beginning her sophomore year in the
fall.
According to Gauvin Scholar
Shyanna Smith from Fort Fairfield,
college was much different than
what she expected. “The summer
before I started my first semest \