Holyoke High School is filled with many wonderful things but at the top of that list is Sarah Cavanaugh. If you’ve spent any time in the hall of Holyoke High, chances are high you already know Sarah. She can found walking the halls, handing out hugs, compliments, and other nice comments trying to make everyone’s day just a little bit better. Sarah is a member of the class of 2017, but more than that she is one of the most kind and inspirational people in the school.

Sarah’s favorite class in school is history.  It’s no surprise that Mrs. Grumoli, one of the top history teachers in HHS, is her favorite teacher. Mrs. Grumoli feels the same way about Sarah, and she had nothing but wonderful things to say about Sarah, “She always has a smile on her face and a kind word to say to students and staff.  Sarah is a positive role model for the students at HHS,” Grumoli told The Herald.  Mrs. Grumoli also thinks that Sarah “encourages all of the students to do their best, be respectful, and have empathy for others.  The world would be a much better place if there were more people like Sarah!”

Sarah’s impact on the school goes beyond just Mrs. Grumoli. Staff members, including the Principal Mr. Sullivan and Guidance Counselor Mrs. Nadeau, were asked to name a time or a way that Sarah had really touched their lives.  Mr. Sullivan commented, “ten seconds with Sarah can be the best part of your day.  You will always have a smile on your face when talking to her and when you are finished talking to her and you walk away you will still find yourself smiling.” Mr. Sullivan feels Sarah represents what Holyoke High is all about because, “she makes everyone feel welcome and that is what this school promotes.”

Mrs. Nadeau, who has been Sarah’s guidance counselor for the past three years, mentioned how Sarah had made a difference in her life when she was featured in the eighth to ninth grade transition movie.  Mrs. Nadeau thinks, “[Sarah’s] story fits [the video] perfectly because it showcases how endearing she is and how much she loves her school and all HHS has to offer.  It also showcased her beautiful smile and her welcoming manner.” Mrs. Nadeau thinks other students can learn a lot from Sarah. “I believe students can learn from Sarah’s sunny disposition to always see the positive and good in every situation.  She is considerate to every student and staff she meets.  She is kind to everyone around her and truly cares about all of her fellow students,” Mrs. Nadeau told The Herald.

Beyond the halls of Holyoke High, family is extremely important to Sarah.  Her proudest moments are when she is with her twin sister Willow who was diagnosed with autism at a young age.  Willow is a huge part of Sarah’s life and she is very special to her.  She does the best she can to help take care of her and she loves to see Willow happy.  One of the things that they enjoy doing together is listening to music.

Sarah’s parents have also played a huge role in her life as they have fostered her love and appreciation of art.  Sarah grew up in an artistic and crafty environment, and because of that Sarah now loves creating pieces of art because it is a way she can express herself.  Sarah is also an accomplished writer, and this year some of her work will be published in the Holyoke High literary magazine The Knightwriter. Sarah is very proud of her poem “The Trust Candle.” (Editor’s Note: You can read “The Trust Candle” for yourself at the end of this article.)

Sarah has a deep appreciation for academics.  She has received an award from the mayor for her strong commitment to education.  Before attending Holyoke High School she enjoyed bowling, dancing, and ice skating.  She participated in the special Olympics where she received the opportunity to skate with American figure skater Michelle Kwan.

Please, don’t take The Herald’s word for it. Take a moment out of your day to speak to Sarah yourself and you’ll soon see what a truly special person she is. You’ll see why she received an award from the mayor for her commitment to education, you’ll see why she skated with Michelle Kwan, and you’ll see why The Herald chose to spotlight her this month. Sarah knows she can do so much to make a difference in the world and her main goal is to teach people more about autism.  She enjoys giving people hugs because she believes it’s the best way to show love and that is something everyone needs.  As Sarah herself put it, “Even though I have been hurt by people I still want people to be happy.” She truly sees the good in everyone and wants them to be the best they can be in life.  That is something we all should strive for.

The Trust Candle

By Sarah Cavanaugh

The trust candle’s flame is lit by friendship

When your friendship is full of happiness the flame will glow for a long time

But when the person lies the trust candle begins to flicker and go out

But if they receive a second chance

Then the candle will be lit again

But if they burn out the trust candle too many times

Because of their lies

And not being honest for their mistakes

It won’t be lit again

It’s important for the trust candle to be lit for a very long time

Because the candle is telling you how well your friendship is with that person in your life

Without the light of friendship your world grows dark and cold

It may take a long time to make the candle glow again but you always will make the trust candle glow brighter then ever before

When you find a trustworthy friend to keep the candle’s light glowing  radiant and bright

The creatures of darkness will want to suck up the trust candle’s light

So the world will go into despair and sorrow

But we can stop the dark hatred in this world

With a special element:

The only thing that will destroy the dark creatures reign of darkness:

The power of friendship!

It is not given but earned with loyalty, trust, and promises

To make a best friend is to care about them and help them out

We need it most

The darkness can’t win this battle not with the power of people working together to make the world bright and beautiful and full of happiness.

(Editor’s Note: The Herald would like to thank Mr. James Sullivan for his recommendation to profile Sarah this month. If you know any other Holyoke High student you feel is worthy of being profiled, please contact us at holyokehighpaper@gmail.com)