Juniors, It’s Time to Begin the College Search

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February 7, 2021
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By Philippa Konow

STAFF WRITER

SCOIR, the new college search and preparation platform brought to the Andover High School sophomores and juniors during the 2020-2021 school year and the seniors the year prior, is a platform for students to make their college searching experience much easier. SCOIR allows you to do anything from keep track of applications to request a teacher’s letter of recommendation.

Anne-Marie Fortier, one of the AHS guidance counselors, talked about this program during an interview stating that “it’s far more user friendly” (SCOIR is the predecessor of Naviance) Juniors can use SCOIR for their college searching process and see what is out there for colleges and universities. “There’s a search function that allows students to select a number of fields that are important to them… size, location, major, any specific activities, athletics,” and more.

STAFF PHOTO/ Erin Li
Ms. Fortier pointing and demonstrating how to use the SCOIR college search page.

Another great feature the juniors can use is the populated information part of this program. “Once you find a college in SCOIR, we have populated information about other Andover students that have applied and who have either been admitted or denied based on the variable of test scores or GPA,” said Fortier. This allows students to see if their test scores and GPA qualify for the college they are looking for and helps them narrow down their choices for colleges. This makes the selection process (hopefully) a bit easier.

This program is also great for sophomores. Sophomores can use this to look at what they could possibly be interested in before going more in-depth in their junior and senior years. “There is a program acclimated with SCOIR that is related to career development… we are still putting some finishing touches on how we want to present that material,” said Fortier.

If you are still nervous about searching for college and don’t know where to start, here are some tips and tricks from our seniors to help you in this experience.

The college search can become very stressful when you don’t know where to start. “Recently, college searching has been making me really nervous,” said Mishaal Khan. She is a junior and started looking at colleges the summer before her junior year. “I’m excited, I know it is a new chapter in our lives and it is a chance for us to study and learn about something we are interested in as individuals.” Her enthusiasm is a great start. But let’s give some tips and tricks from two of our very own seniors, Sophia Yannalfo and Charles Hoffman!

COURTSEY PHOTO
Sophia Yannalfo wearing her Northeastern University sweatshirt.

Sophia Yannalfo was recently accepted into Northeastern University in Boston and Charles Hoffman has finished his college application process. Both Hoffman and Yannolfo were both very excited about the academic side of things which is very important. If a college doesn’t have what you are wishing to study, this can help narrow this list down.

“Utilize your guidance counselors, utilize your peers, especially if you are a sophomore or a junior that is starting to look at school,” Yannolfo said. People who have already been through the process can be a huge help, such as your older peers or even older siblings. Your guidance counselors also know a lot about you, so they can help you find the places that could match your interests.

An open mind is also incredibly important. “We didn’t know we were going to be in a global pandemic and that we would have to apply to colleges in the middle of [this],” she said. “Keep your options open because you might be set on one thing your freshman and sophomore year and then you end up changing your mind completely.”

COURTSEY PHOTO
Charles Hoffman finishes his college application process.

Both Yannolfo and Fortier recommend communicating with your parents. “I think a conversation with your parents is probably the first thing to do. Even if you aren’t initially on the exact same page,” Fortier said, adding that keeping your parents informed is important for the topics of expectations for each other. Financial aid might also be discussed and scholarships as well.

And the last general tip is good organization. “Start as early as the beginning of your junior year,” Yannolfo said. “Just kind of look at what you’ve done throughout high school so far… the whole organization factor is so so important.”

Hoffman agrees with this as well. “I definitely wish I worked on this more in the summer, because the time crunch right now is no joke!” he said.

Andoverview

AHS Class of 2026 Graduation: A Sentiment of Gratitude

June 11, 2026

Abby Chachus & Kendall Murphy || STAFF WRITERS

A hush falls as a sea of navy gowns, a rising tide of Andover High School graduates enters the Tsongas Center just before 5 o’clock on June 1, 2026. There is something distinct about moments like these. A goodbye that is bittersweet among both the audience and the seniors.

According to Graduation Committee member Ella Murphy, it is a goodbye to “Halloween costume competitions that never disappoint, lunches, wrap lines and vending machine trips,” seemingly inconsequential things, but the memories will stick with all of the students as they move on to their future endeavors.

The graduation speakers shared the value of these moments and their gratitude for the people that helped them along the way. As the ceremony commenced, the opening speakers Zachery Pan and Murphy welcomed everyone and encouraged them to acknowledge their shared experiences at Andover High School. “These moments, these memories, these faces. None of us got here alone.” said Pan.

Their speech gave time to deliver some truly meaningful thank you’s, “beyond the formalities” as Murphy put it, to the teachers and staff that showed up each day with “patience, support, and dedication.” Furthermore, they recognized that this gratitude is not solely meant for the significant ceremonies.

“Gratitude is kind of strange. We tend to save it for the big moments. The ceremonies, the stages, the audiences,” said Murphy.

“But let’s be honest—the people who actually changed your life probably weren’t standing on a stage when they did it,” continued Pan.

They concluded the speech with a request to the graduates to thank those who changed their lives in both the big and small moments, even if it feels unnecessary.

Before graduation, other seniors expressed similar thoughts, like reflecting on the journey that got them to where they are today.

“To all my teachers: thank you for everything. I would not be here without any single one of you.” said Christopher Reardon.

Thomas Enman advised underclassmen to “just enjoy every little minute you get at AHS.”

Vignesha Jayakumar, class essayist and valedictorian, echoed this same sentiment of appreciation, reinforcing Reardon’s message about the lasting impact of teachers and support systems. “We were galvanized from a community of supportive teachers and staff who didn’t just teach us subjects, they taught us how to think, how to question, how to care,” said Jayakumar.

He also mentioned the importance of one learning from their fellow graduates. “We learned as much from each other in the hallways and the bleachers as we did in the classroom,” he said.

After Jayakumar, Graduation Committee members Ben Pelt and Kari Belson spoke. First, Pelt announced the Class of 2026’s class gift to AHS. Next, Belson named Scott Armstrong the 2026 Distinguished Citizen (see page 4).

When Principal Jimmy D’Andrea took the stage, he, like all the other speakers, expressed the value of gratitude, a central theme that resonated throughout the ceremony. He began by thanking each group that got each member of the graduating class to where they were standing in the Tsongas Center, about to leave the comfort of being an AHS student and moving onto becoming alumni, highlighting the strong support system and sense of community that defined the graduating class’s journey.

He also encouraged each graduate to “personally reach out and thank those individuals who made a difference in [their] lives,” reinforcing the ceremony’s message of appreciation, reflection, and recognition for the people who helped shape their high school experience.

Interim Superintendent Keith Taverna encouraged graduates to continue to make the community proud with the positive impact they will bring to the world.

To conclude the ceremony, Graduation Committee members Chloe Ahn and Margaret Farabaugh brought everyone together one last time. “Tonight we stand together because of the strong and spirited community we have built,” said Ahn.

Ahn concluded, “As we become graduates of Andover High School, we step into the world with purpose, passion, and pride… Congratulations class of 2026!”

Students, Faculty Travel to Scandinavia Over Spring Break

June 11, 2026

Samin Faiz || STAFF WRITER

Forty-two Andover High School students and seven chaperones visited Scandinavia this April.

After a six-hour flight from Boston to Reykjavík, Iceland, followed by a two-hour flight to Oslo, Norway, the group began their ten-day-long tour the Thursday before spring break. Through a combination of bus rides, overnight ferries, and countless miles on foot, the group made their way through five Northern European countries: Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, and Estonia.

“I’ve been traveling with students since 2005, so this might be my 17th tour,” said Brian Shea, English teacher, organizer, and chaperone of the trip. “We’ve now done all of Europe, so Northern Europe was sort of our last frontier.”

Apart from the chaperones, the group was accompanied by a tour director named Yulia, whom Shea worked closely with to structure the daily itinerary and ensure a smooth trip.

In Scandinavia, English is widely spoken, so the language barrier was never a problem for the group. Sometimes, however, the students made connections in ways that transcend the spoken word.

“I played soccer with a bunch of people in Sweden,” recalled Hannah Arnold, a junior who participated in the trip. “That was probably the highlight of the trip for me.”

Arnold is no stranger to international travel. Just two months earlier, in fact, she joined her classmates on another school trip to Peru over winter break. However, for her twin sister, Grace Arnold, this was a brand-new experience.

“I met a lot of new people that I’ve never met before, especially people not in my grade,” Grace said. “It was really nice because I met a lot of great people through that and got to spend time with people I wouldn’t usually get to spend time with.”

The trip offered a flexible balance of group tours and independent exploration. “We had a lot of free time,” Grace noted. “We got to explore cities on our own and shop where we wanted. As long as you stayed in groups of three or more, you were free to roam the city.”

Students observed the region’s distinct economic models. Through agreements within the European Union and the Nordic Council, higher education is heavily subsidized or entirely free for regional citizens.

“It’s really interesting. They tax wealthier people a lot more and their overall tax rates are a lot higher,” one student observed. “The way they reinvest money back into infrastructure contributes to stronger public infrastructure. Education and health care are free, and they even offer stipends to cover the cost of living. Essentially, you pay a lot of taxes, but you get a lot in return.”

Students also noticed the societal impact of these safety nets. “Their unhoused population is significantly lower. If you want help, those systems are available to support you.”

The travelers’ curiosity and maturity left a strong impression on the faculty.

“These kids were wonderful,” said Shea. “All of the students were engaged. They were paying attention. They were enjoying it. They were wonderful travelers. To me, that was the biggest thrill.”

With the preparations for next year’s destinations already underway, the future of travel programs at AHS seems to be brimming with opportunities.

“Next year, we have two tours,” said Shea. “We’re running one tour to Barcelona and Madrid in February, and then we’re running another tour to Greece in April.”

Such opportunities are often highly selective at other schools, but luckily, these trips remain open to the entire student body at AHS.

“There’s no application process,” Shea emphasized. “We’re not looking at grades. We’re not looking at behavioral records. Anybody can sign up when we offer these tours. I put them out there, and I’m like, ‘If you want to go, come.’”

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Juniors, It’s Time to Begin the College Search

By Philippa Konow

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