East Providence High School Class of '16 top three share unique bond

Trio grew up together on same Kent Heights block

By Mike Rego
Posted 5/31/16

EAST PROVIDENCE — There exists a unique kinship, a camaraderie between the top three graduates in the East Providence High School Class of 2016, a spirit the trio also helped foster amongst their …

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East Providence High School Class of '16 top three share unique bond

Trio grew up together on same Kent Heights block

Posted

EAST PROVIDENCE — There exists a unique kinship, a camaraderie between the top three graduates in the East Providence High School Class of 2016, a spirit the trio also helped foster amongst their peers throughout their four years on campus but especially so over the last 12 months.

Twin siblings Matthew and Christina D'Amico book end Nicholas Guarino as the 2016 valedictorian and avedictorian, respectively. Guarino is the salutatorian. Matthew and Nicholas have spent much of the last four years in the group of best academic performers at the school, so their inclusion in the select tier was somewhat expected. For Christina, on the surface a bit more reserved than her brother and good friend, her rise to the pinnacle of the class was somewhat unexpected.

"The two of us, Nick and I, have always been near the top for the better part of high school. And Christina kind of snuck up near the end. She's always been right there, but she came up into that No. 3 spot at the end. It was a little bit of a surprise. Don't get me wrong. It was a great surprise. It's awesome," Matthew, the younger of the twins by minutes, said.

Almost from the beginning of their existences, the lives of Matthew, Nicholas and Christina have been intertwined. They first met as toddlers, living on the same Kent Heights block. They started school together at Silver Spring Elementary then continued their educations at Riverside Middle. They will end their secondary careers with the rest of their class Friday evening, June 3, during the EPHS commencement ceremony at Pierce Memorial Stadium.

"It's so funny. The three of us grew up in the same neighborhood. We've known each other since elementary school," Nicholas said of their long-standing friendships. "Second or third grade we started to hang out, so we've been together all the way through high school. I don't know, something just clicked. I don't know if it was in the water or what."

Christina added, "We used to hang out together all the time, ride our bikes. It's been really cool."

As closely as their pasts have been aligned, their academic futures, at least, are quite divergent.

Matthew will attend Plymouth State University in New Hampshire with an eye on majoring in Meteorology.

"I'm not going to be focusing on broadcasting, which is what a lot of people expect. I'm going to do research, going out into the field and make discoveries, learn things," explained Matthew of his college aims. "My godparents (John and Laurie Pavao) are really into weather. My godfather, especially, has always been super fascinated by the weather. He's blind. He's been fascinated by everything about it without having been able to see it, which is really cool because a lot of people think about weather being about sight. And that fascinated me as well, all the science behind it that he could see without seeing."

Nicholas will enroll at Brown University this fall with the intention of majoring in Political Science.

"Down the line, I'm not too sure just yet," Nicholas said of college and beyond. "I'm thinking about Journalism, possibly writing. I also think about public service, whether it be government or something to that effect. But I haven't decided just yet."

Christina will attend Stonehill College in Easton, Massachusetts, where she plans to major in Elementary Education.

"Starting this year, I went to Hennessey Elementary School helping teach the kids Spanish and I've been going to Orlo Elementary School as part of the 'Townie to Townie' (student mentor) program. It resonates with me. It makes me happy helping the kids, teaching the kids. Their liveliness is invigorating," Christina said of her professional pursuits.

Away from the classroom, among the activities the D'Amicos together or apart participated in included band, National Honor Society, Spanish Club/Honor Society and student council. Nicholas ran cross country all four years, was a member of the Young Republicans Club, National and Portuguese Honor Societies and SkillsUSA.

"Being a part of the EPHS Band really helped me make friends, participate. It helped me build my confidence. It was just a good thing to be a part of all those events, show our 'Townie Pride' at like football games. I probably never would have attended football games otherwise if I wasn't in the band, but I did and I had an awesome time," said Christina.

To a person, the trio agreed much of their own achievements can be attributed in part to the support they received from the EPHS staff, which they expect will serve them well during their ensuing collegiate careers.

"I've had a lot of teachers who have not only been determined to relay and teach their subject matter, but they're determined to see their students be successful," said Matthew. "I've had so many teachers who would not only be great at doing what they do in the classroom, but would also be great at guiding us and supporting us outside the classroom. So part of taking that next step to me is more than just about education. It's also about what we love, what we dream about, what we're passionate about. And we've had so many teachers in this building who are not only supportive of our education, but also about our dreams, which I think will make that next step so much easier."

Besides the instruction they received at EPHS, the school community, too, as a whole has played a significant role into their development as both students and well-rounded young people.

"I would say it's not just a lesson you can learn in the classroom," Nicholas said of the EPHS experience. "I think this school, and we would all would say this the three of us here, is that it is a very diverse place. People from all different backgrounds, colors, creeds and the like go here, so I think that is a great way to prepare for college, especially for me for a place like Brown because I know how much of a diverse place it is there. So being able to speak, meet and learn with all different people has been a great help to me and I'm sure it will continue to help me in the future."

As shown in their extracurricular endeavors, the Class of '16 top three have taken full advantage of the many offerings EPHS provides its students. They've also embraced being senior leaders at the school, something first-year EPHS Principal Shani Wallace hailed and appreciated from her position.

"The class in general, the character of these kids, they just have good, strong moral character. All of them have it, and I love that about them so much. They represent this school so well," Ms. Wallace said. "And these three are such a good representation of East Providence High School and of this class in particular. They really stand out. It's really helped this school come back alive. I think they're setting up the next group to meet quite the challenge. The spirit they brought. The respect they've shown to each other and the rest of the community. The next group has a great challenge to meet the standards this class has set."

The word "community" is often uttered by the three, and is one of the many memories of EPHS they'll forever keep with them throughout the rest of their lives.

"There's been an impervious sense of pride about being here," Matthew said, alluding somewhat to the tenor of the remarks he will make at commencement. "I think it's a really weird community to look into from the outside. I think some people look at East Providence High School and don't have good things to say about it. I think they look at it and don't really know what it's all about. They really don't understand the diversity or what we're all about. But through it all, we've always wanted to maintain that sense of pride. And I think it's epitomized itself this year. So 20 years from now if I were to think back I have no doubt in my mind that I will remember the pride through it all, through all the challenges, the questions. We had pride."

Added Nicholas, "The sense of community here, I think that really sets East Providence and Townies apart from the rest."

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Mike Rego

Mike Rego has worked at East Bay Newspapers since 2001, helping the company launch The Westport Shorelines. He soon after became a Sports Editor, spending the next 10-plus years in that role before taking over as editor of The East Providence Post in February of 2012. To contact Mike about The Post or to submit information, suggest story ideas or photo opportunities, etc. in East Providence, email mrego@eastbaymediagroup.com.