A Moment With: Michelle Pecca

“High school is what kind of grows you into the person you are. I have great memories, good and bad, some learning experiences and some that I’ll take with me the rest of my life.” – Giancarlo Stanton

The answers to these interview questions only provide a small part of what Michelle Pecca's life was like while in high school. Hopefully the valuable lessons that she had learned about self discovery will allow future generations to feel more prepared for the next four years of their lives. As well, these insights will help students understand how to prepare for their futures.

The Interview: Class of 1994

Q: What was your favorite memory from Randolph High School or your time in Randolph in general?

"Two seniors trying to make me walk the line on spirit week. My brother's best friend caught them and said that’s David Pecca’s little sister.... needless to say I was glad to have an older brother after that."

Q: Were there any teachers that influenced you while you were in high school? Did they change how you thought or what you planned to do with your life after high school?

"Yes, Mr. Dimiceli was my study skills teacher at the time. He taught me that not all my life skills I will get from books but from just trying to do things in different ways."

Q: What activities were you a part of? How did doing those activities (clubs/sports/work/ect.) help you both in high school and out of high school?

"I wasn’t very active. I was in the bowling club. Oh ski club.....loved skiing!!"

Q: If you could tell your high school self one thing you know now what would it be? Why is it important to tell yourself that?

"To be myself and not someone that everyone wanted me to be. Because I felt like I always had to be someone to be seen or heard. I always felt the need to be popular and never was."

Q: What lessons have you learned since graduating that you otherwise would not know?

"That for the profession that I am in I did not require a degree. But that I should have paid attention in math for my profession."

Q: What advice would you give future generations going into high school?

"Find that one teacher that has an interest in what you to want do. No matter what it is....sports, history, art....music ect. And listen to them....find out how they fell in love with what they do. Even though I loved art and being creative I fell in love with baking. It’s my love my passion and if it wasn’t for my amazing art teacher I probably wouldn’t have gone in that direction."

Interview notes:

Discovering yourself in high school is no easy task and neither is preparing for your future but is something that does not need to be frightening. Things don't always go according to plan but in the end there is always something that we are able to achieve and feel comfortable with. There is so much more to life than what others may think of us and sometimes it just takes some time to get comfortable with ourselves but once there, everything comes more naturally. These lessons will be learned in due time but it is always wise to know where you will be heading.

I would like to thank Michelle Pecca for her willingness to answer the interview questions. There are vital things that we must learn about ourselves in life that we will carry with us far beyond high school. The impact of these interviews is unknown but will surely help at least one person. This project means the world to me and will most probably mean the same to a great generation of future students.