Leavitt Area High School senior Tamara Rusakovich has attended several different schools and said she has been exposed to diverse cultures along the way. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal

TURNER — Leavitt Area High School senior Tamara Rusakovich, 18, has the kind of perseverance and determination that inspires others around her, Principal Eben Shaw said.

An engaged member of the high school and community, she helped raise money for local youth athletics by selling clothes donated to her and donating the leftovers to local clothes closets, he said.

It is one example of the ways she has affected her community.

“She’s been a great student here at Leavitt and I have no doubt she will be equally impactful at Colby next year,” he said.

Attending several different schools, Rusakovich said she has learned there is a much larger world or different cultures and ways of life beyond where one attends schools or the town they are raised in.

“I will always be grateful for these schools teaching me different ways of life, being exposed to different cultures and diversity, but for also teaching me how to advocate for myself in an unfamiliar place — finding my independence,” she said.

Best part of each day?

The best part of each day is being able to talk to my biggest support system here at Leavitt. The teachers, whether it be lunch talks or just saying hi in the hallways, and the relationships I have built with teachers here have brightened my worst days at school.

Worst part of each day?

I think the worst part of each day is being in those particular classes with students who don’t care about their education. It’s hard to see the contrasting classes of honors to regular and the disrespect many teachers have to endure. When kids start to disrespect the learning of other students because they don’t want to learn, it’s hard to find motivation to perform in those classes.

Favorite class or subject? Why?

My favorite classes/subjects throughout school have been literature and government. In these classes, you have the freedom to think individually, critique, analyze, and form your own conclusions. In typical math and science classes, there is one answer and one answer only, whereas in government and literature, you have moments in class to talk and debate with your classmates, to form your conclusion on an idea or theme. I just love that freedom of thought and not having to be perfect all the time. I never knew I would find such a passion for government since so many aspects within government have made me upset but I have found a huge passion for learning about government so that I can properly defend myself and hopefully one day advocate for others, through better knowledge of government ideals.

Favorite teacher or school staff member? Why?

The teachers who have made the biggest impact on my adjustment here at Leavitt are Mrs. Marcotte, Mr. Cifelli, Mrs. Talbot and Mr. Strong. These teachers have given me a sense of community, understanding and support. With everything I have been through in the past few years, I can always count on Marcotte or Cifelli to talk to and support me. Strong and Talbot offer a safe space for me to talk but also to make mistakes without feeling guilty. Their classrooms have become places where I may have struggled but I could see myself grow in my time there and my time getting to know them. These teachers will be the teachers I remember for a lifetime with how much they have helped me to open up.

What was the hardest part of high school and how did you find your way through it?

The hardest part about high school was the feeling of loneliness. Moving to three new schools, one of which being in a new state with 2,000 kids, it is easy to just be swallowed up by the crowd. Or moving to a small school where everyone has grown up together, meaning you’ll never really be accepted. One year leaves no time for you to truly find your place and leave a mark at a school. The hardest conclusion I had to come to was that I couldn’t rely on anybody anymore and at times I only had myself and I had to advocate to have my voice heard. Though, it has been a really good experience to learn more about myself as well as find my voice and be a little louder. And although it’s hard to find your people when moving, once you do find that select group, it’s worth it.

How do you think you’ll be remembered by the members of your class?

I’m not sure how I will be remembered at Leavitt or in my class but I have been told many times that I have made a huge impact at Leavitt for the better and that is my only goal in life, to make a difference and make someone’s life better. I think I have accomplished this by starting an outing club, raising awareness about sustainability and just trying to spread positivity. However, I don’t want people to remember me for these things that I did, I’d rather have them remember what they learned from those things and hopefully carry on the difference I may have made.

Something you wish teachers and administrators understood about students today?

Something I wish teachers and administrators knew about students today is that life is hard for everyone out there right now. Although this older generation believes that our generation is weak, we have to endure so many more things that affect our mental health differently, social media being a huge factor. I also believe that students nowadays are held to such high expectations and it is engraved into our minds that we are failures if we make one mistake. Everyone is going through something and we all handle it differently. So just be aware, be understanding, and help kids succeed rather than trying to fail kids. If I didn’t have those teachers to see my full character through a lot of tough times at home, I wouldn’t be where I am now. Some kids just need to feel understood in this craziness of the world nowadays.

Advice to all those eighth graders entering high school next year?

One piece of advice I have for freshman next year, and honestly anybody at Leavitt. Don’t conform to the crowd. Find yourself, find what you stand for and don’t settle for anything that makes you less than happy. Something I notice with incoming freshmen is that it is almost forced upon everyone to join a sport or a club. You don’t need to conform to the very few sports or clubs here at Leavitt. If you have other hobbies or interests, pursue those instead of devoting time to something you don’t love. Start a club of your interest! I wish I attended Leavitt longer to get more people involved in our outing club. Just do what makes you happy, not what makes other people happy. If I never took my own initiative and only listened to others I wouldn’t be where I am today. I still have regrets about passions I never pursued and opportunities I lost, so never let expectations or people hold you back.

What is next for you after graduation?

My plan after high school is to attend Colby College and pursue Environmental Policy and Government. I want to make a difference in the world and help advocate for basic human rights and the environment.

This is the seventh article in a series featuring a high school senior, chosen by their principal, from each of the 18 high schools in the Sun Journal’s coverage area.