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Sy Barry recounts his story of how he overcame his tough childhood through his passion and love for drawing. Eventually becoming a renowned comic book and comic strip artist, he was able to find success and contentment in both his...

Creating Community Through Sharing Stories: Ajita Bhat reflects on her immigration to America in the pursuit of higher education, and how her impressions of the country has evolved. After settling in Andover, she quickly found community, and eventually became the...

Creating Community Through Sharing Stories: Hochan Won was born in South Korea, and her family immigrated to the United States when she was six years old. After going to school, graduating, and working in the Boston area she and her...

Creating Community Through Sharing Stories: Sandis Wright was born in a rural Swedish community in northern Maine, where he always dreamed of living in the big city. After moving to both Chicago and Atlanta, and getting married, he decided to...

Creating Community Through Sharing Stories: Leah Okimoto was born in upstate New York, and after having to move to several places across the country, she settled in Marlboro, Massachusetts, where she cemented her childhood. In New York City, she pursued...

Creating Community Through Sharing Stories: Xi Hua Zhao was born in China, where he lived a happy and modest life. He moved to the United States over a decade ago to help his daughter take care of his grandchild, and...

Creating Community Through Sharing Stories: Zhi Qing Chen, born in Wuhan, China, talks about his life growing up amidst the violence of the Second Sino-Japanese War. He moved to America over a decade ago to care for his grandchild, and...

Creating Community Through Sharing Stories: Eliud Felix discusses his journey from his life growing up in Manhattan and the Bronx to working at Andover High School. He has deep family values and traditions, and hopes to see them continue through...

Creating Community Through Sharing Stories: Nicolette Nordin Heavey was born Detroit, but spent the majority of her childhood in Belgium and England. After attending college in America, she moved to Andover to raise her family. Wanting to help contribute to...

Creating Community Through Sharing Stories: John Hess shares his story growing up in West Virginia, where his family valued traveling and spending time with relatives. After going to graduate school at Cornell, he moved to Andover with his family. He...

Creating Community Through Sharing Stories: Seema Gupte, born and raised in India, talks about her childhood living between her family’s farm and in the city. After immigrating to America, she adjusted to the many cultural differences. Once she moved to...

Creating Community Through Sharing Stories: IM David Vigorito talks about growing up in Massachusetts, to his brief time in Las Vegas, to returning to his home state. Although he discovered his passion for chess at the later age of 16,...

Creating Community Through Sharing Stories: Linda Love Mesler, whose family has roots in rural Iowa for hundreds of years, talks about her global childhood, from New York to Cambodia. After becoming a technology lawyer, she settled in Andover and is...

Chris Klein, an Andover native and author, discusses his German and Irish roots. He recounts his life growing up amidst classism in the 1980s. Inspired by AP US History class, he discovered his passion for research-based writing, determined to preserve...

David “Faz” Fazio, a beloved Andover High School basketball coach and gym teacher, who has made gym fun for all of his students, talks about how his high school coach helped him see past his challenging childhood. During his 34-year...

Creating Community Through Sharing Stories: Jim Batchelder, with thirteen generations in Massachusetts, recollects his life growing up in Andover. After becoming a beloved art teacher for many years, and working closely with the Andover Center for History and Culture to...

Creating Community Through Sharing Stories: Born and raised in France, Patricia Gregory talks about her French childhood and family memories. Wanting to travel to America ever since she was young, she shares her first impressions of America, her experience eventually...

Creating Community Through Sharing Stories: Indira Garcia was born in Chile during the 1973 Chilean coup d'état, which had a significant effect on her childhood. She was raised in Mexico with a strong focus on intellectualism and family bonds. She...

Creating Community Through Sharing Stories: An interview with multiple generations of the Sarkisian family, where they share how their ancestors fled the Armenian Genocide, their lifestyle growing up on the family-owned farm, establishing a legacy in Andover, and how their...

Creating Community Through Sharing Stories: Caren Fishman, born in Portland, Maine, talks about her childhood growing up Jewish, and how she eventually settled in Andover with her family. Through volunteer work, she found a way to give back to the...

Creating Community Through Sharing Stories: Long-term Andover resident Tina Girdwood shares her impactful life and dedication to helping her community, from founding the Andover Recycling Program, being a school committee member, and eventually leading the initiative to start the Andover...

Creating Community Through Sharing Stories: A conversation with Gene Marshall, founder and owner of Hometown Seafoods, where he recounts his life and hardworking ethic, including how the fishing industry changed over the past 56 years.

Creating Community Through Sharing Stories: Born in Monessen, Pennsylvania, Janis Baron, a teacher, principal, trainer and entrepreneur, shares her extraordinary life and the life lessons she has learned along the way.

Creating Community Through Sharing Stories: A conversation with Alina Lopez, a hardworking Puerto Rican mom born in Chelsea, Massachusetts, where she shares her life story highlighting her strong culture and family memories.

Creating Community Through Sharing Stories: Award-winning professional photographer Ed Pedi shares his life story, from growing up in Chelsea with his 7 siblings to his passion for photography, traveling the globe by motorcycle, and the lessons that he learned.