Senior Kellan Doré is graduating to McGill University in Quebec, Canada this coming semester after his prolonged impact and activity on classes, clubs, and people alike. 

His air of achievement brought in eyes from peers around him, such as senior Abby Ellis, who has spent time and obtained a particular perception of him.

“He is one of the nicest people I’ve ever met. Really, he’s very genuine, he cares a lot about the people and things he does, and he’ll let you know that,” Ellis said.

Doré has been one of the Math and Science specialty center’s brightest students, and has been one of the many continuously advancing minds among the program. Like others in the program, he has progressed and overcame the repeated beat down of various requirements on his way to a diploma.

“I’m very proud of how I’ve been able to adapt to all the classes and all of the difficult things. Taking a lot of APs, junior year, senior year,” Doré said. “I managed to deal with it pretty well. I started to care a lot more about things like my grades once I got into high school. I think maybe a bit too much, and I think I maybe took myself a bit too seriously.”

He has also been incredibly well rounded over the years, both founding, leading, competing, and joining rosters of various extracurriculars.

“I’m president of the film club, two years running now, member for three, favorite club. I’m a member of the Latin Club, SHS, NHS, Beta Club, Mu Alpha Theta. All that. I did VJS and work with the governor school for the humanities,” Doré said. “I did an internship thing with George Mason, too, in their space program, and I got to write a paper about exoplanets.”

His career has brought an abundance of successes to the school from his many activities, which leaves an everlasting lineage in the school’s history.

“I believe I’m the first person to take an independent film study class in the county,” Doré said. “I also went to the regional governor school for humanities and won awards for presentation.”

Beyond just being an accomplished student, such as his club presidency and internships, he’s also left an impact on the class of students around him through abundant spirit. Ellis described her experience with Doré throughout their four year stretch together as peers.

“School spirit. He has so much spirit. It’s truly incredible,” Ellis said. “We’ll be in a pep rally and everyone’s sitting there silent like, ‘why are we here?’ And then Kellan’s got a pom-pom and he’s screaming his head off because it’s just more fun that way.”

Doré himself described his favorite Clover Hill memories as those that he spent with his peers around him.

“After show choir performances, me and my friends would sit in the car, and we would just chat for hours. I think those are some of my favorite memories,” Doré said. “Or like playing cards in chemistry class at the very end of the year with like 12 people huddling all around a little table.”

Doré was, and certainly still is, both an optimistic and committed cavalier, as well as a simple member of our local community. He maintained a commitment to the basic concept of positivity throughout his time here, and spread the message along with him.

“This sounds so dumb, but my motivation was having fun. I try to keep things positive. I try to only engage in things that interest me,” Doré said. “Especially for activities or school-based stuff, like clubs or things that I don’t like. I try to immediately drop them. I think I tried to go into high school with a very clear boundary, and I’ve maintained it for my high school career. It’s been pretty, pretty great.”

Doré is giving his last goodbye to Clover Hill alongside most fellow seniors at the up graduation, and he has left an extended impact on the school over his years. 

“He just always makes it feel like a classic high school experience, or like you’re in a high school movie. Kellen, he’s so committed to the school bit, you just blend into it,” Ellis said. 

Doré had a final message to leave to the community upon his graduation about his view on how to balance and enjoy the life you were given.

“[School] has gotten very sterilized, especially over my time here,” Doré said. “I feel like it’s gotten a lot more restrictive, and I think people should always remember that it’s fun to be funny. It’s fun to goof around, and I think you need to be lighthearted, especially when there are so many high expectations to do well, or to go to college, or to get out, do all these things. You need to balance it, you need to do something to help, you know, complete your experience.”