With this school year in its final stretch, there is no doubt that Senior Rian Kerrigan’s legacy will be felt for years to come.

Just like everyone else, Kerrigan has faced struggle. As a true Bangorian, he has always managed to pull through in the most trying of times— especially in school.

“I feel that we focus too much on grades today. Well yes, it does attempt to measure academic performance, it fails to take into account the journey— everything from toilsome note taking, to many sleepless nights,” Kerrigan said.

Kerrigan’s early school life provided many challenges to a young Kerrigan.

Perhaps most notable was his group of friends.

Funny, helpful, vital. Friends provide a sense of belonging and familiarity. His friends however, were part of the gifted group who were almost guaranteed a specific group of teachers. In the matter of one strenuous year, Kerrigan’s new classes meant that he would not have any interaction with his closest pals.

Reasonably, his manner of studying had to change.

With that, Kerrigan pushed himself harder than he had ever before. That year, Kerrigan’s studying abilities caught the attention of faculty members, and he soon found himself situated in the group, once again with his friends.

“After that year, there seemed to be something different about him,” friend Matt Lucas said. “He became more studious and attentive, as if there was a change in his willpower.”

His pursuit to succeed didn’t end there. As a freshman, Kerrigan stood out from the rest of his peers as he took on one of the most rigorous courses in high school Honors Biology.

This class isn’t for the meek, yet, as a freshman taking a sophomore level class, Kerrigan managed to hold his ground and pass the class.

“This was a game changer,” Kerrigan said. “The class refined my study habits, and elevated me to the level these harder classes need.”

It was at this point in time that more and more opportunities became available for him. Over the course of the next three years, he would be one of the select individuals to have the honor of raising and lowering Bangor’s American flag.

“There were points in which I needed to take risks,” Kerrigan said. “I had to go and find these opportunities, they weren’t going to come to me.”

Little did he know that yes, sometimes opportunity comes to knock.

Late in his sophomore year, Kerrigan was approached with the idea of joining the honor guard— the people at the front of a parade carrying a banner or flags. The honor guard was to be a great source of pride, and would prove to be yet another challenge for him over the next few years.

So, with the start of his junior year, Kerrigan helped lead Bangor’s marching band at the forefront of parades, and onto the football field.

As a result of his ability, this year Kerrigan became the honor guard captain. As the captain, it was Kerrigan’s duty to throw together a unique and well-disciplined honor guard.

In past years, the honor guard had only been obligated to appear a fraction of the days that the instrumentalists had to, either during the regular season or during the two-week period of band camp.

Kerrigan sought to change this, and it worked. The two-week period of band camp saw complete attendance by the honor guard. In subsequent weeks, the honor guard’s attendance grew. In the first week of the regular season, they practiced one day, by week four, they practiced three-four days in a week— every hour.

These practices weren’t in vain. Each meeting they would drill and drill, until the sun finally set, and they improved.

“I feel that we have left them in a great place, one that is much better than where I was left at the end of last year,” Kerrigan said.

Kerrigan’s determination continues to persist to today with an acute focus on history.

“There were times where I considered being a teacher, but I wanted to do something that was more dynamic and variable,” Kerrigan said.

Currently, Kerrigan is looking to bring his interests to Kutztown University where he will study history and work on his general education requirements.

“I’m optimistic about the future,” Kerrigan said. “I’m sure I’ll find what I’m looking for.”

For now, Kerrigan is enjoying what little time is left in his high school career.