WELLS — When graduating senior David Oullette first walked through the doors of Wells High School his freshman year he described himself as “terrified.”

Despite knowing some of the upperclassmen through his association with football, he said the experience was overwhelming: a new building, new classes, a whole new world.

But if there’s one thing that the school succeeds in more than anything else, it’s helping people find their place, he said.

“There is something for everyone here. My grade in and of itself, with only 120 kids, is so diverse,” Oullette said. “We have a huge number of kids who get to thrive with sports here, then we have an entire wing designated for art lovers, and now we have a beautiful new theater for those who like acting. If someone doesn’t know where they fit in by the time they first get here, they will know soon.”

Ouellette found his calling soon after arriving — playing for the Wells High School football team and making dozens of friends in the process. Now at the end of his senior year, he feels part of a small but sacred community.

Upon graduating this upcoming Sunday, Ouellette will be attending Roger Williams College in Rhode Island in the fall, where he will pursue a master’s degree in finance.

He said while many students find math monotonous, he’s always received a thrill from it.

“Some kids are falling asleep through math class and I’m just sitting there loving it,” he said.

He’s taken every math class the high school has offered — standard geometry, algebra, AP statistics and calculus courses — however his desire to go into finance wasn’t realized until the end of his junior year.

“My teacher Mr. Gilpatrick teaches this class called Investing in the Modern World,” Oullette said. “I went to that class and I absolutely fell in love with it, and it’s totally the reason why I’m going into finance.”

Aside from being within driving distance from home and an hour drive from the coast, Oullette was heavily drawn toward the study abroad opportunities at Roger Williams.

“I want to see other cultures and meet other people, but go somewhere where not everyone goes to,” he said. “The abroad program played a big role in my commitment to the school.”

When looking back on favorite memories from his four years at Wells High School, Oullette noted there were a few to reference; winning the state football title this fall for Class C is up there — where he played as a tackle and defensive lineman — but for Oullette, playing with the Wells unified basketball team stands out.

“This winter we started the unified basketball team, and it was hands down the most fulfilling thing I’ve done,” he said.

He said starting the team brought out an even stronger sense of community between students with developmental disabilities and other students.

“We have a few developmentally disabled kids in our school, and beforehand I would just pass them in the hallway, but now I looked forward to stopping and talking with them everyday,” Oullette said. “Again, there’s nothing here that you can’t do or find yourself a part of.”

He said he has many people to thank for helping him navigate the academic world and find his way into college, but most importantly he said he’s grateful for his two mothers, Linda Dobson and Linda Oullette.

“They’ve raised me in the best way possible. I can’t thank them enough.”

— Staff Writer Ryder Schumacher can be reached at 282-1535, or via email at rschumacher@journaltribune.com.