Alyssa Bouchard (Harasim) gushes with pride when she talks about how much she enjoyed her days at Lapeer Community Schools, graduating from Lapeer West High School in 2008.
She said her days at LCS “helped shape who I am today.”
“My time at Lapeer Community Schools had such a positive impact on me,” said Bouchard. “It gave me the ability to communicate effectively and build strong relationships -- skills I use every day in my career in public relations. More importantly, it taught me how to connect with people, which has been invaluable both personally and professionally.”
After high school, Bouchard attended Mott Community College and graduated in 2010 with honors. She then went on to Saginaw Valley State University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree with a minor in English in 2012.
Professionally, Bouchard began her career in San Antonio, Texas, working for Drew Advertising, where she had the opportunity to work with major clients such as Alamo Beer, Harlandale Independent School District, and Big Red Soda, a PepsiCo product.
After that, Bouchard moved back to Michigan and worked with the Michigan Restaurant Association and later the Michigan Bankers Association, where she served as VP of communications.
Today, Bouchard works for Barton Malow in the company’s K-12 division as a client relations manager supporting school districts across Michigan with their communications and public relations efforts, both for bond and non-bond initiatives. This includes helping districts communicating with their communities and sharing important updates.
“I’m especially proud to share that I support Lapeer with the bond communications,” said Bouchard. “Being able to give back to the district that helped shape me is incredibly meaningful.”
Bouchard also explained how the district in a roundabout way has contributed to her personal life and happiness.
“After moving back home from Texas, I reconnected with Brian Bouchard -- also a 2008 Lapeer West graduate -- and we eventually got married in 2021,” she said. “Lapeer truly brought us together, and it will always feel like home to us."
Looking back, Bouchard said the memories are endless when it comes to her days at LCS.
“I’ll always remember my time in Mr. Anderson’s class and reading novels and talking about them,” Bouchard said. “I really loved English, and it’s something that runs in the family, since my dad was an English teacher at Lapeer East.”
More than English, Bouchard beamed when talking about the Lapeer music program.
“Band was also a huge part of my experience,” she said. “It was my outlet and my passion. I played the flute, piccolo, and piano, and I took lessons every week. It was such a great way to connect with friends and express creativity outside of the classroom. Both of my brothers were fortunate to have Mr. Burns as their teacher, and I was lucky enough to have him as well through most of my time in school. He pushed me to grow, and because of that, I went on to play with the Mott Community College Symphony Band.
“Marching band was especially memorable, and I had the honor of serving as band captain my senior year. Those are experiences I’ll always carry with me -- I’d even bet I can still play our fight song by heart.”
Overall, LCS was a defining point in Bouchard’s personal and career timeline.
“Education has always been a big part of my life,” said Bouchard. “My dad taught at Lapeer East for 30 years, and my mom was a preschool teacher at Kids & Company. Both of my older brothers, Nate (1998 Lapeer West graduate), and Dan (2001 Lapeer West graduate) graduated from the district, too.
“Lapeer Community Schools has truly been part of our family story from the very beginning.”