WHS grads behind ‘Rugrats’ revival believe hometown support boosted their success

2006 Windham High School graduate Sam Clarke has joined
late 1970s WHS grad Kate Boutliler in reviving the classic
cartoon series 'Rugrats.' SUBMITTED PHOTO 

By Lorraine Glowczak

Nurturing and encouraging children to follow their natural gifts and dreams builds character and self-esteem. And just as importantly, it can help students stay focused during their teenage years, leading to a positive and successful future.

Two Windham High School (WHS) graduates are examples of how community support played an important role in their success as producers and writers in Hollywood’s film industry. Sam Clarke, a 2006 graduate, and Kate Boutilier, who graduated in the late 1970s, have begun working together on the all-new “Rugrats.”

The original “Rugrats” series launched in August 1991 on Nickelodeon. The animated favorite has made a comeback as “Rugrats, the reimagining of the classic 90s series.” Boutilier, who was a writer/producer for the original show, is now an executive producer while Clarke has taken the role as a script writer. They both admit they are living their dreams today, in part, due to the encouragement of teachers, parents and the community members from their hometown.

Clarke recalls his first memory of teacher cultivation:

“I asked my third-grade teacher if I could stay inside for recess to write poems instead of going out to play, and believe it or not, she let me. So, I got out my legal pad and wrote like crazy.”

Clarke said he was always drawn to storytelling and was fascinated by the poetry of Shel Silverstein. Taking his natural inclination towards writing in verse, his fourth-grade teacher nurtured his talent further after he wrote a poem about the 1998 ice storm.

“She entered my poem in a contest and the organization recognized me for my ability to write,” Clarke said. “What a beautiful thing these teachers were doing, supporting a kid who wanted to write.”

Clarke’s supportive mentors continued on into middle school when one of his eighth-grade teacher’s husband, an editor of a New Hampshire newspaper, introduced Clarke to the experienced editor.

“I got to job shadow him for a day, observing and helping him to interview people,” Clarke said. “He let me write a couple of articles and it turned out he put one article on the front page.”

It was from that moment, Clarke wanted to combine his love of writing with comedy, and focus on becoming a humor columnist. Soon after, he began a job as a staff writer for The Windham Independent (no longer in publication) and the Lakes Region Weekly.

His encouragement from others continued during high school years from his writing and journalism as well as theater and music teachers.

“My writing teachers prepared me to communicate effectively while music and theater promoted the ‘Yes, we can’ attitude.”

Although there may be distance in graduation dates between the two “Rugrats” cohorts (and Emerson College graduates), Boutilier expresses the same sentiments of community support during her years at school. Like Clarke, she knew that writing was her calling.

“I knew I wanted to be a playwriter since my junior year in high school,” Boutilier said. “I watched all those popular sitcoms in the late 70s and early 80s. They were such a huge success, and I knew I wanted to be a part of that – to write for television. I wanted to write and live in Hollywood.”

Intending to improve her writing skills and gain additional knowledge in the film industry, Boutilier thought she would carry on the family tradition by attending UMaine. But a high school teacher, knowing her level of passion and skill, encouraged her to consider a college that focused on film and writing to better equip her for her dreams as a Hollywood script writer and producer. From his advice, Boutilier chose to attend Emerson College.

Boutilier also had an earlier experience of encouragement from staff and teachers, during her fourth and fifth grade years. She often wrote in her spare time and told stories to fellow students during recess – which often were chosen and published in the school newspaper.

Fast forward a couple of years, and after graduating from Emerson, Boutilier made her way to Hollywood through connections from previous Emerson graduates. She eventually found herself writing for popular television series at the time such as “Falcon Crest” and “Family Ties.”

With her dream of being a playwright achieved and success solidified, it was Boutilier’s turn to give back to the community from which she gained so much.

“My mom, who read the local newspapers religiously, always encouraged me to give Sam support by letting him interview me. She said she loved his writing and that I should be there to support him. He interviewed me and wrote an article on my experiences and that was the first time Sam and I met.”

When Clarke graduated from Emerson, the two Windhamites reconnected, and the rest is history. Now it is Clarke’s turn to support his Windham alma mater. He has been invited by WHS English teachers Chris Livengood and Chelsea Scott, who also is the Creative Writing Club advisor, to speak to their students this fall.

"Students in both the Creative Writing Club and Creative Writing elective class will be preparing questions to ask Sam during his Google Meets with us in November,” Scott said. “We are thrilled and grateful to be able to connect with a successful writer who grew up right here in Windham!"

In terms of advice for future writers, whether in film or otherwise, the Hollywood professionals offer a bit of wisdom.

“Write what you know,” Clarke said. “I remember being told that as a student and I believed the advice was boring and cheating. But then after years away from Windham and whenever I wanted to write an original script, it was my experiences from Maine that made it authentically original. So, skip over “trying to be original” and write what you know. Also, let failure be your friend.”

Boutilier recommends studying and reading about the craft that most interest you. “And start thinking about where you want to go to college. It is helpful to go to film school if you are interested in script writing because you will have alumni connections to help you on your path. Also, you should know that life in this industry is hard, and it is not for everyone. But if it is your passion, don’t deny it and don’t get discouraged.”

Perhaps most importantly, Boutilier and Clarke share their greatest lessons learned from the community which they came and from where they were nurtured – and that is – “shoot for the stars, because you can.” <