'A match made in Hathaway'

It tickles my heart that Josh and Taylor’s friendship grew into something more.”

Pamela Hamilton, the couple's teacher in third grade

PORTSMOUTH — Call it romance coming full circle.

Thirteen years after Josh Booth and Taylor Hamilton first passed notes to each other inside a third-grade classroom at Hathaway School, they found themselves in front of the same blackboard Tuesday night.

This time, it was serious business. Josh was down on one knee, a ring in his hand. An overwhelmed and surprised Taylor, lured there by a friend, said yes.

Bearing witness to the happy occasion — along with several others — was Pamela Hamilton (no relation), their teacher in 2003-2004.

“A match made in Hathaway,” said Ms. Hamilton, who attended the school herself and has taught third grade since 1991.

Josh, a 22-year-old who works at West Marine in Middletown, said he could think of no better spot to propose than Hathaway. “This was my favorite school, just because of the teachers,” he said.

And of course, it’s where he first laid eyes on Taylor.

“I didn’t think anything of it at the time — and then she sat behind me. After that we became friends and we were passing notes,” he said.

When you’re in third grade, what do you write on those notes?

“Actually, I’m pretty sure I told him I loved him,” said Taylor, who’s 21 and employed by Hodges Badge Company in Portsmouth.

Young love is fickle, however, and things petered out.

“We broke up in fourth grade,” said Josh.

“I don’t even know how you date in fourth grade,” said Taylor, adding they got back together in middle school before breaking up again in high school, when they stopped speaking.

But two years ago, they reconnected after Taylor posted on Snapchat that she was going to the beach. “I hit her up and we started hanging out again,” said Josh.

Roughly six weeks ago, he got the idea of proposing at Hathaway and sent an e-mail to Ms. Hamilton to let her know he wanted to pop the big question in her classroom. 

“He said, ‘This sounds like a wild idea, but just hear me out,’” recalled the teacher, who was honored to share in their special moment. “I thought it was wonderful. This is definitely a first for me.”

The big moment

If you’re wondering how Taylor was lured to an elementary school classroom at 5 p.m. on a Tuesday, a little white lie did the trick — not by Josh, however. It was her best friend since kindergarten, Chelsea Rezendes.

“I’m a speech pathology student at Rhode Island College,” Chelsea explained. “I just told her I was going to be observing the speech pathologist who works here and I needed to drop off a BCI (criminal records check). I said, ‘Oh, come back for old time’s sake. We’ll reminisce.’”

Another close friend and Hathaway graduate, Sierra Rudkowski (formerly Bang), was on hand to video and take photos of the happy occasion. “I’ve known both of those guys for 13, 14 years,” she said.

Besides Sierra and Ms. Hamilton, several other teachers and two members of The Portsmouth Times were waiting in the classroom for Taylor to show up. 

“She’s going to know something is up,” Josh acknowledged.

Finally, Taylor and Chelsea made their way in the classroom. Taylor saw Josh down on one knee, Ms. Hamilton at her desk and several other teachers trying their best to hide behind a large sketchpad. Yes, she knew something was up immediately.

“What are you doing here? What the heck is going on?” she said.

Josh kept it short and to the point.

“Are you serious right now? Yes!” Taylor replied as everyone in the room shouted and clapped.

Then Taylor had some words for Chelsea: “You are such a liar!” she exclaimed before adding, “You didn’t tell me to change, or put makeup on or something?”

‘Overwhelmed’

Taylor remained in a daze several minutes later. 

“I am very overwhelmed. I don’t even think this is happening right now,” said Taylor, who did indeed start reminiscing with Chelsea as soon as she stepped through Hathaway’s doors. “It brings back so many memories. It’s just such an awesome school.”

Ms. Hamilton recalled Josh and Taylor as smart students who were polite and friendly to others. Taylor, she said, was always happy and giggly. She wished her former students good fortune, health and happiness in their lives together.

“As a teacher, I try to encourage lasting friendships in third grade,” she said. “It tickles my heart that Josh and Taylor’s friendship grew into something more.”