Cassondra Heath, of Liberty, was named to the Abilene Christian University, in Abilene, Texas, fall 2022 dean’s honor roll. Heath is a freshman majoring in music teaching.
The following local residents have earned an Award of Excellence at Western Governors University, in Salt Lake City, Utah. The award is given to students who perform at a superior level in their coursework.
Whitney Poplawski, of Augusta, has earned an Award of Excellence at Western Governors University Leavitt School of Health.
Brenda Ryder, of Liberty, has earned an Award of Excellence at Western Governors University College of Business.
The following local students were named to the 2022 fall semester dean’s list at Simmons University, in Boston, Massachusetts: Emma Soule, of Farmingdale, Abigail Bloom, of Waterville, and Maddie Beckwith, of Winslow.
Vassalboro Community School (contributed photo)
Freya Caison, Camden Desmond, Emma Freeman, Tucker Lizzotte, Evelyn Meyer, Sawyer Plossay, Oliver Sugden, Alivia Twitchell and Mayla Wilson.
Hunter Brown, Kamdyn Couture, Cooper Grant, Sophia-Lynn Howard, Brooklyn Leach, Landon Lindquist, Simon Olson, Landon Quint, Willa Rafuse, Alexis Reed, Asher Smith and Robert Wade.
Twila Cloutier, Xainte Cloutier, Samantha Craig, Mariah Estabrook, Riley Fletcher, Leah Hyden, Sarina Lacroix, Olivia Perry, Juliahna Rocque, Cassidy Rumba and Charles Stein.
Basil Dillaway, Zoe Gaffney, Allyson Gilman, Cheyenne Lizzotte, Adrian Sousa, Grace Tobey and Ava Woods.
Benjamin Allen, Zoey Demerchant, Drew Lindquist, Caleb Marden, Abigail Prickett and Judson Smith.
Adalyn Glidden, Noah Pooler, and Bryson Stratton.
Titus Caruthers, Parker Estabrook, Marley Field, Norah French, Henry Gray, Olivia Hartford, Finn Malloy, Bryson McKay, Gage Nason, Gabriella Reynolds, Raegin Rodgers, Sawyer Weston, Haley Witham, and Alivia Woods.
Ryder Austin, Alexander Bailey, Rylee Boucher, Braiden Crommett, Molly Dearborn, Liam Dowe, Chase Fay, Ashlynn Hamlin, Avery Hamlin, Tanner Hughes, Kendall Karlsson, Aria Lathrop, Jackson Robichaud, Keegan Robinson, and Christopher Santiago.
Lukas Blais, Dawson Frazer, Aubrey Goforth, Chanse Hartford, Aubrey Judkins, Elliott Rafuse, Isaiah Smith, Haven Trainor, and Cameron Willett.
Samuel Bechard, Bryleigh Burns, Baylee Fuchswanz, Savannah Judkins, Agatha Meyer, Jaelyn Moore and Weston Pappas.
Juliet Boivin, Tristyn Brown, Ryleigh French, Katherine Maxwell, Paige Perry, Bentley Pooler, Hannah Tobey and Reid Willett.
Owen Couture, Ryley Desmond, Peyton Dowe, Wyatt Ellis, Madison Field, Kylie Grant, Spencer Hughes, Jack Malcolm, Alexis Mitton, Kole Pratt, Grady Sounier, Kaleb Tolentino, Mackullen Tolentino and Autumn Willis.
Brayden Lang-Knights, Preston Richmond, Trenten Theobald, and Roman Wentworth
Reese Chechowitz, Levi Demerchant, Ashton Derosby, Anthony Dyer, Elliot Stratton, Gabriel Tucker and William Vincent
Kiara Apollo, Wyatt Devoe, Brandon Fortin, Camden Foster, Peter Giampietro, Lucian Kinrade, Isaac Leonard and Arianna Muzerolle.
Emily Clark, Fury Frappier, Jack LaPierre, Mia McLean and Landen Theobald.
Dominick Bickford, Gabriella Brundage, Drake Goodie, Cooper Lajoie, Trinity Pooler, Brooke Reny and Alana Wade.
Aliya Bourque, Madison Burns, Logan Chechowitz, Xavier Foss, Bailey Goforth, Mason Lagasse, Bryella Leighton, Olivia Hartford, Henry Olson, Josslyn Ouellette and Payton Thorndike.
Breckon Davidson, left, with his grandfather, John Shields. (contributed photo)
The Kennebec Valley Youth Symphony Orchestra (KVYSO), is proud to feature Breckon Davidson, a senior at Erskine Academy, in South China, in our Senior Spotlight article. He is a talented, diligent musician whose participation in KVYSO has added to the quality and level of ensemble community.
Breckon began his musical journey with piano lessons, from age six until he was nine. At that point, he picked up the cello after seeing Pineland Suzuki School (an organization of strings teachers in central Maine) perform at Granite Hill Estates.
“Working with Pineland in the beginning of my cello playing was amazing, and they had such a refined program for beginners. They had so many group classes, activities, and just made learning cello something that I had a ton of fun to do,” explained Breckon, eventually joining the Allegra Orchestra (Pineland’s beginner ensemble). “My favorite piece that we played with them was the theme to Jurassic Park.”
After auditioning for Kennebec Valley Youth Orchestra (KVYSO’s intermediate orchestra), he was not able to play with them that year in person due to Covid restrictions, but it “only fueled my excitement further. In the fall of 2020, we were able to play in person for the first time in what felt like forever, and it felt exhilarating to be part of an orchestra again.” After a year with KVYO, Breckon began playing with Kennebec Valley Youth Symphony (KVYSO’s advanced orchestra). “That was a huge deal, because that would be the first time in my life that I would be playing a full, unaltered symphony in concert. This was the real deal, and I took it very seriously.”
Around this time, Breckon joined Capital Strings (Pineland’s advanced ensemble) and started taking lessons with Jon Moody. “In Capital Strings, we got to play incredible arrangements of so many kinds of music, whether they be film scores, contemporary classical, folk music, what have you, and it was a joy. Eventually, I started doing the Bach cello suites, and have loved working on them ever since.”
In addition to being a member of KVYSO and Pineland, Breckon is also a part of the Jazz Band at Erskine, where he recently picked up bass. “At first it was like a whole new language, playing bass, but eventually I got the hang of it, and recently played in a concert at Erskine where I played bass in the Jazz Band and a jazz quartet, and played cello for a solo and for my composition class group.”
Music has been part of Breckon’s life for a long time. “I absolutely adore music, and it is an ever-present part of my life. There’s rarely a time that I’m not listening to music, the majority of it being classical. I’ve loved classical music for so long, and I find its rich textures and harmonies to be unlike any other type of music that I know of.”
As for future plans, Breckon plans on going to college as a biology major to become a psychiatrist. “As much as I love music, I also have a great passion for science, and find psychology to be the most fascinating one to me, so I’ll make it my career.” We wish Breckon well as he pursues his goals after his time with us at KVYO is done.
We invite you to support Breckon and the Kennebec Valley Youth Orchestras for the Spring Concert on Friday, May 5, at 6:30 p.m., at the South Parish Congregation Church, in Augusta. Daniel Keller will be conducting our KVYO, with Jinwook Park conducting our KVYSO. The concert will feature the music of Mendelssohn, Debussy, Vivaldi, and more! In addition to joining them on May 5, please consider following them on Facebook and Instagram (Kennebec Valley Youth Symphony Orchestras). If you would like to donate to our program, please visit their website at https://www.kvyso.org/. They truly appreciate your support of our program!
Elmira College, in Elmira, New York, recently announced this year’s recipients of its annual Key Award. This year’s award was given to 761 students across 14 states and Puerto Rico. A tradition that goes back to 1935, the Key Award is presented to outstanding students in their junior year of high school or preparatory school. Those receiving the award included Emma Fortie and Jonathan Eccher Mullally, both of Oakland.
Matthew G. Parent, of Oakland, a sophomore majoring in electrical engineering, was named a Presidential Scholar for the Fall 2022 semester at Clarkson University, in Potsdam, New York.
Huard’s Sport Karate team member Lucia LaCroix, 12, of Skowhegan, captured first place in forms at the Ocean State Grand Nationals Martial Arts Tournament, in Warwick, Rhode Island, on Sunday, April 2. She also captured third place in weapons competition. (photo by Mark Huard)
Leon A. Gorman
Ten Maine community college students were awarded full tuition scholarships in honor of Leon A. Gorman for the upcoming 2022-2023 academic year. The students were celebrated Monday, May 23, 2022, in an online event with Gorman family members and L.L.Bean leadership.
This is the seventh year the Leon A. Gorman Scholarship has been given. The scholarship supports three students at Southern Maine Community College, two students at Central Maine Community College, and one student at the other five colleges. Each of the ten Leon A. Gorman Scholars will receive an award equal to a full year of tuition at a Maine community college.
Among the 2022 Leon A. Gorman Scholars recipients was Allison Pease, of Belgrade, studying as a physical therapist assistant, at Kennebec Valley Community College, in Fairfield.
Information about the Maine Community College System is available at: www.mccs.me.edu.
Carrabec High School
High honors: Jessica Benedict, Luke Carey, Joel Gehrke, Mliss Hem and Caitlyn Oliver.
Honors: Zebadiah Burnham, Lindsay Hamilton, Gabriella Manzer, Conner Peabody and Hunter Sousa.
High honors: Kolby Carpenter, Devyn DeLeonardis, Cooper Dellarma, Nevaeh Holmes, Dillon Nelson and Alyssa Schinzel.
Honors: Jayden Cates, Riley Crocker, Trevor Donahue, Molly Hay, Dylan Maynard, Daisy Page, Jordyn Plourd, Lucas Vicneire and Hailey Wyman.
High honors: Jeremy Barcelos, Lillian Cooley, Mason Courtney, Kobi Jennings, Haley McFadyen, Machaon Pierce, Seth Price, Desmond Robinson, Josephine Scheve, Brooks Sousa and Ciarrah Whittemore.
Honors: Michael Benedict, Jr., Logan Caldwell, Cortney Cote, Kallie Ebneter, Tayah Edmunds, Oakley Friend, Dayna Jean Labonte, Micayla Mercier, Seamus Miller, Levi Small, Ian Smith and Morgan Steuber.
High honors: Kara Prosser, Thomas Roderick, William Rogers, Hickory Smith and Myah Williams.
Honors: Karen Baker, Liliana Caldwell, Emma Campbell, Anna Canales, Zachary Davis, Macie Plourde and Devon Williams.