Tristan Morton’s essay entry selected for second place in the nation

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Tristan Morton

Tristan Morton, 11, a student at St. Michael School, in Augusta, and Star Scout at Augusta Troop #603, was notified that his entry for the essay contest hosted by the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) was selected for second place among sixth grade entries nationally. Tristan’s journey began with an essay on John Phillip Sousa’s Star Spangled Banner from the perspective of a reporter in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, for its first public presentation.

Tristan has been amazed by the reception his essay received, as he was first selected to represent St. Michael School’s sixth grade. Reading the essay for the local post of the DAR, he was selected to represent the post at the State of Maine level. Next, he was chosen as Maine’s sixth grade DAR Essay Representative. Tristan’s work competed for the New England & New York region and after selection moved into the competition at the National level for the sixth grade.

Tristan’s parents, Marleen Lajoie COL. (ret.) USARNG & Jeffrey Morton COL. (ret.) USAR are proud of his efforts and the message of respect and honor his essay presents. His description of a 19th century patriotic setting, and the excited reception of this music by the crowd captured both the excitement and patriotic zeal at that 19th century event.

Tristan’s family is coordinating a visit to the National DAR Conference, in Washington, DC, for Tristan to receive his recognition and thank the organization. Tristan’s messages of respect for the artist and those who sacrificed to sustain our great country echo key elements of his school, Scouting America, and the Daughters of the American Revolution.

Carrabec High School announces honor parts for class of 2024

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Peter Campbell, Principal, has announced honor parts for the Class of 2024 at Carrabec High School, in North Anson.

Valedictorian:

Kolby Carpenter

Kolby Carpenter, Carrabec’s Valedictorian, is a student who is a role model in our school. With a grade point average of 99.35, he has completed six honors classes, two early college courses and three dual enrollment classes. Kolby is not only a great student, he also applies his strengths to the sports world as well, excelling in football and basketball. Carpenter has also represented his class as the Class President for all four years. Kolby will be attending Kennebec Valley Community College, (KVCC), in Fairfield, for their electrical program. Kolby is the son of Tia Bessey and Brandon Harrington, of Anson.

Salutatorian:

Cooper Dellarma

Cooper Dellarma, Carrabec’s Salutatorian, is a bright and successful student. Cooper has a grade point average of 98.89, completing four honors classes and one early college course. Cooper has earned his varsity letter in both basketball and baseball and is also a volunteer firefighter for the town of Solon. Cooper is an outstanding and well-rounded young man. Dellarma will be attending the University of Maine at Fort Kent for their forest management program. Cooper is the son of Derek and Hailey Dellarma, of Solon.

 

 

 

 

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Area students receive Husson University academic award

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Husson University Online, in Bangor, celebrates the academic achievements of students recently named to the president’s list, dean’s list and honors list for Term 3 of the 2023-2024 academic year.

President’s List: 3.80 to 4.0 semester grade-point average
Dean’s List: 3.60 to 3.79 semester grade-point average
Honor’s List: 3.40 to 3.59 semester grade-point average.

The students are:

Jazzmin M. Johnson, of Augusta, President’s List;
Melissa Lyon, of Waterville, – Dean’s List;
Olivia Brooke Roy, of Augusta, – Dean’s List.

Endicott College announces local dean’s list students

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Endicott College, in Beverly, Massachusetts, has announced its Fall 2023 dean’s list students. The students include:

Emily Clark, of China, nursing, daughter of Stacy Clark and Christopher Clark.

Oliver Parker, of Augusta, English, daughter of Katherine Parker and Walter Parker.

Erskine Academy announces Renaissance award recipients (2024)

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Seniors of the Trimester, from left to right, Holden McKenney, Caleb Gay, Nathan Polley, and Austin Nicholas. (contributed photo)

On Friday, April 26, 2024, Erskine Academy students and staff attended a Renaissance Assembly to honor their peers with Renaissance Awards.

Renaissance Recognition Awards were presented to the following students: Olivia Austin, Delaney Brown, Ben Severy, Michael Richardson, Bryana Barrett, Kaylene Glidden, Addison Gagne, Makayla Oxley, Wesley Fulton, and Danny McKinnis.

In addition to Recognition Awards, Senior of the Trimester Awards were also presented to four members of the senior class: Nathan Polley, son of Hillary and Stephen Polley, of Vassalboro; Caleb Gay, son of Laura and Christopher Gay, of Windsor; Holden McKenney, son of Crystal and Jacob McKenney, of Palermo; and Austin Nicholas, son of Michael Nicholas and Tonya Picard, of Chelsea, and Vaunalee and Mike Pion, of Pittston. Seniors of the Trimester are recognized as individuals who have gone above and beyond in all aspects of their high school careers.

In appreciation of their dedication and service to Erskine Academy, Faculty of the Trimester awards were presented to Chris Safford, custodian; and David Farady, English instructor.

David Farady (left), Chris Safford (right)

Messalonskee senior graduates college before high school

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Ella Buck

submitted by Tania Buck

Ella Buck, is a senior at Messalonskee High School, in Oakland. Since the age of eight, Ella has known that she wanted to be a nurse. When Ella was a sophomore, just 14 years old, she took her first “college” class through the Early College Program. This program allows high school students to take courses that are not offered at their high school, through colleges/universities. Students can take up to 12 credits a year for free. With a passion for nursing, Ella began taking general education courses required for a degree in the field. She took online courses from four Maine community colleges (KVCC, YCCC, EMMC, AND SMCC). More recently, she has taken nursing classes through University of Southern Maine, where she has been accepted into the nursing program for the 2024-2025 school year.

Ella graduated from Kennebec Valley Community College, in Fairfield, with an associates degree in general studies on Saturday, May 11, 2024. She will graduate from Messalonskee High School on June 6, 2024. According to the college, she will be the first high school student in the school’s history, to receive an associates degree before graduating high school. She graduated with a 4.0 grade point average.

Ella will have completed approximately 71 college credits, taking classes year-round for the past couple of years. Because of the agreement between Maine’s Community Colleges and its universities, all of Ella’s college credits transferred allowing her to attend USM, in September 2024, as a third year college student.

If all of this wasn’t enough, while Ella was taking her high school classes, and college courses, she played sports and has been working at the Maine Veterans Home (MVH) for 10 months now. She began with MVH in June 2023 where she enrolled in a CNA certification program. In August, she received her certification, and has been working per diem on the weekends at MVH.

Ella chose not to take AP classes at her high school, as she wanted to take classes that pertained to nursing. Messalonskee only weights AP classes, so none of her college classes were weighted. As a result, despite having a 99.4 G.P.A, she will not graduate in the top 10 of her class. Initially this was hard for Ella to accept, but she knew she wanted to take classes that interested her and ultimately would help her achieve her end goal of becoming a nurse. As a high school student taking a non-traditional path, she had to overcome many obstacles along the way. She was determined, and never gave up.

According to her mother, “Ella does not like being in the spotlight. She doesn’t seek recognition or attention! However, I do believe by sharing her story, it will help others to see that hard work and determination do pay off, and perhaps even more importantly. It’s OK to deviate from the norm and chart your own path.”

Two area students named to Maine Academic team

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Two area community college students have been named to the All-Maine Academic Team in recognition of their outstanding academic achievement, leadership, and service.

The students receiving the award are:

Kiera Clark, Skowhegan, Kennebec Valley Community College, in Fairfield/Hinckley.
Luz Maria Seda Libby, Palermo, Kennebec Valley Community College.

In addition, Catalina Fernandez-Grant (KVCC) has been named Maine New Century Scholars for earning the highest scores in the state on their All-USA Academic Team applications.

Fernandez-Grant is the 2024 Maine New Century Workforce Pathway Scholar and will receive a $1,500 scholarship.

The All-Maine Academic Team is a program of Phi Theta Kappa, an international honor society for two-year colleges. Students are nominated and selected for the team by their college.

Evelyn Withee inducted into The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi

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Evelyn Withee, of Rome, was recently initiated into The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the nation’s oldest and most selective all-discipline collegiate honor society. Withee was initiated at the University of Maine.

New Dimensions FCU announces 2024 scholarship winners

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Brayden Perry (left), Gavin Lunt (right)

New Dimensions Federal Credit Union (NDFCU) is proud to announce the recipients of its highly esteemed 2024 Scholarship Program.

Among the outstanding individuals selected for this prestigious honor are Gavin Lunt and Brayden Perry, who have demonstrated exceptional academic achievements, community involvement, and remarkable dedication.

A promising student, Gavin Lunt, will pursue Actuarial Science at the University of Maine at Farmington this fall. His impressive academic successes and active engagement within his community have rightfully earned him a place among the 2024 Scholarship Program winners.

Brayden Perry, another deserving recipient of the NDFCU scholarship, will embark on a path toward Nursing, at Merrimack College, in North Andover, Massachusetts. Brayden’s application stood out for its excellence in academics and exemplary volunteerism, qualities that reflect the spirit of the NDFCU Scholarship Program.

Ryan Poulin, CEO of NDFCU, expressed his pride in the scholarship winners, emphasizing the importance of supporting educational aspirations within the community. Poulin encouraged all aspiring scholars to consider participating in the NDFCU Scholarship Program, highlighting it as a meaningful way to invest in future generations.

For more information about NDFCU’s scholarship program, please contact us at (800) 326-6190 or visit www.newdimensionsfcu.com.

Vassalboro Community School honor roll (2024)

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Vassalboro Community School (contributed photo)

GRADE 8

High honors: Juliet Boivin, and Abigail Prickett. Honors: Zoey Demerchant, Ryleigh French, Cooper Lajoie, Bentley Pooler, Judson Smith, Hannah Tobey, Alana Wade, and Reid Willett. Honorable mention: Tristyn Brown, Lucas Cormier, Caleb Marden, and Katherine Maxwell.

GRADE 7

High honors: Zoe Gaffney, Allyson Gilman, Cheyenne Lizzotte, Grace Tobey, and Ava Woods. Honors: Samuel Bechard, Bryleigh Burns, Basil Dillaway, Fury Frappier, Baylee Fuchswanz, Savannah Judkins, Jack Lapierre, Kaitlyn Lavallee, Mia McLean, Elliot McQuarrie, and Agatha Meyer. Honorable mention: Peyton Bishop, Mason Brewer, Emily Clark, Lillyana Krastev, and Jayden Portillo.

GRADE 6

High honors: Xainte Cloutier, Samantha Craig, Mariah Estabrook, Leah Hyden, Sarina Lacroix, Juliahna Rocque, Charles Stein, and Cameron Willett. Honors: Zander Austin, Grace Clark, Twila Cloutier, Kaylee Colfer, Riley Fletcher, Aubrey Goforth, Isaac Leonard, Olivia Perry, Elliott Rafuse, Cassidy Rumba, and Haven Trainor. Honorable mention: Aliyah Anthony, Lukas Blais, Dawson Frazer, Aubrey Judkins, Kaylee Pease, and Isaiah Smith.

GRADE 5

High honors: Hunter Brown, Kamdyn Couture, Cooper Grant, Brooklyn Leach, Landon Lindquist, Simon Olson, Tyson Speropolous, and Robert Wade. Honors: Ryder Austin, Alexander Bailey, Rylee Boucher, Maverick Brewer, Reese Chechowitz, Braiden Crommett, Molly Dearborn, Levi Demerchant, Liam Dowe, Anthony Dyer, Chase Fay, Ashlynn Hamlin, Avery Hamlin, Sophia-Lynn Howard, Tanner Hughes, Kendall Karlsson, Olivia Lane, Landon Quint, Willa Rafuse, Alexis Reed, Jackson Robichaud, Christopher Santiago, Asher Smith, Addison Suga, and Mason York-Baker. Honorable mention: Grayson Brown, Eli Dulac, Hunter Green, Owen Mayo, Keegan Robinson, Gabriel Tucker, and William Vincent.

GRADE 4

High honors: Olivia Booker, Camden Desmond, Marley Field, Henry Gray, Tucker Lizzotte, Evelyn Meyer, Sawyer Plossay, Allysson Portillo, Gabriella Reynolds, Preston Richmond, Alivia Twitchell, Mayla Wilson, Haley Witham, and Alivia Woods. Honors: Freya Caison, Francis Farrell, Emma Freeman, Norah French, Brayden Lang-Knights, Finn Malloy, Anthony Malloy, Gage Nason, Raistlyn Russell, Wesley Stewart, Oliver Sugden, Trenten Theobald, and Roman Wentworth.

GRADE 3

High honors: Marie Cote, Estelle Ford, Levi Hotham, Rose Matulis, Lillan Noll, Orion Paulette, Tristan Plossay, Bianca Pooler, Dominic Poulin, Sydney Suga, Aria Tardiff, Anastaysha Timberlake, Meaghan Trask, and Samuel Tuttle. Honors: Airibella Bossie, Cameron Bossie, Christopher Bourgoin, Payton Bowring, Alexander Buckley, Jaxon Crommett, Preston Dupont, Colton Fletcher, Mariskah-Avril Grant, Thyri Kimball, Jocelyn Parsons, Wyatt Richard, Quentin Tarr, Wynn Trainor, Jens Tyrol, and Ryan York. Honorable mention: Jackson Ingerson.