On Thursday, October 13, the Upper School had the unique opportunity to hear the stories of Mangesh Pol and Gaus Sayyad, who were raised together at the Maher Ashram in Pune, India. In addition to their extraordinary accomplishments, Mangesh and Gaus epitomize what can happen when people not only overcome their differences but tap the power of their diversity to do good things in the world. Mangesh and Gaus were born to different castes and religions and came to Maher at the age of seven. They were already best friends before realizing that their differences, were they not living in interfaith, caste free environment of Maher, would have precluded their having any relationship much less a close one.

Now at the age of 23, they are both highly educated and successful and fully devoted to the mission of Maher, which in the Marati language means “mother’s home.” Its mission is to “help destitute women, children, and men from all over India exercise their right to a higher quality of life, irrespective o gender, caste, creed, or religion.” Maher also seeks to “identity and understand the root causes of violence and despair experienced by women and children in India and develop and deliver serves to address these root causes and their effects in villages and slums, so women and children are healthy, happy, and self-reliant.” Mangesh and Gaus are being groomed to lead Maher’s future.

At the assembly, Mangesh and Gaus told their stories and finished their presentation with a Bollywood dance. A video of their dance and another about Maher are linked below.

A visitor to the Waynflete campus might well wonder what is going on upon entering the Emery Building in mid-March and passing a group of students huddled in an alcove whispering with conspiratorial urgency.  The mystery would deepen as the visitor turns the corner and trips over another student who has crawled into position to spy on the apparent conspirators.  Stepping into the classroom of history teacher and department chair Alice Brock, the visitor might find a small group of students feverishly wordsmithing a document in response to a hastily scrawled message on the whiteboard that reads: “Dear France, We are truly sorry we took Alsace-Lorraine from you and we promise to be nice to you and we hope you will forgive us. Your friend, Germany.”

So what is going on?  “Learning to write,” according to Alice, among other lessons.  The students are sophomores taking Modern European History engaged in a week long role play exercise.  Alice has divided her class into groups representing European countries and assigned them the task of turning back the clock to 1914 to see if they can do better than their diplomatic predecessors by preventing the outbreak of war. The Great War unit, in addition to the role play, includes extensive document analysis and classroom discussion, culminates in a term paper in which students are asked to develop their own research based historical analysis of the primary causes of the war.

The role play is intended to deepen and make tangible the more academic and abstract study of the war.  According to Alice, “Role plays are amazingly effective in helping students to “get it” and appreciate an issue on a visceral level.  Without the role play, this topic – why the Great War happened – would remain highly abstract.  With it, students are much more invested in writing their term papers.  They understand why this topic matters and can delve into it much more deeply than they would otherwise.”

In short, Alice’s students are deeply immersed in the writing process. The Great War provides an excellent opportunity to engage students in active historical study, which in turn stimulates focused thought and in-depth writing because the causes of the war are complex, elusive, and still debated.  Thus, according to Alice, this study, especially the role play, “is empowering.  It drives home the fact that individual human beings can make a big difference and change the course of history.  In this role play, the students are rewriting history realistically and learning (or at least beginning to learn) that the concepts of “inevitability” and “forces beyond human control” need to be challenged.  In other words, they learn, I hope, that people make history, not the other way around.”

“Rewriting history” in this way illustrates a core methodology employed throughout the School: writing to learn while learning to write.  Ask any Waynflete graduate if she or he felt prepared for college.  Far more often than not, the response will be something like, “Oh yes, especially with writing.”  While Upper School English and history teachers might like to take full credit for this persistent response, in actuality, credit is due to the entire faculty because Waynflete teachers across disciplines and divisions understand the powerful interplay between writing and thinking and design their lessons accordingly.

English and foreign language teachers routinely use writing as a tool to hone skills of literary analysis by using literary analysis as the material for writing assignments.  And science teachers are doing the same when they assign and scrutinize lab reports.  A well written lab report is the product of sound scientific thought, while a poorly written one is likely reflects a vague or incomplete understanding of the science.  In such disparate subjects as art and math, students are asked to reflect on what and how they have learned, which again demands precision of word and thought. Such reflective writing brings students’ understanding of a concept or process or creation to a deeper level and allows teachers to better assess and guide their thinking.

Given the unique mix of serious scholarship and playfulness that permeates the School, every visitor to the Waynflete campus is potentially in for a surprise.  But some things are certain.  While the methods employed by Alice and the rest of the faculty do not always require students to go to such extremes as crawling through the hallways to spy on their peers, they do routinely inspire passions and cultivate capacities for learning and writing and so prepare our students well for any future they might encounter.

At a recent assembly, members of Waynflete’s PRIDE group (Promoting Respect Integrity and Equality) shared thoughts regarding the value of allyship for people who are Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning and Queer (LGBTQ+). Together they gave voice to some of their concerns and provided information about how to be an ally and how to ask questions to learn about differences. We wanted to share some of these reflections so that if you weren’t at assembly or just wanted to spend some more time thinking over what was said, there would be another resource.

Following is the text of what we said at assembly:

Last week was National Ally week. Schools across the country appreciated and reminded their communities why we each have a responsibility to make our schools physically and emotionally safe spaces.  An ally is a person that wants to fight for the equality of a marginalized group that they’re not a part of. An ally supports, by uplifting the voices of LGTBQ+ people, not speaking over them. Allies are people who demonstrate respect and kindness, who do not use hurtful words or tease others, and who stand up to others if they hear or see mistreatment. Allies within and outside of the LGBTQ community help to create and hold safe spaces and caring relationships for others and for each other.

We each have our own story, our own narrative that guides how we experience the world. How can we agree to be kind to each other, when the messages of who deserves respect conflict? If who I am and what I believe is the opposite of someone else, is there any opportunity to connect? Growing is often uncomfortable, but if I choose to stay isolated, I will miss out on learning and growing. In my experience, the rewards of learning, growing and connecting outside my own story have added depth to my character, challenged my assumptions, broadened my awareness, and helped me to understand myself.

It worries me when people who are LGBTQ are not comfortable with the community they are a part of. It concerns me that LGBTQ people are not being treated as a group who need a voice. It worries me that people who are LGBTQ are sometimes treated awkwardly and it shapes the way others see that person. When I hear something offensive I would say “Please, I know you probably didn’t mean to offend me, but please in the future could you not assume.” When I hear something hurtful, I say “ouch”. Then it invites a pause and maybe a question. Then I can explain whatever bothered me.  

One important part of being an ally is understanding that simply being open to learn is essential and that you are in a position to be educated. This also means that allies cannot be too defensive when they make mistakes, but that is a two way street, as those who are doing the educating must also not be excessively defensive or accusatory to those trying to learn and support. I feel best when people respect some of the boundaries I have that others may not have.

I feel welcome when people don’t notice something different. Both positive and negative reactions can feel uncomfortable. I feel welcome when people are kind, and say “hi, good morning,” anything you would say to a friend. It’s important to support those who are close to you, and sometimes it’s difficult to know exactly how. Some good things to do as an ally are to acknowledge and respect others’ pronouns, ask questions if you are confused instead of assuming, and offer to talk to someone if they seem like they might need a friend. An important part about being an ally is just encouragement and support. Everyone will need something different, so a good ally could just say “how can I help/support you?” Even just knowing someone’s there can be good. I feel comfortable when I am surrounded by people who love and support me.

ORDER THE 2016 WAYNFLETE YEARBOOK BY DEC. 4TH AND SAVE $15!!!

Cost: $50 ($65 after Dec 4th)

To order your book and ensure that you receive a copy this spring, choose one of the following options:

• Complete a paper order form (available from Diane, Ben and Carrie) and write a check to Waynflete School. Return to division assistants.
• Order online

A Night of Cultural Dialogue and Hip Hop Performance with Eric Axelman and Oliver “SydeSho” Arias

Join hip hop-based teaching artists Eric Axelman and Oliver ‘SydeSho’ Arias as they perform and facilitate a discussion about the ethics of cultural appropriation, the state of racial inequality in the U.S., and ways in which the media influences perceptions about race and identity.

Thursday, October 6
7:00 – 8:30 p.m.
Waynflete’s Franklin Theater
360 Spring Street
Portland, Maine

Free for all ages and open to the public

This event is presented in partnership with the Maine Arts Commission.
For more information, e-mail

Welcome back from your first week of school scattered in locations ranging from downtown Boston to Mount Katahdin, from the White Mountains of New Hampshire to Acadia National Park Downeast, and from a host of places in between. I have heard happy reports from all directions. Now it feels good to assemble together this morning under one roof as a full Upper School for the first time this year.

Last week I was with the ninth grade up north in the middle of the 100 mile wilderness on pristine Fourth Debsconeag Lake. As most of you know who have been there when you were in ninth grade, it is a very good place to get to know people. I can tell the rest of you that we are lucky to have this class joining the Upper School. They were fun, helpful, and up for anything we threw at them, from long hikes, to deep meditations, to strange challenges such as using only their facial muscles to move Oreo cookies from their brows to their mouths.

At the campfire on the last night, I asked the students why they thought that Waynflete Upper School has opened with Outdoor Experience for more than 40 years. I wish I had recorded the responses because they perfectly articulated the philosophy that underlies the program. One response in particular stood out for me, which is that for the ninth grade, the program is designed so that the first big challenge of high school is experienced together as a class. Facing a collective challenge creates lasting bonds, underscoring the bigger idea that in any healthy community, no individual should feel alone.

That comment stood out in part because it reminded me of last year, which was the most challenging of my entire career. I know I speak for all of us who experienced the loss of two students and friends—first Payton and then Beata—when I say that at times feeling those losses has seemed almost unbearable but ultimately became bearable because of the way this community of students, faculty, and parents responded, with exceptional care and courage, tirelessly striving to reach out to one another so that nobody would have to endure such a painful experience alone.

As we enter a new year with a new mix of students and staff, some who were here last year and some who were not, I am comforted knowing that whatever comes our way, I will be in the same boat as all of you. Being in such a supportive community helps all of us both to endure great trials and to take the kinds of emotional and intellectual risks that are the catalysts for personal growth and the foundation for the powerful, world class education that awaits you.

As a faculty, we believe that our collective ties are so important to making you all feel both safe and challenged that we are seeking ways to make those ties even stronger. This year, we intend to focus on cultivating all of our capacities to be in dialogue with each other across the rich array of our differences in viewpoints and backgrounds. Building strong connections through dialogue seems more important than ever right now because we live at a time when the great diversity of our nation, which truly is our strength, is too often viewed as the cause of division and animosity.

In fact, as I read the news and the hostile rhetoric flying around social media right now, I feel great concern for the safety and well being of our students of color as they navigate their lives outside of school, especially our Muslim students, especially our Muslim girls who choose to cover because they can’t take a break and blend into the masses, even if they were to try.

As a white, middle aged male whose family immigrated to America centuries ago, I simply don’t have the life experience of feeling like the target of such suspicion and animosity. But I can seek understanding of that experience by listening to those who do and then take action based on what I understand. Creating and maintaining a school community that both holds and challenges our students in a variety of ways and teaches them to learn from each other through dialogue are tangible steps that the faculty and I can take to make the world we live in better for everyone right now and into the future.

In addition to being receptive to our efforts to promote dialogue as a habit at Waynflete, we hope that each of you will think about what steps you can take to make the communities that you inhabit better because you are present in them. Whether a long term initiative to combat an injustice or small daily acts of kindness or an extended commitment to community service – those are the actions that make a difference. Please know that supporting your efforts to be good neighbors and responsible citizens of the world are also steps that the faculty and I are always pleased to take.

Being in your presence this morning fills me with energy and optimism. Thank you for your respectful listening. I truly look forward to our year together.

Below is a link to an essay written by Gemma Laurence ’15 last spring for her Philosophy class with Ben Mini.  In that class, among other topics, students studied moral systems.  For a final project, Ben asked them to apply what they had learned in class about moral systems to their experiences at Waynflete.

Gemma’s essay is her response to that assignment.  It both exemplifies the independent thinking expected in Waynflete’s upper level electives and expresses a student perspective on a philosophy that lies at the heart of the Waynflete experience.

Thriving for Educational Eudaimonia: by Gemma Laurence ’15

Dear Upper School Parents,

It is easy to get overwhelmed by the amount of information coming at you at the start of school. To make things a little easier for you, I am writing now to highlight some information that you will find useful:

• Outdoor Experience drop off and pick up times and places
• Important fall calendar reminders  
• Highlights of important policies and procedures  (Please review all of this information carefully, especially your role in attendance.)
• Behavioral Expectations

I look forward to seeing you all at Open House on Wednesday, September 21. Please call your child’s advisor, Cathie Connors (Dean of Students), Ben Lewis (Upper School Assistant), or me with any questions.

Sincerely,

Lowell W. Libby

Upper School Director

As we launched the school year with a week of faculty meetings and retreats, Lowell asked what inspired awe in US Advisors. The pictures and videos in the below slideshow reflect what inspires our teachers on a daily basis. Let it play or scroll at your leisure; pause the show to play the handful of videos, they are a treat!

Kaya Williams ‘14 is fresh off the 21-day Sustainable Ocean Studies program, capped off by a three day, overnight sea kayaking excursion. She does not seem tired. They call her “Grandma,” but she’s barely out of Waynflete, heading into her junior year at Colby College. She’s lined up to study abroad in Turks and Caicos this spring, in order to further her understanding of marine biology, climate change, and the advocacy that might help save the world.

Brimming with enthusiasm, she can’t sit still as she tells me stories from the past three weeks, and three years ago when she attended the course as a Waynflete student. She’s a leader now, helping Program Director David Vaughn and Chewonki leader Alicia Heyburn guide a group of ten high school students along almost the entire Maine coast, exploring islands, mountains, rivers, and their interconnected ecosystems along the way. Through the “Three Lenses”—Ecological, Economic, and Cultural—these students dive deep into the marine world of the Gulf of Maine, earning academic credit, building friendships, and having a lot of fun along the way.

Like the first day of school, this trip began by filling backpacks, packing lunches, waving goodbye to parents, and pushing through the first, awkward interactions that any new group encounters. Unlike the first day of school, this group knows it will be together 24/7 for three straight weeks, and they are stuffing camp stoves and sleeping bags into their backpacks, not pencils and textbooks. Soon after the introductory lunch, any awkwardness is forgotten. There is no time to be shy or passive here. The students hit the ground running with a quick overview of basic ocean systems—they did plenty of pre-course reading to help them prep—and then pack the vans to head off on their first adventure.

Half the group is from Maine, the other half from all over and as far away as Phoenix. Kate Witt, the desert denizen, is quickly dubbed “Arizona” and the name sticks for the rest of trip. The simplest nicknames are best. There’s also “Putin,” a Duxbury, Massachusetts, native who fluidly shifts in and out of an impeccable Russian accent and always gets the group guffawing. Some of the Mainers are not from the coast (Skowhegan, Bethel, Wilton, and beyond), but went to the beach each summer of their lives. The pull of the ocean is strong, particularly in Maine, but seeing folks from across the country embrace this program with passion is inspiring. They all have a different history, but have one major quality in common: a strong commitment to (and deep interest in) the ocean.

Waynflete students are lucky to have the opportunity to study marine biology. Since marine bio is rarely offered at inland schools, most of the other students here have no school experience with the subject—just a personal fascination.More often, the vast ocean is covered briefly in an overview Biology class. This alone, along with some occasional visits to the beach, is enough to entice a willing group each summer to immerse themselves—literally and figuratively—in the ocean. It’s programs like SOS that allow interested high-schoolers to actively pursue their passions, and at a much more focused, intensive level than would ever be possible in the classroom. Through these types of programs, they often find their paths.

Kaya is spending her second summer with SOS and is focusing on Marine Policy in college. She took Marine Biology with David during her senior year at Waynflete and has been full steam ahead ever since. That’s not uncommon: one researcher the group encountered at the Darling Marine Center in Walpole was an SOS graduate. Each student interviewed has his or her sights set on coastal colleges that offer programs in Marine Bio, even though their interests vary widely within the field.

As the weeks unfold, each student finds a subject to focus on and works to create an impressive final project. This year the projects ranged from research into the population fluctuation of whale populations in the Gulf of Maine to the instability of the shellfish fishery. Students focused on problems that are currently plaguing the ocean and presented hypotheses on why the issues were happening. Some also proposed solutions—black sea bass are rapidly expanding their range northward, but perhaps this migration will inadvertently help control the invasive green crab population? Is there is an economic incentive to harvesting green crabs, simultaneously creating a new fishery and preserving existing species? As they each laid out thoroughly researched topics, a theme emerged: climate change.

In the final week, students presented their individual research projects to the group and larger Chewonki community. No matter what the project, it was clear to these students that the warming atmosphere is having a direct and major impact on the ocean in innumerable ways. It was a link that brought the group even closer together: each was able to run ideas past the others, making connections and finding solutions for their problems in relation to the rapidly warming seas. While the Gulf of Maine is a petri dish for this looming catastrophe, students like the Sustainable Ocean Studies participants are slowly but surely making a difference.

Tomorrow, after a morning of presentations, last-minute packing, and sad goodbyes (the group has promised each other they will stay in touch!), each kid will pile into a parent’s car or a bus bound for the airport. A faint scent of campfire smoke will hang in the air. Most will head inland, away from the waters that intensely held their focus for three weeks. While fatigued by their experience, their work will not stop. They are passionate and focused on marine biology research. The ocean is always on their minds, no matter how far inland they wander. Completing worthwhile, intensive research is hard work, but above all, it was fun. They put in the legwork, but the kayaking and campfires, and the s’mores and swimming, up and down the glorious coast of Maine in July are pretty nice bonuses.

Buses will be running on their regular schedule. Students who take the bus for school may do so for all OE drop-offs (arriving at Waynflete about 8:00am) and pick-ups (leaving Friday at 3:35pm).

9th Grade:

Tuesday 9/6:
Students should be dropped off on Fletcher Street at 8:00am and enter the gym through the back door. Students will meet their leaders in the gym.

Friday 9/9:
Students should be picked up on Danforth Street at 3:00pm.

10th Grade:

Tuesday 9/6:
All Hikers:
Students should be dropped off on Danforth Street by 8:00am. Students should go directly to Waynhenge and meet their group leader(s).

Boston Service Trip:
Students should meet at the Concord Coach bus station at 7:00am.

Local Service Trip:
Students should be dropped off daily by 8:15am on Spring Street. Students should meet in Ben Mini’s room.

Friday 9/9:
All Hikers:
Students should be picked up on Danforth Street at 3:00pm.

Boston Service Trip:
A Waynflete bus will pick students up from the Concord Coach bus station at 9:55am and bring them back to school. Students should be picked up from Waynflete, on Emery Street, at 3:00pm.

Local Service Trip:
Students should be picked up daily at 3:00pm.

11th Grade:

Tuesday 9/6:
Canoeing:
Students should be dropped off on Emery St. by 8:00am. Meet on the patio outside of David Vaughn’s lab.

Biking Trip:
Students should be dropped off on Emery St in front of the Waynflete sign by 8:00am. Students should meet their leaders in the parking lot behind the Arts Building.

Kayaking:
Students should be dropped off on Emery St in front of the Waynflete sign by 8:00am. Students should meet their leaders in the student center.

Boston Service Trip:
Students should meet at the Concord bus station at 7:00am.

Local Service Trip:
Students should be dropped off daily by 8:15am on Spring Street. Students should meet in Ben Mini’s room.

Friday 9/9:
Canoeing:
Students should be picked up on Danforth Street at 3:00pm.

Biking and Kayaking:
Students should be picked up on Danforth Street at 3:00pm.

Boston Service Trip:
Students should be picked up on Emery Street at 3:00pm.

Local Service Trip:
Students should be picked up daily at 3:00pm on Spring Street.

12th Grade:

Tuesday 9/6:
Students should arrive at Emery Street at 12:00pm.

Wednesday 9/7:
Students will return to Thomas House Loop around 7:00pm.

I moved to China two months ago to start working for a Beijing-based tech startup, Yodo1. I biked to work on my first day, armed with a backpack, a laptop, and 10 years’ worth of China studies between my ears. I unpacked my things, set up my desk, and made a few introductions before being ushered into a product meeting with the company’s program development team. My colleagues are predominantly Chinese; naturally, all meetings are conducted entirely in Chinese. My coworkers squabbled back and forth, their words dripping in Beijing accents. I listened to the flow of the conversation, trying to grapple onto any non-tech jargon that I could use to establish some kind of context for the conversation. I was utterly lost. Sweat began beading under my eyes; I couldn’t find a comfortable place for my hands, moving them from my chin to my lap and back again. I wanted to look engaged, nodding when others nodded, knowing my red face betrayed the illusion of my understanding. I was certainly out of my comfort zone; however, I knew that I was not over my head.

Waynflete Chinese teacher Heather Courtice Hart comes to visit!

I started studying Chinese ten years ago as a freshman at Waynflete. My first year at Waynflete also marked the inaugural year of Waynflete’s Chinese department. On my first day of class I sat next to Alex Hadiaris and Elias Peirce. Heather Courtice-Hart kicked off the class by introducing herself and the language entirely in Mandarin. She held no punches, speaking at what seemed like a million miles an hour on who-knows what topics. The three of us looked at one another like we’d stepped into the wrong classroom. It was a look of terror and regret. Was it too late to switch into Spanish? I didn’t know it at the time, but this baptism by fire would be the first of many such instances of skin-crawling confusion that would, from that point forward, become an almost daily feeling in my life. In my lifetime of study, this feeling has also proven to be one of the strongest motivators to learn that I have come to know.

Matt’s Waynflete Chinese Class

Matt and his former Waynflete teacher Chuchu Cheng.

One of the things that I have come to respect about studying Mandarin is that there is no benefit for being complacent or feigning understanding. I’ve come to learn that language is a subject that we must confront honestly, without fear of looking stupid. Over the course of my relationship with the Chinese language, I cannot begin to describe the number of times that I have felt so extremely inept. With Chinese, as is true with all things, it seems that the more you learn, the more you expose just how much you do not know. What I have found most valuable in my language study is to face this dis-knowledge not as a discouragement, but as an opportunity to learn. Over the course of my studies, I have filled the pages of my learning with thousands and thousands of characters, grammar patterns, and pronunciations. Ten years later, I feel I’ve only just started the prologue of this story. The prospect of filling this never-ending book of language acquisition is a fool’s pursuit, but my pursuit nonetheless. At the heart of this drive have always been these moments of confusion and discomfort; after ten years, this feeling has remained as poignant and frightening as my first day of Chinese class with Heather. This catalyst for curiosity is what makes us students of language and life. Learning of any kind is a process, and it is important to take pride in every step of the process unapologetically.

I still get lost in my product meetings. I can often be found in the corner of the conference room looking up words like “screenshot”, “server” or “user retention” on my phone’s Chinese dictionary. But when the conversation and eyes turn my way, I clear my throat, gather my thoughts and venture an answer. Waitresses, cab drivers, friends, teachers and co-workers will always appreciate an honest try. With each attempt it gets easier and easier, and eventually, it begins to feel comfortable. In this moment of comfort, it is important to find new ways to break the habit and become uncomfortable again. Every moment of comfort is a completed page; to become uncomfortable is to turn the page and continue writing your book of learning.

Waynflete, thank you for the wings to explore my passion, to address my ignorance honestly, and to venture into this world with the skills to become a global citizen.

As a difficult year came to a close in June, US Advisors asked their advisees what they were grateful for. They offered these responses:

I am grateful for the dedicated support from my peers and teachers, the welcoming charm and atmosphere Waynflete provides, and the abundance of opportunities to learn.

I am grateful for all those who have changed me, and all those who I have changed or by whom I have been changed, but not those who have never changed yet have never tried.  Change and growth is vital, and this remarkable safe space must grow and change together to move into an even greater community of acceptance.

I am thankful for the quiet spaces in the school, for the teachers willing to offer a classroom and a chance to talk.

I am grateful for the cafe.

I feel so much gratitude for my friends who I’ve grown to consider family.

I’m grateful for the opportunities and experiences my time at Waynflete has given me, and the preparation for my future.

I came to Waynflete from a string of public schools, so coming in, I was astounded by the acceptance and sense of community I found here.  I am truly grateful to the family I have found here.

I’m grateful for the support from my teachers and peers this year.

I’m glad to have good, caring teachers and staff.

I feel gratitude for being able to attend this school.  

I feel gratitude for the supporting nature of the Waynflete community.

I am grateful for friends, family, and food.

I feel grateful for all the love that the teachers have given over this roller coaster of a year.

I am grateful for everything Waynflete has given me these past four years: the relationships, I’ve made with my friends and teachers, the experiences of sorrow and joy, a sense of confidence and comfort.  I’m thankful for the memories that I’ve accumulated and will cherish forever.

I’m grateful for being trusted with independence at school.

I’m thankful for my country and all the freedoms within it.

I’m grateful for my friends and the people around me.

I’m thankful for all my friends and everyone I’ve met.

I’m grateful for the support I got from people who care about me.

I am grateful for my parents being my best friends.

I am grateful that I was able to have a relaxing, successful, and productive school year, even after I got into college early decision.

I’m grateful for the support from my friends, family, and especially my wonderful advisor.

I am grateful for Emily Graham and those special moments of spontaneous laughter.

I feel grateful for this community’s ability to understand and be sympathetic toward people who are struggling and support them through whatever it is they are facing.

I am grateful for: my friends, Breda, tea, and theater.

I am grateful for the small community and Breda’s coffee, tea, and baked goods.

I am grateful for the opportunity I have been given by going to this school and the incredibly supportive, open community.  I would like to thank everyone for everything and I’m sure others would like to do the same.

I’m grateful for Breda and Cathie.

I appreciate the honesty that people show at Waynflete if they are not okay.

I am thankful for the support and kindness of my teachers, friends and peers at Waynflete; not one person has shown any misunderstanding of my feelings.

I’m grateful for all of my teachers and advisor who are always willing to talk and check in at any given time.  

I’m grateful for the unique opportunities I have to learn as much as I can, such as the electives, the language trips, and the Oberlin-trained professional chamber musician who coaches the chamber music program.

I’m grateful that my advisors gave me permission to draw all over the homeroom windows.  It was one of the best artistic outlets I’ve had in awhile.

I feel gratitude for all the nice students I teach (but not the bad ones).  

I’m grateful that my teachers take the time to understand me as a person.

I’m grateful for all the support my advisor and teachers give me when I need academic or emotional help.

Kind teachers that are (for the most part) always available to reach out to.

The adaptability of the faculty and course structure during our difficult year.

I am grateful for my horse.

All (especially my friends) who have helped me so much through this difficult year.  Thank you to you all.

I’m grateful for close, trustable friends and teachers who genuinely enjoy themselves.

I’m thankful for my teachers and my friends.

I am thankful for my friend, Blake Bondellio, for making me feel welcome at the beginning of the year and now, despite everything we’ve been through.

I’m grateful for the boundless love and care that is provided by my teachers and peers.  

I’m thankful for the new perspectives Waynflete has given me and also for the support system it has been.

I am grateful for the many people in my life who care about me.

I am thankful I have my teachers, family, and friends who care for me and support me.

My mother.

I’m grateful for all the endless love and support I’ve received this year.

I am grateful for the cohesiveness of my grade—I will miss the comforts of their familiar faces, but I am so excited to see where we all end up!

I am grateful for Yai Deng.

I am grateful for the friends and family I am surrounded by and the community I come from that has raised me for pretty much my whole life.

I’m grateful for being given the opportunity to attend Waynflete for so long. I used to take it for granted because I didn’t know any better, but as I’ve grown up, I couldn’t be more appreciative of everyone who made it possible for me to be here.

I’m grateful for the food that’s available to me every day.

I’m grateful for everything Waynflete has taught me to be the best person I can be.

I’m grateful for the amazing, supportive, and open environment that I find myself in every day.

Friends.

I am grateful to have wonderful, knowledgeable teachers.

I’m grateful that I can go find help at anytime.

My teachers.

I’m grateful for Lowell when he crosses his arms and stands up tall.

The teachers and students because they care for you and are so kind it’s hard not to like any of them. Of course the cafe and the wonderful, nice, and kind ladies that always greet me with a smile whenever I go down there.

My friends…

I am grateful for the people in this school that give light, in so many forms, to this world.

I feel gratitude for the gracious manner in which the hardships of the year were handled.

My friends and Frannie.

I feel gratitude toward the graduating class of 2016, especially those who I have become very close with over the past 4 years (Rowan, Alanzo).

My gratitude for Waynflete is focused on my peers and teachers. I would not have been where I am today without the support, love, and kindness my teachers have provided me with this year.

Our community supporting each other.

I’m grateful for the flexibility of the majority of the teachers at Waynflete.

Loving community. Friendly environment.

I feel gratitude towards everyone in the community because of how happy and positive everyone is, even with what has happened this year.

I am very grateful for all my sports teams.

At Waynflete, I can never express how gracious I am for the kind and caring environment that never fails to support me, even in the worst times.

Having a mostly stress free year.

I hope this summer I meet new people and have a lot of fun with my friends. I also want to get a tan. I hope this school year I’m able to get good grades and get into the colleges I love.

Right now, I am grateful for my friends and the changing weather.

I am grateful for John Hoy’s beaming smiles and enthusiastic “hellos” in the hallways.

I am glad the school is respectful.

I am endlessly grateful for my teachers consistent support, and the profound intellectual curiosity they have instilled in me.

I am grateful for the comfort and freedom of the Waynflete campus.

I am grateful for my supportive teachers and friends.

I am grateful for my advisor supporting me through everything that occurred this year.

I’m thankful for the faculty and staff and how they have catered to the needs of the students.

I’m grateful for the teachers who support us.

I’m grateful for John Hoy.

The one and only….TC.

I’m grateful for all the experiences I’ve had here and all the people I’ve met.

I feel grateful for my advisors.

Freedom.

I feel gratitude that I got a 1 on my Latin final. Also I feel grateful for all my teachers that put their heart and soul in the teaching and for putting up with me this year.

Gratitude for my amazing teachers.

I am grateful for the power of love.

I am more than thankful for Lydia teaching me how important self-care is.

I feel gratitude when my friends listen to my creative ideas.

I feel gratitude when I successfully put a smile on their faces.

I’m grateful for the support from teachers to succeed even with a particularly challenging year.

I’m grateful for my amazing homeroom buddy, Emma. And being part of such a supportive community.

What I like about Waynflete is that the classrooms and hallways aren’t like a stereotypical school with the metal tile floors; we have carpets here. So I like that. This makes it feel more homelike and welcoming, instead of a very boring school feel. What would that be like is, “this is a school and it’s terrible, and it’s boring and it’s very meh here.” Waynflete isn’t meh. It’s a great environment.

I’m grateful for my teachers and their help and support.

My amazing homeroom buddy Ingrid. Pizza socks!

I’m grateful for my pet crab.

I am grateful for the small moments of love and caring that we shared together.

I am grateful for every person. They all make me smile to know they are a part of the community. I am grateful for the perspective each person brings to my life.

I am so grateful for my wonderful advisor and teachers who constantly support and encourage me.

I’m grateful for all the advisors.

I’m grateful for how comforting and helpful the staff were this year.

I am thankful for all the opportunities Waynflete has given me, and I’m thankful for all the amazing teachers and students here. It has been great! Thank you Waynflete!

I’m grateful for the experience I’ve had at Waynflete.

I am grateful for large rodents!

The support from Mimi and that this year taught me so much about myself and mental health.

I am grateful for this wonderful community that has supported each other through hell and back.

I am grateful for teachers who are understanding.

I feel gratitude towards my peers and all the support that my teachers have given me throughout the year. I also feel gratitude for the challenges that I have been given this year by my teachers and coaches.

I feel grateful for having such a good community that I always feel safe and supported.

I have gratitude for Marady Parr.

I have gratitude for my friends.

I am grateful for all the support given when it was needed.

I am grateful for the kindness in each and every person at this school.

I feel gratitude for Debba.

I am grateful to be part of such an open minded, safe community.

I’m grateful for the entire community feeling that Waynflete has and being able to talk to anyone when you feel the need to.

I love this school and the people here, but I have gratitude for the fact that this school isn’t in North Korea.

The teachers!!!

I feel gratitude for my friends and peers; without their support I couldn’t have made it through this year.

Not being paralyzed. Good food (at home).

I’m grateful for a supportive community with opportunity exams. I’m grateful for school being over.

I feel gratitude for the classes usually not being boring and pretty fun.

I am grateful for my good health.

The humor of my friends and teachers.

I am appreciative for the amount of sincerity the staff has with their thoughts, feelings, and kindness towards us.

I’m grateful for all the support I get from the teachers here at Waynflete.

I am grateful for all the teachers at Waynflete and the unending love and understanding.

I’m grateful for caring teachers and friends.

I feel grateful for the support I feel from the people at this school.

I’m grateful for living in the quaint state of Maine that is full of beauty and wonder as far as the eye can see (once you get out of Portland).

I feel grateful for all of the people who care about me and what happens to me.

I am thankful for the students who go out of their way to be welcoming and kind.

Thankful for the awesome teachers at Waynflete!

I am grateful for the ability to bond well with the teachers at Waynflete.

I am thankful for a small group of friends who support me.

I am thankful for Doc!!

Stephanie Dolan always being willing to talk.

I am thankful for the lunch ladies in the cafe, brightening my every day.

The guest teachers.

I am excited that I went to such a great school like Waynflete.

I feel gratitude for how much my teachers are passionate about what they teach.

The supportive Waynflete community.

I’m grateful for a smooth transition to Waynflete and for all the people that made it possible.

The sense of humor teachers have.

I am grateful for the supportive, kind, thoughtful, caring community I am a part of. I am grateful for the faculty, students, and people supporting me, especially through this tough year.

I’m grateful for the freedom to express myself and to find my niche in an environment of respect, love, and appreciation.

I am grateful for the amazing teachers at this school who helped one and all my peers through the most tragic time in my life.

I am grateful for the student faculty relationships we have here at Waynflete.

I am grateful for the strong friendships that I have gained throughout the year.

I’m grateful for senior project time.

The teachers at Waynflete.

Carson Ford.

I’m grateful that I met my best friend Gaia.

I am grateful for a kind and supportive school community, even in the hardest of times.

I’m grateful for the open minded people willing to have difficult discussions.

I am grateful for all the support and great friends I have at Waynflete and the endless encouragement.

I am grateful for my friends.

I am grateful for all my lovely peers who provide constant support and friendship.

I feel grateful for the close relationships I’ve had at Waynflete.

I’m grateful for nice teachers.

My friends.

Community.

I’m grateful for being in such a caring community.

I am grateful for an amazing homeroom teacher.

I’m grateful for all the support I have from teachers and students.

Something I am grateful for at Waynflete is the teachers and their loving attitudes!

I am grateful for perspective, and those who helped me gain it.

I’m grateful for the supportive community that has been built up so strongly this year.

I’m grateful that I have a clear list of what colleges I am applying to. I’m grateful for understanding teachers.

God, and my Guwap.

I’m grateful for my dog.

I am grateful for being me.

I’m grateful for the time spent at Waynflete, and the education I was given.

I am grateful for my cousins.

I am grateful for having supportive parents.

My mom.

I am grateful for the amazing support I get.

I am grateful for the people that I love. My happiness wouldn’t feel this confident if it weren’t for the people in my surroundings.

Julia Hansen ’18, center, pictured with her family and Preble Street Volunteer Manager, Tori Stenbak

On June 21, at their Annual Meeting, Preble Street presented the Volunteer of the Year Award to Julia Hansen ’18. This award marked two firsts for Preble Street. It was the first time the award has been given to a youth volunteer and Julia became the first recipient of the Leon Gorman Volunteer of the Year award—an award established to honor Leon Gorman who passed earlier this year and who volunteered at Preble Street for more than a decade.

In presenting the award to Julia, Tori Stenbak (Preble Street Volunteer Manager) read the following: 

“Choosing one volunteer or one group for recognition is no easy task. Preble Street has so many, many really great volunteers– hundreds of wonderful people who commit to shifts or projects weekly, monthly, or a few times a year. So how does a volunteer rise to the top of the pool of exceptionally generous and caring people who help us do our work?

What stands out about Julia Hansen is her strength of character and resolve. Julia has been volunteering in the Resource Center Soup Kitchen for two years—part of a mother/daughter team volunteering with Suzanne Fox, weekly to prepare, serve, and clean; and on her own Julia helps organize and volunteers monthly with a group of Waynflete students.

Julia first started volunteering as a freshman at Waynflete, coming once or twice a month. But her commitment grew quickly. Before she started volunteering, Julia wanted to know how she could learn more, do more and she and her mom met with me to learn more about our programs. She asked many thoughtful questions that reflected her desire to have a greater impact.

This year, Julia has clocked over 150 volunteer hours, she has worked with Waynflete faculty and students to organize volunteer groups that have donated more than 120 hours in the Soup Kitchen, and she ran clothing drives for warm winter clothing, coats, backpacks, socks, and underwear at her school. Her commitment to meeting the needs of her less fortunate neighbors has inspired others to get involved and made her parents, friends, teachers, and many of us proud of her efforts. More than all this, though, there are two very specific traits that have stood out make her stand apart.

In the face of great loss, Julia sought and found comfort in service to others. She has become an advocate for solutions and change. In Julia’s sophomore year of high school she lost two dear friends within months of each other, both teenagers, both victims to depression who took their own lives.”

In his last faculty meeting at Waynflete before heading overseas to rejoin his family in Spain, Steve Kautz teamed up with TC to deliver a rendition of Who’s on First? that would have made Abbott and Costello proud.