Mitch Newlin ’12, Entrepreneur

Posted by Waynflete Communications

During his four years at Waynflete, Mitch Newlin always had a lot on his plate. Whether playing sports, attending meetings and events of RAaW, committing himself to the Kakamega Orphanage, entertaining friends and teachers with his outlandish stories, or just being his enthusiastic self, Mitch was always on the go. College has not slowed him down. He was back at Waynflete a couple of weeks ago to introduce Pastor Ida, the Administrator of the Kakamega Orphan Centre Project, at an Upper School Assembly. He was also busy selling raffle tickets for a prize from Gelato Fiasco, where Mitch works, as a fundraiser for the orphanage. More recently, he was on campus talking to students in the Personal Finance class.

This week news broke in the Maine Sunday Telegram and Lewiston Sun that, although he is just finishing his junior year, Mitch has started a business which, according to the paper, will generate revenues of $70,000 this year. That is impressive enough. What is even more impressive is that the whole idea is inspired by his desire to cut the wasteful habits of his college peers by recycling their used refrigerators. Read the newspaper account to get the full story. Click here for the Press Herald article. Click here for the Sun Journal article.

Part of his business model is selling high school graduation “Care Fridges,” essentially providing high school graduates (rising college students) dorm room mini-fridges, stocked with savory and sweet goodies, delivered to the student’s dorm on the first day of college. The deal could also include a personalized note from a parent, aunt, uncle, or loved one to present to the graduate at graduation time explaining the gift. If you know a college student who might appreciate a “Care Fridge,” email Mitch at or call (207)-200-7872.

All of this does not surprise Steve Kautz, who not only taught Mitch in math and businesses classes but also coached him on the baseball team and on Waynflete’s first and only entree in the Federal Reserve Cup competition. The latter was a regional competition for high school students hosted by The Federal Reserve Bank testing the students’ knowledge of finance and economics. The Waynflete team stunned New England financial educators by winning the competition, the first time a team from Maine had even made it to the final round.

Reflecting on Mitch’s time at Waynflete, Steve recalled that “when I first taught him as a ninth grader, I could see that great combination of intelligence, ingenuity, and care for others.  As a baseball player, probably the best center fielder we’ve had in our program, Mitch’s intensity, exemplified by his trademark headlong diving catches, was matched only by his sportsmanship.  He was also a standout in Business & Finance class, which led me to ask him to join the Federal Reserve Cup team.  His work with the orphanage in Kenya could in itself define Mitch, but now he’s added to that through socially responsible entrepreneurship.”

Steve then added, “If anyone can save capitalism, it’s Mitch.”

2016 Senior Exam Schedule

Posted by Waynflete Communications

2016 Senior Exam Schedule 

  • All exams in Sills Hall unless indicated or instructed otherwise.
  • If Seniors are scheduled for more than one exam in a period, they should let their teacher and Peter Hamblin know so that one of the exams can be rescheduled.

Wednesday, May 4, 2016

8:45 to 10:45         Science

Extended-time exam – 8:15 – 11:15

11:20 to 12:10       US Awards Ceremony (in Franklin Theater; Faculty and students only)

Thursday, May 5, 2016

8:45 to 10:45          Math

Extended time exam – 8:15 – 11:15

11:15 to 11:45ish      Mandatory 12th Grade Class Meeting in Sills Hall

(Seniors with an afternoon exam may eat their lunch at the meeting)

12:00 to 2:00         English

Extended time exam – 12:00 – 3:00

Friday, May 6, 2016

8:45 to 10:45       History

Extended time exam – 8:15 – 11:15

11:45 to 1:45       Foreign Language, Masterworks, Computing & Psychology

Extended time exam – 11:45 – 2:45

 

Meet Matthew Page ’97

Posted by Waynflete Communications

By the midpoint of his Upper School experience, Matt Page ’97 had developed two passions. The first was for England—the result of a yearlong experience in Plymouth, UK, as part of his father’s sabbatical from Bowdoin. The second: an affinity for the humanities, an interest nurtured by teachers like Debba Curtis. 

Matt’s two passions converged when he began undergraduate studies in politics, philosophy, and economics at Oxford. He discovered that he was well-prepared. “Waynflete taught us that with strong writing, you have a survival skill,” Matt says. “In my line of work, writing well is an expectation. But if you write exceptionally well and pair it with an ability to think critically, you can make your ideas even more powerful and compelling.” 

Matt completed his university education a few weeks before September 11, 2001. “The job market was catatonic—really, really tough,” he says. Demand in the intelligence sector was growing quickly, however— particularly for the younger generation of international affairs specialists—and he was hired by the Marine Corps as a civilian analyst. “It was that classic job interview situation where they said, ‘I see you’ve got a background in East Asia issues. We need a Nigeria person. So that’s going to be your job.’” Matt became deeply interested in Nigerian affairs and decided to make the country the focus of his expertise. 

Waynflete’s emphasis on global citizenship had a strong effect on Matt. “It takes more effort to get somewhere from Maine. Waynflete helped bring the world to us. As I see the appalling lack of tolerance in today’s public discourse, I look back and realize that Waynflete instilled in us a real appreciation for other cultures, beliefs, and viewpoints—well before it was fashionable.” Working in Nigeria with people who have different cultural viewpoints hasn’t been intimidating. “I’m very comfortable with new experiences, and that came from Waynflete.” 

Matt is currently on a one-year fellowship with the Council of Foreign Relations and has already had an op-ed published in The Washington Post. “I’ve been able to develop a good network of contacts, and the timing was right,” says Matt. “Media outlets are happy to publish compelling content, particularly if they’re confident that they won’t have to make a lot of effort to fix it.” 

For the remainder of his fellowship, Matt will be co-authoring a book with another fellow from the Council on Foreign Relations—a former U.S. ambassador to Nigeria. The title is for a series that Oxford University Press is developing for a foreign policy generalist audience. 

“I’m amazed at what my classmates are doing—from CEOs to people who are doing incredibly creative and artistic work,” Matt says. “Waynflete taught us that success can be judged in different ways. I remember Karen Whitney saying to me, ‘don’t let society judge what success is for you. Do what makes you happy and excel at it!’” 

Hibo Abdi Earns Rotary Youth Service Award

Posted by Waynflete Communications

Hibo Abdi received the Rotary Youth Service Award at a recent Portland Rotary luncheon.  The Youth Service Award honors students with outstanding service and academic records from area high schools.  Abdi will receive $1000 towards college (Carleton College in Minnesota) and $100 to be given in her name to the charity of her choice, Maine Hunger Initiative.

 

The Little Prince: Reflections

Posted by Waynflete Communications

PosterOn April 7-9 the Upper School staged four performances of Cummins & Scoullar’s The Little Prince, based on the book by Antoine Saint-Exupéry.  This children’s theater style production was led by two student assistant directors who were trying out directing for the first time and a production designer and stage manager who has worked on twelve consecutive shows in our school. It was my pleasure to work with these three along with an ensemble of actors, also veterans and novices, as well as a cohort of stage crew. We gathered impressions of the show, both the process and performance, to include in the program.  Please enjoy reading these reflections from the production staff as well as two members of the acting ensemble.

A selection of photos is above.  Click here for the complete collection.

A Note from Acadia Weinberg, Student Assistant Director

My relationship to this story has shifted dramatically (no pun intended) since freshman year English class. The complex layering of loss and friendship, vulnerability and love, lies and truth, snakes and hats, death and life––played out so simply and candidly––composes a masterpiece that is now very dear to me. I am honored to have worked with such a fearless and jubilant cast. They are as persistent and determined as baobabs and they embody beauty and share laughter like roses. Each member of the cast and crew has tapped into the whimsy of this tale and I am excited to invite you into the universe they have created.

A Note from Jesse Brooks, Student Assistant Director

Working behind the scenes on a Waynflete play as an assistant student director has been an entirely new experience for me. Having mostly been on the opposite side of the process, it’s beyond amazing to watch a group of actors transform over the course of two months into such a strong ensemble while developing their own characters so deeply. The new respect that I have from seeing the true work and effort put into the play by its crew is also overwhelming—from lighting and sound—to our three stage managers who sit in on every rehearsal. It all serves to prove that theater is impossible without a complete team effort.

A Note from Caroline Kyros, Production Designer and Stage Manager

The most wonderful part of any theatrical process, for me, is seeing all of the individual components come together as the process draws to a close. For The Little Prince, this colliding of creative factors has been especially inspiring, considering the amount of people who had input into the show; director, co-student assistant directors, myself, technical director, lighting designer. All heads were put together to create a magical show full of light, laughter, and perhaps a few tears. The rehearsal process has been full of laughter and fun, and the rediscovery of what it means to be a child; and I believe that the show reflects that.

Reflections from Hibo Abdi on revisiting this story in a new light

I remember sitting quietly in Lorry Stillman’s ninth grade English class exploring the values of the “fall from innocence” in relation to The Little Prince and wondering why this story of a little boy was such an important literary classic.

This year has proven to be one of the most difficult years imaginable and this tale has a new essence. We are all falling from innocence in different rhythms as we acquire knowledge and are inevitably reborn into greater beings. I know now that we are not alone in our suffering. The Little Prince had the care of the Aviator and the Planets as his guides. Waynflete students possess a community of faculty and peers who collectively help every one of us reach a state of rebirth. It might not happen tomorrow or the day after that, but our changed life has a new normal. The Little Prince overcame and so shall we.

Reflections from Bryce Brittingham on his first Upper School show

I’ve noticed throughout my experience as a ninth grade actor for this play that it is built around maturity. The Little Prince leaves the security of his planet and visits others who’ve become so overwhelmed by their work that they don’t understand themselves. Throughout his journey, his values and opinions change, yet he also maintains his core values because he remains strong in his ideals. As a young adult, I feel similar pressure from my peers and authority figures, and I worry I won’t become the person I strive to be. This Prince has given me the strength and assurance to stand proud in who I am today and in the future.

What Makes Waynflete Students Happy?

Posted by Waynflete Communications

The US Now staff was curious about what makes Waynflete students happy, so we decided to ask them in a one question survey, “What makes you happy?”  They offered the following responses:

Food, music, exercise AND MORE SLEEP

Friends

Skiing on a bluebird makes me happy, eating really good food, trying new foods, especially ice cream, being with friends and family, talking about space, going for walks, sun and salt, pretty flowers…

Privacy

Going somewhere tropical

Music

Being with the people I love

Ultralight Beam by Kanye West fills me with warmth, comfort, and happiness.

No homework on weekends

The ocean

Waking up in the morning and not dreading going to school coming into the student center and being surrounded by people who enjoy my company being in almost “4 advising homerooms” because I’m so close with the students and teachers in each one enjoying my classes because I always know I can speak my mind seeing the very first play I’ve ever worked on and being able to say “I helped make that!” patting Fran and talking with Debba listening to James’s word of the day TC’s bad jokes Steve’s Norwegian progress Stage crew Big cookie Friday Dance! Performing on opening night Being at Waynflete ??

Friends, Family, and living with privileges

What makes me happy is how much love we have in the Waynflete community and knowing that each and every student is loved. Also, how we pick each other up when we are down it’s just a close community.

doing things I love with people I love

Sunshine, performing, intelligent conversations, people who smile at me, my friends, my family, theater, being outside 🙂

Getting good grades.

The happiness of others

Being outside in the fresh air

Hanging out with my friends

I feel so happy, especially at Waynflete, when I see people getting rewards that they deserve for doing good in our community. Sometimes rewards can be as simple as a good feeling, like the feeling I got when people complimented the posters I hung up around the school, and sometimes they can be in the form of awards, but either way, I feel happy when people are happy and get rewarded for the things they’ve worked so hard at.

Sugar, hugs, no homework, smiles, puppies and kittens :)))

Spontaneous, care free and stress free activities with friends. Or music, relaxation, and video games.

Nadia Aman makes me happy because she is always happy and dancing whenever I see her. It is so energizing to see and it makes me so happy and makes me feel that there are some people in the world that are not always sad and angry. She brings happiness to the world and to me and I wish there were more people like her in the world.

When I go on adventures with friends

sunshine and beaches

compliments and “thinking of you” texts

basketball

Feeling like I can accomplish something. Whether it be moving forward in a friendship, a class, or just my well being by getting some rest.

My mom

my best friend

Seeing the smiles of the people who love and care about me every day.

Sparks of laughter in others eyes

Being with people I love and doing things I am passionate about.

I’m happy when I wake up from a late morning or mid afternoon nap and the sun in shining in my room with my dog on the bed.

What makes me happy is peace of mind. Knowing that I’m doing everything right, getting my work done, and being friendly to everyone.

Being warmed by the sun and eating chocolate chip cookies

Doing things I like to do. Sports, movies, traveling… Spending time with my family and friends, and my dog. Have chinese food while playing video games. Try stuff I’ve never done before. Perhaps talking to girls depends on how nice they are 🙂

FOOD AND FRIENDS

Water running down through my hair

Being at the top of a mountain on a beautiful day – when it’s sunny and windy, the views are spectacular, and there’s a nice chocolate bar in my backpack.

Being outside, barefoot and surrounded by nature, listening to music or just enjoying the quiet. spending time with little kids, and being reminded of the little things in life that make you smile and laugh. Being by the ocean, with the wind through my hair and sun on my face, imagining mermaids swimming deep, and me swimming with them. Going on walks with a friend, and stopping to drink tea or just be! Seeing acts of kindness everyday, at school, at home, and beyond. Lots of things make me happy, and if you just pause to think of all you have to be happy about, life is wonderful! 🙂

Summer camp

my friends and easy sunny Saturday’s

My horse

My cats and my friends(which are the same thing)

Delicious food

I am happy when I feel completely free of stress. This stress can be social, school, family, or other. But I need to be doing something I love and then all the stress seams to float away.

Music. Any kind any genre in any place from anyone. It is universal and it is happiness.

This is a hard question… I guess what makes me happy is when my parents are happy. That brings me joy.

My friends make me happy!

Friends outdoors and sleep.

free food, smiles, hugs, kindness

Meeting new people and learning their stories

riding and spending time with my horses

Lying in the grass with the warm sun pouring on my face

life

1) Being alone in the woods, and looking up at the stars when I know that there’s no one around for miles and miles. The stars seem infinite even though they’re just suns that died billions of years ago, and it reminds me that death is not the end but part of the cycle of everything. 2) Driving  at night with my friend. We turn the music up so loud that I can’t think and roll the windows down so I can taste the sky. 3) Watching the sun set, and knowing someone, somewhere, is watching it rise. When you see those orange clouds, you don’t know if it’s setting or rising and I think that’s beautiful. 4) The woman who lent me change for the meter, I’d never seen her before in my life and I’ll probably never see her again. 5) Those small dark spaces that you find in old buildings. Corners and alcoves and the like. Anything is possible there. 6) The knowledge that even though she moved away, she still has that shirt that she never returned to me. She might forget me, but we’ll still have some connection. Note: I don’t know why, but I’m crying now. The happy things in life seem so sad sometimes. I think it’s because you only know how happy it was when it’s done. Perfection is easily seen in impossibility.

My friends make my very happy. I have only a couple that I would consider my closest, but I would rather have a few close, meaningful friends, than a wide circle of acquaintances. Personally, I am not a morning person, but just this past week when I arrived to school, I walked into physics class and found that one of my friends had left a drawing on my desk. It probably only took her 30 seconds to make, but still, it made me smile. Not only had she had thought of me, but she chose to take time out of her own day to improve mine.

Drawing

Live music.

Being loved.

Spring

term papers…lol…jk

Being able to leave my house and enter the Emery doors into a new, much bigger family.

Having free time

What makes me happy is when I am in the service of others, and seeing them smile.

Routine and consistency

Being outside, seeing friends every day at school, cooking with others

The wagging tail of my two dogs, the smell of spring, the feeling of working as hard as I possibly can, a “hey” from an unfamiliar person in the hallway, jelly beans, my lacrosse stick, long hugs, my supportive community, April break, new friends, family.

Good food

To know the love of Jesus Christ as my savior.

I am always happiest in the outdoors. Be it summer long canoe trips in the wildest woods of North America, adventurous day hikes with my girlfriend, or beautiful skis on Sunday afternoons in March, I am never be happier than when I am out in the open air.

Working with animals makes me happy. Helping others makes me happy. No homework makes me happy. Sunshine makes me happy.

When people come together under one thing they all have in common.

not being able to watch the latest episode of Game of Thrones until the Sunday after it premiers because I’m too damn busy doing all the things I love, like theater, eating out, writing, or doing work for my favorite classes. But then again, when I finally make that hour to watch Game of Thrones, that feels pretty damn good too.

Being around people

Swimming in the ocean

Meeting New People

Jae Crowder’s dreads and when Steph Curry misses a 3

my sister

Sitting down on the couch and watching a good quality tv show

life liberty and property

Voices

when i don’t feel judged

Incredible friends who always know how to make me smile

Coming home to a fresh home cooked meal.

training

Moments where I go to mentally check my to do list and find that not only do I have no obligations lol

The thought of summer vacation

Someone’s smile or knowing that someone is safe and sound

Feeling like what I am doing matters

Sleep

Positive Events

Time with my friends

Cooking, my family, the ocean, traveling, speaking different languages, eating, Bruce Springsteen, loud music.

$$$, more $$$$, even more $$$

Laughter. Laughter until my sides hurt and my mouth hurts from smiling so much. laughter is always what makes me happy.

Kurt Vonnegut!

Long walks on the beach. The sea glass on the shore, climbing the rocks, and feeling the breeze on my face.

Coming home to no home work being able to relax on the weekends carefree random hi’s good food

Little things like feeling the warmth of sunlight on my skin, watching the stars appear one by one in the night sky after sunset, hugging a trusted friend, listening to the crashing waves of the ocean, or smelling the fresh scent of spring air after a rain shower

the warmth of the sun on my skin, walking barefoot on endless fields of grass, exploring new places on a run, coloring by the window on a rainy day and a good book

basketball in sills

Watching Lowell booty bump Lower Schoolers

When people reassure me that I will have a bright future even though I doubt myself sometimes. Also stand up, a song by meek mill that makes me happy. It is very up lifting, even though it has elements of reality of the life of an African American teenager in the projects.

When my dog jumps onto the couch and curls up next to me

New England Youth Identity Summit 2016: Students Bring Dialogue to Life

Posted by Waynflete Communications

Dialogue, at its best, is the art and science of communicating across differences to distill the  wisdom from a diversity of viewpoints. It requires that participants make themselves vulnerable to being authentically affected by being in relationship with another and willing to integrate the interaction.  It requires proficiency in a variety of 21st century skills, including critical and creative thinking, empathy, active listening, and oral communication. Dialogue is desperately needed in a fragmenting global community that is facing complex and pressing matters such as social injustice, economic disparity, and global warming. These matters and a myriad of others require the best of humanity’s collective capacities to address and resolve. Unfortunately, as evidenced in various ways ranging from the divisive rhetoric of the current presidential campaign to the breakdown of communication across college campuses across the country, dialogue is too often in short supply.

Waynflete aspires to be a community that excels at dialogue. In fact, the power of dialogue was on display in March at the New England Youth Identity Summit.  Co-sponsored by Waynflete and Maine Seeds of Peace, the Summit was a first of its kind gathering of 300 youth and their teachers from 35 schools drawn from Portland, surrounding towns, throughout the State, and across New England. Empowering students to talk about and become actively involved in topics that spark their interest outside of coursework has always been the engine of Waynflete’s co-curricular program, with student leadership as a constant. Student leaders from Waynflete’s Racial Awareness at Waynflelte (RAaW), Ethical Leadership, Girls Leadership, and Raising Awareness and Providing Support (RAPS) groups capitalized on the opportunity to share their work with interested students from others schools.

Holding dialogue about racial prejudice, gender biases, socio-economic privilege, and community responsibility requires courage and happens most readily in what keynote speaker Don Sawyer referred to as “brave spaces.” Because dialogue is at the heart of what happens every day in Waynflete classrooms, the Summit offered our students a chance to convey approaches to engaging with peers and having authentic conversations that move beyond pretense or defensiveness. As one participant from another high school wrote in the feedback survey, “I was amazed by people’s willingness to share their thoughts and feelings. The energy and hope it gave me was just what I needed to be motivated to face challenges and work to define my inner voice.”  

On Friday, two of the NEYIS guest speakers spent the day on campus before the Summit visiting classes, talking with Middle and Upper School students and working with student leaders about the Summit.  The first was guest of our NGO partners from Students Shoulder to Shoulder, Dr. Karambu Ringera, Founder and Director of International Peace Initiatives in Meru, Kenya.  After spending the day on campus and speaking at Middle School Assembly, she had dinner with the Upper School Girls Leadership to plan for their collaborative workshop on taking action and speaking up for justice even when it can mean losing support from some corners. For Dr. Karambu, the key to a better future is “to see every setback, every problem as an opportunity.”  The second guest on campus on Friday was the Summit keynote speaker, Dr. Don Sawyer, a professor of the sociology of race, hip hop and popular culture. He visited classes and addressed the Upper School at assembly.  

On Friday evening, NEYIS kicked off with two moving performances.  The first was by the Pihcintu Multicultural Girls’ Chorus, introduced by Tim Wilson, Director of the Maine Seeds Program.  Their inspirational opening was followed by a dynamic performance by the Dialogue Arts Project, a New York City based group that engages students through poetry, spoken word, and expressive arts in an exploration of identity and discovery of one’s own story.

On Saturday, Dr. Sawyer’s opening talk created a powerful context for the Summit by inviting the audience to expand their awareness of personal privilege and risk being vulnerable in order to connect with and learn from others.  After his talk, student leaders from Waynflete, Seeds of Peace, and other high schools led a variety of workshops for students, educators, and parents.  In addition, Colby College professors Dr. Joseph Atkins and Dr. Tarja Raag and current Colby students led two workshops on supporting college students as they work their way through peer group pressures, microaggressions, social media messages, and other challenges of growing up today and on how to move beyond outdated concepts of political correctness and into the vital work of supporting identity development on campus. There were a total of 17 workshops offered throughout the day.  

One workshop was led by Waynflete’s Racial Awareness at Waynflete (RAaW) group.  It offered attendees guidance on  how to start a radical dialogue group at their own schools.  The experience of preparing for the workshop by synthesizing the essence of RAaW’s approach to difficult and rewarding conversations paid off.  Feedback was immediate and positive, “Experiencing this workshop definitely made me want to create a racially aware group group like this in my school” commented one participant.  Added another, “I believe that if all schools have something similar to RAaW it would spark a change no matter how small it may be.” Attendees left with a manual created by a RAaW member entitled “Racial Awareness Dialogue,” linked here, Its publication underscored a major objective of the summit – the chance for students to take the lead and to learn by doing.

The Summit ended with a speak out led by Don Sawyer.  During the speak out, a diverse group of nearly 300 young people, who had just spent a long day in deep conversation on a host of challenging topics, expressed their inspiration, their gratitude, and their hope for a better future. A video of the speak out and closing comments is linked here.

Creating a climate of hope around dialogue was an essential aim of the Summit.  Reflecting on the experience, Dr Karumbu said “the Summit gave the kids an opportunity to speak their truth. They recognized their own power to change the world through their changed selves!  Everyone who experienced that summit – young and old – will forever be changed and in turn will move societies forward!”  A student confirmed her observation., “We have the power to change the world. Like seriously we do. By starting small we can make the world better. Faith in humanity restored.”

Already, student organizers from Waynflete and Seeds of Peace are looking at the feedback and thinking about workshop ideas for next year and how to facilitate even more dialogue between participants.  By bringing together Portland based groups doing this important work such as King Fellows, Boys to Men, Telling Room and GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network), the Summit created for students from different schools to get and stay connected to sources of support and inspiration. To encourage other peers to attend next year, a student wrote, “I would tell a friend there are many unique opportunities to talk about issues we often don’t have dialogue about. It was empowering for me to be in the presence, meet and talk with other youth with similar values and ambitions to mine. I left the summit feeling not only more educated, but part of a community.”

The students were not the only people inspired by the Summit. One educator commented, “I was delighted by how open and critical (in a positive way) the teens I worked with were. It gave me renewed hope that young people are able to have tricky dialogue across quite varied differences without freaking out! Why can’t we adults do that better too?”  Maine Seeds Director Tim Wilson said, “The conversations that took place showed me, once again, that this rising generation is passionate, thoughtful, and ready to lead, and that the best thing we can do as adults is give them the space to make their voices heard.” Other words to describe the Summit included “empowering,” “uplifting,” “positive,” “energetic,” and “inspirational.”

Dr. Sawyer said he was “blown away” by the event and noted in particular the “underlying school culture” that made a place for such open dialogue to occur. He said that “the students inspired me beyond measure” and that “Waynflete is ahead of the game in so many ways.”  The same could be said of every young person and educator in attendance.

Dr. Sawyer then posed the question that was starting to stir in the minds of the Summit organizers, “What stadium are you using for the event next year?”

Sustainable Ocean Studies: Apply Now

Posted by Waynflete Communications

There is still space available for this summer’s edition of Sustainable Ocean Studies (SOS). Sponsored by Waynflete and the Chewonki Semester School and comprised of students from across Maine, New England, and beyond, SOS is open to high school students rising into 10th, 11th, and 12th grades.  For more information about this outstanding opportunity to learn about the Gulf of Maine, experience adventure, and have fun, click here.  For a description of the program through a student’s eyes, click here.  For an online application, click here.

SOS

Catching Up with Alex Koch ’03

Posted by Waynflete Communications

A Wayfinder Schools Interview with Alex Koch

WS: Tell me about your role here:

AK: I’m Lead Overnight Staff at the New Gloucester campus, working the Sunday and Monday night shift. In addition to that, I’m the Ecology Teacher. I spend a lot of time working with the kids in the natural world. I try to instill in them a feeling of respect for nature and science.

WS: How did you get interested in ecology?

AK: It’s always been a part of me. Ever since I can remember, I’ve spent time in the woods. It’s been one of my favorite things to do, explore in nature. As a child I didn’t really watch a lot of TV. I can remember my mom trying to get me to watch Sesame Street, but I just wanted to be in the woods, tracking squirrels and looking at leaves and all that stuff.

WS: Tell me about a recent ecology project:

AK: We’re conducting a forest inventory growth plot, so we’ve been measuring the diameter base height of trees in the plot. We’ll be using that data to learn a little bit more about our forest.

WS: What did you want to be when you grew up and why?

AK: It has changed a lot over the years but one of the things I remember most was ducking through all the tide pools out at Prouts Neck in Scarborough and climbing around on the Cliff Walk. A friend and I had big dreams of becoming marine biologists. I wrote a poem about that. I write a lot of nature-based poetry.

WS: Where did you grow up and what was unique about it?

AK: I was born in central Maine, moved to the midcoast, and then at 7 moved to southern Maine. I grew up by the ocean, and the mud and salt. I could go down across the street, through my grandparents’ yard, and down to the mud flats and catch horseshoe crabs. Like I said, my grandparents were across the street, I had an uncle next door, and my grandfather’s brother up the street. There was a lot of family around, and I think that was both unique and important for my development. There was also this wonderful, old white ash tree out back of our house, it was probably a sapling during the Civil War. That was pretty important to my development, also. Lots of memories.

WS: Where did you go to school and what did you like best about it?

AK: I went a lot of places but spent the most time at Unity College. I liked the small size and the focus on the environment and the outdoors.

WS: What’s your favorite part of your job?

AK: My favorite part is seeing the growth in the students throughout the year, seeing them open up more and more. To see them when they graduate, how far they’ve come since September, it’s a really special experience.

WS: What would you say is the biggest challenge?

AK: One of the biggest challenges this year has been a sense of being the new teacher. It’s all new for me and learning the ins and outs of that process, and keeping the students engaged.

WS: What would you say one of their favorite ecology projects has been?

AK: They’ve enjoyed when we’ve done research presentations. They researched land mammals that live in Maine and had to write a one-page paper and present it to the rest of the class. They liked doing that.

WS: Tell me about your first job:

AK: My very first job was working for my uncle and my grandfather at the horse stable, mucking out stalls, painting, mowing, and assisting in training the race horses.

WS: What’s been one of your favorite travel adventures with the Wayfinder kids?

AK: I think my favorite every year is the solos at Cobscook Community Learning Center. We go up to Washington County, spend a few days in the woods, it’s a good bonding experience as we’re preparing for graduation, a really amazing experience for students and staff.

WS: What’s one of your own favorite travel adventures?

AK: Every year I do a bird watching survey for high elevation songbirds about 20 miles north of Rangley up on the Canadian border. This past year I was camping out on the side of this logging road and I woke up to something rustling my tent, a lot of noise. It was a huge cow moose. I got up, and unzipped my tent, and there’s no light pollution up there, just stars lighting up the sky and the ground, and there she was licking the windshield of my car. A giant cow moose, licking my car.

WS: Who was your favorite teacher growing up and why?

AK: One of my favorite teachers was a teacher in high school, a fellow named Ben. He wasn’t much older than I was at that point, he was just out of college. He was a History & Philosophy teacher. I took History of Islam with him, amongst many other classes. He was a really interesting guy, still is, I run into him from time to time in Portland. He was fascinating. He would go to Turkey to the bazaars and buy rugs and bring them back here. He would listen to this weird electronic music. Cool guy.

WS: What’s the most important thing you’ve learned from your students?

AK: I think that they’ve reinforced my patience, and believing that things will work out, and letting the process happen.

WS: What does your perfect day off look like?

AK: I would say my perfect day off is most days off. Not that my days at work are bad, I love it. But I buy and sell antique tools, my other job. Today I went to a barn in York County, dug through stuff and loaded up a bunch into my truck. I got an ax made in Oakland, Maine, an old coal shovel from South Portland, a couple of folding chairs from The Paris Manufacturing Co. in South Paris. I stopped at the antique mall that I sell at in central Maine and put a few things in the booth. A lot of my time is spent on antique tools and restoring them.

WS: What’s your favorite Maine museum?

AK: I’m actually working to open a museum.  I’m working with a group in Waldo County. We recently acquired an historic grist mill in Thorndike and we’ll be restoring the building and possibly housing a store, studio space, community space, but also, my hope is to open a museum of Maine made edge tools. I hope it happens there, but even if it doesn’t I still intend to open that museum somewhere here in Central Maine.

WS: How did you come to Wayfinder Schools?

AK: I had the benefit of my mother who was already involved with the school as a board member. I was living out in Seattle and I decided to come back and visit for a few months. At that time Wayfinder needed an overnight support staff, so I thought I’d fill in for a few months. I took a red eye flight, had an interview, and started that weekend on our trip to Acadia. I worked until December that year, but then I was diagnosed with Lymphoma. I really came to love the school and I started thinking about not going back to Seattle. I was healthy enough by spring to go on the Lubec trip, so I asked Joseph if I could stay on and I’ve been here since.

WS: What is your all-time favorite Wayfinder Schools moment?

AK: It was that first year, and when the students come out of the woods from solos they have a big circle and we talk to each of the students. One specific student and I bonded a lot and I got up to talk to him and we both started bawling and we gave each other a big hug. That exemplifies the care and bond that we form with each other, our students with us and we with them.

WS: What would you like people to know about Wayfinder Schools?

AK: I would like people to know that Wayfinder Schools is a really formative place, and a really special opportunity for both the staff and the students to be involved in.

Fifteen facts about you:

Favorite bird: Raven

Favorite Maine hike: Number 4 Mountain in Frenchtown Township

Favorite hobby or thing to do in your spare time: All things tool related

Something new you’d like to try: Kayaking

Favorite breakfast spot in Maine: Crosstrax in Unity

Favorite home cooked meal: Mashed potatoes

Someplace new you’d like to travel to: I’ve always really wanted to go to Suriname

Favorite TV show: I’ve never owned a TV

Camping or luxury hotel? Camping

Bike or car? Car, because I travel such long distances. My 1.5 hour drive to work would be much longer on a bicycle!

Favorite book you’ve read recently: The Maritime History of Maine by William Hutchinson Rowe

Favorite children’s book: Blueberries for Sal

What would you tell your teenage self? Trust your gut

One of your favorite possessions: All the fishing gear I inherited from my father when he passed away

The one thing you’re most passionate about: Life

WS: Anything else you’d like to add?

AK: I think just that I would tell–not only my students–but everyone, to follow your passions and do what feels right for you in life. Don’t get stuck doing things that you think you’re supposed to do because others expect you to.
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Upper School Students’ Art Selected for MECA Annual Exhibit

Posted by Waynflete Communications

Emily Tabb, class of 2017, Esme Benson class of 2016, and Christian Rowe, class of 2016, were amidst 40 other Maine students whose ceramics artwork was selected to be shown at Maine College of Art’s High School Student Ceramic Arts Annual Exhibit. This past Saturday, April 2, was the opening and awards ceremony. Works are on display in the MECA library, which is open to the public, through April 14, 2016.

 

The Little Prince Opens Thursday!

Posted by Waynflete Communications

The Upper School presents The Little Prince adapted by Rick Cummins and John Scoullar from the book by Antoine de Saint ­Exupéry. A tender tale of loneliness, friendship, love, and loss in the form of a young prince fallen to Earth who reflects, “It is only with the heart that one can see rightly…What is essential is invisible to the eye.”

Showtimes are:
Thursday, April 7 at 7:00 p.m.
Friday, April 8 at 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, April 9 at 2:00 p.m.

On Wednesday, April 6, the Upper School will hold an open dress rehearsal. If you are unable to attend one of the scheduled performances, or if you just want a preview, please join us in Franklin Theater.  We will open the doors at 3:15 p.m. and start the show at 3:30 p.m.

An audience is essential to the life of a performance, our work in preparing the show is nearly done and we would very much appreciate your contribution of laughter and positive energy.

Waynflete Students on Second Place Team of Muslim Inter-Scholastic Tournament

Posted by Waynflete Communications

MIST (Muslim Inter-Scholastic Tournament) is an annual national competition, with regional qualifying meets. On March 26 and 27, schools from around New England met at MIT to compete in over 30 competitions, with events ranging from basketball to Quran recitation. Although the competition is only two days, students began preparing in January working vigorously to perfect their performance.

Our school had four students, Atia Werah, Najma Abdullahi, Samia Aman, and Nadia Aman, who competed on a coalition team coached by alumna Hawa Shir with six other schools from Maine. Of our students, Atia Werah placed first in Original Oratory, Najma Abdullahi placed second in Spoken Word. Nadia Aman placed second in Short Film. Both Nadia and Samia Aman placed second in Basketball.

The team will be moving on to nationals in Toronto in July.

Alumna Caitie Whelan ’02 Speaks at Upper School Assembly

Posted by Waynflete Communications

On March 27, 2016 Alumna Caitie Whelan ’02 addressed Upper School students during Assembly. She shared the story of her non-linear path from Waynflete to her current role as Founder/Noter-in-Chief of The Lightning Notes, a short daily post to “help move the world forward.” It features ideas and stories to remind us that we matter and that improving the world is our matter.

Prior to The Lightning Notes, Caitie was a Senior Foreign Policy Advisor in Congress, co-founded a school in India for lower-caste musicians, and raised pigs in Italy. She is a graduate of Brown University where she co-launched their Social Innovation Initiative, and the Salt Institute for Documentary Studies, where she co-founded and chaired the Salt Alumni Board. She is a Truman Scholar from the State of Maine.

Upper School Teams Take 2nd and 3rd at State Science Olympiad

Posted by Waynflete Communications

Waynflete competed in the State Science Olympiad Tournament, hosted by the University of Southern Maine, on Saturday, March 26. In the tournament, teams of 15 students compete in 23 engineering and science events. Waynflete Upper School fielded two teams, for a total of 30 students in the competition, and the Middle School also brought a team of 15 students to the Middle School tournament. Waynflete Middle School placed 1st out of the 8 teams in their competition and the Upper School teams took home both the 2nd place trophy (“White” team)  and the 3rd place trophy (“Green” team) in their competition among 17 teams from across the state. The White team was just two points shy of winning the overall high school competition and continuing our three-year-long streak as State Champions.

best airplane picThe success of all three teams in this type of competition is great evidence of the depth of the talent at Waynflete. The “Green” team was captained by seniors Esme Benson and Elly Shivel, and the “White” team was captained by seniors Arianna Giguere and Gail Johnson. Notable finishes included both first place (Arianna Giguere ‘16, Alwyn Ecker ‘16) and second place (Peter Michalakes ‘16 and Esme Benson ‘16) finishes in the Astronomy event, first place finishes in Hydrogeology (Grace Brammley-Simmons ‘17 and Althea Sellers ‘17), Experimental Design (Elisabeth Lualdi ‘17, Gail Johnson ‘16, and Isabel Davis ‘16), Forensics (Arianna Giguere ‘16 and Luna Soley ‘18), Fossils (Grace Brammley-Simmons ‘17 and Tsevi Aho ‘19), and Protein Modeling (Esme Benson ‘16, Elly Shivel ‘16, and Christain Rowe ‘16). In total, Waynflete Upper School students earned 1st, 2nd, or 3rd place medals in 17 events.

In the Middle School division, highlights included first place finishes in Anatomy and Physiology (Ellis Doughtery ‘20, Avis Akers ‘20), Experimental Design (Ellis Doughtery ‘20, Clara Sanberg ‘20, Nicholas Werner ‘20), Astronomy (Thys Geldenhuys ‘20, Sophi Aronson ‘20), Write it do it (Elizabeth Thomas ‘20, Skyler Spaulding ‘20). More notable was the fact that the Middle School team placed in the top four for every event.

best robot picSome events require students to engineer devices to meet very specific requirements; for example, an electric vehicle that moves as quickly as possible and stops exactly at a distance announced only on the day of the tournament. Students work for weeks prior to the tournament building, testing, and troubleshooting their designs. Other events test students on their knowledge of content areas that go above and beyond the typical curriculum taught in high schools; for example, Invasive Species and Wind Power. Upper School Teams were coached by Wendy Curtis and Carol Titterton, and the Middle School Team was coached by Stephanie Dolan.

The tournament’s success was largely due to volunteers from the Waynflete community.  Student volunteers timed scramblers, measure trajectories and scored tests.  Erik Kramer and Page Lennig (Technology Department) wrote and scored the new ‘Game On’ event, parent Brian McNiff (Liam ‘16 and Lilu ‘20) ran the ‘Wind Power’ event, alumni Lukas Tubby (‘11), Riley Mattor (‘12) and Louis Frumer (‘14) ran the Scrambler and Bottle Rocket events, Peter Hamblin (Associate Head) was the scorekeeper, and Carol Titterton (6-12 Science) is the State Director for the Science Olympiad.  Thank you everyone!

Outdoor Experience Explained

Posted by Waynflete Communications

OE Coordinator Emily Graham explains the options to freshman and sophomores for the trips next fall.

Alwyn Ecker Helps Support Brunswick Ban Against Polystyrene

Posted by Waynflete Communications

 

Cashes Ledge: Should it be Designated as a Marine National Monument?

Posted by Waynflete Communications

Located in close proximity to the Atlantic Ocean, Waynflete has long educated its students about the ocean through its Marine Biology class.  In 2010, the School joined the larger community conversation about the health of the ocean and its relationship to human activity by embarking on twin initiatives.  In the summer of 2010, Waynflete offered the first year of Sustainable Ocean Studies (SOS), a summer program for high school students from Waynflete and across the nation that uses the Gulf of Maine as its classroom to study the intersection of the marine environment, the economy, and human culture.  The Chewonki Foundation became co-sponsors of the program in 2012. Traveling from Portland to Mount Desert Rock, SOS participants experience a unique blend of adventure, field science, and cultural studies while seeking to understand one of the most critical issues of our day—balancing the health of the ocean with human needs.  More information about SOS is linked here.

At the same time, Waynflete and a group of ocean-oriented partners initiated the annual State of the Ocean Speaker Series.  From 2010 to the present day, packed audiences in Franklin Theater have enjoyed an astonishing array of presenters, from National Geographic Photographer and diver Brian Skerry the first year to underwater explorer and scientist Dr. Tierney Thys last year. The presentations have cataloged warning signs, described hopeful developments, and have inspired awe through photographs and videos from the ocean depths throughout the planet.  A full list of past presentations in the State of the Ocean Speaker Series is  linked here.

Brian Skerry

Sea stars and bivalves illustrate the diversity of life on Cashes Ledge. National Geographic. Brian Skerry

This year’s presentation will focus closer to home with a presentation on the ecological importance of the Cashes Ledge area, one of the Gulf of Maine’s most storied and rich ecosystems, including a proposal to create a marine national monument to protect it.  Marine scientists Dr. Jon Witman (Brown University) and Dr. Robert Steneck (University of Maine) along with Peter Shelley (Conservation Law Foundation) will take the audience on a visual tour of Cashes Ledge and describe the critical role this marine ecosystem plays in the biodiversity and health of the Gulf.  The presentation will also describe the details of the proposal to permanently protect a network of deep-sea canyons and underwater mountains off the New England coast including Cashes Ledge.

Cashes LedgeThe proposal to preserve Cashes Ledge and other areas as a marine national monument—the first of its kind on the Atlantic coast—is not without its critics.”  The area that would be protected has long been prime fishing grounds and some of it is already closed to fishing.  As a result, some would argue that the the proposal is a solution in search of a problem, adding unwieldy and costly bureaucracy without materially improving the health of the ecosystem. In addition, since the designation of the monument would happen through executive order, some are concerned that this process bypasses the usual community-based procedure for designating areas to be closed to ground fishing.  A designation as a national monument would also limit other human activity in the area, including oil and gas exploration.  

As such, this proposal is ideal for study as it entails the conflicting interests that often accompany environmental protection efforts. It is relatively easy to embrace such efforts when they are taking place in some distant part of the world.  That becomes more complicated when the impact is local.  David Vaughan’s two sections of Marine Biology class will examine the issue, weighing the impact of human activity on the environment against the impact on humans of protecting it.  The Conservation Law Foundation, which is a co-sponsor of the proposal, has asked Waynflete to endorse the proposal.  David will challenge his students to study the proposal then make a recommendation to the Board of Trustees on whether or not the School should endorse it.  Key questions for the students to consider are:

  • What is a national monument, how is a national monument designated, and what protections does monument status offer?
  • What are the other mechanisms for preserving marine ecosystems, including those already in place in this region? 
  • What are the merits of this particular proposal to create a marine national monument?
  • What are the merits of the specific objections to it?
  • Are there viable alternatives to the proposal that would reduce the impact on fishermen and others whose livelihoods would be affected while still meeting crucial environmental objectives?

Whatever the students conclude and whether or not the Waynflete Board ultimately chooses to follow their recommendation, the students will have critically analyzed a complex environmental issue, formulated an informed proposal of their own, and presented it in as persuasive and fact-based manner as possible.  Such an exercise puts the skills and knowledge that they have learned in school to work and, as such, provides an excellent opportunity for them to practice the work that will be required as responsible citizens of the world.

Ben Millspaugh Represents Waynflete at Poetry Out Loud State Final

Posted by Waynflete Communications

On Tuesday, March 15, ninth grader Ben Millspaugh represented Waynflete in the 11th annual Poetry Out Loud Maine State Final Competition at the Waterville Opera House.

Co-sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation, Poetry Out Loud culminates in the national competition in Washington D. C. in May.

Over 8000 Maine students competed in the 2015-2016 cycle. This year’s winner, Rose Horowitz, a twelfth grader from Mr. Ararat High School, also won last year’s state contest. Owen Sinclair, an eleventh grader at Rangeley Lakes Regional School and this year’s runner-up, also competed last year.

Ben earned his place in the state contest by winning Waynflete’s Poetry Out Loud competition on January 5 and then winning one of the five regional finalist slots at the Southern Maine Regional Competition at Biddeford City Theater on February 10.

With great poise Ben delivered Gravelly Run by A. R. Ammons and Youth by James Wright to a spellbound audience in Waterville’s historic opera house. He truly made Waynflete proud. Way to go, Ben!!!

 

Success at Shakespeare Slam

Posted by Waynflete Communications

The Waynflete Underground Shakespeare Co. salute the first folio while attending the Portland Public Library Shakespeare Slam.

Isabel Floyd, Arija Forsyth, Justin Gross, and Caroline Kyros performed scenes and monologues from The Bard.  Arija and Isabel took home first and second prize for their monologue performances in the teen category.
All members of the company performed with incredible energy and passion and were, as usual, generous supporters of their fellow Shakespeare enthusiasts.

Annual State of the Ocean Event on Tuesday, April 5

Posted by Waynflete Communications

For the seventh year in a row, Waynflete will host the The State of the Ocean Speaker Series.  The event will take place on April 5. The doors to the Arts Center open at 6:00 p.m. for an open house featuring Sustainable Ocean Studies and partner organizations with programs focused on the health of the Gulf of Maine. The presentation will begin at 7:00 p.m. in Franklin Theater.

The presentation is entitled: Cashes Ledge:  A New England Ocean Treasure. Should it be the next national monument?

Join us for an evening with marine scientists Dr. Jon Witman (Brown University) and Dr. Robert Steneck (University of Maine) along with Peter Shelley (Conservation Law Foundation) as they take us on a visual tour of Cashes Ledge, one of the Gulf of Maine’s most storied and rich ecosystems. See and hear why this marine ecosystem plays such a critical role in the biodiversity and health of the Gulf and about the efforts to permanently protect this unique area.

Admission to the evening is free, but donations will be accepted to benefit scholarships for Sustainable Ocean Studies, a three- week marine biology summer program. For more information, call 207.774.5721 ext. 1318, email , or visit waynflete.org/sos.

SPONSORS Chewonki Foundation, Island Institute, Gulf of Maine Marine Education Association, Friends of Casco Bay, Maine Island Trail Association, Rippleffect, Coastal Studies for Girls, Conservation Law Foundation

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