Four Waynflete students were accepted to participate the All  Eastern Honors Ensembles on April 9-12 in Providence RI. Acceptance in this festival is a high honor and shows the dedication and hard work of these students.  Only 2% of Maine students are accepted.  Helen and Elise are in the Orchestra (Viola and Violin), Sarah will be in the Treble Voice Chorus, and Scott will sing in the Mixed Chorus.

Recently, all 9th graders participated in a Poetry Out Loud classroom competition.

Poetry Out Loud is a nationwide competition that celebrates poetry in its original form: recitation.  Students across the country read and analyze poems from a POL anthology, and then select a poem they feel connected to that they feel they can express to a larger audience.  The competition begins at the classroom level, then progresses to a school-wide competition, followed by regionals, states, and the national finals.  Recently, senior Dyer Rhoads won the state competition and traveled to Washington, D.C. for nationals.

Throughout the fall, all ninth graders and the Poetry Out Loud activity group memorized and practiced their poems, then competed in a classroom competition. Two students with the highest score from each class will move on to a schoolwide competition during the Upper School’s January 8th assembly.

 2014 POL winners and their poems

Andrew Clark “A Poison Tree” by William Blake

Hana Delaney  “Caged Bird” by Maya Angelou

Cole Gagnon  “Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird” by Wallace Stevens

Leeza Kopaeva  “Caged Bird” by Maya Angelou

Nick Hagler   “Anthem for Doomed Youth” by Wilfred Owen

Dana Hirschhorn “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost

Laura MacLean  “The Listeners” by Walter de La Mare

Zander Martin  “Across the Bay” by Donald Davie

Riley Mayes  “In a London Drawing Room” by George Eliot

Abdirahman Mohamed “Medusa” by Louise Bogan

In mid-November, ELL teacher Sue Stein and Hibo Abdi ’16 presented an Upper School assembly program on their journeys to Africa that started in February and June respectively.  Here is a link to Sue’s African Blog.  Here is a link to the slideshow in video format that they played at the assembly.  To challenge assumptions about Africa, they began the assembly with recognizable images from throughout the world and a multiple choice city quiz. Then they captured different views of Africa in images.  If you watch carefully, you might catch a glimpse of Sue dancing.  Following is Hibo’s article about the assembly.

This past year Sue and I had the fortunate opportunity to go to Africa on individual journeys of exploration. We did not know what to expect but we hoped for a new sense of the world around us.

Sue took a leave of absence starting in February and embarked on a journey across Zambia, Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda, Ethiopia, and Kenya for almost four months. Her trip centered around the relationships she had built with the students she has taught at Waynflete for over seventeen years, and while there she lived with families of several current and past families. These connections made and cultivated at Waynflete were the core of her trip and created a deeper sense of understanding for the work she does at school. Without these links between Sue and her students, she would not have been able to enjoy her trip as much as she did.

On the other hand, over the summer, I went to Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya for about three months. Suddenly, all the stories my parents used to tell me came alive. I was surprised to see that the world that had only previously existed in my head actually was true!

Also, my mother took me from house to house all over East Africa and introduced me to family that only knew me as a name. Now that name, which once seemed so far away, was standing in front of them in a matter of seconds. I was glad to finally be able to put names to faces and watch as the relationships grew. I was grateful that my relatives did not treat me as the girl tainted with her American ways but as someone who is part of them. For once in my life, I felt intertwined with people who had the same Somali blood flowing through them.

Once Sue and I both came back to America we knew that our stories were meant to be told. We knew about the prejudices people had about Africa that stemmed from the mass media: starving children, child soldiers, Ebola. This is the painting of Africa many believe as the only truth, but in actuality this continent is filled with baobab trees, rich traditions, and beautiful wildlife. Yes, there might be child soldiers and Ebola, but that is not the only truth. Africa should not be painted with one brush but with multiple brushes in unison for it is a place of different peoples, languages and cultures.

Basketball. Swimming, Nordic, Girls’ Hockey

Watch Waynflete’s MEST-Up team of Julianna Harwood ’15 and Stephen Epstein ’15 defeated Greely High School in the MEST Up competition, advancing to the finals against Kennebunk High School.  If you missed it, you can watch the semi-final match when it is aired again on Thursday, the 11th, or by hitting this link.  The Finals will be aired Thursday, December 18, on WPXT (The CW, or Channel 12 locally).

MEST-Up is a television game show that tests high school students in the areas of math, engineering, science, and technology. Schools from around the area send teams of two students to compete head to head in trivia and engineering challenges. At stake, according to the show’s host, “the MEST-Up trophy, brand new iPads, and eternal glory.”

Last spring, a Waynflete team comprised of Ali Ghorashi ’15 and Sophie Benson ’14 won the championship.  Earlier in the fall, Waynflete’s current duo began the defense of the title by  defeating Baxter Academy, Westbrook High School, and Greely High School.  Tune in on Thursday the 18th to see if they can defend the crown.

Waynflete field hockey players Dana Peirce and Chloe Williams were chosen to the All-State team by the Maine FH Coaches Association.  Peirce was also selected to the Academic All-State team.  Both players pose here with head coach Kelly Hoffman.

Harry Baker-Connick with his Class C Soccer Player of the Year award from the Maine Soccer Coaches Association.  Harry was also selected to the All-State team​.

To any Waynflete US people – students and faculty alike – who are feeling like a pause would be helpful to keep clear headed and open hearted through the busyness of life stresses.  Come sit and practice a simple breathing meditation, Wednesday at break 10:05- 10:25 and Friday at lunch- 11:35- 11:55, in the children’s reading area at the back of the library. Hosted by novice, aspiring meditator- Mimi Olins

Mid-Term Exams (Monday, December 15 through Friday, December 19): Students are required to be in school during their exam periods only.  They may be on campus when they do not have exams if they choose.  Please make plans with your child regarding your expectations for where s/he should be when not taking an exam.  If your child will be absent from an exam, please follow the usual procedure for reporting an absence.

Here is the link to the December Exam Schedule.  For make-up exams or exam conflicts, students should contact Peter Hamblin at or at extension 1230.

Please note: Weather could alter the exam schedule so that rescheduled exams could run as late as 3:00 on Friday, the 19th.  Please do not plan to travel before then.    

In case even the thought of mid-term exams is casting a long shadow over your household, here are links to two ideas about how to manage stress productively.  The first is a TED talk by health psychologist Kelly McGonical entitled, How to Make Stress Your Friend.  The second is an article by Gavi King ’15, whose article,  Relax, Silly: Advice for Exam Week, which first appeared in the Waynflete Flyer last spring.  Each offers wise counsel.

On July 1, John Thurston began work as Waynflete School’s first full-time Director of College Counseling. He comes to Waynflete with 21 years of experience on both sides of the college admissions process, or as John puts it, “in shipping and receiving.” For the past six years, he served as the Associate Dean of Admission at Bowdoin College.  Prior to working at Bowdoin, John served as a college counselor at Polytechnic School and Laguna Blanca School in California and was the Associate Director of Admission at Brown University.  He also worked in the admission office of his alma mater, Carleton College.  Following is a recent interview with USNOW staff writer, Kiera MacWhinnie ’17. 

Kiera: How do you like it so far at Waynflete?

John: I am enjoying my time at Waynflete. My days have been full, meaning they go by quickly.

Kiera: Have people made you feel welcomed?

John: Yes, people have been warm and welcoming across the board. Faculty, staff, administrators, parents and students have all reached out to me at various times.

Kiera: How have you gotten to know the seniors?

John: Getting to know the seniors is an ongoing process. I am grateful that I was able to join the seniors during Outdoor Experience because I got to see folks having fun and just interacting with one another. Waynflete also provides the benefit of getting to connect with students weekly during college counseling meetings. In addition, I have met with students in one-on-one meetings and have had students provide some information via an online survey. I have also received helpful information from teachers and advisors who know the seniors quite well.

 Kiera: How was your Outdoor Experience trip with them?

John: I really appreciated the chance to participate. I enjoy spending time outside and so on the one hand, the trip was fun for me. As I mentioned earlier, it was also helpful to see the seniors relaxing and interacting with one another. I think I was a bit of an unknown entity since it was so soon after I arrived, but I appreciated how so many of the students reached out to me and initiated conversations.

Kiera: Please describe your philosophy of college counseling.

John: First and foremost, I try to stay relaxed because I know that this process has the potential to be a source of significant anxiety for students and their parents. There is no need for me to panic. I like it when I see students using the college search process as an incentive to spend some time reflecting. I want  students to think about how they learn, what is important to them, are there ways that they might be able to stretch themselves… I don’ t think that there is one “perfect” college out there, but I do think some places are far better fits than others for a particular student. We can’t know that, though, what schools make sense for an individual, unless the student has spent some time really thinking about his/her own priorities and values. I see my role as one where I provide support and information to students and families.

Kiera: What have you done so far with college counseling?

John: We have spent the bulk of our time meeting with students: helping them refine their college lists, giving them feedback on their essays, looking over completed applications, discussing standardized testing options… We invited Steve Joyce, former Dean of Student Aid at Bowdoin College, to do a presentation on financial aid. He also made time to meet one-on-one with some Waynflete families who had pretty specific questions. We also did a group meeting with junior parents to let them know a bit about the process and what to expect.

Kiera: I have heard you are becoming a Maine Guide.  Tell me about that.

John: Going back to what I said earlier, I do enjoy spending time outdoors. My hope is to have a greater role in future Outdoor Experience trips. I also agreed to be the faculty advisor to the newly reconstituted Waynflete Outing Club (headed by seniors Nick Boulos and  Haley Johnson) and having a foundation rooted in the Maine Guide training made sense to me.

Kiera: What do you look forward to in the future of your job at Waynflete?

John: I always look forward to getting to know individual students. I am also intrigued to see patterns regarding the types of schools that pique the interest of Waynflete students. One of my goals is to visit more college campuses to see how they might appeal to Waynflete graduates and to make sure that college admissions offices are familiar with Waynflete’s academic program and the culture of our school community. I also have some ideas regarding campus programming we can do, perhaps in collaboration with some other schools, to demystify some aspects of college admissions.

Kiera: In the last interview Waynflete did with you last spring, we asked about your workload compared to your previous college workload and you said to ask you in October. So how is the workload compared to college admissions?

John: October was, as I anticipated, pretty crazy. It meant for some long days and nights. I think next October will be a bit more manageable because I will have been here to start working with the Class of 2016 during their junior year. Still, September and October are just extremely busy months in college counseling and that is part of the job. I can say with confidence, though, that I will not miss application reading season.

Every year on the weekend before Thanksgiving, thousands of high school students from around the country flock to the MIT campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts, to attend a program called Splash. Splash is an incredible opportunity to learn about countless subjects, ranging from nail art to college level theoretical math. Pretty much if you can think of a topic, it is being taught, and if it isn’t, you can inquire about it i the discussion based “ask us anything” courses. Splash is taught mostly by MIT students, as well as MIT professors and various other random people with PhDs.

Of course, that all sounds great (if you like learning), but this description leaves out a host of logistical dilemmas. Having attended Splash for the first time last week, I am hoping to convey some of these so that anyone interested in going next November will have a better idea of exactly what Splash entails.

1. MIT does not provide housing in their dorms because they are filled with college students. However, they do discount rooms in nearby hotels for Splash students.

2. Splash costs $40 excluding food and a place to stay. If you fill your schedule to the absolute maximum like I did, this means you are paying about $2 per enlightening 1-2 hour long class taught by a genius.

3. There is basically no supervision whatsoever during the entirety of Splash. You check in the first day and are issued a name tag and from then on are left to wander around the MIT campus/Cambridge by yourself and hopefully find your way to your classes with the help of a map. (Don’t worry, all the buildings are interconnected and there are signs and people to tell you where to go if you need help.)

4. Registration for Splash takes place online at this website: https://esp.mit.edu/learn/Splash/index.html or you can find it if you search MIT ESP. You view the list of classes (there were about 600 offered this year), star any that you are interested in, and then submit top choices for each block. Who gets in what classes is decided by a lottery. If you don’t get into some of the classes you want,you can switch into any with open spots.

My experience at Splash was incredible and I am certain I want to go back next year. My classes included What Happens When you Throw a Squirrel into a Black Hole, Infinities, Plasma Physics and Fusion, Emergent Properties of the Brain, and more. I met new people, explored the MIT campus, ate good food, and now can tell you really complex, obscure facts about things like the event horizon of a black hole and quantum mechanics.

Go to Splash!!!!!  If you have any questions, email me at

In addition to Luna, several Waynflete students in 9th and 10th grade attended Splash! and all reported having had a great experience.  Following is a report from Henry Wasserman ’17:

Splash is an event at MIT that students from all across the country come together to attend some classes that can range from nuclear physics to cheese tasting to the Roman Empire. My favorite classes were Battle School and Mountains and Glaciers and Geography. Battle School consisted of the studying of tactics and strategy in games such as Diplomacy and Risk. The class was taught by a student at MIT, as most of the classes that weekend were. This particular class lasted several hours, but this was a rarity. The average class was an hour long, but the times were not set. For example a class on biological weapons lasted only an hour, while a class on Roman Empire lasted three hours. Not only is Splash a fun place for wacky classes, but it is also a way to meet new people. I met a rather nice person by the name of Evan in my battle-school class. We hit it off and are still in touch today.  So, you should definitely do Splash. Not only will you learn a lot, but you will also meet very fun people.

Watch Waynflete’s MEST-Up team of Julianna Harwood ’15 and Stephen Epstein ’15 take the FINAL step in defending Waynflete’s championship. Tune in TONIGHT (Thursday, December 18) for the final episode of MEST-UP at 7:00pm. Wish them luck!

MEST-Up is a television game show that tests high school students in the areas of math, engineering, science, and technology. Schools from around the area send teams of two students to compete head-to-head in trivia and engineering challenges. At stake, according to the show’s host, “the MEST-Up trophy, brand new iPads, and eternal glory.”

Last spring, a Waynflete team comprised of Ali Ghorashi ’15 and Sophie Benson ’14 won the championship.  Earlier in the fall, Waynflete’s current duo began the defense of the title by first defeating Baxter Academy and then Westbrook High School.  Tune in on Thursday to see if they will become the second Waynflete team in a row win the championship.

Registration for Waynflete’s first ever adult education course, The Language of Social Class, has closed as the class is now full.  We will consider offering other courses in the future. Stay tuned.