A Caribou High School student has been named one of the state’s “top 10 visionaries” in a challenge by Meridian Stories, a national nonprofit organization that offers schools a number of curriculum-based activities designed to allow students to express their creativity and critical thinking skills.
Benjamin Ezzy, a CHS junior, was chosen one of the top 10 for his presentation, “Life of Maine,” in which he proposes a non-profit venture to help conserve Maine’s natural heritage. Ezzy was one of 85 entrants in the challenge and will receive $100 to help further his vision.
Kenneth Atcheson, CHS social studies instructor and National Honor Society adviser, was delighted about the honor Ezzy received. “He is a very impressive young man. In fact, he was just elected National Honor Society corresponding secretary,” Atcheson said.
In this challenge, titled Down the Road: The Search for Maine’s Top Ten Youth Visionaries, students from over 40 middle and high schools throughout the state considered questions like these: “If you were to start your own non-profit, what would the purpose be?” Or, “If you had a million dollars to give to the governor, how you would want him to spend that money?” Or, “If you were campaigning to lead the Department for Inland Fisheries and Wildlife in 10 years’ time, what would your platform focus upon?”
To complete the Down the Road challenge, students, or teams of students, considered their lives in this state in 10 years and used the medium of video to illustrate their vision. The video entries, under two minutes in length, included video postcards, campaign commercials, PSAs, sales pitches and short animations.
Ezzy’s video focused on his idea of a nonprofit venture that would help conserve Maine’s heritage and rich natural resources. “In this video, I created the non-profit organization ‘Life Of Maine,’ that raises awareness and funds to protect the wildlife and natural environment of Maine,” he described on the Meridian website, which features his entry and the nine other Maine winners.
“The depth and range of vision that we received was astonishing and deeply affirming,” said Brett Pierce, executive director of Meridian Stories. “From this cross-section of kids, stretching from Caribou to Cape Elizabeth, the chief concerns on kids’ minds are Maine’s growing homeless population and our stewardship of the environment.”
Rounding out the top 10 were: Brunswick High School, “Dear Governor: Wraparound Works”; Cape Elizabeth Middle School, “Free to Be: Nonprofit”; China Middle School, “Dear Governor: One Million Dollars”; Durham Community School, “10 Years Down the Road: Head of Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Department”; Durham Community School, “See You in 2025”; Freeport High School, “Tabletop Farms: Nonprofit”; Lyman Moore Middle School, “Camp Sunshine”; Messalonskee Middle School, “Charity Profit Recreational Center – Infrastructure”; and Searsport District High School, “The Real Way Life Should Be.”
The entries are all posted on Meridian’s website, meridianstories.com/badges/mapping/downtheroad, on a digital map of Maine, where users can click to see and hear what Maine youth are saying about their perceptions of their own futures.
Maine’s First Lady Ann LePage will host a reception for the top 10 visionaries at the beginning of June.
