LIMESTONE, Maine — The Maine School of Science and Mathematics in Limestone, the state’s first tuition-free, public, residential high school serving students from across the state, recently held graduation ceremonies and announced students’ post-graduation plans.
This year, 45 graduates will head to prestigious colleges and universities in 10 states, and one will travel to McGill University in Quebec. A number of students received merit-based scholarships to attend their schools. Colleges award this money based on scores from the Standardized Achievement Tests (SAT) or American College Testing (ACT).
MSSM’s college counselor, Erica Jortberg, said, “The graduating seniors are pursuing further education throughout the State of Maine, New England, Florida, California, New York, Pennsylvania, Georgia, New Jersey and Utah, many receiving significant merit aid.”
The largest merit-based scholarship this year is $35,000. Winner Kahlan Newsome, a senior from Eddington, Maine, will attend Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y.
Newsome said she learned time management skills while at MSSM. “The encouraging social climate kept me motivated and taught me when to ask for help,” she said.
Student Senate President Scott Gilley from Steep Falls noted, “MSSM has prepared me for Carnegie Mellon University by letting me do hands on research in computational biology as well as giving me a great insight into life in a college-like environment.”
This year’s graduates include the following: Samuel Battcock-Emerson, Kittery; Tobyn Blatt, Brunswick; Brooke Bolduc, Livermore; Stephenie Bragg, Perham; Bailey Chalmers, Lincoln; Richard Cheung, Portland; Lisa Curtis, Princeton; James Cyr, Madawaska; Christopher Evans, Portland; Brett Foster, Fairfield; Tucker Fournier, Saco; Sarah Franklin, Presque Isle; Scott Gilley, Steep Falls; Wyatt Giroux, Wales; David Govoni, Skowhegan; Riley Hagerstrom, Strong; Abigail Hodgkins, South China; Naomi Kihn, Warren; Shterna Kuptchik, Madawaska.
Also, Grace Kurtz, Raymond; Fariel LaMountain, Brownfield; Yijia Liu, People’s Republic of China; Molly Meagher, Richmond; Sasha Michaud, Winslow; Mabel Monroe, South Thomaston; Sophie Moore, Camden; Victoria Moore, Yarmouth; Samuel Murray, Freeport; Kahlan Newsom, Eddington; Reed Oestreicher, Yarmouth; Jackson Perkins, Portland; Kyle Provencal, Richmond; Haili Rahkonen, Morrill; Andrea Rawson, Old Town; Abigail Raymond, Biddeford; Claudia Serban, Bath; Hannah Sha’afi, Levant; Christian Silva, North Waterboro; Aidan Sites, Leeds; Sophia Smith, North Yarmouth; Lily Tedford, Scarborough; Oliver Wainman, Kennebunkport; Mia Walsh, Benton; Samantha Williams, Fairfield; and Samantha Zwecker, Rockport.
The class of 2018 will attend the following institutions: Boston College, Bowdoin College, Carnegie Mellon University, Champlain College, Clark University, Clarkson University, Colby College, Eckerd College, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Harvey Mudd College, Lehigh University, University of Maine at Presque Isle, Maine Maritime Academy, University of Maine, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, McGill University, Mount Holyoke College, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Rochester Institute of Technology, Smith College, University of Southern Maine, Stevens Institute of Technology, Suffolk University, Tufts University, University of Utah, Williams College, and Worcester Polytechnic Institute.
