HOULTON, Maine — Honor parts for the Class of 2019 were announced Wednesday, May 22, for Houlton High School by Principal James Hodgkin during an awards ceremony.
Alexander Wilde, valedictorian, Houlton Middle-High School.
(Courtesy of Houlton-Middle High School)
Alexander Wilde has been selected as the valedictorian, while Nolan Porter was named salutatorian. First honor essayist selected is Elizabeth Dunn, along with second honor essayist, Jamie Brown, and third honor essayist Jillian Haggerty.
Wilde is the son of Traci Storti of Houlton and Tim Wilde of Houlton. He is an honor student who is in the Gifted and Talented Program and serves as the senior vice president. He is a member of the National Honor Society and a student council member.
Wilde has been a member of the varsity soccer and baseball teams, and Black Hawks hockey team. He is also a member of several All-Academic teams, and also received the Hobey Baker Award.
Wilde travelled to Spain with the Rotary Youth Exchange Program in 2017, and was chosen as a delegate to the Maine Youth in Government program. Other academic awards include a math award for Excellence in Calculus; a social studies award for excellence in CP US History; the Spanish Award, and the 2018 Phi Beta Kappa Association of Maine award. He was named Student of the Month for Excellence in Languages and has earned the State of Maine seal of Biliteracy in Spanish. He has received the College Board’s Commended Scholar Award.
Wilde has been a volunteer at Cary Library, the Learn to Skate program, and also has volunteered time helping with Houlton Middle/High School ‘s After School Program. He has enjoyed time volunteering as a tutor for several subjects including, math, science, English and Spanish.
Wilde was a recipient of the MPA Principal’s Award and an honor for the highest scoring male applicant in the state from the Elks Foundation. He has also received an award as a National Commended Scholar for Outstanding Achievement of the PSAT/NMSQT.
Wilde plans to attend Brown University in the fall where he will pursue a degree in psychology before applying to medical school.
Nolan Porter, salutatorian, Houlton Middle-High School
(Courtesy of Houlton Middle-High School)
Porter is the son of Joe and Misty Porter of Houlton. He is a member of the National Honor Society, a senior class officer, and was selected for Student of the Month during his high school career.
Porter has received awards in excellence for subjects such as calculus, science, and trigonometry. He has been a recipient of the Bausch and Lomb Science Award, and was a Dirigo Boys State representative in 2018. During his junior and senior years, he was a high school mentor. He has been an avid sports player and has earned an award for Most Outstanding player in Volleyball.
While being a varsity soccer and basketball player for the last four years, he served as a captain in both sports. During his time on the soccer field he has been a team member of the 2018 All Aroostook Team, 2018 PVC All-Star third team, and the 2018 Maine Soccer Coaches Regional All-Star Class C title. And on the basketball court he was a team member of the 2019 Northern Maine Regional All-Star Class C, 2019 All-Aroostook, and 2019 PVC All-Star second team.
Porter has been a member on the varsity tennis team for the last two years, and earned awards for the 2017 and 2018 All-Aroostook games. Porter has enjoyed being a volunteer the last four years at the Annual Bill Webber Middle School Soccer Tournament. He has also assisted in soccer field maintenance and field prep work. And also volunteered at Junior Golf.
He plans to attend school in the fall, majoring in software or biomedical engineering. He has been accepted to attend Clarkson University, University of Maine, Wentworth Institute of Technology, Rochester Institute of Technology, and Thomas College.
Elizabeth Dunn, first honor essayist, Houlton Middle-High School.
(Courtesy of Houlton Middle-High School)
Dunn is the daughter of Bart Dunn of Houlton and Nancy Beasley of Tampa, Florida. She is a member of the Olympia Women’s Leadership Institute. She is a member of the National Honor Society, has held the seat as vice president of the student council for four years and serves as vice president while being a senior class officer. She is also a former Student of the Month.
Dunn worked last summer as a museum curator at the Aroostook Museum of History and Art, where she provided tours for guests, opening and closing of the museum, accepted and displayed the donations brought to the museum. She was asked to create a historical art piece for the museum and the town of Houlton.
Dunn has served many positions as a volunteer. She has helped with fundraising events, and painted murals for the Ark Animal Sanctuary. She was involved in the Northern Maine Rural Living Day, Hannah Moores Walk, and also at the Everyone Cares Dinner, in which a free meal is provided once a month for Senior Citizens or those in need of a meal.
Dunn has served as a middle school tutor with the After School Program at Houlton Middle/Senior High School as well. She received awards from the Maine Congressional Art Competition. She has been a recipient of a National Silver Medal and Regional Gold Key in the Scholastic Art Competition. Dunn has also received a Principal’s award and a High School Art award. She plans to study anthropology at the University of Vermont.
Jamie Brown, second-honor essayist, Houlton Middle-High School.
(Courtesy of Houlton Middle-High School)
Brown is the daughter of Jim and Kristy Brown of Houlton. She serves as secretary for the National Honor Society and has been a class officer for four years and holds the seat her senior year as president. Brown has earned Highest Honors in academics all four years of high school and is also a former student of the month.
Some activities Brown has been a part of include student representative for her junior and senior year. A model state representative for three years while achieving Assistant Secretary of the Senate, and Commissioner of Economic Development. She has been an attendee and later became a counselor for Maine Youth Leadership. Also, Brown was a page at the Maine State Senate, and attended law and advocacy programs at Yale University.
Brown’s high school career in sports include the Northern Maine Championship 2015, 2016, 2017 and Maine State Championship in 2015 in basketball; a team member in the State Soccer Championship 2017, PVC Academic Athlete, PVC first team, and All-Aroostook Soccer member in 2018. She has received a Susan B. Anthony award, an AP US History award, a Butch Shaw award, a Cole Museum award, and math awards her freshman and sophomore years.
Her community involvement has consisted of organizing a fundraising event for a local family who lost their wife/mother from cancer. Brown is a part of a project called Helping Bags, which is an assortment of items to be given out to those in need. She was part of a local sports event called Cancer Night where money is collected to help individuals in the community who are battling the disease, and Operation Christmas Child.
Brown was accepted to attend classes at Connecticut College, Wesleyan College, Northeastern University, and Bentley College and several other colleges. She has chosen to attend Bowdoin College this fall and study economics with a major in political science.
Jillian Haggerty, third-honor essayist, Houlton Middle-High School.
(Courtesy of Houlton Middle-High School)
Haggerty is the daughter of Bruce Haggerty and Lily Haggerty of Houlton. She is a member of the National Honor Society and was inducted last year as Head of Community Service. She has conducted several blood drives in the community through Red Cross and has dedicated time to help with the Everyone Cares Dinners, the Ark Animal Sanctuary, and at the Countyy Co-op.
Haggerty has received the Highest Honors Principal award all four years of high school. She has been a Rotary Dinner invite all four years of high school as well. She is a former member of the student council and held positions as a class officer since her sophomore year. Haggerty has been a member of Pep Band and played Intramural Volleyball since her freshman year.
She has been accepted to the University of Southern Maine in the honors program, University of Maine Orono in honors college, Quinnipiac University, and University of Massachusetts Amherst. Haggerty will attend the University of Maine Orono with her studies being pre law.
