High School News

High School News Archives

High School Boarding Option with Tuition Discount: If you live too far away to commute to Merriconeag Waldorf High School, call the Admissions Office today, 207-865-3900 Ext. 103, to find out about this exciting offer for the 2011-12 school year.

Read all the latest news in our newsletter, The Tuesday News.

Athletic News - Sports Updates, 12-13-11

Merriconeag Hoopsters Prevail!
      Down by a point against Hebron Academy last Friday with 8 seconds to play, Merriconeag won its first game of the season—25-24—on a last-second shot by sophomore Joe Newlin. Seniors Connor Beckett, with 8 points, and Cyrus Fenderson, with 6, led a balanced scoring attack. Freshman Jacob Haldeman and senior Tyler O’Brien contributed 4 points each. 
      The game was tightly contested throughout. Hebron chipped away at Merriconeag’s 21-14 halftime lead, and finally forged ahead with two minutes to play. After Tyler scored a basket to bring Merriconeag within a point, Joe put the game away with his clutch shot. 
      Every player contributed to the victory. Senior Wyatt McCurdy pulled down key rebounds, and Merriconeag’s less experienced team members—Liam Little, Tim Morse, Sam Leavitt, Lincoln Samuelson, Avery Murphy-Anderson, Dan Morse and Emma Dolan—maintained Merriconeag’s slim lead during the first half of the third quarter, gaining valuable game experience as well.
      The team’s next home game is at the Pineland YMCA on Friday, January 6, at 3:30 against St. Dominics of Auburn. Coach Sloan

There has been a change of date for one of the high school basketball games. The game originally scheduled for Friday, January 20 has been switched to Tuesday, January 17.

Upcoming games are:
Friday, January 6 HOME at Pineland YMCA, St. Doms, 3:30 PM
Tuesday, January 17 AWAY at Hebron Academy, Hebron, 4:00 PM
Friday, February 3 HOME at Pineland - Student/Faculty game, 6:30 PM

High School News - 12-06-11

The High School is coordinating an Advent Food Drive. Collection Boxes will be in the High School, Upper Grades Building, Lower Grades Building, and Early Childhood Center. The boxes will be in place by Wednesday morning, Dec 7th. The last day to donate food will be Monday, December 12. On Tuesday, the 13th, the high school will deliver the food to the Good Shepherd Food Bank in Auburn which supplies food pantries all over the state. Please consider donating non-perishable food items. Jeff O'Brien

High School Reports: The high school sent home quarterly reports via email this past Friday. The email contained a link to your report, with links remaining active for 2 weeks. If you didn't get the report email, had any problems with the link, or wish to receive a paper copy of your student's report, please contact Susan in the high school office at 688-8989 orhighschool@merriconeag.org.

High School Forum Speaker, Dr. Josie Skavdahl:

     Doctor Josie Skavdahl, naturopath and midwife, came to the high school as a Forum speaker on Thursday, Dec. 1st. Under her arm, Dr. Josie carried a small clear plastic box. This was her traveling birth kit. Dr. Josie began by telling the students that as a teenager in South Dakota, she had never heard of naturopathic medicine. Following her interest in nutrition brought Dr. Josie to Bastyr University in Kenmore, Washington, where she finished her undergraduate in nutrition. It was also at Bastyr that Dr. Josie was able to pursue her doctorate in naturopathic medicine. Bastyr is one of the few accredited naturopathic medical schools in the United States.

     The high school students listened with interest as Dr. Josie recounted her personal story. Then, turning to her small plastic box, Dr. Josie pulled out two homeopathic remedies to share with the students. She passed these around as she explained the remedies’ various qualities. Pulsatilla for weepy patients and the popular Arnica for bumps and bruises of all kinds. Both are useful remedies for the birthing room. Dr. Josie clearly explained the premise for homeopathic medicine, and even shared her initial feelings of doubt over the efficacy of such remedies. With her logic, it was impossible for Dr. Josie to explain how these remedies work on a patient. Dr. Josie now is confident that homeopathy offers relief to her patients as she has seen the effects first hand. Students were told that each remedy is unique to a certain set of symptoms and constitutions, and were free to try each remedy without fear of adverse effects. Students tested with gusto! Read more.

High School News, 11-22-11

High School Theme Week—Gender Bending
      We live in the Age of Media. No matter which way we turn, commercial advertisements and their messages will not be far away. The constant white noise of radios, televisions, billboards, iPods, cell phones, computers and more has rapidly become part of humanity’s collective subconscious, but we need to critically reflect on what impact this is having on our thought processes, decisions, and judgment. No one is truly immune to its intrusive effect.
      For our semi-annual Theme Week at Merriconeag Waldorf High School, Drew Wing and Stephanie Bouffard, the Executive and Program Directors, respectively, of the Portland-based organization Boys to Men as well as Jackie Dupont, Director of Programs of the Waterville-based Hardy Girls Healthy Women, led three days of workshops focused on media literacy and gender stereotypes. Through a series of exercises, role playing, and discussions in groups large and small, our three facilitators challenged us to confront some of our own biases and preconceptions.  

     We began on Wednesday, November 16th with the thought-provoking topic of the ever-increasing sexualization of the media. From an early age, American children are exposed to unrealistic ideals that leads to eventual sexual objectification of both men and women. A steady wave of images aims to influence consumer behavior, leading to the financial benefit of marketing and corporate interests and the diminution of the individual. Images of glamorized violence and abuse as well as depersonalized and dismembered human beings robbed of all expression and thought haunt us wherever we go. Media literacy calls individuals to be aware of the imagery to which they are exposed and to critically analyze it for its purposes such as marketing, financial and/or political gain.
      We then proceeded to a subject that would come up again and again over the course of the workshops: the stereotypical depiction of men and women. Separated by gender, students created boxes containing words that described the conventional image of their sex. Among other things men are portrayed as hardworking, callous, and powerful with alove for violence, cars, and attractive women. Women, on the other hand, are depicted as beautiful and talented yet obedient and submissive to their husband or lover. Only a minute fraction of our society can actually exist naturally in such a constrictive stereotype, challenging us to realize that such stereotypical images of gender
are both over-simplistic and inaccurate.
      After the workshops ended, the high school students took on the task of sharing the experience with our eighth grade class, enabling us to further synthesize what we had learned over the past week; an interesting change of role for the students themselves. Brian Watko, Class of 2013

Athletic News - Sports Updates, 11-22-11

High School Soccer Club: 2011 was officially the first year of the Merriconeag High School soccer club. As in any sport's beginning year, there were a few minor setbacks, including, but not limited to, our head coach, Mark Leavitt, getting horribly sick for more than a week, leaving Ingrid Merril, our player coach, who's also the high school German teacher, and Gordon Halderman, who's coaching days were limited to only a few by his schedule, in charge of a raucous bunch of high schoolers. To further complicate things, the team had a huge range of playing experience, some who'd played every year up to this one, and some who hadn't played at all until the first practice.
      Fortunately our coaches handled the practices beautifully, and used all of the resources and time that they had, to teach us the basics of ball handling, passing, and scoring, while making it fun for the more experienced players as well. Despite the fact that the practices were educational, they were also fun, our main activity being scrimmaging, which taught us how to apply what we learned in the field, while also allowing us to kick and yell at each other, which I believe to be just as educational when it comes to soccer.
      Having experienced the first season, I feel like the soccer team is off to a great start, having emerged victorious from the student faculty game at the end of the season, and having gotten more skilled every day in practice, with the considerable help of the coaches. I'd like to thank Mr. Leavitt, Frau Merril, and Mr. Halderman for coaching us, even with many other things going on in their lives at the same time. There was no possible way that it would've worked without all of you contributing, and I would love soccer to happen again next year.

Wyatt McCurdy, Class of 2012

Note: The high school soccer club finished their season undefeated with an easy 5-3 victory over a combined faculty/parent/student team. Thank you to the coaches, Mark Leavitt, Gordon Haldeman, and Ingrid Merrill and to team parent Patty Carton for all of their work to make this opportunity possible for our high school students. Jeff O'Brien

High School Cross Country

Congratulations to the following Merriconeag High School Cross Country runners who were named to the Western Maine Conference All-Star team. Jack Pierce is a First Team All-Star. Teagan Wu and Samantha Pierce are Second Team All-Stars. Zoe Chace-Donahue and Jesse Saffeir each received an Honorable Mention.

Athletic News - Sports Updates, 11-15-11

High School Cross Country

Congratulations to Jack Pierce and the Girls Team who traveled down to Rhode Island to run in the New England Championship Race. From all accounts, it was a great experience for our runners to race at a higher level of competition. For a more detailed account see the team's blog at mwsxcrunningteam.blogspot.com

The fall sports season is officially over. Congratulations to all of our runners and sailors for a great season!

High School News, 11-08-11

Dr. Sagaree Sengupta is the First High School Forum Speaker

of the New School Year: On Thursday, October 27th, Merriconeag Waldorf High School welcomed its first Forum speaker of the year, Dr. Sagaree Sengupta. Sagaree spoke in front of a full house at the high school, as the 8th grade class gave us the pleasure of their company and joined us for Forum and lunch.
      Sagaree Sengupta was born in India and raised in a Bengali family. She came to the U.S. as a child and currently lives in Central Maine. She has written poetry and after many years of teaching, is presently a writer. Sagaree is also a translator, specialist in Hindi, Urdu and Bengali poetry of medieval and colonial India and a textile artist who likes to use recycled fabrics.
      On Thursday morning, Sagaree introduced our students to the culture of the Baul Singers of West Bengal. For centuries, the Baul musicians have been minstrels going from village to village, singing their traditional songs inspired by their spiritual tradition mixing Hinduism, Sufism and yoga. Their music is their religion through which they hope to experience the ultimate truth. Their main instrument is a stringed drone Ektara, so named because it has only 1 string. The other instruments are simple and can be carried around.
      Baul music influenced Rabindranath Tagore, the most famous Bengali poet who received a Nobel prize in 1923.
We listened to a few pieces of Baul music, which at first sounded strange to our Western ears, including a poem by Rabindranath Tagore performed according to Baul music tradition.
      Sagaree Sengupta opened a new window for the students on the variety of music in the world, especially devotional music. I believe all students appreciated this unusual discovery. Madame Whittlesey

Athletic News - Sports Updates, 11-08-11

High School Ultimate

Merriconeag Scores Second Place in Maine's First Ever Ultimate Championship
      Merriconeag's Ultimate Frisbee team awoke early last Sunday to venture up the coast to sunny Northport for Maine's first ever Co-Ed High School Ultimate Frisbee Chanpionship. Six teams in all (Merriconeg, Freeport, Brunswick, Camden Hills, Cape Elixabeth, and South Portland) competed and at day's end Merriconeag came away with a strong second place finish, edged out in the final game by a great team from Cape Elizabeth.

     Superb weather and a most spectacular seaside setting added to this friendliest of competitions as the six teams cheered each other's efforts throughout the day. The level of play was impressive as most of the players involved have now played continuously throughout three seasons (regular Spring play, Summer League, and a new Ultimate season this fall with the advent of the Rising Tide regional team, where all of Merriconeag's players have played side by side with players from the several schools).

     As parents and spectators looking on the fast-paced and outstanding, hard-fought games, it was hard not to marvel at the level of comraderie and 'spirit of the game' conduct that flowed through the day's excitement. Highly skilled play, involving both boys and girls, and all officiated by the players themselves - it was a true pleasure to behold our team in its fourth year.

     Congratulations to the players who, with just one extra player, played four games and brought home a beautiful 2nd place frisbee made of wood!

     Sincere thanks from appreciative players and parents to Mark Leavitt for accompanying the team this Sunday, to the volunteer organizers of the event, and especially to Merriconeag's Coach Rich Young for his continued leadership and love of the sport. Submitted by Michael Fenderson

Merriconeag Girls are Class C State Champions!

Congratulations to the Girls and their Coaches!

Please see race recap below.

Athletic News - Sports Updates, 11-01-11

High School Cross Country

States Recap

Repeat State Champions with a total of 61 points!

     The girls began the race in pack formation, with Zoe Chace-Donahue, Teagan Wu, Sam Pierce and Jesse Saffeir leading the charge. Throughout the race, Zoe moved up steadily, securing 16th place. Sam and Teagan were close behind in 17th and 20th. Jesse and Carlin Tindall helped to cement the win by finishing in front of Washburn's number four in 22nd and 27th places respectively. Emelie Chace-Donahue also went to work, besting every other team's number five except one and finishing 51st. Zoe Oswald did her part, beating several teams' fifth runners for 68th place.

 

     On the boys' side, Jack Pierce raced hard, moving up into 4th place and holding off his competitors in the last stretch. Tyler O'Brien and Zach Neveu again proved that teamwork pays off, pushing each other to 41st and 43rd places, respectively. This week, Tyler out-kicked the freshman in the final yards in his last high school race. Yet again, Ben Tindall had another solid, well-paced race, finishing 71st. Although Lincoln Samuelson, John Burgess and Lars Gundersen began the race as a pack, Saturday it was John's turn to step into the role of fifth scoring runner for Merriconeag in 81st place. He was closely followed by Lars, who finished 82nd. Lincoln rounded out Merriconeag's seven with a 90th place finish.

 

     The boys' team finished ninth overall, with a total of 199 points.

Hope to see you all in two weeks when the teams travel to the New England Championships in Rhode Island.

Coach Morgan Lake Adams

You can keep up with cross country news, photos, meet schedules and directions on the team blog: http://www.mwsxcrunningteam.blogspot.com/

High School News, 10-25-11

Community Service

Merriconeag Mingles with Elders
      Last Monday, one of the three high school community service groups went to visit with the senior residents at the Falmouth by the Sea Nursing Home. This was a rare opportunity for all of us, because it is not often that we younger people have the chance to converse with the elderly and hear about their life experiences. When we first walked in through the doors, the nursing home appeared to be something like a hospital, a sterilized, foreign environment. When we met some of the people who lived there, many of us became unsure of how to behave around older folks. Were you supposed to talk loudly so that they were sure to hear you? Or were you supposed to talk quietly, so as to not wake up the people who were sleeping? Once we began to talk with them, though, we learned that they were all very friendly, knowledgeable people, who were glad to have someone to talk to. It was nice to hear the stories about their lives and their families.

    Many students played music while we were there, which many of the patients enjoyed immensely, but this led to an unusual moment at my table. A lady from West Virginia was sitting next to me, and we were in the middle of a conversation, when she said something that I wasn't expecting, What was that?" I asked.

    "I said, why don't they stop playing that awful music?" she said in a southern accent.

     This was hard for me to believe; what she had called "awful music" was actually Skyler and Ben playing a highly complicated classical piece on the cello and violin. This left me confused until Jack began playing the banjo. "Now that's what I call music!" she exclaimed, and I realized that she simply was not a fan of classical music.

     Overall, it was a great experience for all of us, and helped us to see a part of life that is not necessarily a part of our daily existence. We met some really wonderful people and enjoyed volunteering at the center.

Zachary Neveu, Grade 9

Lunch for 200?

Last Monday a group of high schoolers headed down to the Preble Street Soup Kitchen. Without hesitation we were let in and set to a task. Some of us sorted fresh basil, cut mozzarella, sliced tomatoes and prepared soups. Little time was left before we had to serve. Mr. Sloan's camera flashes and the steamy heat of the sink gave everything a more exciting and real feeling. We served over 200 people. We took turns dishing out salad, soup, burritos, casserole, bread, and desserts. After everyone (including us) was fed, we wiped down all of the tables, and swept the floor; and then we were ready to head back to school. It was a great feeling to leave the Kitchen knowing that, in a small way, we had helped out Portland's neediest population. Emma Dolan, Grade 10

Lifting More Than Their Weight

The high school students at the Good Shepherd Food Bank definitely lifted more than their weight on Monday, October 17. A group of students, collectively weighing only around 3000 pounds, hauled, sorted, and packaged over 7000 pounds of ice cream and other frozen goods with ferocious speed and efficiency, in one case unloading a shipment weighing approximately a ton in fifteen minutes. Another group was tasked with unloading meats to sort, which would then return to the freezer. The shipments kept coming for both of these groups - as soon as the contents of a pallet were sorted and loaded into boxes, another huge pallet would arrive from the cavernous storage areas, and the work would begin again. The students' hands got quite cold and sticky, as leaking and broken containers made for quite a mess at times. Another group had the responsibility of cleaning and weeding the perimeter of the facility, keeping it in top shape for inspections. At the end of their time volunteering there, the food bank was very grateful for the service, and the students were astounded that they could have such an effect. Andrew Hastings, Grade 10

Maine Civil Liberties Union Conference, Thursday, September 20, 2011

     Each year in the high school, our ninth graders study US Government and take a deep look at the Constitution. In fact, they read and summarize every word of the text, giving them a deep and solid understanding of the foundational principles of our country. In tenth grade, we continue the study with the Bill of Rights and other key amendments.

     Last week, I was able to bring the sophomore class to University of Southern Maine in Portland to attend the Maine Civil Liberties Union's conference on the Bill of Rights. It was exciting to bring our eleven tenth graders- including two European exchange students as well as Lucie James, our French intern- to participate alongside 200 other area high school students from twelve schools. It is always great to get the students out into the larger world. Being among the lawyers, law school professors and civil libertarians was a rich experience for the students. It was clear our students were well prepared and ready and able to throw themselves into the constitutional debates that took place in workshops on the first, fourth and fourteenth amendments. These are tough and complex issues and the students were able to wrestle with the nuances well. Does the first amendment protect a student at a school-sponsored event in unfurling a banner reading, "Bong Hits for Jesus"? Does a principal looking into a student's purse for cigarettes and finding marijuana violate the fourth amendment's prohibition on unreasonable searches and seizures? What guidance does the fourteenth amendment and all of the Supreme Court precedent setting cases give us today about using race and Affirmative Action for school admissions?

   I am so pleased with the way our students handled themselves in the various workshops and look forward to next year's conference. I have already been in touch with the coordinator of the conference with ideas and suggestions for next year and how the gathering could better support the work we are doing here at Merriconeag. The Bill of Rights is a powerful aspect of the American experience and a profound penetration of its history, meaning, application and controversies is essential for our students as they step up to take their proper place in American society.  David Barham

A Student's Response to the MCLU Bill of Rights Conference

     On Thursday, October 20th the tenth grade went to a convention on the Bill of Rights and other amendments, most important of which was the 14th Amendment. The 14th amendment protects our rights as stated in the Bill of Rights from being violated by state or local governments.
      We left the Desert Road campus around 8:15 to go to the Hannaford Lecture Hall in Portland and arrived around 8:30. We checked in and headed into the lecture hall along with several other high schools. In the lecture hall we were told how the day was planned out and then we were sent to our different workshops. There were many workshops including Bill of Rights 101, The 4th Amendment, Know Your Rights, Attorney Debate, and The 14thAmendment. I started out by going to Know Your Rights. It covered what to do if you have any interaction with a police officer involving legal matters. Since they were answering the majority of the questions I could tell that the Merriconeag students knew much more than the other students in attendance. I am certain this was due to listening intently in class of course and not from personal experience.

     After that I attended a workshop called Bill of Rights 101. The other Merriconeag students and I didn’t know this, but we could have skipped this one. It turns out, we had covered all of this material already in our Bill of Rights humanities course. When the second session ended we ate lunch (included for free with the conference- you see, there really is such a thing as a free lunch!) and then headed to our last workshop.

     The last workshop I had was Attorney Debate. In this workshop a court case was introduced to us and two lawyers defended each side. Then all of the students had to be a mock jury and come to a verdict. The room was packed and it was definitely one of the most interesting and energetic workshops of the day. After the final workshop we filled out some questionnaires and headed back to the Desert Road campus arriving back around 2:00. All in all, a positive event and I thoroughly enjoyed the day. Sam Leavitt, Grade 10

Merriconeag Girls Win Western Maine Regional Class C Title!

And they did it in 41 points! Please see race recap below.

Athletic News - Sports Updates, 10-25-11

High School Cross Country

Western Maine Regional Meet Recap

     The Western Maine Regional meet at Twin Brook in Cumberland on Saturday featured true cross-country conditions yesterday. The course, after several days of rain and other races, was well-churned and slick in sections. The weather was cool but comfortable and both the girls' and boys' teams responded well to the course.

     On the girls' side, the team worked together, packing five runners into the top fifteen (!) Zoe Chace-Donahue rebounded nicely from last week, starting out at a steady pace and working her way up to a 7th place finish. She was quickly followed by Sam Pierce (9th), Teagan Wu (10th) and Jesse Saffier (12th). Carlin Tindall closed a large gap in the last mile, picking off close to ten runners to finish 15th. This group effort ensured a very low score for the team. Emelie Chace-Donahue finished 33rd, displacing runners from all the other competing teams. Emma Dolan rounded out the seven Merriconeag runners with a steady run and a 55th place finish. Merriconeag girls dominated the meet, securing first place and the Western Maine Regional Class C title in 41 points (runner-up Waynflete finished with 90).

     On the boys' side, Jack Pierce took off at a punishing speed, spending most of the race in fourth until, after biding his time, he passed a Telstar runner to finish the race decisively in 3rd place. Zach Neveu and Tyler O'Brien worked together the entire race, maintaining a great pace and finishing 25th and 26th. Ben Tindall also worked hard, passing a number of runners in the last mile to secure 43rd. Regrouping from last week, Lars Gundersen stepped up to be the boys' fifth runner at 67th. John Burgess (75th) and Lincoln Samuelson (84th) rounded out the boys' finishers on the very muddy course. Merriconeag finished sixth overall, qualifying the boys for the State meet with 161 points.

     Congrats to both the girls' and boys' teams, who will be racing again at Twin Brook at the State meet next Saturday. Hope to see you there! Coach Morgan Lake Adams

The next high school race is on Saturday, October 29,  Maine State Championships at Twinbrook in Cumberland. 

You can keep up with cross country news, meet schedules and directions on the team blog: http://www.mwsxcrunningteam.blogspot.com/

Athletic News - Sports Updates, 10-18-11

High School Cross Country

Western Maine Conference Meet Recap
      The WMC championship meet, after being rained out on Friday, was hosted by Sacopee Valley at St. Joseph's College in Standish on Saturday afternoon. We were lucky to have a beautiful, cool fall day with steady breezes and even some sunshine. The St. Joe's course featured dry wide pathways, but also a narrow start that required a quick initial pace and a section of hilly switchbacks in the third mile called "Monk's Misery". Again, we are grateful to all our spectators and helpers (particularly the timers).
      The girls' team was led by Teagan Wu, who powered through the hill(s) in the last mile to finish an impressive 15th overall. Sam Pierce was close behind, running yet another well-paced race with a strong finish. Jesse Saffeir, coming off a sore quad, nonetheless ran a very courageous race, keeping up with Sam for much of the run and finishing soon after. Carlin Tindall ran the rolling course at a steady pace and again demonstrated a good kick at the finish. Emelie Chace-Donahue paced herself off of Carlin, improving her finish significantly from last week. Emma Dolan rounded out the girls' varsity finishers with a solid effort, catching the Lake Region runner who had outkicked her two weeks earlier. The girls' team finished sixth overall and second in the small school division to Yarmouth.

    In the girls' JV race, Zoe Oswald ran a very smart race, getting out to a good position and then passing a few runners to edge into the top ten with a 9th place finish! She was also the 3rd small school runner.

     On the boys' side, Jack Pierce was part of the three-way competition that made the boys' race a thrill to watch. He finished a very close 3rd overall. Zach Neveu and Tyler O'Brien ran the first half of the race together, with Zach breaking away in the last mile (and continuing to make huge strides with his freshman season). Tyler held steady through the last hilly section, while Ben Tindall, despite lingering congestion, was able to turn in another solid race this week. Lincoln Samuelson was able to maintain his pace in the last mile over "Monk's Misery" and finish strong. John Burgess returned to form this week, keeping pace with Lars Gundersen for most of the run and finishing close behind Lincoln. Lars rounded out the varsity runners for Merriconeag, keeping contact with his teammates for most of the run and showing his kick yet again. The boys finished ninth overall and fourth in the small school division, behind NYA, Fryeburg and Waynflete.

     In the boys' JV race, which experienced an even longer false-start delay than the varsity race, Graham Roeber paced himself well over the the hills and finished strong (and as the fifth overall small school runner).

     Hope to see everyone at Twin Brook next Saturday for the Western Maine Regional meet, which will determine who goes to the State meet this year. Coach Morgan Lake Adams

The next high school race is on Saturday, October 22,   WMC Regional Championships at Twinbrook in Cumberland. Girls at 11:10 - Boys at 11:45

You can keep up with cross country news, meet schedules and directions on the team blog: http://www.mwsxcrunningteam.blogspot.com/

Athletic News - Sports Updates, 10-11-11

High School Cross Country

NYA Meet Recap: The cold temperatures finally arrived right in time for our last regular season meet. NYA hosted at Royal River Park on a fast (but wet) course- the final stretch came complete with a steeplechase-esque puddle that many runners hurdled over on their way to the finish. The day was capped off by a birthday celebration for Coach Ryan and delicious cupcakes made by Zoe Oswald
      On the girls' side, the trio of Jesse Saffeir, Sam Pierce and Teagan Wu went out fast with the leaders. Sam and Jesse battled it out on the final stretch, ultimately crossing the line at exactly the same time. Teagan finished soon after, running the course 18 seconds faster than last season. Carlin Tindall had a break-out race, finishing close behind Teagan and shaking off her Freeport pursuers in the last quarter mile (and also beating last year's time). Emma Dolan locked up the win for Merriconeag, pacing herself right behind NYA's number two for the entire race. Emelie Chace-Donahue and Zoe Oswald finished soon after, bringing in all of Merriconeag's seven runners before NYA's third (!). Zoe O also improved on last year's time by over a minute. The girls' team won the meet, beating Freeport and NYA (Sacopee did not have a complete girls' team).

     For the boys, Jack Pierce racked up his third victory of the season by a comfortable margin (57 seconds). Tyler O'Brien and Zach Neveu paced one another throughout the race, holding off most of the NYA pack in the process. Tyler also posted an improvement over last year's time. Ben Tindall also had a great race, besting his time from last year and running down a Freeport competitor in the final stretch. Lars Gundersen and Lincoln Samuelson pushed each other in the last 200 yards in yet another dramatic Merriconeag sprint to the finish. Graham Roeber continued to make gains this week, and also demonstrated that he has an amazing kick (much to the surprise of one of the Freeport runners). John Burgess finished with a strong effort, bringing all seven Merriconeag runners in before Sacopee's fourth (!). The boys' team finished third, (behind Freeport and NYA) beating Sacopee Valley.

     Please join us at the Western Maine Conference meet next Friday at Community Park in Falmouth- it should be a very exciting race. Coach Morgan Lake Adams

The next high school race is on Friday, October 14,   WMC Championship.

NOTE TIME CHANGE - Girls race first at 3:30, boys at 4:00.

The race is at Falmouth Community Park on Winn Rd in Falmouth. This is 1/8 mile north of Falmouth Rd. Map.google finds this just across from "16 Winn Rd, Falmouth, ME".

You can keep up with cross country news, meet schedules and directions on the team blog: http://www.mwsxcrunningteam.blogspot.com/

Athletic News - Sports Updates, 10-04-11

High School Cross Country

Fryeburg Meet Recap
      Saturday's race certainly had the wettest conditions we've enjoyed thus far this season. The girls raced in an aggressive mist, while the skies opened up for the boys. Despite the mud and soggy shoes, both teams raced well, with a number of runners setting personal records (PRs) for the 5K distance. The meet, well over an hour away from our typical courses, also attracted a healthy number of spectators, outfitted in rain jackets, boots and umbrellas. Thank you to all who made the trip.

     In the girls' race, Jesse Saffeir went out hard and raced confidently, running down a Cape Elizabeth competitor in the last 200 yards and finishing second over all with a new PR. She was quickly followed by Sam Pierce and Teagan Wu, who worked hard to match pace with the competition. Sam set a PR as well, while Teagan ran her fastest 5K of the season. Carlin Tindall ran a solid race, settling in to the pace and running a strong third mile (and, as usual, a strong kick at the finish). Zoe Oswald and Emma Dolan worked together, battling it out with a Lake Region runner in the final stretch. Zoe O also set a PR (by over two minutes!) and Emma also ran her fastest 5K this fall. The girls' team finished the meet second behind Cape Elizabeth, beating Fryeburg and Lake Region.

     For the boys, Jack Pierce went out fast with the lead Fryeburg runner, racing to a second place finish and a new PR. Tyler O'Brien had a great run (despite not having his glasses), keeping pace with Fryeburg and Lake Region competitors, finishing with his fastest 5K time of the season. Zach Neveu also raced very well, again picking up speed in the last mile to try to catch up with Tyler and setting a new PR. Ben Tindall finished close behind, dramatically out-kicking a Lake Region runner in the last 100 yards, also setting a new PR. Continuing on that streak, the pack of John Burgess, Lars Gundersen and Lincoln Samuelson all set PRs, coming in under 21 minutes and racing a Lake Region competitor all the way to the finish. Graham Roeber ran a very good race right behind that pack, improving on his finish from last week. The boys' team also finished second (to Fryeburg), beating Lake Region (the Cape boys' team did not run in this meet).

     Hope to see you all next Friday at our last regular season meet at NYA! Coach Morgan Lake Adams

The next high school race is on Friday, October 7, hosted by NYA. NOTE TIME CHANGE - Girls race first at 4:00, boys at 4:30. The race is at Royal River Park, entrance on East Elm St. in Yarmouth. Map.google finds this at "89 East Elm St, Yarmouth, ME".

You can keep up with cross country news, meet schedules and directions on the team blog: http://www.mwsxcrunningteam.blogspot.com/

High School News, 09-27-11

Mooselookmeguntic Mysteries—

The Ninth and Tenth Grade Canoeing Trip: Last week the ninth and tenth graders went on a four-day, three-night joint canoe/camping trip to Richardson and Mooselookmeguntic lakes. On Monday morning, the two classes were split into two grade-irrelevant groups; one started at the south arm of Richardson Lake and one at Haine’s Landing on Mooselookmeguntic Lake. I was part of the southern group, (aptly named the Rebels). The weather on Monday was phenomenal (at least for us for us); bright sun and clear sky, not too hot, not too cold, with a firm northerly breeze. The time passed quickly on the water, mainly due to Lincoln Samuelson’s amazing (a wee bit off tune) a capella entertainment. Although the day was fun, it doesn’t compare to the evening. As happens during most of the camping trips I’ve been on, a general outcry for ghost stories usually occurs around the campfire. What usually doesn’t happen however, is that someone tells a true, riveting and terrifying narrative about a mischievous spirit and a midnight séance, as calm, serious, math teacher Mr. O'Brien did. He scared our (at least my) pants off. But that’s not all that happened.
      After we had all gone to bed (huddled in the center of our tents in little clumps not sleeping a wink), SOMEBODY came around taunting (more like torturing) us. First it was just a few rustles along the side of our tent, then it was poking and prodding us through the wall of the tent, and then we heard two distinct clicks—someone was unclipping our rainfly. Normally we would have been fine with that, but that night it was scheduled to rain. So very, very slowly, each trying to go second, John Burgess and I crept out of the tent and shone our flashlights where the clicking noise had come from. And sure enough, our fly was unclipped, ready to fly away with the slightest wind. Not only that, but there was no sign of any intruder. At that point John and I dove back into our tent and the relative security of our sleeping bags.
      Then we went through the list of possible culprits. It couldn’t be the girls; they had gone on a group bathroom (outhouse) trip and we could still hear and see their flashlights off in the woods. It couldn’t be the other boys’ tent, because from my experience, teenage boys do not have the self-discipline to keep from laughing when playing a practical joke. So that left us three options—Mrs. Burwell (our art teacher), Mr. Pearson (Ben, our guide) or Mr. O’Brien. We knew it couldn't be Mrs. Burwell (we heard her snoring). So that night we had narrowed it down to two possible culprits, Ben (the more likely) and Mr. O’Brien. The next day we confronted Ben and he put up a very good argument consisting mostly of wishing he had been the one to play the prank... So we moved on to Mr. O'Brien. All he said was “I dunno what you’re talkin’ about,” and averted his eyes, but I saw a twinkle in them. It goes to show you never really know someone until you go on a Merriconeag camping trip with him. Joe Newlin, Class of 2014

Into The Wind—Another Canoeing Perspective: Last Monday we set off on our Mooselookmeguntic Lake canoe trip, each of us confident that our group was the best. There were two groups of 9th and 10th graders: one paddling north from the south end of the lake and one paddling south from the north end of the lake. We planned to meet in the middle on a island to spend the night before going on to end at the very spot from which the other group had started.
      The first day the lake was mostly smooth, but pretty quickly we figured out that we were going to be canoeing into the wind the whole trip. By the time we reached the island on which we would be camping, everyone was tired. The canoe bearing Eli and me reached the island first and right in front of us there was a perfect campsite. We paddled in and got out. Well, it was not our campsite, but it was so perfect, with a wide beach and birch trees, that we stayed there anyway.
      The next day was not quite so relaxing. We woke up to rain and fog. The water had white caps and we were canoeing straight into a strong wind. For the morning canoe, I was paired with Mr. Sloan. Well, quite to my aggravation, Mr. Sloan made me count thirty paddle strokes, each stroke being 2 seconds long, and then yell, "switch!" at the beginning of the thirtieth paddle. After two and half hours, I was nearly crazy from counting.
      When we finally arrived at our campsite, after hours of singing Michaelmas songs and countless rounds of "The Ants go Marching" and "Jeremiah Was a Bullfrog," we burned out. At the island, we met up with the other group, which was full of energy because they had made sails out of tarps and sailed with the wind all the way to the island! After s'mores and a back rub circle however, we were back. We ran around in the woods without flashlights and scared each other. A few times I found my gullible self alone and I was sure that I heard a moose breathing on me. Of course it was not a moose and so after screaming bloody murder into a certain someone's face, I was mercilessly teased.
      After saying good-bye to the other group the next morning, things were pretty uneventful. That's when Mr. Sloan announced that we would be practicing canoe rescue! A few hours later, still shivering from the icy water, we ate the best dinner ever: Annie's Macaroni and Cheese, even after we discovered that Liam is a very literal person--he dumped a potful water on our little stove because Mrs. Pearson told him to put the pot of water on the burner!
      For our last day, the wind was strong and the waves choppy. We braved the weather with lots of singing or, what one might more accurately call, shrieking. When we got to the dock and pulled our canoes out for the last time, everyone was so tired that on the way back in the van, we more or less resigned ourselves to listening to Mr. Sloan’s classic oldies stations. Fiona Chace-Donahue, Class of 2015

Thursday, September 22, 2011 8:43 am, Last full day in Quebec:
Good morning everyone,
      A quick update before leaving for our excursion outside of Quebec City. So far our 11th Grade students have been just GREAT, without exception! We have kept very busy trying to balance cultural experiences, art, history acquisitions, language practice and just plain fun or rest time. We made sure the runners could have their daily run around the beautiful Plains of Abraham. I think they have very much enjoyed it!

     We have been to 3 museums in the last 3 days: first with a brief historical diorama account of the most famous battle of Quebec when the British Conquest started, then to the Museum of French America following the paths of French immigrants, then to the very wonderful Musee de la Civilisation where students chose their exhibitions of choices; I believe they now have a pretty good understanding of the Quebec history. The very serious and official visit to the Parliament was a success. The guide was clear and interesting , the solemn government place inspired respect and awe to all our teenagers.
      On Tuesday, we had a lovely dinner at the most ancient restaurant in Quebec "Aux Anciens Canadiens" where everyone could try traditional Quebecois fare. The maple sugar pie was unbelievable! That day, as it was very sunny and lovely, the students took their instruments to the ancient Place Royale in the lower old town and they displayed their musical talents for the greatest delights of passers by, Quebecois and tourists from around the world. Merriconeag School got lots of positive advertising that day!! Yesterday, somebody stopped us in the street to say how much they had enjoyed the musical performance (instruments and singing)the day before. I was so proud of our kids!

     Last night, we enjoyed a music workshop with Guy Bouchard and his wife Laura Sadowski, in the a very ancient house in the old town. Guy sometimes comes and teaches at Maine Fiddle Camp. As a matter of fact, Jack had him as a teacher before! Guy taught our string musicians a traditional off beat (literally!) Quebecois tune while the non players danced around in a countradance organized by Laura. Great fun! Devon and Skyler demonstrated some Irish step dancing. Then we were invited to go downstairs in the ancient stone vault cellar where a singing workshop was happening with another musician. There, it was a real challenge for our kids to follow the call & response singing in French, sometimes old French. Some started becoming giggly and restless but eventually, they were released from this intense immersion musical exercise. We had to walk briskly to evaporate the last high silly energy before returning to a quiet Hostel!

     Today we are off to visit the gorgeous Canyon of Ste Anne where we shall hike and pass swinging bridges over raging waters. We'll picnic in the park before visiting the Ste Anne basilica on the way back. A very impressive cathedral that inspires awe.
      Tonight, we have our last dinner in a very nice restaurant in the old town before, and it will be our last surprise, a storyteller will take us at night around the dark old cobblestone streets of old Quebec, telling us ghost and murder stories that are part of the Quebecois heritage. Should be fun! Hopefully, they will be tired enough to go right to bed afterward so that we can leave early tomorrow morning. I am keeping the race in mind so I am leaving plenty of time, just in case the border takes longer than planned.

     We hope to be back at the latest at 3pm at Desert Rd, hopefully much before that.

     Great and interesting class to be with. But, I shall be happy to sleep in my bed tomorrow!

All the best from beautiful Quebec. What a place!
Regine Whittlesey

Check out this small video done by our French intern, Lucie: The 11th grade students were improvising some music on the ancient Place Royale in old Quebec. It was the end of the day, before walking back to Chateau Frontenac then the Hostel. They sang, played music and danced to the great joy of passers by and tourists! They received many compliments even though some of them were doing these pieces for the 1st time.
To view the video, please click here.

Hermit Island 2011: Every year for the past sixteen years, senior classes from Waldorf high schools from all over the US have gathered at our very own Hermit Island for a week of camping and the study of marine biology. This year, eight schools were represented: Merriconeag, Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School (MA), Hartsbrook School (MA),

Waldorf High School of Massachusetts Bay (MA), Hawthorne Valley School (NY), Waldorf School of Saratoga Springs (NY), Kimberton Waldorf School (PA), and Lake Champlain Waldorf School (VT.) Including our own eleven seniors, we were close to 100 students strong.

     The week was a wonderful mixture of morning lessons about marine invertebrates, tidal pool observations (including writings and drawings) and afternoon workshops focusing on microscope work, beach ecology, water color painting and writing poetry. In the evenings there were campfires to discuss Rachel Carson quotes about taking responsibility for the environment and share musical offerings, a reading given by a local Maine writer, a very energetic contra dance and more. The trip is a rich combination of learning and exploring, making new friends, solidifying class relationships and living outdoors in a stunningly beautiful place. On the last day, as one looks at the 100 paintings mounted on the walls, listens to some of the poems written on the island, recognizes what the students have learned, and bears witness to newly formed friendships, the richness and wisdom of the Waldorf approach becomes supremely clear.

David Barham

Athletic News - Sports Updates, 09-27-11

High School Cross Country

Yarmouth Meet Recap
      Despite class trips which put a damper on training this week, both the girls' and the boys' x-country teams turned in great performances at Yarmouth this past Friday. The course was a muddy slog over tough terrain and uneven footing, and although the rain held off, it was a humid and overcast afternoon. Spectator turn out was good, however, the course offered few viewing points for supporters.
      The girls' team started the race with a pack mentality. They held this formation for most of the meet, with Teagan Wu, Sam Pierce, Jesse Saffeir and Zoe Chace-Donahue finishing in a solid block and putting Merriconeag in excellent scoring position. Carlin Tindall was close behind, again showing her incredible kick as she passed several Yarmouth competitors in the last 400 yards of the field loop. Emelie Chace-Donahue also ran a strong race, not allowing any competitors to pass her once she had established her position. Emma Dolan and Zoe Oswald worked together throughout the race, passing the competition (while still showing that Merriconeag sportsmanship!) and Zoe again unleashing a punishing kick in the last stretch. The girls finished first, beating Yarmouth, Lake Region and Gray New Gloucester.
      The boys' race was a little closer, with several runners providing key scoring positions. Jack Pierce jumped out to a quick lead, ultimately winning his second race of the season. Tyler O'Brien again ran aggressively this week, placing above expectations and keeping the score low. Close behind him was Zach Neveu, who ran down a surprised Lake Region runner in the final field loop. Ben Tindall and Lincoln Samuelson turned in strong performances, placing all Merriconeag's scoring runners in the top twelve places. Not far behind was John Burgess, who's kick improves week by week. Lars Gundersen also ran a very competitive race, jockeying for position with the competition in the final stretch. Graham Roeber rounded out the Merriconeag finishers, running well on a hard course. The boys finished first as well, beating Lake Region, Yarmouth and Gray New Gloucester.
     This is the first race where the girls' and boys' teams have both won on the same day. Congrats!

Coach Morgan Lake Adams

The next high school race is on Saturday, October 1, at Fryeburg Academy. Merriconeag will be racing Cape Elizabeth, NYA and Fryeburg. The girls run first at 11:30 a.m.. We love to see you there!

You can keep up with cross country news, meet schedules and directions on the team blog: http://www.mwsxcrunningteam.blogspot.com/

High School Sailing

Tim Morse (sailing with Leah Bevins this week) came in fifth out of 15 boats in the Casco Bat Open regatta. Congratulations Tim!

Merriconeag Ultimate

Six Merriconeag Students played for the Southern Maine High School Team in the Bowdoin College Frisbee Tournament this weekend. They learned a lot about playing at the college level.

High School News, 09-20-11

Where Have all the High Schoolers Gone? The 12th grade left Sunday for Hermit Island in Phippsburg to join the senior classes from the Waldorf School of Mass Bay, Hawthorne Valley Waldorf School, Great Barrington Waldorf School, Lake Champlain Waldorf School, and Hartsbrook Waldorf School. They return on Friday around 2:00 PM. Ms. Buck and Mr. Barham are Chaperoning.

     The 11th grade left Monday for Quebec City. They will return around 3:00 PM on Friday. Madame Whittlesey, Frau Merrill, and Mademoiselle James are chaperoning.

     The 9th and 10th grades left on Monday for a canoe trip on Mooselookmeguntic Lake in Rangeley. They will return around 3:00 on Thursday. Mr. Sloan and Mrs. Pearson are chaperoning one group and Mr. Pearson, Ms. Burwell, and Mr. O'Brien are chaperoning the other.. The two groups will camp together on Tuesday Night.

     The 9th and 10th graders will go to the Common Ground Fair with Grades 2 through 8 on Friday. Busses leave Desert Rd. at 8:15 and return at 3:00. Mr. Sloan, Ms. Burwell, and Ms. Flath are chaperoning. Jeff O'Brien, High School Faculty Chair

Athletic News - Sports Updates, 09-20-11

High School Cross Country

York Meet Recap
 Merriconeag traveled down to York last Friday for a very successful race on a fast, flat course. The weather was sunny and breezy, with a welcome respite from the higher temperatures and humidity of the last few weeks. We were joined by our usual legion of spectators and closed out the day with a picnic on the beach. All in all, a wonderful day to race. Athletes on both the girls’ and boys’ team all met or exceeded personal goals set for this race—please congratulate them when you see them!
      On the girls side, Zoe Chace-Donahue cruised out to a very competitive start, racing at a very fast pace and hanging on for fourth place overall. She was followed in quick succession by Sam Pierce, Jesse Saffeir and Teagan Wu, who have become a very formidable pack. They managed to break up runners from both Cape and York, ensuring a low score (a good thing, for all you non-runners!) for the team. Returning to racing form this week, Carlin Tindall put on a late surge to pass a number of York runners and finished the race with a punishing kick. Emelie Chace-Donahue also worked hard to close gaps in the last mile of the race, while Emma Dolan fought hard to stay close on her heels. Zoe Oswald had perhaps the biggest break-through of the day, beating her goal time by a minute and obliterating last year’s time. The girls’ team finished in a tie with York, beating Cape Elizabeth and Poland (!).

     For the boys, Jack Pierce led the pack, striking out on his own around the halfway point and winning his first race of the year. Tyler O'Brien had an excellent race, pushing himself hard against the competition. Zack Neveu kept pace with Ben Tindall for most of the race until he broke away in the last mile with a hard sprint at the finish. Ben, while feeling under the weather, still turned in a very quick time for the day. Lincoln Samuelson also had a stellar performance, significantly beating his goal time. John Burgess and Lars Gunderson worked together again, pushing each other through a very quick first mile and maintaining a steady pace. And congratulations to Graham Roeber, who finished his first high school x-country race! The boys’ team finished behind York and Cape Elizabeth, beating Poland.

     Hope you can join us next week at Yarmouth! Coach Morgan Lake Adams

The next high school race is at Pratts Brook on North Road in Yarmouth on Friday, September 23rd. Merriconeag will be racing Lake Region, Gray/NG and Yarmouth . The girls run at 4:30 pm and the boys at 5:00. We love to see you there! You can keep up with cross country news, meet schedules and directions on the team blog: http://www.mwsxcrunningteam.blogspot.com/

High School Sailing

Tim Morse and his partner (MWS alum, Nina Jarrell) finished second in last Saturday's high school sailing regatta. Congratulations!

High School News, 09-13-11

     Thank you to everyone who made the first few days of school an unqualified success. We are very appreciative of our seniors who welcomed our incoming 9th graders last Tuesday (and included a goodie bag for each one), gifted the entire community with their song "Lean on Me" at the Wildflower ceremony on Wednesday, and organized a fun "Wilderlympics" for the entire high school on Thursday and Friday. They helped get us off to a very good start this year and we thank them for their initiative.

     Thank you to Gina Sawin and our Board for providing the high school with a delicious Mexican buffet and a barn dance to remember last Thursday evening. We thank Monday Night Posse for the music that got us all dancing and we send out a special thank you to the anonymous high school parent who purchased this item, offered by the Board at last spring's auction, and then gave it to the high school.  Jeff O'Brien, High School Faculty Chair

Athletic News - Sports Updates, 09-13-11

High School Cross Country

Congratulations to Jack Pierce who was named one of the Portland Press Herald's "20 Cross Country Runners to Watch." You can read all about it by clicking here.

Merriconeag Meet Recap
      Another Friday, another great race for the x-country teams! Last Friday, September 9th, Merriconeag hosted Falmouth and Gray New Gloucester at their home course. The weather was bright and breezy, with the trails providing some welcome shade. The meet was well attended by family members, classmates and teachers (thanks spectators!). Cookies and other snacks were greatly enjoyed by the competitors.
      On the girls side, Zoe Chace-Donahue recorded her first ever individual victory, battling it out with Falmouth's number one and making her move in the last mile. Working together, Teagan Wu, Jesse Saffeir and Sam Pierce broke up a large Falmouth pack, putting Merriconeag into excellent scoring position. Teagan in particular had a break-out race, passing a number of competitors and hanging on for third place while Jesse and Sam both finished before Falmouth's fourth and fifth runners. Emelie Chace-Donahue rounded out the scoring with a well-paced run. Emma Dolan gave a good effort on the trails despite some shoe issues, working hard to maintain her pace. Zoe Oswald ran very aggressively in the second half of the run, ensuring her a large improvement over last week's time. The girls beat Gray New Gloucester and finished only two points behind a very large Falmouth team.

     For the boys, Jack Pierce again went out with the leaders, in a large pack that narrowed down to just two in the second half of the race when he and the lead Falmouth runner decided to pick up the pace. Tyler O'Brien ran very consistent splits as the lone Merriconeag runner in a very large Falmouth pack. Ben Tindall and Zach Neveu, working together, had a strong race and finished without being passed by a single runner (although there was a little jockeying between the two teammates as they kicked into the finish chute). Lincoln Samuelson turned in another strong effort, working hard on the hills. John Burgess ran an impressive race, improving on his last year's time by over a minute and a half. Lars Gundersen also posted an improvement- a new personal best- while continuing to display an excellent kick in the finishing stretch. The boys beat Gray New Gloucester and finished second to Falmouth. Coach Morgan Lake Adams

The next high school race is in York on Friday, September 16th. Merriconeag will be racing Cape Elizabeth, Poland and York. The girls run at 4:30 pm and the boys at 5:00. We love to see you there!

You can keep up with cross country news and meet schedules on the team blog: http://www.mwsxcrunningteam.blogspot.com/

Athletic News - Sports Updates, 09-07-11

High School Cross Country : Greely Meet Recap
      Merriconeag had a very exciting start to the x-country season on Friday, September 2. It was a beautiful afternoon with clear skies, sun and a light breeze at Greely’s Twin Brook course. We were also grateful to have so many enthusiastic spectators to cheer on the runners throughout the course.

     On the girls side, Zoe Chace-Donahue closed a sizeable gap during the second mile to finish third overall. Sam Pierce and Jesse Saffeir both made their high school x-country debut in an impressive fashion, looking confident and picking off opposing runners. Teagan Wu and Carlin Tindall also ran hard, maintaining their strength through the last mile and giving the girls’ team a good position in the scoring. Emelie Chace-Donahue and Emma Dolan ran a smart race, working together in the first mile and, as the sixth and seventh runners, helped to ensure the tie with Greely with their quick pace. Zoe Oswald, despite having to run by herself, used the opposing runners to motivate herself and finishing with a very good time for the first meet of the season. The girls’ team ended by tying for first place with the much larger Greely team. They also beat Fryeburg and Wells. (Boothbay and Traip did not field full teams).

    For the boys, Jack Pierce started the race off in an exciting fashion by keeping pace with the leader for the first mile and a half. Tyler O'Brien ran a very strong second mile, moving up dramatically. Ben Tindall pushed himself hard throughout the race, displaying real grit in the last mile. Zach Neveu held on for a very strong finish, with a surge that started all the way back at the ‘pain cave’. Lincoln Samuelson also had an impressive freshman debut, beginning the first mile of the race with his freshmen teammates and hanging on through the hills the second time through the A loop. John Burgess ran a very steady, consistent race, holding off teammate Lars Gunderson’s blistering kick in the last 100 yards. The boys’ team ended by finishing third behind Greely and Boothbay, beating out Fryeburg, and Wells. (Traip did not field a full team). Coach Morgan Lake Adams

You can keep up with cross country news on the team blog, http://www.mwsxcrunningteam.blogspot.com/

Who Says Poetry Doesn't Pay?

     Recent graduate Jeremy Colson, one of three Merriconeag finalists in last year's Merriconeag Poetry Festival, received yet another literary award over the summer. He won the statewide competition sponsored by the Maine Writers and Publishers Alliance for his poem "Irrelevant Nonsense." Jeremy earned $200 for his achievement and was feted at a July awards ceremony that also included Maine Poet Laureate and Merriconeag Poetry Festival judge Wes McNair. Jeremy plans to attend Clark University in Worcester, Mass. in the fall of 2012.

    To read about Jeremy's honor in the Portland Press Herald, click here.

Jeremy's winning poem follows:

Irrelevant Nonsense

Strawberry skies and sherbet clouds.
A crepuscular punch bowl.
Licorice lamp-posts
populate the Italianesque boulevard.
A quacking multitude of moustaches
flock south as jimmies on whipped cream.
Crumbling cobblestone crenellations
mix in a castle stew.
Bubble-wrap hillsides
coat sealed wine bottles,
Next to a stack of vanilla wafers,
to be served abruptly and without warning.
I take a bite of polyurethane,
and chew slowly.
A drawbridge tongue mocks me,
so I trample it.
Flinging nonsense like anchovies,
I have seeded the courtyard with vocabulary.
This trans-dimensional blabbering
is pepperoni on pie.
Unfortunately deprived of ginger ale,
I wander into the gatehouse
And contemplate the meaning of beverage.

Commencement Exercises, 2011 - Graduates Take Wing!

Class of 2011: Alexa Perkins, Leif Anderson, Ben McCrave,

Phineas Samuelson, Jeremy Colson, Rebecca Wildes

      Last Saturday, June 11, in a celebratory, yet intimate ceremony, Merriconeag’s second graduating class received their long-awaited diplomas. As is quickly becoming the tradition, each senior entered the Community Hall to live music he or she had specially chosen, from African drumming to a solo vocal rendition of the Beatles’ “Blackbird.” After introductions by various faculty members, each of the graduating seniors then gave a short address about one valued aspect or another of their education. Leif Anderson spoke about memorable class trips; Jeremy Colson about the arts and crafts they learned over the years; Benjamin McCrave characterized the importance of participating on the athletic teams, and how his experience abroad helped him understand the connection between language and culture; Alexa Perkins shared her experience of coming to a Waldorf school from the public sector; Phineas spoke about the challenges of learning German and Russian; Becca Wildes gave “appreciations” to each of her classmates, and extolled the virtues of attending a small school.
      After receiving their diplomas, Leif and Benjamin announced that for their class gift, they would donate the proceeds from their senior play to the fund begun last year by the first graduating class. The aim of the fund is to help finance a new high school on the Desert Road campus within the next few years.
      The keynote speaker, Jonathan Moore, former ambassador to the United Nations, invited the graduating seniors and the audience to consider the merits of public service. He offered several anecdotes from his many decades of work as a diplomat as evidence that, with the proper empathy, we can begin to heal the world.
      High School German teacher Eva McVicar, in her introduction of Phineas, shared a poem by Christopher Logue that perfectly captured the import of the ceremony.

Come to the Edge
Come to the edge.
We might fall.
Come to the edge.
It's too high.
COME TO THE EDGE!
And they came,
And he pushed,
And they flew.

Submitted by David Sloan

Merriconeag's Graduation Key Note Speaker, Jonathan Moore

     Jonathan Moore has worked for over 50 years in humanitarian action, publlic service and education. In Washington he served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, Counselor to the Department of Health, Education and Welfare, Special Assistant to the Secretary of Defense and Associate Attorney General in the Justice Department. He served as Director of the Institute of Politics at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government. As U.S. Coordinator and Ambassador at Large for Refugees, he directed U.S. assistance, resettlement and repatriation programs world-wide, concentrating on Indo-Chinese, Mozambican and Palestinian Refugees. As Ambassador to the United Nations and Representative to its Economic and Social Council, Ambassador Moore led negotiations against South African apartheid and to support African economic development.

    Jonathan Moore is currently Associate at the Shorenstein Center for the Press, Politics and Public Policy at Harvard's Kennedy School and is a Senior Fellow at the Center for Naval Analysis in Alexandria, Virginia.

It was after hearing Jonathan Moore speak at one of the high school forums this year, that the seniors invited him to be the key note speaker at their commencement. 

Key Note Address:                                                              

     Good afternoon. I am excited to be with you all on this wonderful day. It is a privilege for me and I thank you for my being here.
      In the early days of the popular uprising in Egypt, a demonstrator in Tahrir Square, in Cairo, a forty-year-old electrician from Alexandria, exclaimed: “All I cared about before was making a living, but now people have started to care about each other. I feel like I have been born again!” Another surprised and elated revolutionary, a citizen of Adabaneya, Tunisia, observed: “The crisis gives a real sense of unity.”
      Hearing these voices brought two thoughts to mind. These brave resisters not only were fighting to throw off entrenched dictatorship and oppression, but in so doing, in the midst of their ancient differences and separations, they were discovering solidarity and caring which stemmed from mobilization in common cause, for mutual interest. And I recognized this was something U.S. politics lacked right now—a sense of unanimity and consensus characteristic of societies which are committed to inclusiveness and accommodation, and which are seeking some cohesive whole by respecting the opinions and addressing the needs of its various parts. Not factionalism, negativism, division, polarization. And not by giving up individual and group rights and freedom. But comity, not anomie. . . To read the complete transcript of the remarks, please click here.

Congratulations to the Senior Class:

A big thank you to the Senior Class for their gift of the The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail. It was a real treat to see so many characters played by only six students creating scenes that were humorous and but also involving deep transcendentalist dialogue. Each senior shone in one of their final experiences at Merriconeag. Thanks also to Mr. Barham and Ms. Dettmer for helping the senior share this gift with us.  Submitted by Jeff O'Brien

A “Mystic-al” Experience:
      To culminate their study of their final block of the year—The Novel—the ninth and tenth graders traveled to Mystic Seaport last week. Just as they were finishing Herman Melville’s epic novel Moby Dick, the students had the opportunity to go aboard the only remaining whale ship in the world: The Charles W. Morgan, in dry dock at the Seaport shipyard. They received a guided tour from one of the country’s foremost Melville scholars, Mary K. Bercaw Edwards; they were able to go below deck to the cramped cubicles of the mates’ quarters, the blubber room, the forecastle where the common sailors shared a dank and crowded existence. They also went on a “knowledge scavenger hunt,” and in the process had to discover, among other indispensable facts, what a cooper’s “shook” is, and what the “W.” of the Charles W. Morgan stands for.
      As a fitting complement to the Mystic portion of the trip, the classes then drove to Gloucester, Massachusetts where, the next day, they went whale watching and spotted a humpback whale, feeding unusually close to land. Many students agreed that one of the highlights of the trip was the surprising moment that the humpback surfaced literally next to the boat.
      Many thanks to chaperones Regine Whittlesey and Johanna Flath, to the Cape Ann Waldorf School for allowing us to sleep in two of their classrooms, and to Jessica McCurdy’s parents, Bob and Judy Benton. They not only hosted all 18 of us the first night of the trip; they prepared a delicious lasagna supper, as well as a pancake and sausage breakfast the next morning. We couldn’t have been better treated at a four-star B and B! If you’re ever in Connecticut with 15 teenagers and looking for superb accommodations, I know the address. . .   

Submitted by David Sloan

Congratulations to the Merriconeag Ultimate Frisbee Team!  At the State Championship Meet on Sunday the Merriconag Ultimate Team made it all the way to semi-finals (the final four). They won an extremely hard-fought victory over Greely High School to make it to the final four where they lost a gutsy game to Fryeburg. In the game against Fryeburg, Merriconeag Ultimate (MU) did not give up! They were down 7-1 early and fought hard and with a lot of heart to end the season with a 15-10 loss. Best of all, for the second year in a row, Merriconeag won the Spirit of the Game award! Congratulations to Coach Young and MU for a great season.

To view a gallery of photos from the State Championships, please click here.

Poster by senior Jeremy Colson

Senior Class Play: The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail

This Thursday, June 2 & Friday, June 3, 7:00 PM

Community Hall

Admission is $5 at the door

On Wednesday, June 1, there is an open dress rehearsal at 9:30 AM in the community hall.

Grades 4 -11 will be attending. Parents and friends are most welcome to attend.

Senior Class Play: The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail

Thursday, June 2 & Friday, June 3, 7:00 PM, Community Hall

Admission is $5 at the door

     Merriconeag Waldorf School’s senior class is enthusiastically preparing to perform Jerome Lawrence & Robert E. Lee’s classic play, The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail. The play is a dramatic representation of a vital moment in our history, where the 29 year old Henry David Thoreau’s ardent refusal to pay his taxes- in protest to the United States government’s involvement in the Mexican War- landed him in prison in his home of Concord, Massachusetts. This famous act of civil disobedience- daring and unprecedented as it was- is merely the departure point in this celebrated drama. As the play progresses, we come to understand what motivates this brilliant, independent and ever-unorthodox writer and thinker.

     Written and first produced in the 1970s the play is a story of protest as well as of enlightenment. By turns wise, funny, perplexing and sad, The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail is much more than the ruminations of one man in one place in one night. The play explores the crossroads of responsibility, conscience and democracy: the self, the choices we make as human beings and the dilemmas we face as members of society.

     George Oppenheimer in Newsweek Magazine called it, “A Superior play, a literary work as well as a theatrical experience. Scene after scene moves you to laughter or close to tears.”

Submitted by David Barham

Seniors Present Fruits of their Internships:

     This year's seniors may be Merriconeag’s second graduating class, but they were the first students ever to go on three- or four-week internships. And did they ever go! Four of the Class of 2011 took advantage of the opportunity to travel—to Nevada, France, even Tanzania in Africa! Last Friday, these pioneering seniors shared their experiences with the rest of the high school. Leif Anderson spoke of his memorable time working at a Creperie in Divonne-les-Bains, France and living with long-time friends of Madame Whittlesey. For months before the actual internship, Alexa Perkins spent many hours fund-raising over $1000 for an orphanage in Tanzania. In mid-April, the entire Perkins family spent nearly a month at the orphanage caring for the children. For his internship, Phineas Samuelson worked at the Catholic Charities in Portland, assisting immigrants in obtaining employment. Jeremy Colson also remained local, writing an online user's manual for a local computer programmer who is writing software for bank managers. Benjamin McCrave and Becca Wildes each flew out to Nevada; Ben interned at a ski resort, and Becca worked at an animal shelter.
      From their presentations, often accompanied by photos, the audience could appreciate the richness of each senior’s experience. Next year’s twelfth walked out of the talks abuzz with possibilities for their own internships!

Submitted by David Sloan

Sophomore Brian Watko's oil pastel, Seascape 6: A Visual Opera of Soothing Delirium, to be exhibited in Augusta: The Maine Arts Commission, in partnership with First Lady Ann LePage, the Maine Art Education Association and the Maine Alliance for Arts Education issued a call for student art for inclusion in the Spring 2011 Maine Youth Excellence in Art exhibition at the Maine State Capitol Complex in Augusta. Brian Watko's oil pastel was submitted and chosen to represent artistic excellence from a K-12 student. Selected works will hang in various locations including the Capitol Building, The Burton M. Cross Building, and the Blaine House from late May until September/October. Selected artists, their families and teachers are invited to an opening reception at the Blaine House on Tuesday May 31st from 2-4:30 pm where student artists will receive a certificate and medallion in recognition of their artistic excellence. Congratulations, Brian!

An Electrifying Evening:
Congratulations and thank you to the 12th grade for giving us a wonderful evening of senior project presentations. The selection of projects this year ranged from the local--Leif Anderson's portrayal in photos and prose of the residents of Libby Road in Pownal--to the global--Ali Perkins' fund-raising and trip the an orphanage in Tanzania. Two projects worked with the idea of communication: Becca Wildes learned American Sign Language, and Phineas Samuelson started his studies in Russian. The remaining two projects presented last Thursday evening were Benjamin McCrave's work at Maine Huts and Trails, and Jeremy Colson's homemade Tesla Coil that convincingly displayed the transformation of 120 Volts to over 50,000 Volts. Great job seniors! Submitted by Jeff O'Brien

From Pinch Pots to Pageant: The High School's contribution to this year's May Celebration and Medieval Faire was a great success. Students acted in the pageant, helped with games and archery, provided music, and made and sold pinch pots. The Faire was enlivened with high school energy and humor.

     A big thank you to Mr. Barham for spearheading the pageant and to Ms. Burwell for her coordinating the making and selling of pinch pots.

Merriconeag Poets Honored at 2011 Poetry Festival

     Maine’s newest Poet Laureate, Wes McNair, visited Merriconeag on Sunday, May 1, to pay tribute to the twenty student finalists he selected for Merriconeag’s Fourth Annual Poetry Festival. Students from ten different schools received recognition, but only perennial “poetry powerhouse” Scarborough and North Yarmouth Academy fielded more multiple honorees than Merriconeag’s three finalists. Seniors Leif Anderson and Jeremy Colson were joined by freshman Emma Rhodes-Armstrong in yet another strong, host school showing. In fact, since the Festival began, only Scarborough and Merriconeag have had multiple finalists every year! Leif was a repeat finalist; he was awarded second place two years ago.
      Many thanks to Deeda Burgess, Gina Sawin and Johanna Flath for organizing the elegant reception after the program, to Christine Sloan, Lyn Baird and Greta Parsons for their invaluable assistance, to Jack Pierce, Skyler Samuelson and Ben Tindall for providing music both to begin and end the program, to alumnus Jake Lyscars for taking photographs, and to Matt Rawdon for once again volunteering his time to create the festival booklet and poster.
      To read Leif’s, Jeremy’s and Emma’s winning poems click here.

Submitted by David Sloan

High School Coffee House Soars on the Wings of “Merriconeag Air”
      At the Friday night Coffee House, a large and enthusiastic audience was treated to a delightful evening of entertainments aboard Merriconeag Air. The introduction by flight attendants, Liza Simmons and Tyler O’Brien primed us with its ingenuity and humor. Their recommendation to buckle up, partake of the savories and enjoy the performances to come was eagerly accepted.
      What followed was a truly inspiring illustration of the talent that fills the high school. In the tradition of a true variety show, there was poetry, prose, song, dance and eurythmy. Group poems were presented in German by students studying that language and in French by ninth graders. It was impressive that so many students in all grades had individual offerings with many sharing their talent on more than one occasion. Brian Watko’s Interviews With Brian scored a much sought after interview with Rudolf and Marie Steiner (channeled by Liza and Tyler), had the audience in stitches and has Jay Leno and Conan O’Brien concerned about their job security.
      There is a wealth of talent in this small school and it was evident Friday night. What we heard and saw (and ate) were a treat to mind, body and spirit. If this unfortunately brief summary of the evening’s events does not stimulate a measure of regret in the minds of those who did not attend, well, it should. Thanks are extended to all the faculty and parents who organized the event and especially to the students that created a memorable evening. Book your seats early for the next flight on Merriconeag Air.  Submitted by Jeff Tindall

Congratulations to the class of 2011!
The class of 2011 has received a record number of acceptance letters this year. Colleges do seem to be very interested in accepting Waldorf educated students as they try to build diverse freshman classes. The list of colleges that have accepted Merriconeag High School seniors has grown to 36 schools which is very impressive considering we have only had two small senior classes!

Colleges and Universities that have accepted Merriconeag seniors: Alfred University - School of Engineering, Antioch College, Bard College, Becker College, Bennington College, Centre College, Champlain College, Clark University, Colby Sawyer College, Colby College, Endicott College, Evergreen State College, Franklin Pierce College, Gettysburg College, Goucher College, Guilford College, Hampshire College, Hobart and William Smith College, Husson College, Kalamazoo University, Lasell College, Lewis and Clark College, Johnson and Wales College, Skidmore College, St. John’s College, (NM), St. Lawrence University, Roger Williams College, Rochester Institute of Technology, University of New Hampshire, University of Maine – Orono, University of Maine – Orono, School of Engineering, University of Maine – Farmington, University of Southern Maine, University of Puget Sound, University of Vermont, Warren Wilson College.

High School Students Garner More Literary Glory! 

       Two Merriconeag students have had their poetry accepted in a regional poetry contest sponsored by The Telling Room in Portland.  Junior Evelyn Pennoyer and senior Alexa Perkins, whose essay also recently won the high school division of the Slow Food Writing Contest, will be honored at a celebration of all of the contributing young authors at the Portland Public Library on Thursday, May 5, at 7pm.  Their winning poems follow:

Sailing by Evelyn Pennoyer

I sit, tied to the dock,
Waiting for someone to come along
To step into me and pull the
Ropes hanging from my mast,
To untie my bowline
And push me out onto the cold water.
To feel the slap of the waves beneath my stomach,
The wind, filling my rising sails,
Feeding them till they grow fat and
Round.
Dipping and gliding and leading me between
Geysers of white spray,
Letting the wind push me over and the water to
Bear me under, to hold me tightly,
Only to roll back up into the
Cold wind,
Pulled back up by the weight of a sailor
On my centerboard.
And then,
I would spread my sails out like a
Gull drying its feathers in the breeze and
Take flight.

11 Stages of Play by Alexa Perkins

1.
Cheeks are inflated,
Then stretched out from
The sides of a face.
Gooing and Gaaing,
Mommy stands over
The giggling baby below.

2.
She searches mom’s closet.
Finding lace ankle-long dresses,
Sun-stained straw hats,
And a pretty pink parasol.
She struts the empty kitchen
A simple game of dress up.

3.
Sandals and sun hats,
Lay in four corners
Of the well kept lawn.
Daddy tosses a
Puppy gnawed baseball,
With a WHACK!
It’s gone.

4.
Sit bones perched
On a cold rusted
Fold up chair.
Both feet flat on the floor.
She plucks away at a
Violin, until notes meet applause.

5.
Crinkling of paper programs,
Lights beat three times in warning.
Then all is dark.
Until the maroon corduroy
Curtains reveal her.
She stands in costume,
Ready to portray a part.

6.
Her vein-laced eyes, hold
Packed bags
Below them.
Clicking and shooting sounds
Fill the living room.
A crunched-up potato chip bag
Lies dead on the carpet floor.

7.
Fingers text.
Her pink bedazzled phone
Vibrates a town away.
The rest of the body
Sits between two
Short-skirted school girls.
And the eyes wink
At floozies flaunting by.

8.
Ping-pong balls fly
Through the dorm room,
Kur-Plunk into plastic red cups.
Hoots howl
From boozed breaths
And baked brains.

9.
Sitting at a park bench,
She unclips the leash.
Chasing each other,
Nipping at ears,
The hounds
Bark in laughter.

10.
Super bowl Sunday,
She sits beside her beau.
His voluptuous stomach,
Reaches towards a beer.
Cheering they watch the
Repeats.
Absorbed in the game.

11.
Taking her time.
Her aged hand shakes
As she twirls the spinner.
With grand kids
And husband beside,
She plays the Game of Life.

Dartmouth Model UN Conference, April 1 - 3

     Twelve students in the Model UN class headed out a day early and beat the snowstorm to Hanover, NH for the Dartmouth Model UN Conference 1-3 April. The students took advantage of the extra morning to have “skype” conversations with international experts in Geneva (on Sudan), Berne (on Swiss history), Nairobi (on the Horn of Africa and Uganda) and Costa Rica (on Panama and Trafficking in Women), and to finalize position papers for the event. The good folks at the Chieftain Inn turned over their common area to us (including the kitchen, living room, dining room and at one point the office!), and it became our own personal “delegates lounge”!
      The students all were engaged and did a fantastic job representing their countries, or their roles in special committees. They spoke clearly and well and maintained “decorum” throughout the whole event. They participated in the Disarmament and Security Committee (DISEC), the Social, Humanitarian and Culture Committee (SOCHUM), and the Legal Committee of the General Assembly; a special historical simulation on the Kellogg-Briand Pact and the Mosul Arbitration debates in the League of Nations; the World Trade Organization (WTO); the 17th Conference of the Parties on the environment (COP17); the International Court of justice; and special “crisis committees” – the United States Cabinet (as Director of National Intelligence) and the African Union.
      With over 400 student delegates from 27 schools, it was a challenging and exciting weekend, and the students did a great job! They participated in nine different committees, and out of the 16 awards given, they received four of them:

•  Devon Murphy Anderson won Best Delegate, the golden gavel award, for her work in in SOCHUM (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural Committee)
• Andrew Hastings was given an Honorable Mention for his work in DISEC (Committee of Disarmament and International Security)
• Cyrus Fenderson was named Outstanding Delegate in the AU (African Union)
• Wyatt McCurdy was named Outstanding Delegate for his work in the WTO (World Trade Organization)

     And best of all, in the words of one of the delegates, everyone “had a blast”. From all reports, the Delegates’ Social on Saturday night was good fun, too!
      Special thanks to Johanna Flath who accompanied and assisted throughout the weekend with warm humor and efficient touch, as well as considerable culinary expertise.
      It was a fine weekend, and a fitting to this year’s Model UN Elective!  Submitted by David Whittlesey

A Student View of The Dartmouth Model UN Conference by Sophomore Brian Watko

       This past weekend, twelve MWHS students participated in the Sixth Annual Dartmouth Model United Nations Conference in Hanover, New Hampshire. Phineas Samuelson, Tyler O’Brien, Sophie Simmons, Cyrus Fenderson, Devon-Murphy Anderson, Wyatt McCurdy, Emelie Chace-Donahue, Connor Beckett, Carson Davis, Ben Tindall and I made up delegations of Uganda, Switzerland, Panama and Sudan in eight committees as well as a judge on the International Court of Justice and President Obama’s Director of National Intelligence.  

     Our journey began abruptly Thursday evening. Although we were scheduled to set off on Friday the 1st around midday, an unexpected April blizzard threatened to prevent us from reaching our destination. Taking the initiative, our fearless chaperones/supervisors David Whittlesey and Johanna Flath refused to risk the elements and instead brought us to the Dartmouth area the night before. By morning, the snowless New Hampshire landscape was transformed into a snowy scene straight out of winter. Friday was spent on the rapid completion of unfinished position papers, with trips to the college’s library and video conferences with subject experts around the globe.

     At six o’clock, all the participants convened in the Hopkins Center building. Representatives from twenty-five schools hailing from Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, New York, Rhode Island, California, and Osnabrűck, Germany were in attendance. After an opening speech by the University of Michigan’s Political Science Professor, Allan C. Stam, DartMUN was called to order. Soon, the crawling mass of students in Western business attire flooded the sidewalks of Hanover to reach their committees.

     The next three days were spent by all members of our two-year old club in fierce debate. Alliances were formed, rivalries brewed, resolutions were written, passed and failed. While the average hustle and bustle of any Model UN conference went on in General Assemblies, those in one of the two Crisis Committees had to deal with a new kind of stress. Delegates were “kidnapped” by men in black suits, received death threats via video conference and e-mail, , and were pitted against the inevitable outbreak of what was essentially a third world war.

     Andrew Hastings ‘14 received an Honorable Mention for his

representation of Panama in the Department of International Security, Cyrus Fenderson and Wyatt McCurdy, both ‘12, made out with the Outstanding Delegate award for their portrayals of Uganda in the African Union and the World Trade Organization, respectively. Finally, Devon Murphy-Anderson, ‘13, received the Best Delegate award (along with the prestigous Golden Gavel) for her representation of Panama in the Social, Humanitarian , and Cultural Commitee. All in all, it was an excellent turnout for all who participated; and not too shabby for a club that’s only two years old.

Merriconeag Poetry Festival Finalists Selected: Three Merriconeag Students are among the twenty finalists that Wes McNair, Maine’s new Poet Laureate, has selected from ten area high schools, in the contest portion of the Fourth Annual Merriconeag Poetry Festival. Freshman Emma Rhodes-Armstrong and seniors Jeremy Colson and Leif Anderson will be honored with the other student-poets at an awards ceremony and reception in the Community Hall on May 1. This is the second time Leif has been selected as a finalist during his high school career.
      The event, from 3-4:30 p.m., is open to the public and will feature the student-poets reading their prize-winning work. As Festival judge, Mr. McNair, nationally acclaimed author of eighteen books, will read his own work as well and speak briefly on the power of poetry. He will also reveal the first, second and third prize winners, whose poems will be displayed on a poster to be distributed to all high schools in the region. All finalists will receive gift certificates and a festival booklet containing all the selected poems.
      The Festival, announced in late January, invited all public and private high school students in Cumberland, Androscoggin and Sagadahoc Counties to submit their work, which could be on any subject and in any poetic form. It was a “blind judging”; entries were only identified by titles, so the judge had no idea about the identity or school affiliation of the poet. Of the schools whose students were selected as finalists, North Yarmouth Academy, Merriconeag Waldorf High School, Scarborough, Falmouth and Gorham High Schools all had multiple winners. Ex-Merriconeag student Aldis Gamble, currently a student at North Yarmouth Academy, is one of the finalists.
      The Festival was made possible, in part, by generous grants from the Maine Art Commission and the Stephen and Tabitha King Foundation, as well as by donations of gift certificates from several local bookstores, including Longfellow Books in Portland, Sherman’s in Freeport, and Gulf of Maine Books in Brunswick.
Submitted by David Sloan

Congratulations to Zoe Chace-Donahue who was named to the Maine Sunday Telegram All State Girls High School Nordic Ski Team. To see the list, click here.

The Western Maine Conference All Star Boys' Nordic Team featured Merriconeag's Jack Pierce. The girls' team included Merriconeag's Emelie Chace-Donahue and Zoe Chace-Donahue. Congratulations to all of our all-stars for a job well done! Read the article in the Forecaster.

Monday, March 28th was the beginning of new Morning Lessons. We have two guest teachers for the next three weeks. Connie Gerwin is teaching "Probability" to the 9th grade and David Levi is teaching "Rise of the West" to the 11th grade. Mr. Sloan will be teaching Greek History to the 10th grade.

The 12th graders have embarked on their three week internships. Becca Wildes is working at an animal shelter in Nevada. Benjamin McCrave is job shadowing with the ski patrol in the Rocky mountains. Leif Anderson is learning how to flip crepes in France. Ali Perkins will be at an orphanage in Tanzania. Phineas Samuelson is working with immigrants in Portland. Jeremy Colson is programming computers locally. We are looking forward welcoming them back and hearing of their experiences. They return after April vacation.

What Does it Mean to be Free? Theme Week, March 21 through March 23:  Last week our high school students spent their second theme week of the year in a variety of activities, contemplating the question, What does it mean to be free? Teagan Wu (10th grade), Emma Rhodes-Armstrong (9th grade) and Wyatt Dowling (11th grade) write about their experiences below.

"There Is No Easy Walk to Freedom Anywhere” by Teagan Wu
     For theme week the high school explored the topic: What does it mean to be free? On Monday, we had the privilege of hearing a keynote speaker from the Universalist church in Yarmouth named Jennifer Lentz. We engaged in a deepening discussion on what it really means to be free. Freedom has always been a struggle, for as Nelson Mandela once said, “There is no easy walk to freedom anywhere.”
      We all agreed that with freedom comes responsibility. We were able to look inside ourselves and think about how freedom affects our lives and those around us. How is it living in a world where the media tries to control us? In the afternoon, a man named Drew Wing gave a workshop on the media and how it affects our freedom.
      Early Tuesday morning we drove to Boston for an exciting trip to a medium security prison. We had an inspiring and truly amazing talk with ten inmates from the prison. Throughout our discussion, we found that each prisoner was able to talk straight from his heart, despite their very difficult backgrounds. It was amazing how much they cared about educating young adults. We walked away from the prison with a greater appreciation for the people we love, and the freedom we have each and every day.
      In the evening, we enjoyed an exciting musical production of Hair, which gave us a picture of life as a hippie in the late 60’s. Not boring! After a long day, we stayed overnight at the Massachusetts Bay Waldorf School. Getting into the vans the next morning, all of us drove away with a new view of the world and a greater understanding of freedom.

Are We Really Free? by Emma Rhodes-Armstrong
      During this Theme Week, the topic we were looking at was freedom. What does it really mean? It is such an ambiguous term; it could mean physical freedom, psychological freedom, freedom to express oneself, freedom to do what we like… it means something different to everybody. On Monday morning, Jennifer Lentz, a Unitarian Universalist minister spoke with us about what freedom means to her, asked us questions, and had us debate related topics. Later, we split into groups and held brief discussions before lunch, after which another speaker, Drew Wing, talked to us about freedom within the media. He presented a short slideshow and part of a film about women and the ways they are portrayed in the media. He also brought up some questions. Are we really free? Are we really impervious to external influences telling us who to be, what products to buy?
      The next day we drove down to Shirley, Massachusetts and visited a medium-security prison. We spoke with ten of the inmates, heard their stories, and asked them questions. It was an amazing experience. While many of these men had been convicted for murder, they were incredibly insightful and aware of what they did and where they are now. It was very interesting to hear what freedom meant to them, and to hear the advice they had for us. Later that evening, we went into Boston to have dinner, and watched a fantastic production of “Hair.”

  Many of these experiences, particularly the visit to the prison, changed our views of what freedom can mean, and made many of us reconsider the truth of our preconceptions. Overall, from discussions and debates to prisons and musicals, the Theme Week has been an eye-opener, and a great success.

Enlightened Inmates by Wyatt Dowling
     For our second theme week of the year, we discussed what it meant to be free. On the first day, we heard from a couple of speakers and held discussions on what freedom meant to each of us. On Tuesday we drove to Massachusetts to visit a prison and to speak with a few of the inmates. This was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. There we were, sitting just a few feet from men who were serving life sentences for horrible crimes, and they seemed more enlightened then almost anyone you would meet out in the world. Now that they had lived out some of their punishment, some even for taking the lives of others, they had a stronger understanding of life than anyone I have ever met before.
      After this incredible experience, we went to Boston for another, very different one. We attended opening night of Hair, which has become my favorite musical, by far. The week as a whole was an unforgettable time. It makes me appreciate going to a school where we take time away from our studies to do things like this. This may have been the best theme week yet; I cannot wait for the next one.

Essayists impress in Slow Food Portland's inaugural Young Food Writers Competition: As we mentioned back on March 1, Merriconeag Senior,

Ali Perkins won the Grand Prize in the grades 9 - 12 Slow Food Portland Young Writers Contest. We are also pleased to report that Merriconeag Fourth Grader, Wilson Haims received Honorable Mention in the contest. Ali read her essay at a gathering at Space Gallery in Portland on March 10 and she was featured in the March 16 edition of the Portland Press Herald. To read the article which includes Ali's essay, please click here.

Model UN Conference in Wilton, NH:

On 19 March, 14 MWHS students participated in the High Mowing School Model UN Conference in Wilton, NH. The students made up delegations from 7 different countries, three in the Security Council Session that debated “ the situation in the Middle East: the Palestinian-Israeli Peace process”, and “UN Security Council reform”; and four in the General Assembly that tackled “making International Aid more effective” and “improving the International Criminal Court”.
      The students did an excellent job addressing the issues and representing their country positions. They were active in drafting, sponsoring and supporting resolutions to respond to the issues, and in debating the drafts that were presented. The students worked very well in pairs, and were at the heart of the conference the entire day.
      Special thanks to the High Mowing School for hosting the Conference,

and for making us welcome for the night as well. After dinner and the conference closure, we joined some of the High Mowing students around a fire pit for “s’mores” under a huge full moon. We closed the long day watching the movie “Inception” – all in all, a fine day!

Submitted by David Whittlesey

High School Forum - Ambassador Jonathan Moore
      Last week, the high school was very honored and privileged to host Ambassador Jonathan Moore who came, invited by M. David Whittlesey, to participate in the Model UN class. We took advantage of this opportunity to invite Ambassador Moore to our monthly Forum as well as have a conversation with the 9th grade class who had recently studied US government.
      Ambassador Moore came through to the students as a man of high probity, in quest of truth and integrity through his understanding of world affairs. He approached his talk with kindness and lucidity, explaining for example how everything is interrelated such as pessimism and optimism, when it comes to world affairs. Read more.

We are so grateful for the visit to Merriconeag School by this highly respected international diplomat!
Submitted by Regine Whittlesey

A Student Perspective on the forum:   Don’t let his age fool you. Ambassador Jonathan Moore’s mind is sharper than most others you will encounter. This becomes clear as soon as he begins speaking and presenting his ideas coherently, lucidly and without hesitation. In addition to, and perhaps because of, his great experience on both the domestic and international level, Ambassador Moore provides startling insights of our world today and what steps must be taken to live in a healthy and sustainable manner. One of the most surprising parallels he drew was between the rich-poor gap and the speed and ease at which information travels. He pointed out the effect on poor people of having ready access to images and videos depicting lives of opulence and waste. This appears blatantly obvious but it is an aspect I, and I know most of my peers, never thought of before. Ambassador Moore’s main point, one he came back to again and again, was that we Americans, as individuals and as a nation, need to accept a role of responsibility, not entitlement. We as individuals rely on all the members of our community, whether it be our family, neighborhood or the planet, and we must think of our communities in return, not only of ourselves.
      Many thanks to Ambassador Moore who took time to travel to Maine in order to speak to the Model UN class and to the whole High School in our Forum. Ambassador Moore also shared some insights with the 9th grade class after their work on US governement. We all profited greatly from his wise and interesting insights.

Submitted by Ben Tindall, Grade 10

The following thank you letter from some of our students in our high school's Model UN Club recently appeared in the Maine Chapter of the United Nations Association Newsletter:

On January 15, it was a great a great pleasure for us to attend the luncheon and talk by Edward Elmendorf which was part of the UNA annual meeting. The four of us are part of a class of 14 students at the Merriconeag Waldorf High School in New Gloucester who are participating in a Model UN class, and will attend MUN Conferences at High Mowing School and Dartmouth later this year. This was a real opportunity to get a first-hand view about the role of the UN from someone who has been directly involved for several decades, and to meet and talk with UNA members about the UN today. (We also had a delicious meal for which we are most grateful!)
      The Model UN process is exciting and informative, as it brings us face to face with many of the difficult issues facing the world today, not from our somewhat isolated perspective from small towns in Maine, but by putting us in the shoes of delegates from countries around the world and debating in a setting that closely follows the United Nations reality. In addition, meeting and discussing with people who have personal experience with the UN, including Mr. Bradley Babson and Ambassador Jonathan Moore who will be joining our class in March in addition to Mr. Elmendorf, makes the experience that much more real and alive.
Again, many thanks to UNA Maine for inviting us to attend!
Cyrus Fenderson, Wyatt McCurdy, Phineas Samuelson and Brian Watko

David Sloan has more poems published:

     As you may recall, David Sloan, Merriconeag High School’s Humanities and Drama teacher, is an accomplished poet. He recently had two poems, The Spaces Between and The Fire Starter published in the Winter 2011 edition of The Cafe Review.

   In the fall, David's poem, Lines in Algonquin, won Honorable Mention in Carpe Articulum Literary Review’s 2010 Poetry Competition. David has also had poems

published in the Northern New England Review, and was a prizewinner in the Friends of Acadia Nature Poetry Contest.

Merriconeag Waldorf High School Cross Country Coach, Tom Ryan has been named Coach of the Year by the Maine Track and Cross Country Coaches Association. This is in addition to his being named Girls XC Coach of the year by the Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram in November. Coach Ryan will be presented the award at the annual luncheon of the Maine Track and Cross Country Coaches Association on March 19th. Congratulations, Coach!

Merriconeag Girls are Class C Nordic State Champions

     At the Class C State Championships in Rangeley last week, Merriconeag Girls came in first to become the Class C Nordic State Champions. Placing the top four in places 1-7 in the classic race was a real accomplishment.

     Zoe Chace-Donahue became Class C State Champion in both Classic and Freestyle. A great performance!

     Emelie Chace-Donahue and Teagan Wu raced well with Emelie runner up in both races and Teagan getting just blocked out of a third place in the classic race. Carlin Tindall saved her best race for the classic to seal the win for the girls. Strong performances by Sierra Jeffers and Lily Tupper rounded out a great week in Rangeley for the Girls Team. Congratulations to our State Champs and their wonderful coach, John Tarling!

High School Nordic Skiing

Merriconeag High School's Nordic Ski Team in Rangeley on Thursday

     Congratulations to our Nordic Skiers! The High School Nordic Ski Team capped off another successful season last week. At the Class C state championships in Rangeley, the Girls came in first to become Class C State Champions and the boys team also skied very well finishing 4th in Class C (out of 14 teams).

    Jack Pierce, the boys pace setter all season, scorched the freestyle with a second place finish and was close to a number of racers in finishing eighth in the classic race. Eli McCurdy skied two solid races. Ben McCrave had a solid skate race and John Burgess had his best race all year in the classic race. Ben Tindall closed his first year at MHS in fine fashion and Phineas Samuelson closes his last year out with two hard efforts.

     Our seniors, Phineas Samuelson and Ben McCrave were the first skiers when I came on board and we owe them much appreciation for hanging in as the team developed. Their hard work and dedication to the team will be missed.

     We thank Soren Donisvitch for attending the States as an alternate in place of Brian Watko, who was unable to attend due a schedule conflict. Brian earned a spot as alternate but, unfortunately, could not be with us in Rangeley. Hadi Jacobs also earned a spot on the girls team but was unable to be there as well. Soren, Brian and Haydi all played an important role and contributed to the team's year long success.  Coach John Tarling

     For high school race results, go to Maine High School Skiing.

Merriconeag Senior Wins Grand Prize in Writing Contest: Congratulations to Senior Ali Perkins whose essay won the grand prize for grades 9 - 12 in the Slow Food Portland Young Writers Contest. Ali won a full CSA share (up to $500 value) for her family from the CSA of her choice for the 2011 growing season. She has been invited to read her essay at the upcoming Slow Food Writers Night Event at the Space Gallery in Portland on Thursday,March 10. Ali's essay will also be published in an upcoming edition of the Portland Press Herald.

Congratulations, Ali!

High School Nordic Skiing

Merriconeag High School's Nordic Ski Team at Starks Hill in Fryeburg on Saturday

The Western Maine Conference nordic skiing championships were held this past week. The skate race was last Wednesday in Gray and the classic race was Saturday in Fryeburg. All of our skiers skied very well. The boys finished 6th overall (3rd in class C). They finished ahead of Greely, Waynflete, Cape Elizabeth, and Gray/New Gloucester. The Girls finished 3rd overall (1st in class C). They finished ahead of every school except Yarmouth and Falmouth.

From Coach Tarling: We were very fortunate to have two great days of racing for the WMC Championships. Saturday at Starks Hill in Fryeburg was cold at the start. First up the boys race: The boys have been working hard all year and given the youth on the team they can look forward to a bright future in HS Skiing. Saturday the team was again led by Jack Pierce. He has led the team all year and finished again in 12th place, matching his finish in the skate race. Eli McCurdy and Ben Tindall continued their season-long battle and Eli ended up just edging Ben. John Burgess and Phineas Samuelson both skied with effort and helped the boys to a respectable 6 place. Considering the teams ranked behind the boys, this is a good sign for the future.
      For the girls: their 3rd was not really a surprise, they have showed good form all year competing with the top girls teams overall. Zoe Chace-Donahue showed she is rounding into form at the right time with a podium 3rd place finish, followed closely by Emelie Chace-Donahue in 6th and Teagan Wu in 16th. Teagan had trouble on one of the downhill sections yet she was able to get up and finish strong. Carlin Tindall has proven to be the dependable fourth skier for the girls team followed by Sierra Jeffers, Hadi Jacobs and Lily Tupper. The depth on the girls team is improving as the newer racers are gaining experience each race start.

     The food on Saturday was a real treat, thanks to all who pitched in with food and transportation. This week we will ski Tuesday, skate, and participate the the Yarmouth Fun Relay (skate again) at Pratts Brook on Wednesday.

    A special thanks to Adele Espy for all her waxing help and support on Friday and Saturday. Her help is greatly appreciated.

The team will be participating in the Class C State Championships in Rangeley the week of school vacation.
For race dates and maps, visit our website's Google Calendar. For high school race results, go to Maine High School Skiing.

Recap: Geezers Versus Students II

Student Version by Brian Watko:    

     Last Friday, a frenzied crowd of basketball enthusiasts watched as a conflict of epic proportions unfolded before their very eyes. Two teams met on the court for the second time with some unfinished business. Only two years ago, a squad of intrepid geezers clashed with a horde of vicious high schoolers, only to depart the Freeport Junior High School Gymnasium crushed. A debt unpaid, both sides were ready to play once again, and this time it was personal.

     Eager to retain their glory, the students put together a commendable force of high school players: Cyrus Fenderson, Sophie Simmons, Tyler O’Brien, Devon-Murphy-Anderson, Connor Beckett, Emma Dolan, and Wyatt Mccurdy. If this wasn’t enough, an equally powerful lineup of middle schoolers joined the team, to ensure certain victory: Jacob Haldeman, Natalie Murphy, Joe Armstrong, Bekah Rhein, Lincoln Samuelson, Phoebe Dolan, Josh Dow, Anna Evans, Hugh Voorhees, Lily Kolle, and Gaby Gaspardi. Prior injuries kept Haley Johnson and Peter Watko from playing, but their teammates were trained to the peak of perfection by coaches David Sloan and Richard Evans. Read more.

Geezer Version by Michael Fenderson:

     Merriconeag's faculty basketball team, warmly dubbed "The Geezers", came back in the final minutes to pull out the winover the students in the second annual Student-Faculty Basketball Game. The non-stop action was, according to many an appreciativefan of both teams, great fun and a 'most amazing game'! The student team, made up of high schoolers and players from 7th and 8th grades, coached by David Sloan and Assistant Coach Richard Evans, led most of the way and kept the scrappy, well seasoned Geezersguessing right down to the last baskets. 

     Cheering the efforts of all players, the gym resounded with "Go Students" and "Go Geezers" throughout the contest. Both benches were filled with many new players this year but in the end, it was Nancy 'Downtown' Roderick, the Geezer backcourt specialist who sank final running jumpshot. Read more.

High School Forum — 350 and Counting: The 2011 High School Forum season opened with a conversation on

Climate Change. Jesse Pyles, sustainability director at Unity College and a Senior student, Jean, came to our High School Friday January 28th to talk about 350.org.
      The number 350 is what scientists say is the upper limit for carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. The planet faces both serious human and natural disasters if atmospheric concentrations of CO2 remain above 350 parts per million. At the present moment, the number is about at 388 and is on the rise. 350.org is an international campaign that tries to inspire and unite the world around solutions to the climate crisis.
      Jesse and Jean talked with great enthusiasm to our students about the road trip they took last year from Unity College in Maine to Washington DC. They were planning to return solar panels that Unity College had bought from the White house after the Reagan administration had put them in a warehouse. The intent was to encourage the present administration to put solar panels back on the White House, thus being a model for the whole nation. Their visit inspired the White House to plan the re-installation of solar panels.
      The students were impressed with Jesse and Jean’s passionate and determined enterprising spirit as well as their strong motivation to make a difference and have an impact on the future of the planet. We hope our students will follow their lead in taking action for their future! Submitted by Regine Whittlesey

Don't Miss Merriconeag's Only Basketball Game This Season!
     The Second Student-Faculty Basketball Extravaganze is just days away - this Friday, February 4, 6:30 p.m. in the Freeport Jr. High School gym. The student team, led by wily high school "veterans" Cyrus Fenderson, Tyler O'Brien, Connor Beckett, Wyatt McCurdy, Sophie Simmons, Devon Murphy-Anderson and Emma Dolan, will be ably reinforced by eighth graders Jacob Haldeman, Lincoln Samuelson, Natalie Murphy, Anna Evans, Gaby Gaspardi, and Lily Kolle, and seventh graders Joe Armstrong, Phoebe Dolan, Josh Dow, Bekah Rhein and Hugh Voorhees. Fortunately for the faculty, Haley Johnson will be away, and Peter Watko won't be able to play, due to a broken digit.
      Will the faculty find that old magic, when they were younger, fleeter, friskier? Can they overcome gravity, rust, creaky joints, oxygen deprivation? There's only one way to find out--Come to the game! Game? It's going to be a spectacle!
      Admission is free, but donations at the door will be gratefully accepted. With the proceeds from admissions and the refreshments for sale during the game, the high school hopes to raise funds for its Model UN program. Be there, or be square! Submitted by Coach Sloa

Our Town - Our Community

      The high school plays are always a highlight of the year, a time when we join together as a whole school and see old friends. It is a time when we open ourselves up to being carried into another world. I find that I don't want to miss a single performance.
      How did those boys turn into men, those girls into mothers? How did they gain the capacity to change a mood from a hectic morning to a moonlit night; from an important encounter at a soda shop to a scene from a world very near and yet very different from ours? The eternal was present in our Hall. The mood was rich and warm with the presence of friends and teachers - Diane Geist, Cynthia Taliafero, Ron Richardson and Pat Siviski - who joined many others in our hearts. The children constantly change and grow as they go through the school, and we continue to grow our Merriconceag Waldorf community year after year. Submitted by Barbara Richardson  

Our Town is Coming to This Town

     Merriconeag’s freshman and sophomore classes are enthusiastically preparing to perform Thornton Wilder’s classic play on Thursday and Friday, January 27 and 28. Wilder sets his masterpiece in a seemingly undistinguished, small New Hampshire town at the beginning of the twentieth century, but he fills the play with the vast, heart-wrenching themes we all encounter in life. As the all-seeing Stage Manager/Narrator says, explaining why he’s going to bury a copy of the play in a time capsule, “People a thousand years from now’ll know a few simple facts about us. . .this is the way we were: in our growing up and in our marrying and in our living and in our dying.”
      The play chronicles a more innocent time in American life, when boys really could grow up and marry the girl-next-door. Wilder’s great innovation is how he makes the everyday lives of Grovers Corners’ residents so universal, even as he follows those lives over the threshold of death. Nearly seventy-five years after the play was first produced, we still recognize the truth of Wilder’s vision about the human condition.
      In addition to the evening performances, for which tickets will be available at the door for $5, the cast will be offering an Open Dress Rehearsal on Tuesday, January 25, as well as daytime school performance on Wednesday, January 26.

Is There Life After Waldorf: Alumni Panel Discussion

Friday, January 7, 7:00 p.m., Community Hall

Is There Life After Waldorf? On Friday, January 7, meet four fascinating Alums from Waldorf high schools across the Northeast as they relate how Waldorf education made a difference in their lives. By popular demand, Dr. Trevor Braden, a veteran our last Panel Evening two years ago and graduate of Garden City Waldorf School in Long Island, NY, is back! He will be joined by Leila Forman, Theodore Groh, and Brooke Adams, who submitted brief autobiographical sketches below. The evening begins at 7 p.m. in the Community Hall, and any current or prospective parents and students are invited. Bring along any friends who want to know more about Waldorf high school education!

Theodore Groh was born and raised on a organic/biodynamic farm in Wilton New Hampshire and attended Pine Hill Waldorf School, and High Mowing Waldorf high school. Theodore just finished a run for the New Hampshire State Legislature, and is currently pursuing a degree in Political Science from Saint Anselms College in Manchester New Hampshire.

Brooke Dennee-Sommers attended Lake Champlain Waldorf School in Shelburne, Vermont from pre-school ("morning garden") through eighth grade and High Mowing School in Wilton, New Hampshire for eleventh and twelfth grade. Brooke currently works as a project manager for a health research consulting company in Boston, Massachusetts.

Leila Forman attended Green Meadow Waldorf School in Chestnut Ridge, NY from 6th grade through senior year of high school. She loved her experience in the Waldorf school and felt like it was her second home. So much so, in fact, that after graduating from college with a degree in French Literature she decided to return and spent a year on the faculty teaching French to 10th-12th graders.
Today, twelve years after graduating from Green Meadow, after a brief career as a french teacher, a lot of worldwide traveling, and a Master's degree in Nursing, she has settled in Cambridge, MA where she works as a Certified Nurse Midwife at Mt. Auburn Hospital.

Food Drive this Week

The High School is sponsoring a food drive to benefit area food pantries. Please bring in donations of non-perishable foods. Collection boxes have been placed in the upper grades building, the lower grades building, the early childhood center, the office, and the community hall. The food drive ends this Friday, December 17th.

Fall Cross-Country Kudos Continue: An article David Sloan submitted to the national AWSNA

site about the girls' cross country championship is running on the front page of Why Waldorf Works.org.

Click here to read the article.

Fall Cross-Country All Stars Honored: Merriconeag runners were in the news again as the Forecaster reported on the fall cross-country all stars. The Western Maine Conference boy’s first team featured Merriconeag’s Jack Pierce. Zoe Chace-Donahue qualified for the girls’ second team and Phineas Samuelson was included in the the All-Academic team line up. The Maine Track and Cross Country Coaches All-State boys’ team named Jack Pierce as an honorable mention. Congratulations to all! To read the article in the Forecaster, click here.

The Race to Nowhere

December 2, 7:00 pm, Community Hall

Click on image below to view the movie trailer.

     Merriconeag Waldorf School proudly presents the Maine premiere of the documentary, The Race to Nowhere. Tickets are $10 and available only online at rtnmerriconeag.eventbrite.com.  This movie is being promoted to the general public, so be sure to buy your tickets soon.
      Vicki Abeles, a concerned mother turned filmmaker, aims her camera at the high-stakes, high-pressure culture that has invaded our schools and our children's lives. Race to Nowhere points to the silent epidemic in our schools: cheating has become commonplace; students are disengaged; stress-related illness and depression are rampant; and many young people arrive at college and the workplace unprepared and uninspired. Race to Nowhere is a call to action for families, educators, and policy makers to challenge current assumptions on how to best prepare the youth of America to become healthy, bright, contributing and leading citizens.

    Please help us promote this movie far and wide. Who should see this film? Anyone who shares a stake in the future of education, which means everyone! The film is appropriate for parent groups, school faculties, student groups, participants in education conferences, PTAs, health care organizations, universities, business groups, faith-based or interfaith organizations,media/film centers, civic groups and policy makers. The film can raise powerful conversations and lead to action among these groups. Following the showing on December 2nd, there will be a discussion of the film fascilitated by David Sloan and David Barham.

Please note that the movie is PG13. We believe it is appropriate for high school and up.

See the reviews and praise for Race to Nowhere.

Shepherds Play: The play, usually performed by members of the faculty and adults in the community, will be presented with a unique twist this year. We warmly invite the entire community to join us at 11:00- 12:00 on December 17, 2010 in the Community Hall to witness this simple, yet profound offering which speaks to what it means to be truly human.  Read more.   Submitted by David Barham

Au Revoir Jehan et Constance:

     Friday night, ninth and tenth graders and their families gathered at the Murphy-Anderson’s Community House in order to say Au Revoir to our French exchange students Constance Fayol and Jehan Foulke, returning to their home in Lyon, France, after 3 months at Merriconeag Waldorf High School. A delicious,s generous potluck was shared, followed by piano duets with Devon and Constance, (who had just completed her first 3 months of piano lessons with M. Seavey!), and Augustine Hoffmann our French Student recently arrived from Avignon. Augustine delighted us with her self- composed French song and guitar solo.
      Judging from the number of hugs and kisses exchanged, I gather these students were well-integrated and well-loved by their American peers. Both Jehan and Constance had tears in their eyes as they bid farewell, hearts full of gratitude for the wonderful care and love they received both in their family and at school. Jehan is Emelie Chace-Donahue’s French brother and Constance is Devon Murphy-Anderson’s French sister. Devon will go to the Lyon Waldorf School in March, 2011, and Emelie will leave in April to go to the same school.
      It will be their turn to experience a home away from home, strange food, new school rules and the challenge to do homework in a language they haven’t yet mastered. But they will have the comfort of meeting again their foreign siblings who will understand well where they come from!
      As our High School students recently explained to Merriconeag Middle school students, our Foreign Exchange program, open to any tenth or eleventh grader desirous to try it, is an opportunity not to be missed. It opens new vistas; it helps students mature and learn independence, master a foreign language, understand a new culture from daily living and open hearts to others. Merriconeag education is spreading peace and tolerance, one exchange at a time!  Régine Whittlesey

Québec City, S’il Vous Plait:

     From the ninth to the thirteenth of November, 2010, our eleventh graders said more often “merci, excusez-moi, and s’il vous plait”, than “thank you, excuse me and please!” That’s because they were living in the Francophone world of nearby ancient Québec city.
      The whole junior class, French and German students together, went to discover the history, culture, gastronomy and way of life of this 400-year-old North American City, where most everyone speaks French. Accompanied by Madame Whittlesey, Frau Mc Vicar and Svenja Dettmer, our Amity intern, the students quickly learned their way through the cobblestone streets of the old city, as we stayed in the Auberge Internationale, conveniently situated within the ramparts, near the busy rue St. Jean in the old town. Daily activities ranged from historical museums and cultural teachings, to a visit of the imposing Château Frontenac, where a lively “200-year-old” chambermaid guided us through the secrets of this famous historic hotel (did you know there are three third floors in the Château?). Outdoor excursions took us once on a fiercely windy day to the Plains of Abraham and the ancient Citadel; on a lovely, sunny, (almost) warm day, we drove to the Montmorency Falls and pondered about the force of nature from a suspended bridge over the raging waterfall, which is 30 meters taller than the Niagara Falls!
      Another visit invited meditation and reverence as we strolled through the magnificent Neo-Romanesque Basilica of Ste Anne de Beaupré, a resplendent cathedral built on the site of a 1658 chapel. Magnificent mosaics and stained glass windows, carved stones and an exact replica of La Pieta by Michelangelo are some of the treasures our students respectfully admired.
Free time left students to go enjoy a variety of activities in small groups—ice skating on the public skating ring in front of the illuminated ramparts, dancing on ice to loud French Music, shopping in the numerous boutiques of the old town or just sitting at a warm café drinking sumptuous hot chocolate while eating flaky pains au chocolat or croissants. What choices! No wonder we did not hear any complaints!
      We spent one evening with a Quebécois musician-storyteller, Pierre Leclerc, who engaged us all in call and response French Québecois songs, foot tapping, spoon playing and spontaneous dancing. As he said himself: “C’est l’fun!”
      At our last elegant dinner in the Basse Ville restaurant “Chez Rabelais,” some students rose to give toasts of thanks for the wonderful time had by all. Now tenth graders look at the photos of our trip displayed in the high school and dream … Will we also go to Quebec with our class? I certainly hope so!  Régine Whittlesey

Fair Composting

The high school composting and recycling team under the guidance of Cordelia Lane, Lucy Ahearne and Ian Gamble composted 69 pounds of compost at the Fall Fair and recycled 21 pounds of waste. There was still 61 pounds of trash. So 60% of our waste was either recycled or composted! This is a great first step as we explore ways to reduce our waste at events. Special thanks to Cordelia, Lucy, Ian and students and parents from the high school for making this an easy and fun task.

High School Theme Week 2010 - Maine Diversity

       For three days, October 25^th-27th, the High School lived “to the beat of a different drummer”…literally! Our eighth grade guests joined high school students in learning skills quite different from what Merriconeag usually offers. Under the umbrella theme of Maine Diversity, the students were able to choose two workshops from a wide spectrum.

       The week started with a presentation by Adelaide Manirakiza, a war widow refugee from Burundi now living in Portland and working for Living with Peace. This non-profit organization helps orient immigrants, recently arrived in Maine, to various social, economic and cultural aspects of life in Portland and Lewiston. Mrs Manirakiza brought a family portrait of her four daughters whom she succeeded in bringing to Maine out of war-torn Burundi after she herself received her asylum. She talked of her struggles as a war widow who eventually succeeded in changing the status of war widows and orphans in her own country. She talked of the importance of learning the new language of her host country, and of her strong faith, both helping her to slowly put her family life together and find a job in Maine.

After this strong and moving presentation, the students went to experience their workshops. The first set of workshops offered a choice between improvisational drumming with our ever energetic Rick Cormier, learning the technique of Shibori Japanese stitching and dyeing with Kelley Barham, carving wood totems with local craftsman Eric Ritter, or experiencing the joyful movements of African dance with Regina Kusche, accompanied on the drum by Annegret Baier.

        The second set of choices led some students to practice Capoeira, offered by Mastre Joao Carlos Bordallo from Brazil. Capoeira is an ancient Brazilian martial art/dance initially started by the slaves. Other students chose wall mural painting with our very own artists Rosemary Burwell and Johanna Flath. In another workshop, Colombian Maine resident Adelaida Gaviria invited the students to understand the tragic effects of the Drug Trade on Columbian families as well as American families. Shamou, an impressive Persian drummer renowned in Maine musical circles, led his workshop acquainting the students with Samba rhythm.

       For three days the very full High School vibrated with colors, movements and music coming from all directions. Huge thanks to all the workshop leaders for their wonderful participation in our Theme Week!   Regine Whittlesey, High School French                                                                                       

Knock, Knock, Knockin’ on Steiner’s Door…

      It might seem like a stretch from reality, but even the brick high school building at Pineland seemed to come alive with an ancient, tribal air last week in Rick Cormier’s drumming class during Merriconeag High School’s International Theme Days. A truly devoted musician who heads the Different Drummers Drum Circle in Yarmouth, the agelessly energetic Rick Cormier has been teaching improvisational drumming at Merriconeag since the high school’s establishment. The group was a varied one: some members had been practicing percussion with him for up to four years, while others had hardly ever drummed in their lives. Yet skill level does not prevent one from drumming; as Rick was told was by an eminent African drummer, all drumming consists of is “finding a beat, losing it, and finding it again.”

     In order for an improvisational drum circle to sound complete, it needs three components: the heartbeat, embellishment, and a lead. Of these three, the heartbeat is the most crucial; a simple, spacious beat of few notes. The spaces left by the heartbeat are filled by the more elaborate embellishment beats. The lead beat goes over these two, connecting them while also creating a totally new sound.

During the three days with Rick, the group also practiced creating the varied tones of the drum and the different playing styles of various cultures. Everything was incorporated in the group exercises, most often taking the form of alternating triads, which were then performed for the pleasure of the whole high school community. Brian Watko, 10th Grade

Capoeira—Cartwheels for Kicks

I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from the Capoeira workshop. I knew a little bit about Capoeira, but not much. Capoeira is an Afro-Brazilian art form, which combines elements of dance, music, as well as martial arts. It was created by African slaves in Brazil, with the purpose of teaching other slaves how to fight, and in doing so, escape. However, the slave’s masters did not let these slaves train, so the

slaves disguised their training as a dance. Many of the moves use the feet; there is, in fact, a style of Capoeira in which arms and hands are not used at all in order to replicate bound arms. Several moves we learned involved cartwheels, spins and other acrobatic moves. The result is a very beautiful, very fun art form. By the end we had all learned a lot and were very, very sore. Tyler O’Brien, 11th Grade

African Dance and Drums

     I could not have been happier that I chose to do the African Dance elective for this year’s “theme week.” It was a very energetic fun class and all the participants seemed to really enjoy themselves. We learned some traditional dance moves, starting with the right posture, then adding steps and arm movements. For the second two days we had a live drummer accompanying our dance routine, which added so much. We also learned a children’s game and song that seriously challenged our multitasking skills. A big thanks to our teacher, Regina Kusche, and our drummer, Annegret Baier, for such a fun part of our “theme week.”  Evelyn Pennoyer, 11th Grade

Another Reason to Say No to Drugs

        In nearly all drug talks that are given by parents, teachers, policemen or social workers, the reason not to become involved in any sort of drugs is all about you.  Don’t do drugs because they are bad for you.  Don’t do drugs because you could become addicted.  Because they could lead you to harder, more dangerous drugs.  Because you could get suspended or expelled.  All of these scenarios, which are recited countless times every day to teens around the world, deal with all the reasons drugs can ruin your health, reputation, etc.  In our workshop on the Colombian drug trade, Adelaida Gaviria gave us a different perspective on drugs and reasons to refuse to participate in the use of these drugs.  Adelaida grew up on a farm in Columbia and experienced drug violence first hand as did many, many other individuals just like her.  Two of her friends’ brothers were killed as teenagers after becoming involved in the drug trade.  Her neighbor was killed for refusing to cooperate with the drug lords and her old boyfriend was killed for refusing to stash cocaine in flower packages being sent to the United States.  

       This view is one that the vast majority of drug consumers never dream of; that their actions have consequences thousands of miles away.  That buying a joint in Freeport, Maine directly contributes to violence and death in places like Colombia.  Only a small percentage of drug money goes to the actual product; the vast majority goes towards buying weapons that incite fear in those who oppose the drug trade.  The hope is that when we are in a situation where we may be tempted to buy or accept drugs from someone, may it be a friend or not, that we will think not only about ourselves, but also of the lives of people we could save by refusing. Ben Tindall, 10th Grade                                                                  

Shibori—An Art to Dye For   

      Shibori is the Japanese art of stitching and dyeing fabrics. The result of Shibori looks very much like an intricate form of tie-dye. During the High School Theme Week, Kelly Barham guided a group of students through the process to eventually dye beautiful kerchiefs, shirts, bags and pillowcases. The group started by making their own brew of indigo dye. We then stitched patterns into the cloth and pulled tight. String was also used to wrap tightly around sections of the cloth. After we dyed and rinsed the cloth, we took out the stitching and the group was able to exclaim over the beautiful patterns that we had  created. The Shibori group also came up with song lyrics and other words that reminded them of blue, further expanding on their three-day-long study of the color blue, indigo and dyeing cloth. Lily Tupper, 9th Grade

The Colors of Diversity

    During Theme Week at the high school, each student from the high school and eighth grade chose two workshops to participate in.  One that I chose was the “Wall Murals” workshop.  I don’t consider myself the best artist (despite going to a Waldorf school) but I enjoy painting so I thought I’d give it a try.  The workshop leaders’ (Rose Mary Burwell and Johanna Flath) goal was to create a full six-panel wall mural in a meager five hours spread out over three days.  The first day, all 15 people who were taking the workshop sat down at a table together to discuss what we wanted to do with our time.  Since the theme of the week was “Ethnic diversity in Maine,” we decided we wanted something at least somewhat representing this idea.  We agreed upon some common factors that needed to be in each panel, such as a railroad, some overarching themes such as going from dull colors to bright colors, and we decided to leave the rest up to smaller groups.  We divided these groups randomly and started sketching out what would go on the murals.  After the first hour, we were given the plywood that the finished product was to be on.  We began to try to find ways to connect our ideas at the edges.  The second day, we started right in with paints and experimented with mixing and matching different colors.  Each group worked separately on their panel.  By the end of the session, we could see where this whole project was going and I, for one, liked what I saw.  The third day was a frantic rush to finish everything in just one hour.  Much of the time was spent on making the continuity between panels work out.  With completely different color schemes used by different groups, this part proved difficult indeed.  With the paint still wet and finishing touches being added on the fly, we presented our artwork to the rest of the high school on the third day.

Cyrus Fenderson, 11th Grade

High School Theme Days Celebrate Ethnic Diversity in Maine: The high school students are enjoying a 3 day week of theme days entitled, Ethnic Diversity in Maine. The eighth graders joined the high school for this session which began on Monday and will end at 12:30 on Wednesday.

     The keynote speaker for the Theme Days is Adelaide Manirakiza. Mrs. Manirakiza is a war widow from Burundi. She works for an organization called Living with Peace. Living With Peace addresses issues and concerns that affect the ability of immigrants to acculturate to their new lives in Maine and to successfully orient to the social, economic and cultural aspects of life in Portland and Lewiston. Living with Peace is a dynamic, community organization that seeks to invest in the future of our immigrants by building and sharing resources with a coalition of support providers. Living with Peace is a network of resources to ease and smooth the way in this new world for all newly immigrated people to Maine from any country.

     In addition to the keynote speaker there are eight workshops with an international theme (each student will be taking two). The workshops are:

• Carving Totems with Eric Ritter (Art Room)
• Improvisational Drumming with Rick Cormier (French Room)
• Shibori, Japanese stitching and dyeing, with Kelley Barham (Science Room)
• African Dance with Regina Kusche and AnneGret Baier (Sage Room)
• The Effects of the Drug Trade on Columbian Families with Adelaida Gaviria (Science Room)
• Capoeira (Brazilian Martial Art) with Joao Carlos Bordallo (Sage Room)
• World Drumming with Shamou (French Room)
• Wall Murals with Johanna Flath and Rosemary Burwell (Art Room)

Seniors Study Transcendentalists: As part of their study of the American Transcendentalists, the senior class sauntered down to Concord, Massachusetts on Sunday, October 17 through Tuesday, October 19. Meeting up with their senior compatriots at the Waldorf High School of Mass Bay, the students explored the haunts and homes of two of the more famous of the nineteenth century writers, Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson. 

              Stepping into the recreated cabin in the parking lot of Walden Woods on Monday morning, the students were instantly transported back to the year 1846 and a young Henry David, one year into what would become his two year, two month and two day sojourn at the pond, met them and engaged them in discussion and question answering. We followed Mr. Thoreau into the woods and to the actual sight where his cabin had been built 165 years ago. At that point the historian playing Henry broke character and answered a wider range of questions about Thoreau and his times. This was followed by the reading of a children's book at the actual cabin sight (Henry Builds a Cabin by DB Johnson) and a period of quiet contemplation and journal writing. Few things in life are as pleasant as a walk along the shores of Walden Pond on an autumn afternoon... To read the whole article & see more photos, please follow this link.

Passamaquody Lives:  In our first high school forum of the year, students had the great honor to welcome Passamaquody Storyteller, Allen J. Sockabasin, author of An Upriver Passamaquody  and of the delightful children’s book Thanks to the Animals.  Mr. Sockabasin started by showing our high schoolers a 30-minute film on the history of Native Americans, particularly of the Passamaquody people of Maine, stressing the importance of language preservation. The Native Americans for centuries lived in villages that depended on subsistence living through gathering, hunting, fishing and working in the woods, with an emphasis on sharing and helping one another. They met many hardships through racism and dubious “progress” that brought an end to their traditional way of life, especially their language, their religion and their self-governance.

       Mr. Sockabasin’s spoke with great sadness as he talked to a subdued audience about his life-long struggle to try to preserve the traditional language and cultural way of life of his Passamaquody ancestors.

     After an hour of reflecting and answering numerous questions asked by the high school students, who seemed

very moved and keen to understand his struggles, Mr.Sockabasin grabbed his mandolin and invited our students to join in an impromptu musical fest... To read the whole article & see more photos, please follow this link.

Auto Mechanics at Portland Motor Club was a Hit: A group of students from Merriconeag Waldorf High School chose what must have been one of the coolest electives ever at a Waldorf school — “Introduction to Auto Mechanics” taught by Portland Motor Club owner, muscle car enthusiast and Merriconeag parent, Bill Waldron. Read more at the Portland Motor Club Blog.

     To learn more about Portland Motor Club watch their new video.

Please click on the image below to read the June 2010 edition of The Masthead.

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