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Spring greetings from Bridgton Academy!
Much has happened on your favorite campus in North Bridgton since our last installment of Bridgton Academy's e-newsletter: the snow has melted, spring has definitely sprung, and best of all - the Bridgton Academy Class of 2017 officially became alumni during the Academy's 209th Commencement exercises!
In the lead-up to this long-anticipated occasion, Bridgton Academy has been abuzz with activity: from awards ceremonies and an annual field trip, to a road race and Hall of Fame induction, we invite you to read on to learn more about the latest updates from "the hill."
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Bridgton Academy Holds 209th Commencement Exercises
No amount of rain or otherwise dreary weather could take away from the exuberance felt throughout campus the morning of Saturday, May 6
th
, as Bridgton Academy's 209
th
graduating class made their way up the hill one last time as students.
 After thirty-three weeks - including an especially eventful final week filled with study sessions, final exams, the annual
Corey Smith 3 v. 3 Basketball Tournament*, and a spirited Chapel assembly - members of the Class of 2017 no doubt felt an immense sense of accomplishment as they prepared to kick off this celebratory weekend with family and friends, beginning with an awards ceremony on Friday evening, May 5
th.
At the conclusion of Friday night's festivities, the Class of 2017 enjoyed one final night at their adopted home in North Bridgton, where they had a cookout, spent time reminiscing on the past eight months, and took advantage of their last night together as Bridgton Academy students, which included a late-night (and frigid!) dunk in nearby Long Lake.
By 9:30 the next morning, these soon-to-be graduates were gathering on the lower entrance to Goldsmith Dining Hall. There, a steady stream of young men clad in bowties (in a tribute to outgoing headmaster, Grady Vigneau), received their official alumni pin and a boutonniere before taking a final class photo and lining up for the procession into the Chalmers Ice Arena.
 Bridgton Academy's 209
th Commencement exercises featured an invocation by
Calvin Jackson '17, followed by a valedictory address from
Jackson Lesure '17. (Jackson and two of his classmates,
Joseph Sieger '17 and
Joseph Webber '17 were each named valedictorians in a three-way tie.) Class Speaker,
Jalen Martinez '17, delivered remarks ahead of
Kevin Jones '81, President of the Academy's Board of Trustees, who provided the Board Address. It was at this time that all in attendance paused to recognize outgoing headmaster, Mr. Grady Vigneau, for his nine years of dedicated service to Bridgton. Following this heartfelt tribute, additional student awards were presented. Bridgton mathematics instructor,
Thomas Washburn, was also recognized with the Andrew F. Staub '09 Faculty Professional Development Award. The ceremony concluded with the conferring of diplomas and a benediction from newly-minted Class of 2017 alumnus,
Brian Quinn.
Congratulations, Bridgton Academy Class of 2017!
*The winners of this year's Corey Smith 3 v. 3 Tournament are:
Trevor Coston (College Counselor, football coach), Jalen Martinez '17, Nick Walker '17.
By the numbers:
At Commencement this year, Bridgton Academy graduated
136 students, hailing from
six continents (all but Antarctica!),
over a dozen nations, and
20 of the
United States. These students earned a combined
370 acceptances to
146 different schools in
3 countries: the US, Canada, and the U.K. To date, Bridgton Academy Class of 2017 graduates plan to matriculate at
87 different schools in
21 states and
3 Canadian provinces.
Thirteen of our graduates have committed to a year playing junior hockey.
**Official Commencement pictures will be received in the coming days;
we will share this information with you as soon as it becomes available!
**
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Class of 2017 Award Recipients
Prior to officially joining the ranks of 208 years-worth of Bridgton Academy alumni before them, a number of members of the Class of 2017 were recognized for their outstanding accomplishments throughout the year.
In the lead-up to the presentation of awards on Friday, May 5th, faculty member and award-wining "slam" poet
Ryan McLellan presented a poem written for the occasion.
In keeping with
tradition, Bridgton Academy's faculty and staff met in the weeks prior to Commencement to nominate, discuss, and vote for this year's award recipients. A high number of this year's students earned nominations, many of whom were named as candidates for multiple awards. After a spirited voting process, we are excited to share with you the names of those Class of 2017 Wolverines who were honored for various character and academic awards during Commencement Weekend ceremonies:
Friday Night Awards
Black Knight Rugby Award - Nicholas Gerard DeSimone
Ski Team Award
- Taylor James Davis
Justin A. DeSorrento '96 Soccer Award - Daniel John Hennessey
Corey Smith '88 Memorial Award - Robert Katrishen Planutis
John D. Powers '91 Memorial Lacrosse Coaches' Award - Henry Thomas Brackbill
John T. Fabello '34 Hockey Award - Ryan Joseph Galvin and Tanner Jackson McFarren
Douglas R. Avery Award - Joseph Paul Webber
Tom C. Austin Football Award - Liam Patrick Benjamin
Alexander D. Harry, Jr. '58 Memorial Commencement Award
(Most Improved Football Student-Athlete) - Diavonte Imon Todd
Sportsmanship Award - Robert Katrishen Planutis
The Arthur P. Stebbins, Jr. '67 Award - Daniel Michael Lynch
Edward F. Brown Fund Essay - William Gage Chenard
Edward F. Brown Public Speaking Prize - Joseph Glenn Sieger
Sylvester Spelling Prize -Cameron D. Waters
Lee and Carol Noble Noble Fine Arts Award - Michael Gary Gardner and Spencer Douglas Johnson
Faculty Award - Nicholas Kyle Lepage, Kerry C. Raymond, and Sidy Sissoko
Phyllis B. Wakefield Class of '46 & '10 Award - Patrick Michael Conroy, Rashaad M. Pendleton
Dianne C. Fabello Memorial Award - Stefan Vanness Porter
Dennis O' Brien '67 Award - Alexandre Jeanjean
Howe Award - Michael Joseph Servetas
Richard R. Marcella Award - Jalen Gil Martinez
David DeFelice English Improvement Award - Daniel Michael Lynch
Dr. William Holt Awards:
- English Award - Henry Thomas Brackbill
- Computer Science Award - Timothy Rye
- Physical Science Award - Joseph Paul Webber
- Mathematics Award - Joseph Glenn Sieger
- Social Science Award - Michael Joseph Servetas
Addie M. Chadbourne Award (highest-ranking student in the graduating class) - Jackson Whitney Lesure, Joseph Glenn Sieger, and Joseph Paul Webber*
*
There was a three-way tie for this award.
The 2017 Wolverine Hockey teams won this year's Athletic Director's Award
for the highest cumulative team GPA.
Saturday Morning Awards
Annie R., Horace A., & Martha B. Flint Improvement Award - Mason Dean LaPlante
Electra H. Fickett Outstanding Citizenship Award - Lachlan Sydney Longford Rowan
Dr. Christopher Blanch '89 Award - Victor Kury Saade
Russell A. Pitnof '34 Award - Daniel Michael Lynch
Alumni Award - Brian John Quinn
Captain Claude "Duke" Hough '54 Award - Henry Thomas Brackbill
Leland S. Buck '42 Award - Westbrook Dwight Van Inwegen
Charles H. Gould Award - Ryan Joseph Galvin and Joseph Paul Webber
Headmaster's Award - Seamus Wrenn Leary
Edwin V. Spooner Award - Jackson Whitney Lesure
Mission Achievement Book Scholarship
In addition to the awards listed above, five students were selected as the winners of this year's
Mission Achievement Faculty Book Scholarship, which is funded annually by Bridgton Academy faculty and staff. Recipients of this award each received vouchers to be used toward the cost of books during their first semester of college:
Josh Dunagan
Kade Kaminski
Mitch McCabe
Taylor Davis
Pat Conroy
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Celebrating Bridgton Academy's 13th Hall of Fame Induction
Bridgton Academy's Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony is a wonderful time to celebrate the lifetime achievements of some of our finest alumni and supporters. This year's induction was even more special, as it afforded the opportunity for our Class of 2017 students and all of our faculty to be in attendance.
On the evening of Sunday, April 30th, this year's Hall of Fame inductees and their guests, along with students and faculty, gathered in Chalmers Ice Arena at Bridgton Academy for dinner, which was immediately followed by the Induction Ceremony.
From the moment this year's Hall of Fame Class began arriving on campus that evening, until the last one of them departed, the night was filled with many memories. Upon acceptance of their awards, each inductee shared meaningful words regarding his or her time at Bridgton Academy, whether as a student, faculty member, or trustee. Further words included how much Bridgton has impacted each inductee's life's journey over the years, along with words of encouragement in support of the students in attendance that evening, who would become Bridgton alumni only six days later.
The entire Bridgton Academy community offers its heartfelt congratulations to each member of the Bridgton Academy Hall of Fame Class of 2017! Your Wolverine family remains proud of your achievements.
Class of 2017 Inductees
Rachel Rice Deans '39
The Hancock Family:
K. David Hancock - Trustee 1984-1996 (posthumous)
Carol J. Hancock
Kevin D. Hancock - Faculty and Coach 1989-1991, Trustee 2001-2011
David R. Higgins III '76 - Parent '08, '10, '12
Douglas P. Hoak '72
Capt. Claude L. "Duke" Hough III '54 (posthumous)
Terence W. McDonough '85
LT. Commander Mitchell D. McGuffie '99
Christopher S. Whitney '82
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| Class of 2017 Hall of Fame: Terence McDonough '85, LT. Commander Mitch McGuffie '99, Ms Margie Hough Howard (daughter of Capt. Claude "Duke" Hough III '54, Doug Hoak '72, Rachel Rice Deans '39, David Higgins III '76, Kevin Hancock, Christopher Whitney '82 (Pictured L-R) |
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Ray T. McDonald Distinguished Service Award
Every year during Commencement, one member of the Bridgton Academy community is chosen as the recipient of the
Ray T. McDonald Distinguished Service Award. Choosing this year's honoree was an easy process, but ironing out the details of presenting the award proved to be a bit more challenging. The individual who had been chosen was not going to be on campus for Commencement, and there really was not another person who was nearly as deserving of the award.
Since the recipient of this year's
Ray T. McDonald Distinguished Service Award is a retired teacher, one who has devoted nearly four decades of service to Bridgton Academy, and one who has truly left his mark on so many of the students he has taught, it was determined that there was no better time to present his award than during the end-of-the-year Academic Awards Chapel. And so, with just a little bit of creativity in getting him to come to Chapel just this once, he agreed to be here to share in the special day with students.
With little fanfare, as one might expect, Bridgton Academy is pleased to announce that the 2017
Ray T. McDonald Distinguished Service Award recipient is none other than
Mr. Peter Gately. Just as the title of the award states, it is given to one who has meritoriously served at Bridgton Academy. And to embellish the award just a little, that would include with great spirit and zest. Those who who have ever sat in a classroom under his instruction, or who have been blessed enough to work with him, know that there is perhaps no individual more deserving of such an honor. Congratulations, Mr. Gately!
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Gettysburg 2017: History, an Aux Jack, and Scared Post-Grads
It wouldn't be a proper fourth quarter at Bridgton Academy without the annual trip to Gettysburg. For several years, Bridgton Academy students have made the trek down to Gettysburg, PA for a hands-on history lesson, copious amounts of food, and the potential for ghost encounters. As many of the past travelers to Gettysburg know, esteemed teacher Mr. Mike Meserve has led the charge down to Gettysburg for several years now. With his wealth of knowledge, storytelling ability, and energy, the trip has become a student favorite. However, this year would require a slight change as Mike and his wife Marie welcomed their daughter Josephine into the world on April 6
th
. Therefore, Mike passed the torch for this year's Gettysburg excursion to trip veteran and fellow esteemed teacher, Mrs. Karen Cole. Mrs. Cole, with the assistance of Mr. Trevor Coston and Mr. Matthew Gallery, led seven students on what turned out to be a trip to remember.
The Bridgton Academy van left campus at 4:00 AM for what was a twelve-hour trip down to the
 battlefield. This lengthy journey flew by, however, thanks to the newly donated school van, an aux jack, and great deejaying by the faculty and students. Upon arrival, the group decided to climb Little Round Top to watch the sunset and take in the view that the Union Soldiers had on day two of the battle. The view from Little Round Top after a twelve-hour drive set the tone for the rest of the trip. After dinner on the first night, the boys, who had heard countless ghost stories about Gettysburg were looking for a scare. Mrs. Cole led the crew to Culp's Hill, which is considered one of the most haunted areas of Gettysburg. Under the light of the moon, the boys explored the area, taking photos and hoping to have a ghostly encounter. After multiple students were convinced they saw "something," the group was in a hurry to get back to the van.
Weather got the best of the early hours of day two, which resulted in the group checking out the National Gettysburg Museum, which offered greater historical insight into the battle and the Civil War. After lunch, the group set out to take in Devil's Den, the Rose Farm, and the Wheatfield area. The group then returned to Little Round Top to locate the spot where the 20
th Maine, led by Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, held off the Confederate charge on the Union's western flank on Day Two of the Battle (pictured).
Other highlights included the
Ghosts of Gettysburg tour through both downtown Gettysburg and the campus of Gettysburg College, exploring the Gettysburg National Cemetery, where President Lincoln gave the
Gettysburg Address, walking the mile-long hike of Picket's Charge, the High Water Mark, and countless monuments throughout the battleground.
A special thank you to Mrs. Karen Cole for planning and leading the group on a very memorable trip that all in attendance were sad to see come to an end.
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Alumni Accolades
Amir Garrett '12 Takes the Mound in Cincinnati
When Amir Garrett arrived at Bridgton Academy in the fall of 2011, this talented multi-sport athlete was here to play basketball. Just prior to his year here in North Bridgton, Amir had signed a contract with the Cincinnati Reds, but had also been granted the opportunity to concentrate on his basketball career. Amir played Wolverine basketball during the 2011-12 school year, then went on to play college-level hoops at both St. John's University and California State University, Northridge.
By 2014, Amir had made the decision to return solely to the game of baseball and began playing with the Dayton  Dragons. Fast forward three years to 2017, and Amir's name was listed on the Reds' Opening Day roster. On April 7th, this rookie pitcher made his Major League debut with Cincinnati,
giving up only two hits and earning the win in the Reds 2-0 victory over the Cardinals.
Since April, Amir has pitched in a few more games. His remarkable poise and results have gained him recognition among some other rookie pitchers this season. Amir is primarily playing with the Reds AAA-affiliate team, the Louisville Bats, to limit the number of innings he plays, which would help him to avoid being placed in the bullpen by September.
Congratulations, Amir, on a great debut with the Reds, and best of luck for the rest of the season!
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The 2017 Wolverine Soccer Day Victory Goes to...
When it comes to soccer, it seems as though nothing gets in the way of a day of fun-filled competition. Bridgton Academy's fifth annual
Wolverine Soccer Day in April was no exception.
Although North Bridgton had received a taste of beautiful weather earlier in the week, spring sunshine and temperatures were elusive on Saturday, April 22nd. Despite the cold, damp day, a group of hardy Wolverine alumni made the trip back to Bridgton Academy to play in this year's alumni game, a.k.a
Wolverine Soccer Day. In addition to the Class of 2017 Wolverine soccer players, a few of their classmates also volunteered to be part of the competition. Adding to the spirit of the day, a few Bridgton faculty members helped to round out the rosters, along with one incoming Wolverine player for the Class of 2018.
The competition was fierce at times, and the dominant team wavered back and forth for quite a while; however, only one team could be the winner. With a final score of 12 - 8, the White team rightfully earned the Alumni Challenge Cup this year in a hard-fought victory.
It was exciting to welcome our alumni back to campus for this fun event, which is now celebrating five years. A special thank you to Dan Caples '80 for serving as the game official once again this this year. We look forward to next year's competition!
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| 2017 Wolverine Soccer Day - Alumni Game |
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Newburyport "Past, Present, and Future" Wolverine Gathering
Take a warm mid-May evening, a beautiful location in Newburyport, MA overlooking the water, and a group of Wolverines who are eager to get together, and what do you get? The perfect recipe for Bridgton Academy's spring "Past, Present, and Future" Wolverine Gathering!
On Thursday, May 18th, nearly fifty Bridgton alumni, parents, incoming students, and faculty gathered at Michael's Harborside Restaurant to swap stories of their time in North Bridgton and mix and mingle with each other and the many faculty and staff in attendance. Although May weather throughout New England had been rather up-and-down, the evening turned out to be the warmest day of the year, with a temperature of over 90 degrees!
Thank you to everyone who made the trip to Newburyport - planning is already underway for next year's event!
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Academy Hosts First-Ever 5K to Benefit St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital
Bridgton Academy was excited to host our first-ever official 5K on campus on Saturday, April 29th. The race was organized by Academy faculty Kate Tucker and Janet Guidi, and was run in support of St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital. "We were so thrilled and touched by the amount of faculty and staff participation," stated Academy school nurse, Kate Tucker. "We could not have been more proud of our student participants who woke up early on a
Saturday
morning to contribute to a worthy cause. It was heartwarming to see the year close out with a community effort to help others."
The weather was perfect for the event, as the day dawned sunny and warm. Student volunteers from the Academy helped to guide runners along the course and cheer everyone on. Forty-three runners and walkers participated in the race, and a total of $2,000 was raised for St. Jude's.
Our race winners were:
Under 18: Raider Nutley
Top 3 Bridgton Academy Student Finishers: Seamus Leary, Jack Porter, Liam Riehs
(Liam placed second overall!)
Top Bridgton Academy Staff Finisher: Nick Lebel
Top Male Finisher: Erik Marty from North Bridgton, Maine
Top Female Finisher: Sara Bradley from Waterford, Maine
"We were very pleased with our first annual 5K for St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital," remarked co-organizer, Janet Guidi. "We had a FUN group of runners, walkers, and volunteers, and it was great to see our students participating in this deserving cause of finding cures and saving children. We are especially thankful for the thoughtful support of the local businesses who so generously sponsored this event so that we could make a donation to the St. Jude's kids."
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There Is Still Time to Honor Your 2017 Wolverine!
Are you a parent, grandparent, relative or friend of a Bridgton Academy 2017 graduate? Then why not consider honoring their year here with a yearbook ad?
These ads offer a fantastic way to honor your 2017 Wolverine's memorable year in North Bridgton -and a number of you
may already be eligible to place one at no additional cost!
P.S. We also have a selection of
autographed team photos available for purchase! These items offer a unique way to honor your BA graduate's Wolverine Club or athletic experience. For more information, please contact us at alumni@bridgtonacademy.org or call (207) 647-3322 ext. 1229.
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Upcoming Calendar Events
Thursday, June 22nd - Bridgton Academy
Sunday, July 16th - The Colonnade Hotel, Boston, MA
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