HEBRON – The Hebron Academy community celebrated academic achievement at its annual Cum Laude Society induction on April 30. Sixteen students were honored at the ceremony, which included the induction of 12 new members and an address by guest speaker Margaret T. McFadden, assistant professor of American studies at Colby College.

McFadden focused on the pervasive nature of popular culture today and urged the audience to think critically about the messages contained in television, movies, popular music, magazines, video games, the Internet and advertising.

She argued that popular culture is important to analyze because the world is saturated in it and reality is increasingly defined by it. She did not advocate censorship, but stressed the importance of questioning, thinking critically and analyzing the messages presented in almost all forms of media today.

Newly inducted into the society this year were: Devin J. Blais ’04 of Damariscotta; Taylor A. Lalemand ’04 of Auburn; Cindy S. Lebel ’04 of Greenville; Chelsea L. Lipham ’04 of Buckfield; Derek N. Miller ’04 of Auburn; Shauna K. Neary ’04 of Antigonish, Nova Scotia; John W. Slattery ’04 of Minot; Kate A. Turner ’04 of Harrison; Helen Unger-Clark ’04 of Rindge, N.H.; Elizabeth M. Cole ’05 of New Gloucester; Eri Miyauchi ’05 of Ehime, Japan; and Jodie M. Simms ’05 of Auburn.

The new members join four seniors inducted last year: Carolyn A. Curtis of Hebron, Laura E. Fleck of Auburn, A. James Quinlan of St. John’s, Newfoundland, and Jason E. Staats of Knoxville, Tenn.

Modeled after Phi Beta Kappa, the Cum Laude Society was founded in 1906 to recognize academic achievement in secondary schools. Cum Laude now consists of nearly 350 chapters, primarily in independent schools in the United States. Membership in the Cum Laude Society is Hebron Academy’s highest academic honor.

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