FARMINGTON – Fifty top-performing high school students from throughout the state were honored at the Augusta Civic Center Wednesday. Three of them were from Franklin County: Sam Dyar, Jaime Dalrymple and Carly Lochala.
Statewide, more than 15,000 high school students took the Maine Educational Assessment tests last year. The 50 top seniors, representing 32 high schools, scored highest in combined scores of reading, writing, mathematics and science. Education Commissioner Susan Gendron invited each student to identify a mentor teacher to take to the event, where students participated in activities and discussions about how to make the state’s schools more effective.
Dyar, son of Kirsten Dyar and the late Steven Dyar, said he was fairly surprised when he heard about the honor. The 18-year-old Mt. Abram senior from Strong said he didn’t think about the standardized tests much.
“It’s the MEAs. It’s not like I was pumped for it,” he said. “Mt. Abram High School does a great job prepping us for it,” he added.
He chose Patricia Patnaude, his chemistry and computer science teacher, as his mentor. Patnaude, he said, was honored but had to turn down the invitation, citing the importance of her being in school for her other students. Dyar said he understood.
“She teaches 60 kids and I’m just one kid. It’s a complicated class, and it’d be putting a lot of other kids behind if she weren’t there,” he said. “She’s a really good teacher,” he added. But Patnaude wasn’t the only teacher Dyar admires; he took English teacher Carolyn Brenner to the event. Dyar hopes to study engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology next year.
“It’s a feather in the cap of the school,” said Principal Greg Potter of the two students honored from Mt. Blue High School, Dalrymple and Lochala.
Dalrymple, of Farmington, also was surprised when she learned about the distinction.
“I never take standardized tests that seriously,” she said. “I just took a test and it went well.” The 17-year-old daughter of Lee and Lisa Dalrymple, she said she loves theater and chose English and drama teacher Debbie Muise to accompany her to Augusta. Although she hopes to continue working in theater as an avocation, Dalrymple plans to study biology and ecology in college. Her first choice is Gordon College in Wenham, Mass. She wants to do fieldwork in conservation.
Although Carly Lochala, the third Franklin County honoree, was unavailable for an interview, her mother said Carly is hoping to attend Dartmouth or Princeton next year to study engineering, math or science. Lochala, daughter of Charles and Zale Lochala of New Sharon, honored calculus teacher Peter Emery as her mentor.
“She had a really good year,” said Zale Lochala. “She really likes calculus.”
“Whatever she’s going to do, it’ll be wonderful,” said Randy Cook, the Mt. Blue High School assistant principal.
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