CARRABASSETT VALLEY – Carrabassett Valley Academy will graduate its Class of 2008 at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Richard Bell Chapel at Sugarloaf. Of the 31 graduating students, 16 are from Maine, four of them, Emma Coffin, Tucker Friend, Jess Eames and Peter Smith, residents of Carrabassett Valley, said Rick Bisson of the academy. Most of the students have attended the academy for four years.

The school offers students the opportunity to pursue their passion for skiing and snowboarding while receiving a pre-college education.

“The class has traveled and competed all over Maine, New England, the nation and the world,” Bisson said. Many in the class have received college acceptances.

John Christie, former president of Sugarloaf Mountain Corp. and a historian of the ski industry in Maine, will give the commencement address.

Katie Houser of Falmouth and Marblehead, Mass., is valedictorian and Chris Machesney of Cumberland is salutatorian.

Awards will be given during the graduation.