PHILLIPS — Last Friday, members of the 8th Grade Classes of 2020 from Phillips, Strong, and Kingfield Elementary Schools were recognized by their teachers and support staff, their families and their friends for their achievements over the past year as they completed the most recent step in their educational careers. Next year, they will become freshmen at Mt. Abram Regional High School. Congratulations, One and All!

Celebrations included presentations of various awards and goodie bags, “assemblies” held virtually via Zoom, and parades.

In Phillips, the graduates were honored first at a ceremony held at the Northwoods Truck Pull & Mud Run Track in Avon. Members of the class were recognized as they “walked the circle” inside the track. Principal Jeff Pillsbury surprised each with a tee-shirt proclaiming the nickname Tom Piekart, their science teacher, had bestowed upon them during their years in his class. At least, the most recent nickname. These had a habit of changing randomly throughout the course of a year.

After donning their shirts, the graduates walked the loop again, minding current social distancing rules, of course. This time around, each one received a gift basket and a diploma/certificate from Principal Jeffrey Pillsbury.

At 1 p.m.,, students and others connected via Zoom, one of the latest online conferencing methods developed during this time of staying together while staying apart. This virtual awards assembly took the place of the traditional last day of school assembly usually held in the school’s gym where there would be standing room only since the bleachers would be packed with students from Pre-K through 8th grade sitting shoulder to shoulder with guests too many to number.

This year, the teachers who were there in person sat the required six feet apart in their folding chairs, taking turns moving to the podium for their presentations. The gymnasium was oddly quiet.

Principal Pillsbury opened the proceedings with a welcome to his virtual audience and a mention of the morning’s “awesome parade” before stating, “We certainly miss our students and hope that we’ll get rolling again in the fall.”

Next on screen was Bear Rollins, President of the Student Council, who led the online gathering in the Pledge of Allegiance to the United States of America. Rollins was followed by Senator Russell Black who made the special presentation of the Secretary of State’s 8th Grade Citizenship Award.

The Senator began, “This certainly is not what we imagined a few months ago as we thought about 8th grade graduation.”

He commended the school staff and the graduates’ parents for “that awesome parade”, saying, “It will be something you’ll remember in the years to come.”

Then he read the award nomination from the 8th grade’s teachers: “When considering the 2019/2020 Maine Secretary of State’s Eighth Grade Citizenship Award, the name of one student came to all her teachers’ minds – Lindsey White. Lindsey meets the criteria for this award with a commitment of volunteer service to her community, a solid scholastic record, involvement in student government, and faithful school attendance.

“Academically, Lindsey completes her assignments on time and with attention to detail. Her schoolwork is a priority for her, as is her commitment to student government, where she serves as a Senator for the 8th grade, and has been actively involved for three years and where she has demonstrated commitment and leadership to her school and fellow students.

“Lindsey has been active in school sports and supporting her class during school events. She played soccer through middle school, helped run the concession stand during school athletic events, and was a key player in helping raise funds for the annual 8th grade school trip.

“In addition to her leadership examples in school, her community involvement is even more impressive. She has been a member of the Leo Cubs (a Lions Club for juniors) for three years. She annually volunteers with the Lions Club at the New Portland Fair and helps organize such local events as the truck and tractor pulls.

“Her most remarkable  community achievement is becoming a junior volunteer firefighter with the Phillips Volunteer Fire Department. As a junior firefighter, she has taken on the commitment to become a future firefighter. Her dedication to this effort is seen with every new training she undertakes and her unwavering support for her fellow firefighters.

“We therefore enthusiastically recommend Lindsey White for the 8th Grade Citizenship Award!”

When contacted by Facebook Messenger for her comments, Lindsey responded modestly, “I was very surprised about receiving the award…I am very proud of myself…very happy…It shows me what I have accomplished and (has given me) something to look back on to remind me of my 8th grade year.”

Principal Pillsbury was back next to present Perfect Attendance Awards to Robert Butterfield, Tanya Darling, Deryck Thomas, Sidney Kane, Tyler Meldrum, Jayden Johnson, Tate Dalrymple, and Adalyn Connelli.

He also announced the recipients of the President’s Award for Educational Excellence to Brooke Douglass, Alexandria Tripp, Brighton Silver, and Bear Rollins. This award recognizes academic success in the classroom. To be eligible, students must meet requirements, including grade point average or school-set criteria and choice of state tests or teacher recommendations

The President’s Award for Educational Achievement, earned by students who show outstanding educational growth, improvement, commitment to or intellectual development in their academic subjects, but who do not meet the criteria for the President’s Award for Educational Excellence, was presented to Lindsey White, Copper Veilleux, Jordan Morgan, Ethan Sniadecki, and Randi White.
Teachers Phil Olivieri, Tom Piekart, Lance Harvell, Nicole Levesque, and Melissa Galusha recognized outstanding students with a wide variety of awards from their various disciplines. Mr. Harvell also gave a shout out to Phillips’ representatives to the District Public Speaking Competition, Evan Bilodeau, Teresa Fast, and Colton Welch. Unfortunately, he noted, the competition had to be cancelled just two weeks before it was to take place because of the current health concerns. However, Harvell declared, “We were in very good shape.”

Mr. Pillsbury returned to the screen for the presentation of the Spelling Bee Awards to Evan Bilodeau and Scholar Athlete Awards to Bear Rollins and Carter Butterfield. Community Service Awards went to Brooke Douglass, Madison Robb, and Ethan Sniadecki who served as lunch helpers throughout the year. Madison and Brooke were also Pre-K bus helpers. Also receiving Community Service Awards were Vega Rollins, Edna Bilodeau, Imani Chilcote-Joof, and Mackensie Longley, the young ladies who were faithful in raising and lowering the flags every day,

Strong Elementary School faculty, friends, and other fans honored their Class of 2020 with a parade. Participants formed up at the school on Main Street, then proceeded on a route which wound over hill and dale throughout the town, past the home of every class member, seventeen in all. At each home, the graduate was presented with a goodie bag containing summer fun items, including flip flops, a lei, bubbles, a key charm with Strong Class of 2020, and some other items from other teachers. The girls also received a headband and the boys, a camo beanie from a local artist. One more very special keepsake was a DVD of their End-of-the-Year Slideshow.

The parade was made up of fourteen or vehicles and covered the approximately 80-mile route in about an hour and a half.

“All the volunteers waved, honked their horns, passed out the goodie bags,” said Principal Brenda Dwiggins, “and shed joyful tears!”

At the top of Lambert Hill, just outside of town, one eighth grader, Mathias Long-Frost, graciously took time out from the celebrations to talk about this major milestone in his life, including the following advice for upcoming students.

“Stay away from procrastination,” he stated firmly, “(Things) are a lot easier if you’re not struggling to stay caught up with homework…and stay out of trouble.”

Mom, Tammy Long, confirmed that Mathias is “much improved” in the homework area.

“He’s ready for high school,” she stated assuredly.

Mathias also advised that extra-curricular activities help reduce school-related stress, which, in turn, helps with academics. He has been playing on the soccer team and the middle school ski team. He names Titcomb as his “home mountain”. With plans to continue soccer at Mt. Abram, Mathias is hopeful that things will be cleared for pre-season by August.

Skateboarding, “a more painful hobby” in Mathias’s words, is another pass-time which he greatly enjoys. He has even built some of his own skateboard ramps for honing his jumping skills. He builds ski ramps, too, and rails.

As a matter of fact, Mathias may be headed for a future in manufacturing such things, and perhaps skis and skateboards, as well. Having his own manufacturing business is one of his possible career goals, as he would especially like to be his own boss. On the other hand, he is also considering criminal justice.

Mathias is the son of Tammy Long and Matthew Frost. Also part of the family are two Australian shepherds, Jacque and Lyra. Unfortunately, these two, though photographed with Mathias for his Class of 2020 sign, were playing camera shy on this day.

A celebratory parade was also held for 8th Grade Graduates at Kingfield Elementary School.

Principal Johanna Prince stated, “We had a wonderful day driving south towards New Portland, then to Sugarloaf, back through town, out to Salem and ending back at KES.  We were able to celebrate each student with words of advice, recognitions, and a moment to appreciate their growth.”

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