Graduation takes a village! Thank you to everyone who pitched in to help celebrate the class of 2026 over the past few weeks, and on graduation day. Even the Great Blue Herons seemed to recognize the moment, flying over the ceremony.
It's almost been a week since we've graduated another wonderful class of Warriors! A big thank you to Laurie Bird for taking these beautiful pictures! You can view the entire album at the link.
Mr. Viles and Mr. Hanish's Internship and Curation Class recently visited the Penobscot Marine Museum in Searsport to tour their photo archive center and digitization workshop. The Museum has been working for the last twenty years to digitize the many thousands of photographs that were taken by the Eastern Postcard Company and other entities in order to preserve Maine's history. Students were given a tour of the facility and were able to talk with photographic experts and learn best practices in order to continue their own work at the Levi Stewart Library in Corinna. You can visit and view the museums extensive photo archives at this link.
This year, five Nokomis students participated in the Monson Arts High School Program, which offers a group of talented students from central Maine the opportunity to participate in a school-year-long studio experience on the campus of Monson Arts. The program, led by working artists and writers, seeks to guide students in understanding what it means to make a life centered around art, helping them hone their craft, build bonds with other young artists, and become more confident about their future as creatives. The experience culminates in a formal gallery show featuring students' work. This year's show, on display in the Monson Arts Gallery through June 5th, features poetry by Trushan Viles, Erica Kern, and Milo Moody, and works of visual art by Faith Mabee, AiliaynTebbetts, and Azlynn Olson.
Congratulations to these students on their hard work and creativity!
The members of the Olympia Snowe Women's Leadership Institute Class of 2026 were awarded their cords and pins for graduation at a celebratory ceremony at UMO. Also in attendance were the Olympia's Leaders from the Class of 2027 and the Class of 2028.
Students in Mr. Viles's and Mr. Hanish's Research Internship/Curation Class were recently featured in a story broadcast on WLBZ/WCSH. Focusing on the digitization of historical documents from the Levi Stewart Library, the story highlighted the AI app built by Jacob Kezer and Zen Taylor that the class is using to transcribe difficult-to-read cursive writing. So far this year, the class has digitized and transcribed hundreds of documents and created biographies of many town notables that will eventually be accessible to visitors via QR codes.
The group then went to Segovia where they met a local guide and toured Alcázar, a 12th century castle, complete with a moat, knight’s armour, original furniture and ornate Moroccan-inspired ceilings and tiled walls. They walked down cobblestone streets into the Old Town of Segovia, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and had lunch with views of the Roman aqueduct of Segovia, built around the first century.
Burgos was the next stop on the tour through the Basque Country, and a local guide took them to another UNESCO World Heritage Site, the gothic Catedral de Burgos, where students were awed by private chapels, sculptures, and carved details in every corner. One of the chapels featured a painting of Mary Magdalen by Leonardo da Vinci.
The views of Basque Country from the bus were incredible en route to Bilbao, where the group toured the famous Guggenheim Museum. Josh Creswell, Jaiden Barkac and Jack Bolduc were thrilled to see their friend and former Nokomis international exchange student who lives in Bilbao, and they spent the afternoon together.
The tour guide Charles couldn’t believe how brave and excited the students were to jump in the “cold” ocean in San Sebastián, after having lunch of tapas and pintxos and a tour of the old city.
On the way to Barcelona the group toured Pamplona, the town famous for the running of the bulls, where they stopped for lunch and saw the narrow streets that the bulls run down. Barcelona was the final stop, where students toured the mosaic-covered Park Guell, and the UNESCO World Heritage cathedral La Sagrada Familia, both designed by Guadí.
Throughout the trip, students engaged deeply with Spain’s history, art, architecture, culture and people, making for an enriching and memorable experience.
Advisories fanned out to over 22 sites across the district for an afternoon dedicated to giving back to a community that gives us so much.
Special thanks to Mr. Avery and Mr. Dorogi for their hard work in organizing and making this year's event a success!
Students of the quarter were Junior, Jacob Kezer, Senior, Gerry Genereux, Freshman, Maeve Rush, and Sophomore, Nathalie LeVesque.
Nominated by their peers, the Fit Like a Warrior award recipients were Freshman, Britney Bennett, Sophomore Joe Monk, Junior, Hallie Coots, and Senior, Noah Kasprazak.
Warriors of the Quarter included Senior, Lauren Russell, Sophomore, Owen Russell, Junior, David Bolstridge, and Freshman, Jackson Robichaud.
In addition, 20 students were recognized with Most Improved Student Awards.
Congratulations to all of our award recipients, and Go Warriors!
We have a thriving journalism program here at Nokomis, with a dedicated class (Nokomis Newsroom) and independent study opportunities in Magazine Production. Students reporters produce our school newspaper, "The Burgundy & White" and a literary journal, "Burgundy", that features creative writing and visual art from a wide range of students. Volume II features poetry, short stories, essays, and works of art from 25 students.
Juniors at Nokomis have several options for a third year of English, including English 11 Excursion. This course takes place outside in all weather, including our late March snow storm which found students reading and responding to Walt Whitman's "Song of the Open Road" in the hemlock grove by Nokomis Pond. Over the course of the year students read the great American Nature writers and learn how to capture the beauty and diversity of our natural environment and of their own minds. We are lucky to have such an incredible campus for our students to become stewards of!
Nokomis Drama is in UP Week for our spring performances! Come out and see 55 talented students bring 3 One Act Comedies to life! Opening night is on Thursday and the show starts at 7pm, Friday at 7pm and Saturday at 2pm and 7pm. Tickets by suggested donation of $5.00 adults/3.00 students. You won't want to miss it!
