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Christmas Around the World

By Sam Chen December 20, 2020

Dream Chasing 2020-2021

By Sam Chen November 12, 2020

We will encounter many hardships in our lives. This year, due to the full-scale outbreak of the new coronavirus, many MCI residential students had to leave school and return to their motherland. At the beginning of the school year, students received notice of a comprehensive online course, and the story begins here.

November 17, 2019. Amid the cheers of the New Year, the new coronavirus came from hell to the world under the cover of the sound of firecrackers and began to spread in Wuhan, China. In just a month, tens of thousands of people were infected. On January 21, 2020, the first case of the new coronavirus was confirmed in Seattle, Washington on the West Coast. The new coronavirus outbreak was in the United States. March 2020, in order to prevent the outbreak of the epidemic in schools, Maine Central Institute decided to fully open online courses. On April 20, 2020, the number of confirmed cases in the United States soared to one million. A large number of international students began to flee the United States. Those who did not leave also began to prepare food and water and other daily necessities to prepare for the new coronavirus. After April 28, 2020, the number of confirmed cases of the new coronavirus in the United States began to multiply exponentially. It takes 43 days, 28 days, 15 days, 17 days, and 22 days for each million confirmed cases. On August 31, 2020, the number of confirmed cases in the United States exceeded 6 million, there are only less than two weeks left until school starts. Maine Central Institute issued an online course schedule via email. In the timetable, the school divided us into four groups, A, B, C and D. Seeing the crazy increase in the number of diagnoses in the United States, I chose to stay in China and became a member of Group D.

Online courses not only have a great impact on the students in our group D, but also have a lot of burden on the teachers. When we need to communicate with the teacher, we need to calculate the time difference and communicate with the teacher. It is precisely because of this that I gave up AP Physics. Many students in Group D feel the same way as me, especially those who are in China and have a 12-hour time difference. At the beginning of the school year, the thing I was most afraid of was getting up at 10:00AM in the morning and found that the mailbox was full of emails. There were several due 11:59AM assignments listed in the Google classroom. My mood was broken.

If the time difference is a minor issue, then what I am going to say next is a major issue. Although the number of occurrences is very small, after one occurrence, worry starts. This is a network or VPN problem. On the other side of the earth, if you want to use Google's applications in China, a VPN is essential. At the moment the VPN disconnected, I felt that everything was over. So far, my VPN has been disconnected twice. The first time I was discussing a real-time Google meeting with my teacher. The time was already set. I just typed the word OK, and before sending it, suddenly the VPN disconnected. At that moment, I thought a lot, mostly regret and fear. What I regret is why I didn’t contact the teacher earlier, or why I couldn’t type faster so that I could send it out before the internet was disconnected. What I am afraid of is talking and talking. Suddenly I stopped talking. If it is small talk, there will be no problems, but this is talking about learning. I am afraid that the teacher thinks that I have no respect for this class and the teacher. All night I wondered if the teacher would blame me or think that I did not respect her, but fortunately, the teacher did not criticize me. The second VPN disconnection was due to the migration of VPN URLs. The sudden disappearance of my VPN made me even more nervous than last time, especially when I logged into the official website and saw the big error, I was really almost desperate. Fortunately, my guardian and I emailed my teachers to explain the situation, and the teachers also expressed their understanding, which did not cause too much of a problem.

2020 is a year of disasters, but it‘s also a year to hone us. The time difference problem will still exist, and the VPN may still disconnect, but after these months of training, I believe that no matter how great the suffering, it will not stop me from moving forward. Only by breaking the darkness can we see the twilight of sunrise and reap ideal results. 2020-2021, Fight!

Community Service Day Tradition Lives On

By Dayun Kim November 4, 2020

On October 21st, there was a Community Service event for Cohort A students. It was Community Service Day for Cohort B students on October 28th. Community Service Day is an event in which students go out into the community and return services. The students went through their work and participated enthusiastically in each group. Each advisor group is responsible for providing service to the community.

According to Mr. Giallombardo, “on the day of community service, we planned and prepared different activities based on what our community needs.”

Community Service Day was started over 12 years ago at MCI. It started with former head of school Christopher Hopkins who introduced community service. MCI has one day in the fall and one in the spring. It has remained consistent throughout the years in terms of reaching out to the community to ask for what is needed. Unfortunately, the one in spring time is usually the last day of school so all seniors do not need to participate, but it is still a really wonderful experience for everybody. Mr. G said, “community service is necessary for the education of students because more than anything that we can teach students here at MCI is kindness.”

Students being able to give back to the community is one of the greatest educational experiences and this is one of the most important to our school. Community service also has a positive impact on both students and the community. The community is beneficial to those who are in need of social assistance while receiving help from students, and students benefit from the opportunity to educate.

Mr. Brownell Campaign Bid Short on Votes, Long on Learning

By Asa Cianchette November 10, 2020

There are very few instances in a student’s life where they have an inside look at the machinations that form the very complicated lives of their teachers. Nine times out of ten, teachers can be somewhat of an unknown enigma to students, with their curiosity doing it’s best to figure out what teachers do outside of school. But one time out of ten, we’re able to take an unconventional peak into the personal lives of teachers, and really discover what makes them themselves. In this particular one time, I and the rest of the student body had the opportunity to discover not only the political workings of a certain teacher, but also discover what they value and treasure within their community.

Since joining the MCI faculty family around 7 years ago, history teacher Ethan Brownell has left a constant, positive impression on not only those that study under his tutelage, but anyone who interacts with him. Teaching a wide variety of classes, from historical classes ranging from grades 9-12 to numerous AP courses, it’s hard to find an individual at MCI who hasn’t had Brownell for a teacher. With all of the connections and relationships that he formed over the years with students and their families, it came as no surprise to the community when Brownell announced that he would be running for the District 106 seat in Maine’s House of Representatives in the 2020 election. Although supported by his students and colleagues, many found themselves scratching their heads as to what exactly Brownell was trying to accomplish with his election. Luckily, I had the opportunity to sit down with Mr. Brownell to discuss what was going on in his political world.

Brownell initially had the idea of running for the HoR after asking around the community for those that would run as a Democrat, running in opposition to Republican Amanda Collamore. “I’ve always been engaged in politics, and I’ve always been curious about running and have planned to run at some point, as it’s a more broad and in-depth way to serve [the community],” Brownell remarked. “And there was a real opportunity this year to seek office.” Discovering the availability of candidacy, Brownell decided to step in and assume the role of the Democratic candidate for office, confident in his knowledge of his community and what it was capable of. Brownell’s campaign focused on what was missing in the tri-town area (of which included Pittsfield, Clinton, and Detroit) with regards to education, healthcare, and other systems that were holding people back from being as successful as they could be. “I want to try to bring to Augusta this perspective of ‘This is what the people of Pittsfield, Clinton and Detroit need, because they’ve told me and showed me what they need’.” From March to November, Brownell reached out to countless members of the tri-town area with the goal of helping those that need it most.

At the time of writing this story, the election has come and gone, and the District 106 seat went to the Republican candidate Amanda Collamore. Although Brownell’s campaign efforts didn’t quite land him where he hoped to be, he still plans to learn about, advocate for, and attempt to change issues that are facing the citizens of Pittsfield, Clinton, and Detroit, as he stated it would be “disingenuous to encourage my students to do the same, without actively doing it myself.” Ethan Brownell will continue to educate the students of MCI and serve in his community, with a newfound appreciation and understanding of those that he impacts and learns from. “The people that I’ve met throughout this campaign in the greater area serve to help me within my educational capacity, having learned more about them and the people that make up this community.” I believe that we can all learn a little something about Ethan Brownell, not from the political campaign that he ran, but from the dedication, interest, and care that he displayed during the campaign, and the appreciation, advocacy, and character that he continues to display, inside and outside of the classroom. When attempting to achieve something, perseverance and knowledge are key, but if you fail to achieve that something, understanding and continuing to work for what you believe in are just as important as attaining what you strive for.

MCI Musicians Make Adjustments to CDC Guidelines

By Asa Cianchette October 6, 2020

It’s safe to say that Maine Central Institute’s Visual and Performing Arts program is on par with most other artistically talented schools in Maine, if not one of the best. From placing first at the Berklee Jazz Fest to getting a near perfect score in Maine’s One-Act competitions, MCI’s arts students and staff have that certain mojo. However, in recent times, MCI’s arts departments have had to face significant challenges and adversity in response to the COVID-19 Pandemic that hit the planet earlier this year. Although all departments have been hit hard, the pandemic has had an especially big impact on the music department. Not only has the department needed to work around the logistics of playing instruments in a sterile and safe fashion, but the music scene at MCI has also had a change in leadership. Longtime music director Dean Neal decided to step down from his position at MCI to fill in for the newly opened music position at Nokomis Regional High in Newport, passing the torch to conductor/composer/audio engineer Maestro Ben Richmond, which poses its own unique challenges. “Going from one music teacher to another is hard because not everyone is going to have the same teaching style,” remarked senior Nicholas Carter, who had studied under the direction of Neal for three years as a percussionist and pianist.

Richmond must now direct several different ensembles in a pandemic environment, all while keeping students engaged and interactive with the music they are playing, even if that means playing an instrument they aren’t used to playing. “In band, all of the playing for our primary instruments is done at home, and we haven’t been able to play in school due to CDC regulations,” said senior Randall Starbird, who has been with the MSAD 53 music program for eight years as a trumpeter. “But I think Maestro Richmond is doing a good job with the situation that he’s been given.” During their band period, students are encouraged to play instruments that do not require the removal of a face mask, such as percussive instruments or piano. “It’s been challenging with the elimination of wind instruments, but it's a great challenge to pick up a new instrument and work on things like sight reading and theory,” said junior Hector Bligh, who has resorted to playing the accordion in lieu of the french horn, which he is now unable to play.

Although the MCI music program has faced some challenges in recent times, it seems as though Maestro Richmond and his students are making the most of this year, even if it means the elimination of a conventional band setting. Music students at MCI continue to challenge and surround themselves with all varieties of music, from studying classical compositions to “Sandstorm” by Darude. The world has changed astronomically within the past seven months, but not even a pandemic can stop the Maine Central Institute Visual and Performing Arts department from doing what they love.

MCI Students Mask Up

By Dayun Kim October 8, 2020

Students have been wearing a mask in school since school started in person classes and they are getting used to wearing masks. Day students and dorm students are not happy about coming to school wearing masks, but most students think it's a duty to wear masks at school and they feel it works. Students may feel uncomfortable wearing a mask but, according to students, they are getting used to it. “I don't like masks, but we should wear masks and it is essential,” said junior Emily Choi. Most students are somewhat uncomfortable with masks, but they agree on the need to wear them at school. Most students say that masks are inconvenient, but they are willing to wear them for everyone's safety. “I wouldn’t choose to wear a mask if there was not a pandemic, but since there is I do not mind it. I would rather keep everyone safe and wear a mask,” said junior Ava McCannell. When asked what they would do if wearing a mask made it hard to breathe, many students answered that they would go outside alone and take off their masks for a while or go to the bathroom to rest. Students often find it difficult to wear masks when they have classes in-person but many students missed the time at school before this pandemic. However, some students are positive about switching to remote classes three of the five days. Students are largely becoming accustomed and are showing a mature attitude towards wearing masks at school.

Hybrid Schedule Working Well to Start School Year

By Justin Kim October 8, 2020

The hybrid schedule is helpful to students. Many people, including some teachers, think students will study less because of the hybrid schedule. Therefore, some teachers give students a lot of homework. This will be more helpful to student learning than before. We interviewed sophomore Matt Lojewski, senior Joe Curtis, and math teacher Ms. Leslie Breton to find out their views on the hybrid schedule:

Q: Do you think the hybrid schedule is as helpful as before?

Matt: I think the hybrid schedule is helpful. It’s obviously, like necessary and it is probably the best option.

Joe: Since I lived in the dorm, and now living in Pittsfield, I’ll provide two points of view. First, when I lived in the dorms during the first phase of the Corona shutdown, it was horrible. I say this because I didn’t learn anything. The teaching methods that were put in place (not the teacher’s fault) weren’t configured to support that students. Personally, I learn better when my teacher is in the same room speaking to me. However, I have heard from many of my dorm friends that the new model is better than what it used to be. Second, now that I live in Pittsfield, which makes me a day student, the new model makes my life less stressful (in some aspects). Some of my teachers are still assigning excessive amounts of work, but I have been welding at SCTC, which makes it so I can actually sleep at night because I can choose when to do which assignment. For example, Monday is a day 1, so I have all of my core classes, and the work won’t be due until Friday because on Tuesday and Thursday I have SCTC, and Wednesday is an “office hours” whatever they call it. In short terms, I enjoy the new hybrid model to an extent.

Ms. Breton: No.

Q: How about returning the schedule back to the original?

Matt: Returning back to normal school would be nice but it doesn’t really seem like a safe option right now.

Joe: Honestly, if we go back to the original schedule, I believe all of the restrictions should be lifted. For example, day students should be allowed to spend time with residential students like they used to do. The students should be able to use the gyms (promotes a healthy lifestyle). Everything should go back to normal if the schedule returns to the original schedule. Personally, I would rather have the schedule that we have now. It makes life a little easier to manage, but I would LOVE to do more things at school, like spending time with my dorm friends, and training in the gym.

Ms. Breton: That’s what I would like.

Q: How about going to school in a one week rotation? For example, Cohort A goes to school one week and Cohort B doesn't go to school that week. The next week Cohort A doesn't go to school and Cohort B goes to school.

Matt: I feel like going for a week at a time and just one weekend online all together would be difficult and become tiring.

Joe: If it was my choice, everyone would be going to school together. I believe being mentally, socially, emotionally, and physically healthy is essential. However, with all of the restrictions, it makes it hard for all of these to mix together.

Ms. Breton: No. Too much time between meetings.

Q: What is the most comfortable and uncomfortable thing about a hybrid schedule?

Matt: It’s nice to be able to go to school and be online for a long time and the uncomfortable thing is just being online.

Joe:I enjoy being able to leave class online when the teacher no longer has anything to explain.

The only thing that I can complain about is not being able to share some social time with the people that I want. For example, I have many friends in the labeled “cohort B”, so that’s what makes it uncomfortable.

Ms. Breton: We don’t have to see people on Monday until Friday.

Q: How does hybrid schedule affect sports?

Matt: With the hybrid schedule I can’t necessarily practice as much as I used to. But I still get in a lot of time.

Joe: I have heard the hybrid schedule conflicts with athletics. Since school gets out later now, it’s challenging to have games at early times (we are in the season of fall, which means the sun goes down earlier). Other than that, personally, I don’t believe that it conflicts with the sports.

Ms. Breton: We are starting later.

Coronavirus vs. New Semester

By Shuaizhi (Sam) Chen October 6, 2020

2020 is destined to be a year written in history. Mankind has suffered heavy losses under the ravages of the new coronavirus. The cumulative number of confirmed diagnoses worldwide has already exceeded 20 million, and the United States has reached a terrible 7+ million. As a student, we have encountered the start of the school season. What shall we do?

Maine Central Institute built in 1866, is located in Pittsfield, Maine. It is a beautiful and harmonious campus. But since March, everything has changed.

The new coronavirus quickly broke through the defense lines of all countries including the United States with lightning speed. Maine was located in a high latitude area. But after holding on for several weeks, the Maine defense line was still officially broken on March 12.

Under the influence of the new coronavirus, MCI decided to start online teaching in March. People started to panic. Some bought air tickets to flee the United States, and some began to hoard water, food, and alcohol-based disinfectant.

Everyone is looking forward to the end of the COVID-19 pandemic soon, but things are counterproductive. The United States is increasing the number of confirmed cases per month by one million and U.S. President Donald Trump also announced on October 2nd that his COVID-19 test had been submitted, positive. But in such a terrible atmosphere, the teachers and leaders of MCI worked overtime to complete the plan for the start of school.

For teaching and learning, the school divides students into four groups: cohorts A, B, C, and D. Cohort A students have face-to-face lessons on Mondays and Tuesdays, and remote lessons on Thursdays and Fridays. Cohort B students had face-to-face lessons on Thursdays and Fridays, and received remote lessons on Mondays and Tuesdays. Students in cohort C will have live remote lessons every day. Due to the time difference, the international students in cohort D will conduct recorded and broadcast lectures. Wednesday becomes a remote day, and all students receive online lectures.

The problem of teaching was solved, but MCI faced a severe test again, the safety of the cafeteria. As we all know, the new coronavirus spreads through the respiratory tract, so wearing a mask can achieve the protective effect, but in the cafeteria, we must take off the mask to eat.

After the efforts of the school, the solution was finally born, which is the isolation board. The idea is this: isolate each table into four areas through the isolation board, each area will not affect the other area, after sitting down, we could take off the mask and eat, and then put on the mask again after eating before leaving our own area. At the same time, the school will allow students to eat out, and no restrictions on the number of days. This could count as a perfect idea.

In daily life, we will definitely encounter other problems and difficulties, but don't be discouraged. The road to success will always be bumpy. The fight against the new coronavirus is still going on. We should not be merciful to any place where there may be hidden dangers, insisting on daily disinfection and wearing masks when we go out. For ourselves, and for the school, let us get through this epidemic together. There are no mountains that cannot be overturned, no river that cannot be crossed. As long as we work together to protect everyone, we will surely be able to survive the epidemic safely.

BTP Staff Recommendations for Movies or Albums to Checkout While Stuck at Home

Dr. Dre's "The Chronic" Takes Hip-Hop Fans back to the 90's

By TJ Stewart April 13, 2020

In today’s day and age, a lot of people may argue that Drake has the best hip-hop album ever, or perhaps Young Thug, Lil Uzi Vert, etc. But seemingly, they forgot about their roots. There is no definite best hip-hop album but "The Chronic" by the infamous Dr. Dre ranks among the best.

Dr. Dre, a former N.W.A producer, released "The Chronic" in 1992. The album consists of 16 tracks, containing 4 “skits” and 12 songs; featuring Snoop Dogg, Jewell, Daz, RBX, Rage, Kevin Lewis, Bushwhack Bill, and Kurupt. My initial response to this album was the fact that it was raw. They came right out and told everyone how things were going to be with a diss on former group N.W.A. on "Wit Dre Day (And Everybody’s Celebratin’)." Tracks 1-16 all possess the same energy which helps create that raw feeling. Something that Dr. Dre made famous was the art of sampling. In just about every song there is a sample in the track, whether that be drums, melody, or vocal samples, this is another reasoning for that raw feeling. Samples ranging from funk group Funkadelic to rock group Led Zeppelin, Dre takes multiple genres and uses them to create one.

There are a handful of good things about this album but focusing on one would be the samples that I just spoke about. They create a gateway from generation to generation. A lot of people see sampling as stealing or theft but clearly, in this album, it's the appreciation of music as a whole.

Moving into the weak point. Which would be the explicit language that is used throughout the album, but it's nothing that you haven’t heard before.

Listening to this album will give you a different look at how hip-hop and rap were in the ’90s. It consisted of actual rappers and ill beats to back them up, this will not be a regret if given a listen.

"The WaterBoy": 90's Comedy To Survive Staying Home

By Jason Pyles April 13, 2020

There are countless Adam Sandler films that are enjoyable and funny, but I'm narrowing down my options to "The WaterBoy." This film is based on a southern boy named Bobby Boucher who falls in love with the game of football but his mom believes it’s “the Devil.” After I watched this film my first take on it was that it was a comedy with a love and hero story within it. All the components of the movie help to mold a quality and a little cheesy film. The reason why I responded to the movie this way is because there are a lot of funny and just morally obscure moments that made me laugh. The story behind Boucher and his mom was a love story but they did a good job at making sure they mixed in a bit of comedy with it as well. Compared to "The Longest Yard," which also stars Adam Sandler, this film is a lot more goofy and I also wouldn't say that it’s a low budget film, but it has common 1990s camera quality. The strongest pro that this movie possesses is the fact that Adam Sandler plays a perfect part. He is so good at acting stupid and really brings out the goofiness in the movie. But looking at the biggest con, it would probably be the fact that everyone put him down to think that water was better than Gatorade; when that is not the case at all. I would definitely recommend this film if you have not seen it yet. It is filled with everything you need for a good quarantine movie.

Head to Hogwarts for an Extended Visit During Quarantine

By Abigeal Shea April 11, 2020

With many of us home social distancing, now is a good time to discover new movies or to re-watch old favorites. One of my favorite movie series is the Harry Potter series. "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" is the first of seven books and eight movies. In times like these when it may seem like you’re running out of things to watch this series will help because it takes 22 hours to watch all of the Harry Potter movies and another five hours to watch the two Fantastic Beasts movies that are connected to the Harry Potter Series. Along with watching the movies you could also read the books that the movies are based on. The books are wonderful because J. K. Rowling goes into more detail in all the books. The books transport you to Hogwarts and it is like you are there with Harry, Ron, and Hermione. This series is a favorite of many and for those who have not watched it I highly recommend that you do.

"Retro" Entertainment is a Banger

By Emily LaChapelle April 14, 2020

In fashion, music, as well as video entertainment; “oldies-but-goodies” have been making a comeback. While social media may be giving us the inside scoop on drama, or different things that are going on; we are not getting the full “gossip experience”. One of the classics “Pretty In Pink”, is a movie about the dramas of high school. Maybe you just finished “Friends” or “The Office”. Take a peek at some classics that could be bangers!

Digging Up the Past with "Coal Miner's Daughter"

By Kadin Hertlein April 7, 2020

“Coal Miner’s Daughter” was produced in 1980. The movie is about well-known country singer, Loretta Lynn. It’s an amazing story about how the singer who grew up with nothing becomes an icon in country music. However, there were some things that should have been changed in the movie’s storyline. There were unannounced changes of time that sometimes made it difficult to follow. The memories came constantly, and sort of repeated. There were also large gaps of time that could have been broken up. The moments picked though were captivating and kept you interested in watching though. I do wish that there would have been follow ups on some of the minor characters. They dropped off at random points throughout the movie. Aside from this, the movie was a pleasure to watch, and I would recommend it to anybody who loves old movies, or is a music fan.

Dueling Doolittle's

By Brennah Doolan April 14, 2020

Both movies are really good but if I had to pick a favorite it would be "Dolittle." "Dolittle" was more exciting, there was more action. "Dr. Dolittle" is more of a comedy with a couple action bits. The only thing I didn’t like about "Dolittle" there was little to no music in the background. One thing I like about "Dr. Dolittle" is that it was funny, I like comedy, but I prefer a little action. The one thing I like about both they weren’t horror movies. I suggest watching both of them.

"All-American" Inspires

By Dominic Wilson April 16, 2020

"All-American" is a TV show which recently came out with series 2. This has been a very popular show over the course of quarantine so here is the review. According to the CW, the series is inspired by the true life story of NFL Super Bowl Champion, Spencer Paysinger. "'All-American' is an inspiring, feel good, family drama about a young, high school football phenom, Spencer James and the two families whose homes he shares after transferring from Crenshaw to Beverly High - his mother and brother in South Central LA and the Bakers of Beverly Hills. But as these two families and their vastly different worlds are drawn together, Spencer, the Bakers, and the James family will discover that the differences that divide us on the surface hide a deeper connection - the complicated, imperfect humanity that unites us all."

One of the best series I’ve seen. Multiple plot twists and wow moments as well as emotional moments. But let not forget about the hype moments, truly making me feel like I can run through a wall. But in all seriousness personally this is an amazing show, getting a perspective of two worlds colliding and an individual that has to deal and make decisions on how to go about it. Some things come with consequences and others with smiles. Also seeing the external and internal issues every individual uniquely went through from both worlds, the poor and the rich. Would 100% recommend to watch this.

SOCIAL DISTANCING SPECIAL EDITION

By Emma Burr April 6, 2020

This pandemic has affected everyone in some type of way. Most people were affected physically or mentally or even both. Social distancing has affected freshman Olivia Smith in both ways. “This whole ordeal has taken its toll on me—especially my mental health.” One of the main things that Smith talked about was seeing her friends. She's human, and she misses the company of others. Even though it’s been hard, she still tries to think of the positives in her life; her family is healthy and safe.

My sister Carrie Burr is a senior and has been hit hard by social distancing. It has caused her senior project to be changed; her vacation trip with her friends has been cancelled, most likely her last spring sport is gone, and her last experiences at school with her friends. Carrie said that the freshman, sophomores and juniors wouldn't understand what the seniors have lost. An anonymous senior said that a teacher told them that this was a bad situation but at least they would be able to tell their kids that they went through the 2020 pandemic. This senior said that their future kids would ask “Where are the pictures of you in your cap and gown when you graduated?” And they wouldn't know where to start. The senior talked about how they would probably miss their graduation or it would be different, and no one else would comprehend what the seniors are experiencing. These three people were all affected by this, whether it was plans cancelled, school years ruined, bad effects on mental and/or physical health, social distancing has put a strain in these people's lives.

By Brennah Doolan April 2, 2020

Social distancing impacts a lot of people in my family and it impacts everyone in this world. For instance I was supposed to have a party for my birthday this weekend, but now with social distancing I will have to wait until this virus is over. My aunt Jamie was supposed to come and see me at my birthday party, but now she can’t and my aunt Katie was supposed to have a baby shower but she can’t now because of COVID-19. Lastly my cousin Kianna can even get too close to her sister.

By Kadin Hertlein April 6, 2020

The Coronavirus has been spreading and has been catastrophic in many areas. The struggle has provided the question: What do we do to stop the spread? Among the several strategies, social distancing is the most common that is used. Social distancing affects people with varying levels. This is mostly determined by your job, or outside activities/clubs.

My parents were both deemed necessary, but were affected very differently. My mom works at a hospital with oncology patients. Social distancing makes her job even more complicated. Part of the job is comforting patients, which is hard to do from 6 feet away. Her work is filtering patients, and no visitors are allowed. On the other hand, my father’s job is mostly unaffected. To the farthest extent, he can’t have one to one conversations with his customers.He works with HVAC systems (heating and cooling). He can do his job remotely, or at the site. He’s not often in direct contact with the customers. Aside from jobs, social distancing affects everyday life. My sister is no longer able to participate in any clubs or sports. She can’t have any friends over either. We are very strict on who we let into the house. Even our grandparents down the road have limited access. Errands are very far and few between, and are done once a week to limit contact with strangers.

Social distancing has affected every aspect of how people live their lives. Trips out are limited, people are more careful at work, and everyday clubs and activities have been cancelled. Social distancing is taken very seriously in our household, and should be by others. It is one of our main defenses for the Coronavirus.

By Abigeal Shea April 6, 2020

This is week three of social distancing for much of the MCI community. Social distancing means something different to everyone. For many of us, this means online learning or online teaching. Both of these come with their own challenges. For many of us being stuck at home means that we cannot continue to do the things that we love. This especially impacts the arts community here at MCI and around the world. However, some of us are not at home and are out at work as essential employees. By interviewing three members of our community that belong to each of the three groups mentioned above you will get an inside look into the challenges of social distancing in our community.

Since I am one of those in our community, who is a student social distancing at home the only person I could interview in person was my mom. Some of you may know my mom because she is a substitute teacher at MCI. When interviewing her on the impacts of social distancing in her life she said that the biggest struggle is grocery shopping. This is because we all should be limiting our time out in public but this is hard if you have to go grocery shopping every week. In order to decrease her exposure through grocery shopping, she would have to stock up on food and essentials which is over the limit at stores and is generally not fair to others. Recently, she has discovered ways to order food online through a delivery program called Schwan’s. The drawback to this is that they only have frozen foods, which means no eggs, milk, or fresh vegetables. They also are limited to food so other essentials must also be purchased from the store. Another resource my family has begun to use is local farms. A few of our local farms in our school district are doing porch delivery. This is an excellent way to support our community and limit the spread of the virus in grocery stores.

Next, I used social media to interview Bart Brown who is an MCI senior that works at Walmart. When I asked Bart what it is like working at Walmart right now the first word that came to mind was madness. As an essential employee, this is a very frustrating time. Some of the policies that she and her coworkers now have to enforce are limits of the number of customers allowed in the store at once, limits on how much of certain types of products customers can buy, and constantly cleaning surfaces. Bart also said that in the next few weeks that employees will be encouraged to wear masks and gloves while working and that Walmart has made extra time off available to employees who need to take time off to take care of their families. When I asked Bart if there was anything that MCI could do to make her life as an essential employee easier, her response was she wished there was a “better understanding that an increase in busy work during this time isn’t helpful and is honestly hurting the way I’m learning. Especially since I have to spend an increased amount of time in the public I am extremely worried about my health.” She also feels that her mental health is deteriorating and is due to stress and fear for her health.

Through social media, I also interviewed Isaac Tardy. The majority of the questions I asked Isaac were related to the arts. As many of you may know Isaac is one of our most involved arts students at MCI. When I asked Isaac how social distancing has impacted his involvement in the arts specifically he responded that “performing and making art is all about a collaborative experience and without hands-on opportunities the recent pandemic has made it a challenge.” However, Isaac did mention how the Visual and Performing Arts department at MCI has done a wonderful job coming up with new and fun strategies to provide artistic opportunities for students. When asked if there was anything MCI could be doing to help students like him during social distancing he said “I think every school has a different solution. I don’t know as if there really is a right or a wrong, everything is new. I am confident MCI will continue to do what they believe is best for their students learning.”

Overall everyone’s lives are being impacted differently by social distancing and all we can do is make the best of a tough situation. To echo the words of many around the globe right now, stay home and stay healthy.

By Grace Stewart April 6, 2020

Due to the recent issue with COVID-19 people have been forced to stay home or social distance. For some people this has caused numerous issues, such as college or high school students not getting the same level of education through a laptop as they would in person, or getting laid off from jobs and not making money. For seniors this year their graduation was canceled or internships going remote and missing out on experience. People need to socialize, it not only boosts your serotonin but also helps with impulse control and teaching expectations. Not socializing all the time can cause feelings of depression while socializing normally/regularly can cause feelings of happiness or well-being.

By TJ Stewart April 6, 2020

We know that social distancing and quarantine have impacted all of us. With senior projects just starting, spring sports, jazz & drama states, and many other events happening; it was an unfortunate and upsetting time for everything to come to a convulsing halt. But there is always hope for graduation and other end of the year activities.

After speaking with my sister who is a senior in college about the situation and she said that it all sucks. She got laid off, she was pushed to do an internship with a court judge at home, her graduation got canceled, and of course, she is stuck at home doing nothing but work. After that, I spoke with another sister of mine and she said “It's hard because I’m a bio major and I can't be in a lab so my education is significantly lessened. You just don't get the same level of experience being at home and I’m still paying the same price.” The common answer around the house was there is simply nothing to do, you finish one thing and then you find yourself looking for something else to do.

Social distance has put a lot of people's lives on hold. It puts our schools on hold, the sports we love, the music we love making, and the ability to see the friends we adore everyday. The only thing we can do now is stay inside, wash our hands, try to stay safe, and listen to Lauryn Hill because she is for the soul.

By Dominic Wilson April 6, 2020

Throughout the recent and unfortunate outbreak of COVID-19 lives have been dramatically impacted from our normal everyday routines for everyone in the United States and around the world, phrases such as “social distancing,” “self-quarantine,” and “flattening the curve” are showing up in the media.

What does this mean, how will it apply to you, people around you, and your community?

Cancelling events that are likely to draw crowds is an example of social and physical distancing. “Social distancing is deliberately increasing the physical space between people to avoid spreading illness” (Hopkins). Staying at least six feet away from other people lessens your chances of catching COVID-19.

Other examples of social and physical distancing that allow you to avoid larger crowds or crowded spaces are:

• Working from home instead of at the office

• Closing schools or switching to online classes

• Visiting loved ones by electronic devices instead of in person

• Cancelling or postponing conferences and large meetings

I’ve asked a few loved ones, along with friends how social distancing is treating them. The most frequent answer to my question was boredom. Of course this is a common theme, there are only so many things you can do to keep yourself content throughout the day. However, by staying active and keeping healthy habits such as eating healthy or reading books can keep you content along with keeping others in your community safe as well. But STAY AT HOME!

By Emily Lachapelle April 7, 2020

Social distancing has affected many and all sorts of relationships, plans, adventures, as well as just daily life. Social distancing, the idea of being at least 6 feet apart from another human, has been enforced in many countries in the world. Some people may not care, while others it could mean everything to them; for example, someone could have a partner who doesn’t live with them, or even family who they cannot see for a period of time which is unknown.

Although I am the author of this article, I thought I would add some of my experiences with social distancing into the story. I had many things planned; a trip to New York with the MCI music department, spring basketball, plans to go out of state with some friends… the list goes on; this seemed like so much to me, but I wanted to see what other people were experiencing.

I presented three people with the question, “how has social distancing affected you? I approached my good friend Caden, my best friend Alexis (a senior at MCI), and my mom (Ms. LaChapelle).

My mother said “social distancing is making me realize how much of our lives revolves around other people, as well as how peaceful our lives can be without other people.” I honestly completely agree, this whole experience (not just social distancing) has been an eye-opener.

Caden stated that social distancing makes him “depressed and not motivated,” I can definitely relate. There is just a gloomy feeling when you don’t get interaction with new people.

Alexis said “It has caused me to feel depressed and anxious, but there are positives I have found. I have gotten a strong connection with my little brother.” It is always great to have some time to spare, but I feel like anxiety and depression have been taking our age group by storm!

Through this question I have learned that although we may be in different situations or different parts of the world we all share a lot of the same emotions.

By Jason Pyles April 7, 2020

Social distancing has changed people's lives all around. The impact it's caused on some teenagers has created some mental and physical health issues. The ability to not be able to see friends, other family, or continue their daily routine has caused stress and laziness. A lot of people aren’t able to workout as much as they want to because they struggle to find the motivation without a gym. The mental health people are struggling with has made them shut out people, get annoyed with them, and caused tension between people. Another thing people are having a struggle with is doing their school work. They’re struggling with learning the subjects and adapting to the new online schooling. For some people they had to say goodbye to some of their best friends because most dorm students had to head home because they weren’t sure how long this pandemic would last.

Ava McCannell, a sophomore: It has impacted her because she hasn’t been able to have contact with her friends or family unless it’s her immediate family. She’s not used to being stuck inside all day and not going anywhere. Also she hasn’t been able to go to work and it was a good part of her day. It’s impacted her in a good way also because she has been able to keep a daily routine working out with her father.

Olivia Laselle, a junior: It has impacted her because it’s created boredom and she’s been tired. She’s had bad mental health and hasn’t been able to be very active.

Sherman John O’Brien V, a junior: The big ways it’s affected him are his academic capability has dwindled and he feels he can’t retain information as well and his social life has gone down and all his friends in the dorm had to leave so now he won’t be able to see them at school. It’s impacted him physically because before he would workout during the weight room a few times a week and his house doesn’t have gym equipment and he finds it hard to have the mentality without the equipment and finds it hard getting out of bed.

Challenges of the Manson Essay

By Jason Pyles March 5, 2020

As the Juniors third year begins to close, they are faced with a challenge. After putting in countless hours of hard work, concentration, and effort on their Mason Essay’s they have finished and are preparing for the long stretch home, the Manson speech. For seniors, they know they deal, 6-8 minutes, eye contact, and good voicing, which all takes a lot of practice and dedication for a quality grade. Mr. Buys and Mr. Allen have not only read hours upon hours of essays, they have to sit and listen to about 60 speeches, good or bad.

“A good experience, a lot easier than I expected”, said Jett Gehrke when asked about his overall perspective of the Manson Essay. For some that may be the case, but for others they feel a bit differently. For example, James Jensen said “It went okay, but I feel like they shouldn’t assign any homework during the Manson because it makes things seem a lot harder.” When it comes to the grading proportion, Justus Marquardt had some things to say. “I think that one teacher Mr. Allen may be grading harder and is more strict than the other, but overall it was a good grade booster.”

The Manson Essay may be one of the most dreaded assignments in our high school careers here at MCI. But is it really as bad as people portray it to be? Well if you prepare yourself and really invest in the topic you chose, there should be no problem getting it done and being proud of the final product.

Winter Carnival a Success, Despite Snow Day

By Dominic Wilson March 5, 2020

Every Winter here at MCI we have a long-standing tradition called Winter Carnival. Students participate in friendly class competitions such as building snow sculptures, tug of war, volleyball, QuizBowl, and a number of other fun activities that take place during this time period. Winter Carnival 2020 was out of the ordinary this year with a snow day that'd thrown off the schedule causing us to add some events to Friday along with an event on Saturday, along with less time to build the sculpture “Yeah I mean I think that we had a good showing for the senior class and the competitive scene was good, there was a lot of stuff going on and I think that everyone did a good job adapting to the snow day” said TJ Stewart, a senior. There was great competition amongst all of the classes and the final standings are the following fourth place went to the sophomores, third place went to the juniors, second place went to the freshman, and in first place winning by 78 points the seniors.

Winter Carnival 2020 was indeed out of the ordinary in many aspects but the students participating made it work along with the adults that made winter carnival happen, it was another successful year of winter festivities here at MCI and as a senior, this winter carnival was one of the best.

New Space Making Hands-On Addition to Science Department

By Jack Morton March 5, 2020

The makerspace at MCI is brand new this year. The makerspace is located in Mr. Robinson’s old room (MS201) in the Cianchette Math and Science building. Along with the makerspace, there are new classes being offered, Intro to Engineering and Intro to Design. These classes are taught by Mr. Lincoln Robinson and Mr. Adam Pomeroy. In these classes, you will learn how to 3D print, the design process, how to technically draw, and much more. Mrs. Jessica Libby, the Science Department Head, said that the purpose of the makerspace ”was to have an area where you could bring multiple classes with different teachers into a space that could be very hands-on.” Mr. Robinson said, “the purpose was to have space where students can create products 100% of their own design.” According to Mrs. Libby future plans for the makerspace include next year having a robotics class. Also, the science department wants to get some new stuff for the makerspace like a vinyl cutter and a heat press. Overall the makerspace is a creative and hands-on addition to the science department at MCI.

Robotics at MCI

By Brennah Doolan March 5, 2020

With MCI focusing on STEM, robotics is a great fit to the clubs and activities program. It is a great program for this school, it came from MCI having a First Robotics Competition team. Aaron Basford started the FRC team (4041) in Gardiner, Maine for his son to participate in and he started a robotics team here in 2016 for his nephew, Trenton.

Jenn Basford has helped Aaron every year. “We have tried every year to find a replacement for Aaron, but sadly no luck yet.” This year is Trenton’s senior year, Jenn took over as Lead Mentor but the team is still looking for a permanent Lead Mentor.

As well as exemplifying technology, students learn about engineering, mathematics and more. These teams provide opportunities to strengthen leadership skills and social interaction skills. The robotics team is a small funny and goofy group, but at the same time they work hard and get the job done.

Raising money is difficult especially because of how expensive the tools, parts and competition are, but the robotics team gets it done by sending sponsorship letters and lots and lots of fundraising. This year's big fundraiser was Applebee’s donating 10% of everyone's bill that day. It really helped because motors and batteries for robots are not the cheapest.

We all hope that this club continues to run for many more years. We need to find a way to get more people involved. More mentors and students should be involved. This club may get lost. We really hope it doesn’t get lost, it would be upsetting if we lost the robotics club.

This year's robot is coming along very well, but it is very difficult to build a robot for this year's FRC game. This year's game is infinite recharge. The mission is to get an energy shield charged and back up before the meteor hits and destroys earth. The robot has to shoot power cells (foam balls) through the power port, then a robot has to spin a trench. Lastly, robots have to hang off the shield generator to activate the shield. The robotics team will have a great year and there will be many great years to come.

Seniors Win Winter Carnival! Freshmen Show Promise

By Michael Hathaway March 9, 2020

With how exciting this year’s Winter Carnival was one can’t help but marvel at the fact of, despite the senior’s winning at the end, how close the freshman got to prevailing. Part of the shock most likely came from the fact that this was the freshman’s first Winter Carnival, and as such the class had no experience in the activities. Despite this obvious disadvantage, the freshmen performed incredibly well.

I decided to interview a few individuals about their thoughts and opinions on the senior and freshman class. One of them, Mr. Buys (a well known senior advocate and English teacher), had a few insightful comments. When asked what he expected from the Freshman, he said “There was never any moment where I thought the Freshman were going to win,” showing his pride in his 2020 class. In fact, it seemed to be a common theme that Mr. Buys would speak well of the senior class. When asked about how he felt the seniors performed, he commented; “I have always been very impressed with the seniors ability to adapt given their situations.” True. For some classes, the snow day on Thursday proved crippling to their snow sculpture and morale. Not the seniors, though. Finally, when questioned about what will happen next year with the 2020 class graduated, he responded with; “It is the rising seniors year to lose... but who’s not to say this upcoming freshman class won’t give some contention?”

Another interviewee was Emily LaChapelle, a freshman and member of multiple after-school activities. When asked about how she felt when the freshman got second place, she stated; “I feel like the freshman definitely proved themselves by defeating a lot of the other classes... but we did really good for first-year students.” A major participant herself, Emily partook in the basketball, volleyball, and tug-of-war portions of the competitions, among others. However, to come so close to first place is rough, and when asked how the freshman will perform next year, she confidently responded; “Considering the results from this year, I definitely think we are going to win against the next Senior class. But, it also depends on the incoming freshman.” Emily seemed very confident that the freshman class can still improve as they move into their sophomore year, and the taste of near-victory will only propel them forward.

Overall, this was a very successful year for the seniors, who ultimately brought home the gold with 78 points over the next-leading class. There were some very close calls, especially with the boys tug-of-war, close calls that demonstrated the amount of potential the class of 2023 has. Next year, they will be the class to beat, without a doubt. But, for now all we can do is relax and get ready for next year's Winter Carnival.

MCI Students Attend Model UN Conference

By Edith Tierney

Every year in May, Maine Central Institute’s Model United Nations group travels to the University of Southern Maine’s Gorham campus to participate in the Maine Model United Nations Conference (MeMUNC). This year was MeMUNC’s 21st year. There were nine committees this year and 30 schools from across the state attended.

In the committees, students represent various nations and in that position they debate and come to solutions for the issues they are discussing. Before arriving at the conference, students are supposed to research their country and its position on the topics on their specific committees. Then, over the course of about 12 hours stretched over one full and two partial days, students use proper procedure to form and then vote on resolutions for both topics. This year, topics ranged from the exploitation of children in tourism, to intellectual property and the right to seeds, to illicit trafficking on the Dark Web, and many more.

In the time that students are not in committee sessions, food is provided, games including board games and bingo are available, and of course, there is the infamous Model U.N. Dance on Thursday night. Additionally, there is traditionally open gym in the evenings. Some years, when the weather permits, there is also an outdoor movie night.

This year, the opening ceremony consisted of the introduction to the Secretariat, and Leadership Team, these are the college students who chair the committees as well as those who organize the event. Following this, Dr. Rebecca Davis Gibbons, a new professor at USM, gave the keynote speech which was focused on nuclear security.

The closing ceremony consisted of many warm sentiments from the Secretariat about their various committees. This included the bestowing of awards. The Best Large Delegation Award went to France from Freeport High School. The Best Small Delegation Award went to Paraguay which was also represented by Freeport High School. Many individuals received individual awards. This included three MCI students who received Honorable Mentions, these three were Randall Starbird, Annabel Street, and Richard Hallowell.

By: Kiaya Delano

The MCI music program is still going well, much like past years according to Mr. Dean Neal, the music teacher of MCI. For today’s scoop, the Bell Tower Press interviewed Mr. Neal to get more insight on MCI’s music program. For those who want to know what’s coming up, how the program has progressed, and more details, read on!

Mr. Neal was asked some basic questions first, like: how was this year in comparison to the past years (in any aspect)? Mr. Neal explained that the only difference between the last year and this year were the new faces, and went on to explain that there was growth every year.

Mr. Neal was also asked about improvements and setbacks this year. He responded that there was less staff this year which made his job more difficult but all around, his students always stepped up because his class is a mostly a “hands-on” environment. His students often get to compose their own music and practice independently. However, his class also practices repetitively when events come up: they sing a group of songs consistently to be ready for any event coming their way.

Additionally, Mr. Neal made note that there were some upcoming events. The State Vocal Jazz Festival takes place Saturday March 30th, at Lawrence High school in Fairfield. The national anthem will be sung at a Harlem Globetrotters game in Augusta, and the State Instrumental Jazz Festival took place in South Portland this past weekend. For those who do not know what the state festival is, Mr. Neal explained that too. It’s basically like track, for reference he explained, where each person or group is ranked based on the standards set for them. If they achieve those standards then, they rank higher and so on.

Support for these musical events are appreciated! Special thanks to Mr. Neal for offering his time to give us this information.

By: Samantha Leonard

On March 9th, the MCI drama department went to Skowhegan to compete in the Regional Drama Competition. For MCI's one act play, they put together Peter and Wendy. Junior Morgan Tibbetts, who played Wendy in the play, described the difference between one act and full plays. She said, “[i]n one acts, you run the show and then you work on specific scenes with different characters, and different character development. With full shows, you work on it scene by scene.” Junior Tabyr Briggs who plays Tiger Lily in the show added, “I think there’s a lot more you can do with full shows, which I like, but one acts are quicker.” Both Tabyr and Morgan prefer one acts.

Mr. John Buys has been with the drama department at MCI all five years he has been working at the school. He described where the idea to do Peter and Wendy came from, “[w]e went through a lot of scripts, we were really torn with our group because we knew some people who we wanted to really feature and highlight. We also had new people who we didn't really know, new people we were really curious about coming in.” He said that the initial plan was to do a story they looked at called Peter and The Starcatcher as the script excited them, but it did not work out “it just wasn’t for us to cut, so in the end we had come back to this one.” Unlike Peter and The Starcatcher, Peter and Wendy was “very cuttable and very doable” helping MCI's Drama Department land on a decision.

The process of putting the show on takes many helping hands. Mr. Buys and Mrs. Debra Susi have certain views for how they want each scene to play out, and they encourage and help the members of the drama department get into character and to do their best. From sound to acting, every member in drama is dedicated and involved. For instance, junior Isaac Tardy who plays Smee and Mr. Darling described that he has been involved in drama since he was eight, and has been with MCI's drama program since he was a freshman. Meanwhile, behind the scenes, there are drama members such as senior Helen O’Brien who takes the role of stage manager. She describes her role as an “assistant director” and is head with Mrs. Susi with costuming, set, holding rehearsals, meeting with actors, “basically everything else.” Helen says that in one acts, it is a lot of stress in her role by “relying on other people to know what they're doing and to follow through, it can be frustrating at times.” Despite the stress it can cause, she says “even though we see the trial and errors of everything, seeing the whole show come together in the very end is very gratifying. When you finally see how beautiful it can be, that is the most wonderful moment I’ve ever experienced.”

For some, this show has been a bittersweet moment. Marius Iradukunda is a senior and plays a pirate, and a lost boy in the show “[i]t’s like my last and final masterpiece” with him leaving, he states “it's kind of sad.” “When I joined, I didn’t wanna do it, but the people were so welcoming and I liked it.” Despite the bittersweet moments, it all pays off with the members love for drama. Mr. Buys says he loves drama at MCI for many reasons. “I love Debra, I love working with her. She’s such an incredible mentor and is just such a brilliant mind to see what she brings to the table, is incredible. I also just really love watching students discover what it means, just the joy of performance is really- I love it. That’s really fun to get to share it and the fact that they're really cooperative and creative, it's just the best thing to be."

By Huy Nguyen October 12, 2018

Before going into the school year, new boarding students participate in the School Orientation and Language Immersion program, SOLI.

SOLI is a program designated towards new students from foreign countries to provide them with the experience of school life at MCI, which includes classes and dorm life. Marko Vukasinovic, a senior living in Manson Hall, is a first-year student who participated in the SOLI program. He said he met a lot of great people. He admitted that it scared him at first, but the SOLI program made him more interactive and got himself more familiar with the environment, area, and culture. “It’s exciting,” said Kento Fukuoka, a first-year senior in Manson Hall. He also got to meet other people. According to Ms. Tamika Chisolm, the dorm director of Alumni Hall, who helped the SOLI Program as a supervisor; “I think it’s a great program, I think it’s a way for kids to be introduced to a place that’s very unfamiliar to them, in a very comfortable setting.”

The participants took some startup “classes” like Mr. John Buys’ movie class, Mrs. Kim Shorey’s culture class, and Mrs. Debra Susi’s Improv class. After those classes, in the evening, “challenges” were held for the competition between assigned group of students. They all compete for the prize presented on the final day: the SOLI Cup, a ring for each member, and some privilege cards which can be used for restaurants or trips.

Bug-catching is one of the most well-known challenges of the program. This year’s group was not really fond of touching bugs themselves, but they got through their fear and had a good experience together out at Manson Park

Students all get to know each other, and do after-school activities outside like playing tennis and going swimming. On the last day of the program this year, students all went to Lake George in Canaan. They all do canoeing and swimming, but that’s not before learning to … fall off the canoe. It is the part that feels different from two years ago, and definitely shocking some of the newer girls. They all say that it’s a new experience after trying the lesson, even though they would have never thought of it in the past. “The activities are fun, they can be scary, can be weird, but it’s also a good way to get the kids out of their comfort zone,” said Ms. Chisolm.

By Caitlin McKenney October 26, 2018

Seniors all about the MCI campus frantically try to gather their thoughts and materials needed to apply to college. Whether they plan to apply through early decision, early action, or regular decision, everyone is doing their best to prepare for the near future. Despite their constant hubbub, I was able to get in touch with some seniors to document their future plans.

Matt Glidden is planning on going to SMCC to get his prerequisites out of the way and then transfer to Husson University where he plans to complete a pediatric occupational therapy program.

Avery Gosselin has decided to apply to Dartmouth College through early decision, meaning that if he is accepted, he will commit to Dartmouth and nullify all applications to other schools he has applied. He says that the most stressful thing about college and the application process is “paying for it.” When asked if there was anything he suggests to underclassmen when they are applying to college, he replies frankly: “save money because college is expensive.”

The next student Dylon Peavey, was a little less firm about his decisions. Planning on applying through regular decision, he communicates: “I am not sure as to where I want to go or if want to stay close to home, but I would like to play lacrosse in college.” Dylon is excited to apply for college, as well as everything that follows the process.

Jettah Files not only has a plan A, but also has a concise plan B. When asked what her plans were for college, she replies: “I would like to go to Johnson and Wales to major in baking and pastry arts.” That is her first choice, where she plans on applying through early action, an early but non-binding plan. “If not accepted,” she adds, “I’ll go to the University of Maine for civil engineering,” She says that, “if nervousness for applying were on a scale of one to ten, I would probably be a seven.”

Some students have already submitted their applications. For example, Huy Nguyen has submitted two out of six of his applications. Maggie Hodgins has submitted all of her applications and is now excitedly awaiting her schools’ replies.

The important things to remember is that it is alright and perfectly normal to be stressed out, and no matter where you are in the process, you will make it and everything will work out. Good luck to everyone in the years to come, all of your hard work will be worth it!

By Edith Tierney April 30, 2018

Ray Berthelette, an important community member in Pittsfield, spoke on April 9th as part of Maine Central Institute’s Patterson Lecture Series. His lecture was held in Parks Gym during an extended school meeting. The Patterson Lecture Series was established in 2008 by Gregg and Elaine Patterson, the lectures are focused on the school’s annual theme. As this year’s theme is integrity, it was the subject of Mr. Berthelette’s speech.

In his speech, Mr. Berthelette discussed how integrity has become an important value in his life. His speech was very interactive, and at one point he asked students and faculty members to volunteer to prove how often people stray from integrity and how that does not mean that a person does not have integrity.

Throughout his speech, he told the story of his life, and how his idea of integrity has developed over time. As a child, he lived in Massachusetts with his younger siblings. He explained that his parents were strict, and his family moved around a lot, this made him feel alone. He explained that as a child he was not taught about integrity, simply the difference between right and wrong. He was in the army for 5 years after he graduated high school. In the army he learned the importance of “unity of the brotherhood”; he explained that in the army he learned how to be united in the face of adversity, which he feels is an important part of integrity.

The next chapter of his life was forced upon him when he was seriously injured in a parachute accident. He explained that he was “...lucky to be alive...” and was told “...most people don’t survive this.” He explained that the experience of being so close to death was extremely humbling.

After this, he got a degree in computer programming. He is now the father of five and grandfather of two. On July 18, 2014 his son Nolan died of a brain aneurysm. He was in shock, but recalls that more than 300 people came to the hospital to support the family. He explained the importance of community in hard times. He explained that strength and integrity should be thought of in terms of how an individual or community can help others. He explained that high levels of trust in a community shows integrity. Mr. Berthelette created a non-profit organization, inspired by his son, called Nolan’s H.E.R.O. (Helping Everyone Realize Opportunities) Foundation to raise awareness for brain aneurysms, and to continue his son’s dream of making the world a better place.

Mr. Berthelette explained how the adversities he has faced in his life have led him to fully understand the value of integrity. He explained that integrity is based on culture and religion and that the exact idea of it can vary from place to place. However, he said that it is about fairness, trust, and cohesiveness in an individual and a community. He explained that having integrity in oneself makes it easier to bring it into the community. He went on to say that integrity should be respected, no matter what differences of opinion exist in a relationship, because without integrity, relationships can be ruined.

By Nick Howard May 15, 2018

As the 2017/18 academic year comes to a close, seniors at Maine Central Institute (MCI) face one final obstacle before the graduation ceremonies commence. Senior Projects.

Daunting to some, and exciting to others, senior projects are upon us. A graduation requirement at MCI, senior projects are a two month process from April until May in which seniors bestow projects upon themselves that either advance a prior knowledge or skill, or introduces them to a new one.

Seniors have the freedom to choose what they wish to do, as long as they work with a local expert on the topic. After their topic is approved and they find a local expert, the projects begin. 5 weeks, and 50 hours of work later, the students give a 20-30 minute presentation where they will talk about the significance of their project as well as their successes and failures along the way. If they pass their project then they will have a free path towards graduation.

By Bartianna Brown May 23, 2018

Maine Central Institute will soon be welcoming the class of 2022. Every year MCI welcomes the 8th graders through many days of tours and sessions in hopes that the transition will be smoother. Walking around with these students gave me the opportunity to ask them about their anxieties and worries for the coming year. Many of them were speechless, but what I was able to get out of them is that they are very nervous about the upcoming year. Not only because of the huge transition, but also the amount of work that is ahead of them if they want to succeed here.

The night started off in Parks Gym, as always with many words of encouragement from some of the adults. Mr. Hopkins briefly discussed the next four year and how ready he was for the upcoming freshmen to embark on this adventure. As the speech went on as an outsider looking into this room, you could tell that the events that were about to take place were finally sinking in for the students and the families.

The four sessions were broken up by speciality. The sessions included some of the math and science teachers; Mrs.Libby, Ms.Wess, Miss.Welch, Mr.Robinson, Mr. Haynie, and Mr.Chase. They were explaining the importance of hitting the ground running, in short saying that people would not hold your hand, but they would be there to help if needed. The biggest take away that I heard from the 8th graders after this particular session was the importance of knowing your strengths and weaknesses. This thought arose after a talk about the difference between general, college preparatory, honors, and AP. This was reassuring for many of them that did not really know which one was best for them.

The next session was in the arts department. They really focused on getting students involved in the many wonderful programs MCI has to offer. These programs include theater (many different positions), music (vocal and instrumental), and Jobs for Maine Graduates (JMG). This session also included Ms. Wagner who wears many hats but mostly talked about navigating through high school in the best potion possible. This session really focused on leadership roles and making sure the students are navigating properly.

The energy of the 8th graders slowly decreased as sessions continued, they next session was no different. This session mostly focused in on summer information, iPads, and other helpful information. Summer information received an overwhelming reaction from parents. The reaction was happiness because the school offers Transitions Academy which is just another step up for students that want a little extra support. Transitions Academy offers advice, support, activities, technical support, and it has other useful aspects.

The last session for the tour guides and the students lead us to the library to listen to the humanities teachers and the language teachers. This session followed the same format the others did. It also vocalized the same points the other groups did. It was great to see teachers give a list of freshman no-no’s including: not going to school regularly, not making up missed assignments or ones you did poorly on, not being an active member of the class.

The night ended with an ice cream social in the cafeteria with everyone that wanted to join in.

Lastly a huge shoutout from the tour guides and the students, thank you for all you did to make this night amazing. Thank you to the following staff members: Mrs. Pomeroy, Mr. Hopkins, Mr. Fass, Mrs. Libby, Ms. Wess, Miss. Welch, Mr. Robinson, Mr. Haynie, Mr. Chase, Mr. Brownell, Mr. Villmore, Mrs. Shorey, Mrs. Kingsbury, Mrs. Giallombardo and any other staff member that made the night amazing.

By Bartianna Brown May 23, 2018

As June steadily approaches, MCI, as always, is hesitant to say goodbye to their senior class. The class of 2018 will be remembered for many things from the athletics to their outgoing, driven spirits. One project that is widely known throughout the community is senior projects. For many students senior projects is looked at as the last hurdle before graduation.

This project is partly organized by Mrs. Shorey. In an interview she answered my question about the importance of senior projects and what they do for the seniors. She said “ many people ask, "Why is this a humanities project when kids are out job shadowing in science, tech, or other areas?"The answer is that the study of humanities deals with human culture and our diverse societies. This is perfect for our senior project. We require students make a professional connection, we require they show evidence of being a collaborative worker, we ask for five submissions of polished, well-edited, and detailed pieces of writing, one of which that requires students research for sources and cite them correctly in a research paper (also a college requirement no matter which discipline one majors in), and we encourage students to reflect, analyze, problem solve, and apply lessons to achieve goals. All of these goals connect to communication and build skills that will help them succeed in life at jobs, with families, in the military, as a citizen who votes, volunteers, and interacts with others.”

I had the pleasure to sit down with two seniors that have touched a lot of hearts in their time at this school. They are both driven, smart, and talented in many fields. Both are possibly best known for their roles in the school’s drama program.

Aiden Nolan has many talents, one of them being computer sciences. He was able to use his knowledge of these areas to create an app. The idea of the app was thought up when Aiden realized the need for a more organized way for students to sign up for classes. After looking at all of his codes it is safe to say he put a lot of thought into this project.

At the time of the article his project was an incomplete work in progress. I first asked about the importance of the project. He replied with something along the lines of besides it being a great way to stay organized it also is just the beginning of what he hopes to accomplish in the approaching years at college. It was also interesting to find out that although he has such passion for computer sciences he regrets not picking a topic out of his comfort zone. If he could go back to the beginning of the process he said he would have picked photography. At the time of the article he had already invested 38 hours into the creation of the app.

On a side note: after the conduction of the article a group was discussing the app and Aiden made the realization that in order for this app to be as great as it has the potential to be he would have to update it regularly. This is also a reason that photography would have been better.

Another senior project that surprised many people was Jacob Ackroyd’s. His senior project is a job shadow for Michael D. Lynch. Michael D. Lynch is a financial planner based in the town of Pittsfield. Jacob plans to major in the field so this is also just another step in the plan. Overall, he is fairly pleased with the turn out and all the information he discovered through the research and his conversations with Lynch.

I was curious to know what the hardest part of the project was for him. Besides working out his schedule to fit Lynch’s it is “being able to explain it to other people”. He wants to make people understand the connections financial planning has in everyone’s everyday life. The great part about Jacob’s project is that I was actually able to be there and watch what he had been preparing for.

Jacob, in his usual way somehow made the presentation funny, interactive, and something everyone should have seen. The handout provided had vocabulary and important information on it that made it really easy to follow along with the presentation.

I could not possibly give these projects the credit they deserve, they managed to make two projects that to many would not have been interesting to watch easy to follow along with and understand their passion for the project.

Finally, a congratulations to the class of 2018. We wish you the best of luck in all of your endeavors.

By Vasa Vojvodic March 27, 2018

Recently a group of MCI students traveled to Spain. The person behind the trip was Mrs.Tanya Kingsbury, MCI’s Spanish teacher. There were eight students from MCI, but in Spain they met up with two other groups from Texas and Florida making the total number of people on the trip, 29. The trip took place from March 10th to March 18th, their flight took them from Boston to Madrid via Paris. MCI students individually paid to go on the trip to experience a different culture. For many students this was their first trip outside of the United States.

“The thought of traveling to Spain has always been a lighthearted joke between some of my Spanish friends and I,” said senior Sarah Trimarchi. “When I realized that MCI was taking a trip to Spain, I determined that I didn’t want it to be just a silly idea anymore. Finding out that one of my best friends had signed up is what really pushed me to go. That's when I knew for definite that I wanted my first trip out of the country to be in Spain with her.” Senior Caroline Vigue added “I went to Spain because I have studied the Spanish language and culture at MCI and it was an amazing opportunity to see it all at first hand.”

Our students visited the cities of Madrid, Toledo, Córdoba, Sevilla, Málaga, Granada, and Marbella. Senior Nikki Stewart described her best and most memorable moment in Spain: “when I was on Europe’s largest ferris wheel in Malaga and I could see the mountain ranges on one side of me and the ocean on the other side, with the entire city between the two. It was actually pretty cool. And apparently on a perfect day in April you can ski down the mountains and then go to the beach.” “Going to Alhambra Palace in Granada,” Caroline claims was her best moment.

The trip was not without a few bad moments. “My worst moment was when I had realized I left my favorite pair of pink Vans in one of the hotels we had stayed at. It was too late to go back and get them,” said Sarah. Nikki claims her most awkward situation was, “when Caroline and I got caught by hotel security for being too loud and moving around all of their furniture at 1 am.”

All of them were delighted with their trip to Spain and are planning on more traveling. “I really want to visit Italy, my family is Italian and I know people who live or have visited Italy. I have heard nothing but good things about the natives, food, weather, views, and the overall way of life there. I do not know where specifically in Italy I would like to visit, but definitely someplace along the water” said Sarah. Others said that they would really like to visit places like Paris, Prague, and Venice. According to the feedback from the students the trip was a success, and created many good memories.

By Edith Tierney March 29, 2018

Ella Night is an annual public speaking event organized by English teacher, Mr. Steve Peterson, that occurs in the Ella Powell Room of the library. Ella Night is an opportunity for MCI’s students to practice the art of public speaking with poetry that matters to them. As Peterson writes, it “provides a comfortable venue for kids at any skill level and any grade level to express themselves in the oral tradition.”

Ella Night is a modern version of Prize Speaking, which is a program that Peterson ran many years ago. He explains that Prize Speaking died out years ago, and he felt that it needed to be revived. He started Ella Night to fulfill that roll and it has existed for at least 6 years in this form.

Peterson explained that he wishes his students would perform more classic literature, but admits he has little success with that because “...that’s just not what students want to do.” Students prefer to perform more contemporary pieces about things that matter to them, or pieces they find amusing or beautiful. Students this year chose to perform pieces with titles like “Skinny Girls Bleed Flowers” and “OCD.”

Kendrah Willey, is a junior and has performed at Ella Night twice now. Willey performed a piece called “How to Unfold a Memory” by Sabrina Benaim. She chose the poem “...because of the uniqueness of how the story was told.” She loved the author’s choice of words and style. Abbie Shaw, a sophomore, also performed at Ella Night, but unlike Kendrah, this was her first year. Shaw performed “Tornado” by Anonymous, which she chose because she felt it was relatable. She admitted that she had never performed something like this before and that it was stressful and time consuming. However explained she was determined to try it.

Kendrah can likely relate to Abbie’s struggles, Willey said she felt that Ella Night helps students learn how to speak in public, manage their time wisely, and she also explained that it helped students connect with their audience. Steve Peterson added that he hopes to make the program as student run as possible, which in addition to the skills and lessons that Willey mentioned, will help students learn leadership skills.

The Ella Night experience forces Willey and many others to step out of their comfort zones, but many students feel that it is worth it. Willey explained that after doing this for two years she understands that “this isn’t just getting up and reciting a poem, it is getting up and telling a story.” This is an experience that students can feel proud of. It helps them learn important skills, and builds their confidence.

By Bartianna Brown March 29, 2018

In order for a community, big or small, to thrive everyone must have a role. Key Club has left their mark and not only at Maine Central Institute or in the town of Pittsfield. Through countless projects and fundraisers Key Club has managed to help globally with organizations such as UNICEF. Sophomore and second year Key club member, Edith Tierney seconds the importance of UNICEF and the other organizations by saying, she has participated in many fundraisers and community service opportunities, but in her words, “I think my favorite thing that I have done with Key Club is Trick or Treat for UNICEF. It was for a cause I am very passionate about, and I had a really good time doing it.” UNICEF stands for United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund and the organization works for the safety and overall well-being of children around the world.

At MCI, community service is a focus, as the school prides itself on preparing students to be selfless adults, always thinking of the greater good. They care so much for this service it is a requirement that by the end of your senior year that you have 40 hours of community service to graduate. Some see this as a hassle or too much work, but in comparison to the hard-working Key Club members this is nothing. To be a member of the MCI’s Key Club a student must complete at least 40 hours a year. Tierney says that Key Club gives her the drive to complete the community service, and although she would do community service without the club, it would not be the same as being a part of a group of people whose main purpose is to serve.

Another important member of this club is the advisor, Nancy Hughes. Mrs. Hughes is proud to say that she has been able to fill the seat for 6 years. She has observed many students become passionate about the cause and willing to give all of their time to be a part of it (for some that means early weekend mornings). She explains that her favorite part is working with the students, “Key Club attracts students from diverse backgrounds and experiences who, without Key Club, might not interact with each other during the school day.”

Key Club is always busy with something whether it is the annual Easter Egg Hunt at the Pinnacle, this year on April 1st, or the work that the students are doing for the Travis Mills Foundation. Mrs. Hughes believes that helping out with the Travis Mills Foundation is so important because it is the students and adults giving back to the men and women that fought for their country. According to the Travis Mills Foundation website their mission is to “benefit and assist wounded and injured veterans and their families.” Mills wants them to conquer “their physical obstacles and emotional challenges and find purpose by staying the course through their recovery and beyond.” A visit to the Travis Mills Foundation Retreat costs $1000 for each veteran (excluding families). The cost might seem high, but the benefits for the injured veterans include not having to worry about room and board and being able to be a part of teambuilding activities that boosts their self-esteem. Key Club is hoping to raise $1000 for the Travis Mills Foundation.

The club is open to everyone that attends MCI. They are a morning club so it would mean being punctual and arriving a 7:30 every Friday morning in the Ella Powell Room of the library. It is important to continue to support groups throughout the community no matter how big or small so that they can continue to thrive.

By Hayden Caldwell March 29, 2018

Mr. Kyle Gilson is the highly regarded athletic trainer at MCI, but he also does classroom work as well. Right now Mr. Gilson is the teacher of an “Intro to Medical Concepts” class during period 3 (Day 1, Period 3A). This class takes place not only in the classroom, but also at the Sebasticook Valley Hospital here in Pittsfield.

The class is described as a course where “students will become acquainted with orthopedic and general medical concepts including, but not limited to, general medical illnesses and care, orthopedic injury and rehabilitation, as well as first aid, CPR and the use of an AED. Students will have the opportunity to earn his/her First Aid/CPR/AED certification from the American Red Cross.”

A typical class may consist of a job shadow, a day with Mr. Gilson, or a hands-on lab according to active class member junior Allysah Greene. A rotation of three days are spent at the hospital. One day will be a simulated lab using mannequins during the time at the hospital. The next day will be a job shadow of the students choice, and then finally a day with Mr. Gilson.

While attending the hospital Mr. Gilson requires a specific dress code described as “professional dress.” For women proper clothing is a blouse and dress pants, and for men a collared shirt with khakis. Absolutely no jeans and no “tight” fitting clothing.

Some of the requirements needed for this class are completions in the courses PE II and Health.

By Vasa Vojvodic March 28, 2018

MCI’s Model UN class is gearing up for the annual state conference. According to MeMUNC’s official website, “the Maine Model United Nations Program (MeMUNC) hosts a conference where students participate in a simulation of United Nations procedures. The MeMUNC Conference is fun, challenging, and provides a hands-on experience in the workings of world diplomacy while researching and analyzing current events.” This year’s conference will be held on the campus of the University of Southern Maine, from May 16th to May 18th.

Some of MCI’s students are interested in going, and we asked those who went last year about their experience. “I like being able to get the experience on a college campus, pretending to be a nation, and feeling diplomatic,” said junior Caitlin McKenney. Last year she represented Sweden in the European Union which focused on Article 50 and Brexit.

“Best moment was when we gathered together when the day was over and told each other how our day was,” said sophomore Ariella Karekezi Cole. During last year’s conference she was in the General Assembly representing Rwanda. She shows great excitement about this year’s conference.

“You have to have an interest in the news and what is going on around the world, and if you show up without any knowledge about your topic you look pretty stupid,” claims sophomore Bartianna Brown. Despite representing Seychelles at last year’s conference, she wants to represent Saudi Arabia at this year’s conference.“I want to be Saudi Arabia, because Saudi Arabia doesn’t really care about women’s rights,” said Bartianna.

This year MeMUNC celebrates its 20 year anniversary. MeMUNC is a great opportunity to develop your knowledge about the procedures of the United Nations. If you have any interest about the current issues around the world, then this is a place for you.

By Caitlin McKenney March 24, 2018

At MCI, the Visual and Performing Arts department flourishes. While each group is of equal importance, the vocal jazz groups, directed by Mr. Dean Neal, are usually in the spotlight. Recently, the vocal group, Caravan, won first place during the Berklee High School Jazz Festival at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. Jazz groups from around the world annually travel to Berklee to perform.

Addi Williams, a senior, describes the win as “insane...it was kind of a surprise, using Berklee as a warmup for regionals and states...to find out that our first performance of the year was a big win was insane.” Williams, along with junior alto Lily Miller, both received Outstanding Musicianship awards for their division at the festival. Last year, was the first time in several years MCI had not been a finalist at Berklee. Mr. Neal recalls that “when it came to the announcement for the winner and our name had not been called yet, I tried to resign myself to the idea that we were not finalists again but then they called the group's name and the students went wild! I was thrilled for the kids and so proud of them for the work they had done and that they accomplished this together. A great feeling of joy would best describe how I felt.”

Singing in a Jazz group allows the members to get to know each other better and bond. Isabelle Grignon, a sophomore, reflects on her experience with performing. “I love any opportunity to sing with Caravan, they’re my best friends and I love being on stage with them.” Performing in a vocal group also allows for experiences to bond with the audience. Senior Devon Varney says, “singing is a good way for me to express my artistic qualities.” Addi Williams cites that her connection with the audience is attributed to soloing. “I love soloing, I feel like I can really connect with the audience on a personal level and really put my feelings and my emotions into what I’m singing.”

While it feels great performing, it also brings a lot of nervousness. Grignon says that, “right before I sing I get super nervous and I think that my voice is going to crack or I’m going to forget my words, but when I start singing my brain completely shuts off and I know I can rely on the rest of the group to help me if I mess up!” Although the group experiences individual nerves, they have a mutual respect to aid each other when they need a hand.

On Saturday, April 7th, two MCI jazz groups, Caravan and Equinox, go to Stearns High School in Millinocket for their State Jazz Festival. According to Devon Varney, “it’s kind of a bittersweet thing because it’s the last one...but it’s going to be the best one hopefully, so I’m excited!” Mr. Neal has a special connection with the State Jazz Festival. “My first involvement with the State Festival came in 1980 as a student,” he remembers. “Now I get to be part of one of the most respected music programs in the state of Maine, at the festival!” The groups are also going to perform at the Vickery School in Pittsfield. “The Vickery School performance is a highlight of the year for many students because the young children are so fun and really just genuinely love music,” Neal added.

Additionally, both groups will also be traveling to Nokomis Regional High School in Newport to perform as well as here at MCI. “Our school performance is special because not many people get to travel to where we perform. This gives our school community an opportunity to better understand the level of professionalism our students display. I am thankful for how integral the arts are to the total school community at MCI,” Mr. Neal said.

When asked about what he was looking forward to for next year, Mr. Neal concludes, “seeing and hearing students make improvements and continue to develop. It is exciting every year to think about the challenges ahead and to see students rise to meet those challenges is inspiring and motivating to me.”

By Bartianna Brown March 28, 2018

Pittsfield is a town with roughly 4,000 residents, but for 9 months out of the year it is home to nearly 100 students that come from far and wide to study. MCI boards students from many countries, one of the largest being China. The English as a Second Language (ESL) department focuses on preparing international students to be able to work and live in an English speaking country.

ESL is not for every international student, as some come with the ability to function very well in an American classroom setting. The ESL classes are designed for the students that might need more reading comprehension or help with formal essays. Many challenges come with these class as Carlos Ochoa mentions. Mr. Ochoa knows the struggles very well, being from El Salvador and making his way to the U.S. He attended the University of Maine at Orono (UMO) and at that time was studying as an ESL student himself. So, he is able to understand the challenges that come with learning the language and all of its quirks. He saw English “as his great challenge,” but this compelled him to learn more.

A unique aspect of MCI’s ESL program is that it is driven by teachers that consider English their second language (for the most part). The other members of the ESL department are Eliza Laamoon and Artur Fass. Ms. Laamoon does not work directly with the ESL department, but does work with TOEFL. Mr. Fass is from Estonia and this is his second year teaching ESL as well as history for MCI.

Another part of ESL, is preparing for the TOEFL test. TOEFL is the Test of English as a Foreign Language. The TOEFL test is also not something everyone has to take. It is geared towards the international seniors that are planning on attending colleges in the United States. This test is the counterpart of the SAT that juniors take in the spring. The TOEFL test is broken into four sections, reading, listening, speaking, and writing. As seniors are getting ready for the test it is a really stressful time for most of them because it is a big deal and should be treated as such. With the amazing support and teaching they are getting from the teachers of the ESL department they are set up for success.