Special EditionAs we get ready to welcome our new students, we’d like to share the wonderful accomplishments of our recent graduates. In these pages you will meet the 19 incredible Wayfinders who graduated earlier this year. At one time, these students thought they might never graduate from high school. Many never dreamed they’d be going to college. This year our graduates were accepted to sixteen colleges and uni-versities throughout New England and beyond. A large percentage secured employment immediately upon graduation. Several were offered continued employment at their student internship sites. We are exceed-ingly proud of them, and of all 80 Maine teens we served this year. Many of these students are young parents enrolled in our Passages Program for teen parents. All of them have overcome adversity on their way toward high school graduation. Your support helps make their dreams possible. We can’t wait to share their stories with you. You can find interviews with many of our students at www.wayfinderschools.org. In the meantime, we are pleased to present...

OUR 2015 GRADUATES!

“Now that I am finally graduating, I feel like I broke a family trend. I am starting college at University in Rockland, which I don’t think I would’ve been able to do without being in this program. I am so grateful to Passages and all the amazing opportunities I have had being in this program.”

-Selaina Leigh, Class of 2015

Bennington College

Central Maine Community College

Colgate College

Dean College

Earlham College

Evergreen State College

New England College

Nichols College

Southern Maine Community College

University of Maine/Farmington

University of Maine/Orono

University of Maine/Rockland

University of New England

University of Southern Maine

Warren Wilson College

Washington County Community College

Fall 2015 Events

Thursday, October 8-Farm to Sea Auction, Westin Portland Harborview, Portland Maine

Wednesday, October 28 - Homecoming Dinner & Harvest Lantern Parade, Opportunity Farm Campus

Thursday, November 19 – Global Thanksgiving, Opportunity Farm Campus

Look where our Wayfinders were accepted this year!

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Shannon’s career exploration sites were the Androscoggin Hu-mane Society and The New Gloucester Fish Hatchery, where she discovered a deep appreciation for aquaculture. Her final gradu-ation project was to organize a fundraising event for Herring Gut Learning Center, which included dinner, a talk and a showing of the documentary film DamNation, about dams and fish hatcheries in the U.S. Shannon has been accepted to the pre-nursing pro-gram at SMCC, where she will be headed this fall.

Shannon Coccia, Rockland

Erika’s final graduation project was a presentation of her photo-graphs, including expressive portraits of her fellow students and stunning architectural shots from our annual trip to NYC. Erika’s career exploration placement was with PenBay Medical Center in Rockport, where she continues to work this summer. Erika is taking a CNA courses this summer and plans to pursue a career as a surgical technologist.

Erika Bramhall, FriendshipSkye is a talented photographer who has started her own suc-cessful photography businesses. She is now taking courses at Washington County Community College and says of her expe-rience in Passages, “When I was 15 years old, I found out I was pregnant and had my world flipped upside down. I am very blessed to have had the opportunity and experience I have had with Passages, and to graduate and be able to move on to col-lege and life thereafter.”

Skye Green, Princeton

Lexie’s final graduation project was a presentation about her experience with The Passages Program, which she started several years ago. She is now mom to two beautiful children and is studying to become an Ultrasound Technician. She says, “I am so glad I stuck with this program and pushed myself…I enjoy looking back to a year and a half ago thinking, ‘wow, look how far you have come and what you have done; look at where you are going to go’…”

Lexie Fitzsimmons, Princeton

Elijah is a talented basketball player and his graduation project was to rehab the courts at Opportunity Farm, culminating in a fundraising tournament for Tree Street Youth. Elijah is work-ing at Tree Street this summer and has received a scholarship to attend New England College this fall. Elijah says, “I want to keep climbing the ladder. I don’t know where I’m going yet, but I want to leave my mark. I’ve always dreamed big. At this point I don’t know why I can’t dream big.” Of Wayfinder Schools, he says, “It’s definitely not easy, but it’s more than worth it. This is the place that will get you to the place you want to be in life.”

Elijah Harris, Lewiston

In addition to raising her son, Haileigh recently completed her CNA training and is working full time. She says of her time in Passages, “I never thought I would be graduating. I became pregnant at 14 and gave birth to my beautiful son at 15. I have had an amazing experience with Passages. I am very thankful and lucky that I got to have this opportunity. This program has helped me grow as a person, not just as a teen mom. I learned a lot of things that will follow me, such as all the life skills. I feel like I was given a second chance at education and at succeeding in life.”

Haileigh Ingraham, Waldoboro

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Myranda’s final graduation project was to design and print a school yearbook, supported by a spaghetti supper fundraiser with Way-finder student musicians. When the yearbooks were completed she worked with the town of Rockport to get permits for a harbor side celebration where she presented the finished yearbooks to students and staff. Myranda is headed to UMaine Rockland this fall.

Myranda McClure, Rockport

Selaina joined our Passages Program in 2013. She has been an ac-tive participant in our workshops and she spoke publicly at one of our Women for Wayfinder events, where she read a wonderful essay about her experience as a young mother. She also worked with Bay Chamber Concerts & Music School, Hearst Studios and Carnegie Hall to write and record a lullaby for her daughter as part of Carne-gie Hall’s National Lullaby Project. Selaina’s final graduation project was a fabulous photography exhibit at our Camden Campus, and she is now continuing her studies at UMaine Rockland.

Selaina Leigh, Washington

Faith is a talented musician and writer who hopes to study fashion design. She is also keenly interested in social justice issues and her final graduation project was a performance piece tackling myths and stereotypes about feminism. Faith’s student internship was with Memorial Elementary School, where she loved reading and singing with the kids, and discovering new things with them. She also volunteered to teach music at Tree Street Youth, and this summer she is teaching guitar and uku-lele at a camp for foster and low income girls.

Faith McQuatters, Thomaston

Fiston is a talented cook whose final graduation project included hosting a dinner and sharing letters of gratitude to the people who helped him transition from his life in the Congo to the U.S.. This project also includ-ed some of Fiston’s fabulous artwork. Fiston, who is also an avid soccer player, excelled at his career exploration placement with Lots to Gar-dens. In fact, he is now working in a leadership position there, and they recently sent him to Detroit for a few days to participate in a workshop about developing urban gardens. Fiston plans to attend Central Maine Community College this fall.

Fiston Mubalama, Lewiston

Papi is a talented poet, painter and musician. His career explora-tion placements were at Riley School and Midcoast Music Acad-emy, where he received rave reviews. For his final graduation project, Papi shared some powerfully emotional poems about his childhood in the Congo and he performed two songs. His artwork was displayed behind him, and his poems were bound into a beau-tiful handmade book. Papi has expressed interest in working with kids, and in the medical field.

Papi Musese, Lewiston

Rose is an extremely talented musician and writer who hopes to become a teacher. Her career exploration placement was with The Riley School in Rockport and this summer she will continue work-ing with kids at the Tanglewood 4-H Camp in Lincolnville. Rose was accepted to nine colleges this year, including her first choice school, Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington. She has received several scholarships, including a Rotary Scholarship for her civic involvement. Rose’s final graduation project was a moving explo-ration of the definition of family, inspired by her foster family, her forever family, and her search for her birth family.

Rose Piscuskas, Liberty

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In addition to raising two beautiful children, Kelsey works part-time and helped raise funds for the World Wildlife Fund as part of her final graduation project. She says, “I have had a long and challenging couple of years, but throughout the rough times, my teachers have helped get me through and made it possible for me to continue and finish school. I am grateful and thankful for the for the wonderful experience with this program. I could not have done it without you.”

Kelsey Saucier, Swanville

Kiera’s final graduation project was a presentation to Tree Street Youth about the challenges of young parenthood. She is now en-rolled at Central Maine Community College and says, “Having two little kids and having to balance the other things that are import-ant is definitely hard. If it wasn’t for this program I honestly don’t think I would have graduated with my diploma. I hope my sons know I did it all for them and how much they have made me a bet-ter person. I know one day they will be proud of me and the wom-an I have become.”

Kiera Satele, Auburn

In addition to raising her young daughter, Carrie works at Irving, where she recently completed the Manager’s Training Program. She is also enrolling in a CNA course in the fall. Carrie says, “Being a mom is the greatest thing that ever happened to me. I think going back to school was the best thing I have ever done. I dropped out of school three times before I found out about the Passages Program. This is my last chance to get a diploma. Getting a diploma is the second most important thing in my life, after my daughter.”

Carrie Schaeffer, Jefferson

Rakeem is an accomplished dancer who plans to open his own dance studio one day. His career exploration placement was with dance studio Kinetic Energy Alive, where he studied hip hop as well as the business of running a studio. Rakeem cho-reographed the wonderful finale of this year’s Dancing with Local Stars show. His final graduation project included a per-formance of original songs and dance. Rakeem was accepted to all three colleges he applied to this year, receiving a schol-arship to attend his first choice school, Dean College in MA, where he plans to study dance. Rakeem is teaching dance this summer at Tree Street Youth and is this year’s Mitchell Schol-ar.

Rakeem Sullivan, Lewiston

In addition to raising her young daughter, Kelsey has a full time job at Hannaford and is planning to enroll part-time at Southern Maine Community College. She says, “I have overcome many challenges in my life but I have one goal: to get myself and my daughter out of ghetto, low-income housing, off food stamps, and be able to give her and myself the life we both deserve. With the help of Passages, I have gotten my own apartment, worked, made new friends, volun-teered, got my daughter into great daycare, did my taxes myself, and I’m working on getting my driver’s license. Now, at the age of 17, I work long, hard hours, pay rent to my apartment, support myself and my daughter and have finished school through Passages.”

Kelsey Turner, Portland

Spring 2015 Career Exploration Sites

Lots to GardensWindy Hill Farm

Kinetic Energy AlivePeopleplace Cooperative Preschool

PenBay Medical CenterHerring Gut Learning Center

Riley School Memorial Elementary School

Midcoast Music AcademyAndroscoggin Humane Society

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“My wish for my son is that I hope he makes great decisions by graduating high school and going to college. I already know that statistics show that just by me graduating high school, his chances at graduating are much greater.”-Haileigh Ingraham, Class of 2015

Ethan’s career exploration placement was with Windy Hill Farm, where he helped care for the animals, operate farm machinery and complete construction projects. He is particularly skilled at engine and small motor repair, an area of keen interest for him. Ethan is father to a young son, Noah, and his final graduation project was a photo and video collage for Noah, including words of wisdom for the future. Ethan plans to attend Central Maine Community College this fall.

Ethan Ward, PownalAmina joined the Passages Program in 2012 and has been an active participant in workshops and events. Her final graduation project was to study the art of Henna, with the goal of earning income through her Henna designs. Amina says, “Even though I have been through a lot of problems, I never stopped trying to reach my goal. What I like about Passages is that every student, teacher and workshop was amazing. I enjoyed being in the Pas-sages Program because I have experienced how to do everything myself and not depend on other people. I loved this school. It changed my whole life.”

Amina Yunis, Lewiston

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Thank you to all our very generous supporters and volunteers. Your dedication helps these incredible young people realize their hopes and dreams

for the future. We couldn’t do it without you! Thank you for making this important work possible.

“Wayfinder Schools have provided amazing opportunities and enriched the lives of so many young people as well as the communities within which they live. These

opportunities encourage life-long learning and the skills, self-esteem and experience that lead to success and strong connections with families.”

-A joint statement of U.S. Senators Susan Collins & Angus King

Meg Sideris • Board Chair Camden Don Russell • Vice Chair Cumberland Carol Emerson • Treasurer Yarmouth Karen Watterson • Secretary Yarmouth

H. Lowell Brown • Falmouth Micki Colquhoun •Camden Kim Dorsky • CumberlandMelissa A. Duffy • Cumberland Foreside Deirdre Finney Boylan • Belgrade Heather Hearst • CamdenSusan Koch • Scarborough Catherine M. Martin • Cumberland Foreside Barbara Russo • PortlandJosh Soros • Portland

Our Board Members

PO Box 65 • New Gloucester • Maine 04260www.wayfinderschools.org

School MissionWayfinder Schools offer relational learning programs that transform the nature of a high school education by providing students with the skills and experience necessary to discover their strengths, connect with their families, practice personal responsibility,

and contribute to their communities, and which culminate in awarding a high school diploma from the State of Maine.

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