School Notes: December 17, 2023

Sanford High School’s JMG students and staff held its fourth annual Special Olympics Bowling event at Bowl-A-Rama, drawing 75 athletes between 14 and 68 years old. Photo: Sanford School Department

By Carolyn Cadigan

JMG hosts bowling event for 75 athletes: Jobs for Maine Graduates (JMG) hosted its fourth annual Special Olympics Bowling event at Bowl-A-Rama on Nov. 17. This year’s turnout included 75 athletes between 14 and 68 years old. JMG had 20 students help put on the event by keeping score, cheering on the athletes and helping them bowl. Members of JMG, a non-profit organization that helps students plan their future, have organized several activities in the past that benefitted the community and the school, including making blankets for hospitalized children, creating cards for the elderly and taking part in Toys for Tots. For the complete story, go here.

Such good sports: “The Obstacle is the Way” was the theme of the 24th annual SMAA Sportsmanship Summit held at Sanford High School (SHS) on Dec. 5. For the fourth consecutive year, SHS hosted the summit. The event brought together 10 nominated student-athletes from each of the 17 schools in the SMAA to promote sportsmanship values and learn how overcoming obstacles can lead to both academic and athletic success. SHS chose Drew McGrath, Jony Hunter, Connor Pickering, Mackenzie Taylor, Hadley Legere, A.J. Cote, Noah Johnson, Lili Peters, Paige Sevigny and Zoey McCann to represent the school. For the full story, go here.

Banding together for music and fun: The Sanford Marching Band partnered with the Wells Marching Band to create the Southern Maine Marching Band for the Wells Christmas Parade on Dec. 10. Prior to the parade, they enjoyed some dodgeball and a barbecue. This year, Sanford brought home the dodgeball trophy, which was provided by the Wells/Ogunquit Music Boosters. FMI and photos of the day, go here.

Back in the saddle again: Tatum Milley, a senior at Sanford High School, will represent Team USA in an international horseback riding competition later this month in South Africa. She earned her place on the team after achieving great success in a competition held this summer in New Orleans. To watch Tatum share her experience in horseback riding and how she balances it with her schoolwork, go here.

Sending holiday greetings of gratitude: Earlier this month, fifth grade students at Sanford Middle School (SMS) made holiday cards to send to deployed soldiers through the Holiday Cards for our Military Challenge, a non-profit organization that collects and delivers personalized, signed expressions of respect, caring and gratitude to US troops, veterans and service families. Also this month, the students wrote thank you cards to an SMS adult who has helped them as well as appreciation cards to local veterans. This effort is part of their Empathy/Gratitude unit in Social Emotional Learning.

Off to a good start: Sanford Regional Technical Center recently recognized its Students of the Quarter for the first quarter of the school year. For a list and photos of those honored, go here.

Budding novelists selected for nationwide competition: Six Sanford Middle School students from Mrs. Daniels’ Grade 5 ELA class were recently selected for publication in the Young Writers’ Spooky Saga Anthology. This nationwide competition required students to create a spooky story using only 100 words. Congratulations to Thomas Beaudoin, Alistair Rowell, Riley Roy, Peyton Adawadkar, Olivia Roberge and Kaeja Dixon for being selected. To see a photo of these young writers, go here.