FARMINGTON — Regional School Unit 9 officials celebrated student achievement, community involvement and expanded career opportunities for students at Tuesday night’s board meeting.

The campus of Mt. Blue from Farmington. Rebecca Richard/Franklin Journal

The high school principal of Mt. Blue, Joel Smith, spoke about the impact of Totally Trades, which provided ninth-graders with opportunities to explore non-traditional career paths on Nov. 8.

“Our ninth grade girls explored areas such as metal fabrication, building construction and electrical work,” Smith said. “Our ninth grade boys also had the chance to explore career paths and participate in enrichment activities.”

The Maine National Guard brought a Blackhawk helicopter to campus. “They took some people from the community for a walk. Me and Dee were on the same helicopter,” Smith said, referring to school board president Dorothy “Dee” Robinson. “I put the superintendent on a different one.”

Robinson expressed his enthusiasm for the event and praised the coordination of Smith and assistant principal Galen Dalrymple. “Congratulations to you and Galen for putting it all together. It was phenomenal,” she said. “I got to talk to some people from the National Guard and I was really excited to hear that you’re going to keep this going and make it bigger and better.”

Smith also said the school recently recognized more than 45 students for “academic excellence and athletic prowess.” He noted their composure during recent safety drills, stating, “In the middle of transitioning classes, there were 1,000 students in the room and they did what they had to do within seconds. The place was completely safe.”

Middle School Principal Mt. Blue, James Black, recounted the Veterans Day car parade, which included about 30 vehicles such as motorcycles, tow trucks and an old Ford truck. “It was just a very nice event. The veterans had huge smiles on their faces,” Black said.

The event moved many present. “A gentleman who served in 1946 was there, and as you know, those people are getting fewer and fewer all the time,” he added. Black shared candid feedback with the community, including a note from a veteran who said, “The handmade sign we received from the students was more meaningful than any medal.”

WG Mallett Headteacher Tracy Williams also spoke about the emotional impact of the parade on pupils and staff. “It was one of the warmest events I’ve done in a long time,” she said. Williams said both staff and veterans shed tears during the event. In a message following the celebration, Williams explained, “Some students have a good understanding of what a veteran is because they have relatives who are veterans or active duty military.

The teachers put a lot of energy and time into it and it felt like a very positive and meaningful event,” Williams said.

Janet Smith, executive director of New Ventures Maine, provided email feedback before the meeting, saying students were especially excited about the hands-on activities, including welding. “I really enjoyed welding,” commented one student. “I think I might try to do it when I’m a junior or senior.”

The Council announced its next meetings at Mt. Blue Campus for December 10 and January 15, 2025, both starting at 6:30 p.m.

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