Lady Viking Softball Progress To Playoff Tournament by Shannon Kriger

Hard work is not a foreign characteristic to the Lady Viking softball team of Oxford Hills this season. Being the #4 seeded team in Eastern Maine Class A, this talented group of girls have really set the bar high for themselves this year.

After losing in the second round of playoffs last year, the team is aiming for a very successful post-season.

The team had a strong regular season with winning 12 out of their 16 games; a record that was an improvement compared to years prior.

Although the Lady Vikings had only played the #1 seeded Cony team once this season and had lost to them, they forced the game into extra innings and gave them a run for their money.

In the first round of Eastern Maine Class A playoffs this year, the Vikings are taking on the #5 seeded team, Messalonskee. In the regular season, Oxford Hills had split with Messalonskee, winning one game against them and losing the other.

When questioned on what her prediction for the outcome of the playoff tournament is, Coach Goddard responded, “It really depends on how we play in the moment. We will travel far in the tournament if the girls work hard and play as a team.”

The team has been succeeded this year offensively by Shannon Fillebrown, Myriah Lausier, and Anna Winslow, who each possess a batting average of over .450.

Senior Crystal West has kept the team strong on defense with her solid pitching skills, along with Annika Kahkonen, the team’s valued catcher that is always active behind the home plate.

Coach Goddard believes that it is the team’s experience that sets them apart from their opponents, stating, “A lot of these girls have been playing softball since they could walk, and I easily see their passion for the game every time they on the field. I’m looking forward to seeing these girls put their hard work to use in the playoffs.”

Come support the Lady Vikings as they take on the Messalonskee Eagles on Thursday, June 9th at 4:00 pm at the Gouin complex.

High Expectations For Oxford Hills Boys Basketball by Shannon Kriger

The Oxford Hills boys basketball team are more than ready to make a statement about themselves this year. After losing to Hampden Academy in the Eastern Maine Finals to last year, the team is determined to make it back to the Augusta Civic Center.

With 6-foot-6 junior Andrew Fleming and 6-foot-3 junior Tyus Ripley, the Vikings are expected to dominate in the paint this year. This season for the two is looking very promising after their first regular season game against Edward Little, where Fleming had scored 27 points and Ripley contributed 13 points.

Although the team had lost several senior players last year, they are confident in their young team.

“We are adjusting to the change by trying to teach the new players about being and acting like varsity athletes. Also, having them play in preseason games benefitted them in getting used to the speed of the game,” Head Coach Scott Graffam explained.

The team is looking forward to their 18-game season and are prepared to compete against all the teams in their league night in and night out.

The team of 10 is very confident with their offensive skills. Graffam mentioned that once the athletes get used to playing together and strengthen their competence on the defensive end, they will be practically unstoppable.

“We are a very hardworking team. We are very capable of scoring, and we are getting better at defending,” Graffam commented.

Scott Graffam has led the Oxford Hills Vikings through numerous successful seasons. He has always pushed the boys to become the best that they can be, and he also often emphasizes the importance of working together and playing like a united team.

When asked about his coaching philosophy, Graffam replied, “Athletics are a good way to teach life lessons without some of the consequences of real life problems. Also, I find it important to coach how to behave and prosper in situations where you can’t control what goes on around you.”

The boys have had their fair share of setbacks, but it has only made them more motivated and ready to dominate in the Eastern Maine Class A conference this year.

Lady Vikings Softball Dominate Messalonskee In First Round Of Playoffs by Shannon Kriger

  As the Lady Vikings softball team of Oxford Hills took on the Messalonskee Eagles in their first playoff game on Wednesday, June 11th, they had victory on their minds.

    The Lady Vikings dominated the Eagles and easily won the game with a final score of 15-3.

    The Eagles had kept up with the Vikings up until the fourth quarter, when Oxford Hills scored off an error.  The Vikings kept their momentum rolling into the fifth inning and were a force to be reckoned with at bat. In this inning, the Vikings scored five more runs in hopes of shutting down the other team.

    The sixth inning was even more successful for the Lady Vikings. They brought in another eight runs in that one inning, setting the score to 15-3, mercy ruling the Messalonskee Eagles in the bottom of the sixth.

    Lady Vikings that really contributed to their triumphant victory were Annika Kahkonen, Crystal West, Kayleigh Knox, Erin Morton, and Anna Winslow, each of which got on base in the fifth and sixth innings due to tremendous swings.

    Kayleigh Knox, leading her team by being four for four at bat, comments on her prodigious job in the game, saying, “I knew how important this game was to our team, and if we lost, then our season was over. We had to leave it all on the field, and I was determined to help bring my team to the second round of playoffs- all of the girls were.”

The Lady Vikings are taking on the Cony Rams next in their journey throughout the playoffs. The Rams are the #1 seeded team in the Eastern Maine Class A softball tournament.

The last time the Lady Vikings faced the Cony Rams was in the regular season, barely losing to Cony in a hard fought, tension filled game.

Coach Goddard, the Lady Vikings softball coach, is hoping to get even further in the playoffs and blow the Cony Rams out of the water.

    When questioned on the Viking’s game against the Rams, Goddard declared “We have came way too far to just give in to the #1 seeded team. The girls have consistently proved that they deserve to be at the top of the tournament, and I have no doubt in my mind that my team will leave it all on the field in Cony.”

High School attempts to break World Record by Shannon Kriger

As the students of Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School filed into the gymnasium for the annual “Aspire Higher” day, there was excitement and much anticipation in the air. Although none of the students had known what the school administrators had up their sleeves at the time, the cameras placed in every corner of the gym was a clear indication that something out of the ordinary was about to take place.

All of the students found their way to a seat on the bleachers with their friends while the school’s staff threw college t-shirts into the crowds of undergraduates, in honor of the school day dedicated to encouraging students to consider their post-secondary education options.

Once the hype had calmed down, Mr. Moccia, the principal of OHCHS, became the center of attention.

“Today, we are going to break a world record”, Moccia announced.

With this being said, the students were inquisitive. Many children grow up reading and hearing about people that have made it into the Guinness Book of World Records, but making it into the infamous book is something that very few are capable of doing.

Moccia explained to the crowds of teens how the record was the most people doing sit-ups simultaneously. This record was last achieved by a company in Japan, who had broken it in the October of 2013 with 263 people doing one concurrent sit up.

Although the world record that the students of Oxford Hills were breaking wasn’t exactly the most prominent, the pupils were still enthusiastic. After all, how many people get to say that they made it into the Guinness Book of World Records?

The students that wanted to participate in breaking the world record made their way down to the gym’s hardwood floors where they all crowded around Moccia.

Moccia made clear that the students would all be doing 7 sit ups- one for each letter in “vikings”, which the group would spell out letter-by-letter after each sit up they performed.

With over 500 people on board, the cameramen prepared to video tape the scene.

Moccia stood with the microphone in the middle of the sea of high school students, and vocalized how many sit ups the crowd had done- all while spelling out “viking”.

The spacious room was filled with excitement as the students completed the 7 sit ups and broke the world record and cheered from enthusiasm.

With the incident caught on camera, it is to be sent to the Guinness Book of World Records and if all goes as planned, will be published in their next book and on their website.

Oxford Hills Football Anticipate Eastern Maine Class A Playoffs by Shannon Kriger

While a majority of the community is awaiting Halloween this coming Friday night, the Oxford Hills Varsity football team is preparing for their first appearance in Eastern Maine’s Class A football playoffs in nine years.

On Halloween night, the 5th-seeded Vikings will be taking on the 4th-seeded Bangor Rams for the second time in the past couple of weeks. Last Friday night, the Vikings played against the Rams in Bangor, winning the game with a final score of 18-0.

Although the Vikings vanquished the Rams just last week, they are approaching the game humbly and are expecting a game much different than the last.

Last Friday night, Bangor had a disadvantage when they rivaled Oxford Hills. The Rams were missing some of their starters due to a heavily disciplined locker room incident that occurred within the team.

Considering the absent athletes in the last game, the upcoming game is expected to be much closer.

The Vikings, who had ended their season at 4-4, are very confident in their team’s skills coming into this game. When it comes to the team’s proficiency on defense, they believe that they are one of the best in the state.

“We are very physical and fast”, Mark Soehren, the head coach of the Vikings, commented on his team’s dominance on the defensive end.

When questioned on what he was expecting for this Friday’s game, Coach Soehren responded, “It will be a game between two teams that run the ball almost all of the time. It will be very physical and hard fought.”

Come support the Oxford Hills Vikings in their first appearance in the Eastern Maine Playoffs in several years at Cameron Stadium in Bangor on Friday, October 31st at 7pm., October 31st at 7pm.

Ambitious Foreign Exchange Student Adjusts to New Home by Shannon Kriger

Leaving your home country to come to a completely foreign nation is clearly a rather difficult concept, but 17-year-old Jette Vogel of Northern Germany makes it look easy.

When passing her in the halls, you’d never guess that Vogel is from overseas. She is eminently friendly and always appears to be enthusiastic when it comes to learning something new.

Attending a school where everyone speaks a foreign language is undoubtedly difficult, but Vogel proved herself willing for new experiences even more when she decided to join the basketball team at Oxford Hills.

“I decided to play basketball this winter because I wanted to learn a new sport. In Germany I had done track and field for 12 years and I never had the chance to learn something new,” Jette explained. “I’m happy to play basketball and I enjoy the time I spend with my team.”

Although Vogel loves Maine and being in the USA, she pointed out that she is not too fond of all of the woods that surround Maine. She’s used to a more metropolitan environment; especially when it comes to public transportation.

“There’s no form of public transportation or anything like that in this area, and that’s kind of bad if you don’t have a car or license,” Vogel clarified.

Another diversity that Jette had noticed in the United States is the school system. She explained how in Germany, you have to take all the classes that are offered; giving Vogel a school schedule of 14 different classes in her home country. In Oxford Hills, students class schedules usually consist of 7 or 8 classes.

Vogel appreciates the freedom in Oxford Hills when it comes to the classes she is taking among the various classes offered at the school.

“I really enjoy not having so much pressure with so many different classes. It’s a lot easier,” Jette commented.

Aside from having to adjust to Maine’s diverse environment, Vogel is thrilled to be in Maine and is making countless memories that she’ll cherish for the rest of her life.

“I have never had an experience like this and I had never been in the US before, so the whole thing is really exciting for me.. I like Maine and am very happy to be here.”

Oxford Hills Senior Ready to go Above and Beyond by Shannon Kriger

As the school year starts to come to a close, seniors are feeling the pressure to pick a college. Being 5th in her class, Oxford Hills senior Jade Morin had a wide range of options to choose from. Although her intelligence got her noticed by numerous colleges, Jade wanted to decide on a career that not only makes a difference, but also involves learning and experience outside of the classroom. For that reason, Jade chose to join the Air Force. Jade has always had a passion for engineering. Having the opportunity to serve the country while doing what she loves is what made the Air Force a perfect match for her. Plus, Jade’s grandfather was in the Air Force and it’s a priority of hers to make him proud. “About a month ago I realized it was finally time to follow my dream. I want to serve my country, while having great experiences. It is a great way for me to see the world, while contributing to the country. Also, the benefits like education make it even better,” Morin explained.Jade was fortunate enough to get the specific job she wanted as a Aircraft Loadmaster. Aircraft Loadmasters are responsible in making sure the contents and people of the aircraft are transported safely. This job requires skills in aircraft, electronics, arithmetics, and more. Loadmasters are crucial to aircrafts, they are in charge of mathematically configuring the placement of items so that the airplane can fly safely. In addition to that, Aircraft Loadmasters deliver supplies and equipments to particular locations using parachutes while airborne. “This job sees a lot of the world, and I would be on an aircraft almost all of the time, which really interests me,” Jade described.It will take some time for Jade to get used to her learning environment, but that’s one of the best parts of the job for her. The job is far from ordinary and requires a systematical way of life.“One of the major things I am hoping to gain is structure. The military requires a very structured type of lifestyle and I am really looking forward to it.”Jade is anticipating leaving Maine for San Antonio, Texas on August 4th, where she will be at basic training for 8 and a half weeks. After she completes basic, she has to stay in Texas for 34 days of tech training at the Lackland Air Force Base. Once she finishes basic and tech training, Jade will be prepared to take on her dream job and travel the world. Despite the fact that she’ll miss seeing her friends, family, and teachers everyday, Jade is eager to start this new chapter in her life and is determined to succeed at whatever comes her way.

Oxford Hills Seniors Keep Spirit of Deceased Friend Alive by Shannon Kriger

Although Josh Wardwell died at a far too young age, his compassion and spirit will always be remembered and cherished by numerous individuals. Josh was a senior at Oxford Hills when he passed two years ago. He was known for his love for hunting and trapping, as well as airplanes, even taking the time to build his own. There was no doubt that Josh had lived his short life to the fullest.

Jade Morin and Savanna Morin are seniors at Oxford Hills this year, and are hoping to keep the memories of Josh even more alive by fundraising for a scholarship in his name. Jade Morin was a close friend of Josh’s, and her cousin Savanna Morin was Josh’s girlfriend at the time of his death.

“Josh was my boyfriend, who quickly became my best friend. We did so many things together in such a short amount of time, and the memories will surely last forever,” Savanna disclosed.

For their senior project, Jade and Savanna have created a raffle calendar for the month of February. There’s a new prize every day and the winner for each prize will be randomly selected and then contacted to receive their reward. There are numerous valuable prizes on the calendar, such as a $100 CN Brown card, $75 Walmart card, ski passes to Shawnee peak, $100 cash, a years worth of free oil changes, and much more.

The profits from the calendar will be going directly into a scholarship held under Josh’s name. This scholarship will then be given to an automotive student of Oxford Hills that intends on continuing to study automotives. Josh had taken the automotive class himself and enjoyed his three years of being a part of the program.

When asked why she chose this calendar for her senior project, Savanna replied, “Josh will never be forgotten in this community, and this is just a way to keep him here and let him know how important he was and still is.”

Jade and Savanna have put in countless hours towards this project, and are hoping for the best possible outcome.

“It means a lot to me. We are working very hard on it, and it feels awesome to start seeing the success,” Jade mentioned.

Of course, Jade and Savanna could not have done it all themselves. With the help some generous businesses and individuals in the Oxford Hills community, the Morins were capable of putting together an impressive calendar with a wide range of prizes.

“We’d really like to thank anyone who is involved with the success of this project. This means a lot to us and Josh’s family, and I really hope that it’s a success. Josh is worth every penny that is being put towards this project,” Savanna commented.

If you’d like to help support Jade, Savanna, and other loved ones of Josh Wardwell, calendars can be bought by contacting Jade or Savanna, or coming to the school and asking for one of them at the front kiosk. Also, these calendars can be purchased at Cut Loose in Norway and Melby’s in Waterford.

Oxford Hills Senior Commits to Division I Team by Shannon Kriger

With the end of the school year getting closer, OHCHS senior Mikayla Morin is not only anticipating going off to college, but being a part of a Division I soccer team.

Morin has had a very successful high school soccer career. Some of Mikayla’s most recognizable awards include making KVAC 1st team, being awarded 2013 KVAC player of the year, and making the 2014 All State team.

Among her numerous soccer awards, Mikayla has also received plenty of acknowledgment outside of the high school. She has played for the Seacoast Soccer Club based in Portland, which is essentially a travel team. Her and her team won a National Championship and multiple state championships. Mikayla also got individual recognition at nationals by making the all tournament team, which was given to the top players that competed in the tourney.

Mikayla has always had playing Division I soccer in the back of her mind, but knew she’d be content with what ever team she committed to.

“My goal was always to play Division I, but I didn’t have my mind set on it because playing college soccer in general is a great privilege,” Mikayla explained.

Numerous schools around New England expressed interest in Mikayla’s soccer skills, but it was clear that UMaine was the best fit for the young athlete.

“UMaine was the best fit for me both academically and athletically. At UMaine, not only can I study the degree I wanted, but also play soccer on an elite team,”

Upon visiting UMaine for the first time, Mikayla got a glimpse of what playing for the university would be like.

“I had a great first impression of the team. It was very clear that they’re a close-knit team that all have the same mindset towards competitive soccer and winning. They all seemed to be on the same page when it comes to the sport, and I’m really looking forward to going up there and making an impact on and off the field,”

It’s not often that a soccer player from Oxford Hills has the opportunity to play Division I, but there’s no question that Mikayla will continue her successes in soccer at UMaine.

Photo caption: Oxford Hills senior Mikayla Morin commits to the UMaine soccer team while fellow senior, Davis Turner, commits to the UMaine football team.

Taking photos is a snapshot of his dedication by Jake Allen, Riley Chickering and Shannon Kriger

11/21/13

Passion and dedication are two traits that Brewster Burns possesses.

Burns has been a teacher at OHCHS for 25 years. He has been head of the English department for the past 16, and he photographs school events, including sports and dances. 

How does an individual who is the head of a department, a teacher, and a completely booked photographer manage to do all that is required of them in a day?  

Says Burns, “[photography is] ..a full bore hobby. I contain it... barely.” 

Burns, who has been taking photos for a total of 16 years, describes how this interest began. 

“I remember when Scott Tiner was the tech guy here back in 1997 when the building first opened up. I remembered he had a digital camera, and I got to try it out for a weekend.”  This was Burns first experience with such a high powered camera and his love for taking photographs has grown exponentially since that one weekend years ago.  

When asked if there was one specific photograph that sparked this love, Burns turned around to his desk and retrieved a photo off the wall. 

“This photo right here, it’s a photo I took the weekend I borrowed the camera, my first digital picture.” The photo is of his daughter on that weekend. Burns will take his photography to the next level this year. He is one of the three lucky teachers to receive an Aspirations Grant. The Aspiration Grants were given by the Oxford Hills Scholarship Foundation. According to SAD 17 superintendent Rick Colpitts it is meant to “provide seed money for teachers to motivate them for professional or personal growth.” 

The Oxford Hills Scholarship Foundation hopes to give away close to $300,000 in scholarships this year to graduating seniors. The staff awards went to three teachers this past year. The number of applicants for scholarships next year and the scholarship funds ability to pay will determine how many recepients there will be in 2014, potentially translating into more or larger aspiration grants for teachers. Burns knew just what he would do with the grant. He used the money to purchase two professional grade camera lenses he had wanted to get. The two lenses, one being for portrait shots and the other for moving frames, exceeded the given amount of the $4,000 grant. 

When asked about what qualities contribute to his being able to be a successful photographer, Burns replied, “I love to create, you have to love to create. My weakness isn’t my attention to detail. It’s my ability to focus. You never know where the shot is going be. You just never know.”

Burns explained that if he spots something, and he can envision a photograph of it, then he’s thinking like a photographer.  

Another big part of his motivation has to do with where he falls on the Myers Briggs scale. 

"I’m a strong ENFP (extrovert, intuitive, feeling, perceptive), which means I like things that are creative and open ended. Photography is kind of the perfect thing to create and make." 

Though he is clearly passionate about taking photos, he declared that his ultimate goal is to follow a group of children from kindergarten to the end of their high school experience and record them with photos and interviews. Mr. Burns passion for this project is conspicuous, and he already feels committed to these students who he has yet to meet. 

Brewster Burns has had a lot of interests in his life. Now it’s photography. "This is probably the longest I've been passionate about the same thing in my life,” he observed. “I'll keep doing it until the next shiny object comes up.” 

Brewster Burns

Oxford Hills Graduate takes over Local Business by Shannon Kriger

With the incessant snow finally melting and the sun shining, Kate Michaud of Greenwood is preparing to undertake the huge responsibility of owning an Inn.

Michaud just recently purchased the King’s Hill Inn & Barn in South Paris. Not only is the property gorgeous, but it’s also historic. It was the home and birthplace of Horatio King, who was born in 1811. Horatio King was a printer and editor of a printed paper on Paris Hill called the Jeffersonian. Later in his life, King worked for the Post Office Department in Washington DC and he became the Postmaster General under President Buchanan. King was also very good friends with Hannibal Hamlin.

The barn at the King’s Hill Inn was built in 1899, but was just recently modernly renovated to be an event venue for numerous social events, which is what Michaud specializes in.

Kate Michaud graduated from Oxford Hills in 2010, and then went to Simmons College in Boston, where she earned her bachelor’s degree. She kept busy with a double major in communications and studio art and a minor in graphic design and photography.

Kate has been very busy successful since she graduated from Simmons college last year. She works as a photographer for various special occasions under her own photography company, Kate Michaud Photography. Kate has photographed senior photos, weddings, engagements, and more.

Although it was never her first priority, Michaud has always had owning an Inn in the back of her mind.

“As a photographer, I always wanted to own a wedding venue someday where I could use my photography along with my love for organizing events and working with people.I always envisioned myself working at a farm, castle, or some sort of historic site. After seeing the King’s Hill Inn, I knew it was the property I was meant to be at,” Michaud explained.

If you’ve never seen the King’s Hill Inn & Barn before, you’re missing out. The beauty and history of the property make it a secret gem of a destination for celebrations in the rolling hills of western Maine. The property has it’s own chapel, barn, garden, and more. The Inn has a lot to offer to not only wedding celebrations, but all celebrations.

Although the Inn is stunning as it is now, Michaud is looking forward to adding her own twist of modern design.

“I hope to make the Inn a place that symbolizes the joys of celebration, community, and hospitality. Expect some new community events and local collaborations this summer!” Michaud revealed.

Michaud has a lot to look forward to between collaborating and working with new people, and utilizing the property as a studio for her photography business.

With Michaud’s ambition and creativity, she plans on putting King’s Hill Inn on the map and it’s sure to be one of the most stunning and accommodative places in Oxford County.

Graduating Seniors: The Future of Oxford Hills by Shannon Kriger

Ryan Boucher

For graduating seniors, deciding on postsecondary plans after high school is far from easy. But for Ryan Boucher, a current senior at OHCHS, the crucial decision wasn’t all that complicated.

Since Ryan was a kid, he’s had his eyes on Maine Maritime Academy in Castine, Maine. He’s always had an interest in both engineering and ships, making the major marine engineering technology at Maine Maritime the perfect fit for him.

“My dream job is to ship out on a large vessel for 10 years, and then retire after those 10 years and fine a small shore side job along the lines of engineering,” Ryan explained.

What had initially sold Ryan on the idea of working in the marine engineering field was the money and the work hours. Working on a ship is much different than your typical career where you work a set amount of hours every week with certain days off.  When working on a large vessel, you get shipped out for roughly three months at a time. After those three months, you get to go home for another three months and spend time with family and do as you please. Ryan’s definitely looking forward to his long breaks from work so he can spend it how he likes.

When it comes to leaving the Oxford Hills area, Ryan has mixed feelings. He’s going to miss the fun times he’s had in Oxford Hills and the memories he’s made, but he’s ready to move forward in his life.

“I’m excited to go to college because it’s a new start. After a while, the same scenery, the same people, the same teachers, and the same lifestyle gets old. And that’s why I’m excited to have such a big change in my life.”

Ryan will surely miss many of his fellow students at Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School, but is eager to take his first big step towards adulthood and his future career.

Dehlia Shaw

Although senior Dehlia Shaw has lived in Oxford Hills her entire life, she’s ready to branch out and go away to college.

Dehlia is going to be attending the University of Maine at Orono this Fall for nursing. Even though University of Maine at Orono is much different and larger than Oxford Hills, Dehlia’s prepared and eager to start the new chapter in her life.

Dehlia had contemplated attending numerous Maine universities throughout the beginning of her senior year, but upon touring the campus at UMaine, Dehlia realized that she belongs in Orono.

“As soon as I visited, I fell in love with the campus and the campus life. I love that it’s such a big school and has so many great programs. I decided on this college because of their great nursing program,” Dehlia disclosed.

As a nursing student, Dehlia plans on becoming an RN. One day, she hopes to get her masters and work at a big hospital.

Dehlia decided that she wanted to become a nurse as a little girl. As a child, she would always try and help others and take care of them. Now, Dehlia intends on turning that passion into a career and helping patients that are in need.

Moving away from Oxford Hills will be hard on Dehlia, but she’s looking forward to start her life and work towards her dream job.

“I am looking forward to leaving Oxford Hills, but I am also very sad. I am going to miss the caring teachers and the friends I have made in my class over the past six years. It’s been bittersweet,” Dehlia clarified.

As a long time field hockey player, Dehlia hopes to join a club team at UMO so she can still compete in the sport that she loves.

Along with her field hockey memories in Oxford Hills, Dehlia will also always remember celebrating Winter Carnival at the high school. Not only has she competed in every annual pie eating contest since when she was in 7th grade, but she has also won every single won.

Competing in the pie eating contest for the past 6 years is what Dehlia will miss the most about the Oxford Hills High School.

“It’s a great feeling having your class cheer you on and get excited for you”, Dehlia commented.

Like many other high school seniors, Dehlia’s anxious about leaving home to go to college. But with her ambition and kindness, it’s obvious that Dehlia will be successful and go far in the medical field. 

Cole Everett:

Although Cole Everett may not be investing in a post secondary education, he knows exactly what he wants to do with his future.

Cole is a senior at Oxford Hills this year, and he intends on going into his family’s successful logging business, Jim Everett and son logging, once he graduates.

“I’m going into this business because I love the job and I fell in love with being in the woods and out in the Maine wilderness. I’m a very outdoorsy person and I’d much rather work than sit around everyday. It’s our family business, so that also got me interested in just pursuing the career rather than going to college,” Cole elucidated.

The business was opened the summer of three years ago by Cole’s father, James Everett.

Cole plans on staying in the business once he retires. Once his father retires, he will most likely inherit the company and run it himself.

Cole will not be leaving the Oxford Hills community after high school. His family business’s garage is located right in Norway, and although they complete jobs all around Maine, Oxford Hills will always be where Cole’s heart belongs.
“I’d like to live in Waterford when I’m older because not only is there a lot of space and freedom, but the snowmobile trails and fourwheeler trails are extremely convenient,” Cole mentioned.
Although Cole plans on staying in Oxford County, he realizes that graduation is the last time he’ll be seeing a lot of his classmates he’s befriended that he’s been going to school with for numerous years. And even though Cole will miss high school adn the people in it, he’s ready to move forward in his life.  One high school memory that Cole will keep with him for the rest of his life is playing in the Class A Eastern Maine Championship last year for basketball. 

“Having that moment in my basketball career was amazing, especially after all the work I’ve put in since I started playing basketball in boosters,” Cole acknowledged.

Cole may not be leaving Oxford Hills once he graduates, but his positivity and kindness with certainly be missed next year in the high school.

Anna Winslow:

Whether it’s on or off the court, Oxford Hills senior Anna Winslow is ready to take on whatever life throws at her.

Ever since Winslow played for the Central Maine Community College’s women’s basketball coach on his travel team in Auburn, she knew that CMCC was a perfect fit for her.

“I chose to go to CMCC because of the opportunities they have to offer me. I love the atmosphere they create around the school and the basketball team,” Winslow explained.

Although Anna is currently unsure as to what she will be majoring in, she knows what she wants long term wise. For as long as she can remember, she’s fantasized about raising a family of her own and running her own dairy farm. Raising money for her family through farming while also having them by her side is Anna’s dream.

Although Anna won’t be too far from home at CMCC, she’s going to miss the familiarity of the Oxford Hills community.

“I’m a little sad about leaving my family and not living at home, as well as not playing high school sports anymore. But I’m really comfortable at CM and am very excited to be a part of their winning basketball tradition. As a whole, I’m looking forward to start a new chapter of my life,” Anna asserted.

Anna will always remember and cherish the good times she’s had at OHCHS over the past few years. Her favorite memory being helping her team win the Class A Eastern Maine Finals last year and then moving on to compete in the Class A State Finals game.

“Both were pretty amazing experiences, and I can’t wait to see where the rest of this season brings my team,”

It’s safe to say that Anna will make her friends and family proud at CMCC and she will be missed at the high school.