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.

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.

Key Club baskets make Thanksgiving Possible by McKayla Ivey

Every year, the Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School’s (OHCHS) Key Club makes Thanksgiving baskets for those in our community who may not otherwise be able to afford a Thanksgiving dinner for their family.

The Key Club is a service organization that focuses mainly on children in our community. The current club advisor is Michael Vandemark, a teacher at OHCHS. When asked about how he felt about doing these baskets for the community he said, “It’s a very positive thing for the community.” Each family that receives a basket from the Key Club gets a direct phone call from Vandemark, informing them of the baskets that the families will be  receiving. The reactions from the families “are a little of both, it matters. Some people say yeah, or some people are very hesitant. It’s really mixed reactions, and most people are thankful.” explains Vandemark.

“The baskets include everything that a Thanksgiving dinner would from a turkey to cranberry sauce, and everything in between,” Vandemark explains. These baskets are given out to fifteen different families with children in our community, and these families are chosen by the principals in the elementary schools. The principals recognize the children in need, and refer them to the Key Club. Each basket is directly delivered, by students in the Key Club, to the homes of the families.

Along with the Thanksgiving baskets that the Key Club gives away, there are also many free dinners and lunches throughout our community. The third Friday in November at the Second Congregational Church in Norway there is a dinner. Thanksgiving day there is a free community dinner at the South Paris Fire Hall. There is also one at the Progress Center in Norway, and every Wednesday there is a free lunch at the Universal Church in Norway.

DECA craft fair continues on for its 40th year by Rebekah Fleck

In its 40th annual year, the DECA craft fair hosted by Oxford Hills DECA has grown from just 7 spaces for vendors to approximately 170 spaces with 142 vendors this year.

The Chairpeople of this event are Brennan Gillespie, Whitney Morse, and Cameron Letourneau.

The DECA Craft Fair will be taking  place on November 22nd, 2014 from 9:30am to 3:00 pm. During this event, there will be over 142 vendors selling their original crafts. There will also be a 50/50 raffle. To make this event more cheerful and less chaotic, the Chamber Choir will be traveling around the event singing Christmas carols.

The application process to be a vendor at the craft fair is pretty simple. Wendy Robichaud, teacher of Oxford Hills DECA says, “When we send out the applications, the first round of applications go to the returning vendors. They then have 2 weeks to get the application back to us, and after that we send applications to our waiting list.”

A waiting list of around 200 vendors. In order to get on the waiting list, people can call or email, and they will be added.

The DECA craft fair has been held at Oxford Hills Comprehensive High school (OHCHS) for 39 of its 40 years, with around 2,700 people in attendance this year.

Admission for the DECA craft fair is $1 dollar, with people 65+ and under 12 getting in for no cost. The money raised at this event will go towards Oxford Hills DECA’s conferences and activities.

Oxford Hills breaks the Broadway Musical norm after 40 years by Maria Shively

“What’s Seussical?" asked Sean Merz, a staff member at Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School (OHCHS). 

Kyle Jordan, one of the producers helping to put together Seussical answers this question.  

A “Seussical is a musical based on Dr. Seuss’ characters and settings to tell a story of community among other values,” Jordan explains. He and many others have been bringing the community of students and staff at OHCHS and Oxford Hills locals together to put on a biennial musical. 

“We have never repeated a show, in the 40 years we have been doing this,” says Jennifer St. Pierre, co-producer of the show and an alumni of OHCHS. Pierre has performed in many shows herself in the past.

“Traditionally putting on Broadway shows, this year’s Seussical is a departure from that Broadway community and an introduction to something new. This day and age community theater is going down and struggling to find an audience due to electronic media, and all the other entertainment available. So finding Seussical was perfect in the aspect of it's not just for one audience. It’s for all ages. Children, young adults, and adults, the whole family will love it,”  explains Director Andy Turner, who is local to the community of Oxford Hills.

“This year’s play will bring all this together with the story told by the Cat and the Hat of Horton, who finds ‘who’ on a speck of dusk. After the event of meeting each other Horton must  face a few challenges.  Along with the story is music from modern day, including a beautiful ballad, and even an Aretha Franklin-esque song. This is going to be a funky and colorful play. I don’t expect it to be anything less than amazing,” says Jordan. 

Because this isn’t a normal school production, the whole community of Oxford Hills is allowed to audition for any role in which they would like to partake.

“With Seussical, it’s no ordinary play. It’s a community event,” St. Pierre adds.

“These musicals we put on show the talent of locals around the community of Oxford. Our community is unique. We have eight towns and the arts of acting, singing, dancing and writing come from a long history of artistic talent. The only way that happens is through the support of the community,” says Turner.

“Let’s continue the tradition. Come to the show and support the people around you. We hope you see you all there,” adds Turner. 

Seussical will make its opening day debut on March 28. Show times are 7:30 P.M. on Friday the 28th and Saturday the 29th, then again for a final matinee at 1:30 P.M. on Sunday the 30th. All shows are performed at OHCHS. Tickets are $12 for children and adults, $10 for seniors and students of OHCHS.  All tickets are available at Books N’ Things in Norway. 

Healthy OH 5k by Jordan Schorr

Ready to run? Three students from Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School (OHCHS) are putting on a 5k Run/Walk for their senior project. Randy Bosquet, Benjamin Morton, and Kelynn Laliberte decided that the organization of Healthy Oxford Hills would be a good group to donate the money.

“We love the idea that we are gathering a good portion of the community into an event that will go right back to the people,” said Bosquet.

“Healthy Oxford Hills is an organization does a lot of great work in the community, so we decided to give the money to them,” explains Morton.

The money that is raised from this event will help Healthy Oxford Hills work on the food insecurity issues in Oxford County. The event will take place on April 26, 2014 at the Oxford Hills Middle School. Registration will begin at 9:00am and the actual race will begin at 10:00am. The price to participate is $10.00 for students under 18 and adults who are over 60. Everyone in between those ages will pay $15.00. All of the registration money will be collected on the day of the event.

“We will feel very great when we hand over a check of what we hope will be a respectable amount of money,” Bosquet commented.

To sign up to participate in the 5k, go to the Healthy Oxford Hills website, find Randy Bosquet on Facebook, or call him at (207) 595-6429.

(photo by )

Teens give from the heart to other teens by Jordan Schorr and Maria Shively

Dec. 20, 2013 became a day to remember at Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School (OHCHS). It’s the day when students and faculty at OHCHS raised $1000 in just a few hours for Christmas for Teens. Leanna Wielki and Elizabeth Gillespie, both juniors at OHCHS and members of the Varsity Cheering Team, first came up with the idea to create a hat day for students and staff at OHCHS. The only catch was each person would be asked to donate a dollar or more to wear a Santa hat or any  other of their choice

“It was the day before Christmas vacation, and I thought it'd be fun to spread some Christmas cheer and wear Santa hats,” said Wielki.

Later on she and her friend Gillespie decided to take their idea to the school principal, Ted Moccia.

“We chose Christmas for Teens because everyone deserves help during the holidays. The holidays are not only about receiving, but also [about] giving,” explained Gillespie and Wielki.

“Mr. Moccia is  an easy person to talk to and he takes our ideas into account,” Gillespie explained.

After a few hours, OHCHS students and faculty had earned a total of $1000.

“It was a great feeling seeing how many people donated just to donate, and to wear hats, because it was great to see the community and school come together like that to help each other out,” said Wielki.

Christmas for Teens is a non-profit organization which helps teens and their families in the Oxford Hills area during the holiday season. It is run by five people: Jean Delamater, Pam Colby, Carlene Treadwell, Kathy Bean, and Rhonda Maher. The check fo $1000 was presented to the organization soon after the money was collected. When Delameter came to pick up the donation, she was overcome with emotion.

“It’s a huge contribution to the charity and we appreciate it. We’re especially happy because it’s teens helping teens, and it says a lot about the community,” explained Delameter.

Christmas for Teens accepts donations from anyone. They are a non-profit organization. They have drop off bins in multiple locations such as the Chamber of Commerce, Hannaford, New balance and Ken and Thoms Flooring, along with a post office box #726 in Norway. Everything asked for by the over 200 families and teens they help tend to be items they need, rather than want. Christmas for Teens only accepts new items because they feel this is the one time a year their teens should get new items.

Delameter and the rest of the group members plan on keeping this charity going for as long as possible. 

“We don’t say no,” said Delameter, ““and we will never turn anyone down.”

So perfectly Maine by Jasmine Roy

What do you think of when you hear the word “Maine?” After asking this of several different teachers at the Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School (OHCHS), we have some results.

Brewster Burns, an English teacher, said the first things that come to mind are, “Trees, lobsters, rugged coastlines, granite, waves, skiing, foliage, Fryeburg Fair, and lakes.”

“I think of woods, lakes, mountains, and of home,” reported Science teacher Mark Soehren.

Donna Marcotte-Bell, also a teacher, was the only person interviewed who included a negative side to Maine. In her words, “Beautiful, outdoor activities, vacation land, authentic people, and poverty.”

Other teachers said things like cold, snow, hunting, scenic, family, ocean, outdoors, pine-trees, and wildlife.

Burns gave us a longer story. “A memory I have from childhood is when my parents had an old Volkswagen Beetle, and we lived in Waterford. The road turned to a dirt road just beyond our house and no one lived on the road. It was always quiet and [there were] no cars. Before we had our licenses, well before, my brother and I would drive the Volkswagen Bug up and down the dirt road. My favorite thing to do was to bomb down the dirt road, then cut down to a logging road and drive up deep into the woods. It’s something you can’t do if you lived other places. It’s so perfectly Waterford. But it’s also so perfectly Maine too. Even though it’s technically breaking the law, if you live in Maine it’s part of what you do; it’s part of what makes us Mainer’s.”

Clearly all the people that were asked had something to say of the state of Maine, but maybe it's not the words that are important when you think of Maine. Maybe it's the experiences.

Students plan Becca Mason Benefit Supper by Kirsten Corey

In January of 2012 Becca Mason of West Paris was killed in a tragic car accident. The death of this young girl left many people devastated. Two of those people, Ryan Samson and Shelby Guilford, close friends of Becca’s, would like to have her memorialized with pages in the OHCHS school yearbook. They feel very strongly that she deserves these pages because she would’ve graduated this year.  
Because the high school does not have the funds needed to help with this project, Guilford and Samson are hosting a dinner in honor of Becca.   
The dinner is at the South Paris Fire Hall on Nov. 10, from 5 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. The entrance fee will be $6, and $2 for veterans. All additional donations will aid in getting Becca commemorated in the yearbook.
In addition to the dinner, there will also be a place to write, as if you were really writing, in Becca’s yearbook. These commemorative pages will go into the yearbook as well.
If you had any connection to Becca or want to support Guilford and Samson's efforts in this difficult task, come to the South Paris Fire Hall on Nov. 10.

Theater at Monmouth comes to OHCHS by Kirsten Corey

Last Wednesday, Theater at Monmouth brought "Twelfth Night" to Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School and performed for almost 250 students. Most were from the high school, but there were also some elementary aged students present. 

The play "Twelfth Night" remained the way Shakespeare intended it to be but with a few modern twists. There was early '90s rock played to accompany the performance as well as a modern college set. The costuming was modern as well, but the language remained true to the script. The actors said their reason for doing this was to make it easier for teens to connect to Shakespeare.

During the performance teens laughed and were silent at just the right times. At one point they were sent into a chatter about a controversial situation. For those that have seen this play before, it was the part when Olivia falls in love with “Cesario,” who is really Viola dressed as a man. When the audience figured out what was going on, they all started talking to one another about the situation. Everyone was clearly engaged in the performance.

It was apparent the actors were more than happy to be involved in the play. The way they held themselves and appeared confident was very inspiring. 

Actress Rylee Doiron from Farmington, who played Olivia, said, “I love performing Shakespeare because his style is so sophisticated. I’m really quite an awkward person and I’m not very good at speaking. When I perform Shakespeare I feel much more literate and sophisticated. It’s also a lot of fun to tell a story and express your feelings through acting.” 

Another actor named Alex Pagels, who is from New York City, played Sir Toby. He connected doing this play for high school students around the state to his own experiences. He didn’t start performing until his junior year of high school. It was seeing live performances at his school that inspired him to begin a career in acting. “I saw Shakespeare when I was in high school. Actors came to perform for us and I loved it! When you act, you hope you give students the same great experiences you had.” 

As the play progressed, the audience became more and more intrigued, especially during the unveiling of the love aspect of the plot. The performance ended with the students applauding with great enthusiasm. Normally reading Shakespeare is something students detest, but seeing it performed live changed their outlook on the language. 

Everyone in audience was clearly affected by this performance and appreciated having the chance to see a Shakespearean play come to life. 

Photo by Pamela Chodosh
SHAKESPEARE AT OHCHS — A dramatic moment at the beginning of "Twelfth Night" at OHCHS.    

Golf team swings into KVAC championship by Jordan Schorr

On Oct. 8, the Golf Team of Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School, coached by Michael Grace, took home an award. Having gone all season undefeated, OHCHS golf team qualified for KVAC’s and were to play against fifteen to sixteen different teams from all over the state. With their determination the team won the 2013 KVAC Championships!

“I am very happy and proud because all their hard work and practice paid off,” said Grace. “It shows them that perseverance does have its rewards.”

Grace has been coaching for ten years and enjoys the game of golf himself, and has seen the three seniors play for all four years of high school.

“It is always tough to see your seniors go because you have gotten to know them well over four years but it is so much fun seeing how much they grow and change over that period,” stated Grace.

This year's seniors consist of Benjamin Morton, Thomas Lentz, and Briana Morris. The other members of the team are Christopher Burns, Cameron Letourneau, Mac Kim, Kenny Kozak,  and Trey Dekutoski. Out of these eight golfers, five made it to Individuals which took place on Oct. 19. There are no teams during Individuals. Instead 15 people from KVACs play against Southern Maine Athletic Association (SMAA) to determine who the best golfers in the state are.

“I hoped for the best but I was willing to except the worst. But, I knew it was going to be heck of a time and I couldn’t wait!” says Morris.

Morris made it to individuals and is the only girl on the OHCHS Golf team. All of the guys call her “supportive” and Morton said that “she helps [them] get less aggravated” and that she does a good job.

“Guys can be guys, but I got used to it,” responded Morris.

Morris has been on the golf team for two years and has always been the only girl.

She said that “being the only girl on the team last year, 2012, really got to her." “[But] all of us get along so well together, I wouldn't want to change my team for the world.”

Morris started golfing when she was 5 years old. “Golf is a very independent and mental sport,” said Morris, which compliments her personality. She said of the team they are serious when they need to be, but they always have a great laugh when necessary.

The OHCHS team is happy to have made it to States. They placed 5th overall, but many team members thought they could’ve played better. Individual matches went well for the five players, with Morris placing 6th in the state.

Although States was really discouraging for the eight students who competed, they still managed to pick their heads up and continue on to Individuals. 

Says Morris, “Getting down on yourself doesn't do anything good for you. You need to focus on the next shot and don't get mad about the previous.”

Photo by Brewster Burns
CHAMPIONS - Group photo of the OHCHS Golf team. Left to right: Mac Kim, Christopher Burns, Cameron Letourneau, Briana Morris, Benjamin Morton, Thomas Lentz, Kenny Kozak and Trey Dekutoski.

Photo by Brewster Burns
PLAQUE SAYS IT ALL - The 2013 Golf Team holds the plaque they received after becoming the KVAC Champions.

Reading flash mob at Norway Memorial Library by Julie DiFazio

“The community should be able to see that teens are good,” Cynthia Riley, Teen Services Coordinator of NML (Norway Memorial Library), said when asked what the Flash Mob reading event was about. The flash mob reading event happened on Wednesday, October 16th on the front lawn of the library. This is the second year the event has taken place.

Riley, who has hosted it for the past two years, believes that reading for pleasure should be emphasised more in the community. The flash mob was planned in the middle of YALSA (Young Adult Library Services Association) Teen Read Week and the theme this year encourages students to seek adventure at their library. It opens doors to go places and to escape.

Even though she’s recently moved from Fisher’s Island, New York, Riley has been very active in the community. She sponsored the Destiny Africa Children’s Choir, which is a group of Ugandan children who share their stories through dancing, and is trying to make a connection with the school. She hopes that the flash mob will continue to be something that happens and that it will make the parents as well as communities see that reading is important.

Riley worked with Brewster Burns, an English teacher at Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School (OHCHS) to coordinate the event. It happened to fall on a good day as the sophomores and juniors had to take PSAT’s on the same day so it was a break from testing. While the event only lasted for 30 minutes, the message still stands: reading is fun and exciting and it hopes to boost encouragement for many young, and old, readers.

The Flash Mob is an event that many hope will inspire more kids to read for fun because it can take you places. It can also show the community that teens are well-mannered and polite. There are hopes for a flash mob event every year so that it’ll inspire more kids to read for fun and for the community to also get active in the role of reading for pleasure.

Photo by: Brewster Burns

Students from OHCHS take part in the flash mob reading event on October 16th. 

Tough game fosters "family" atmosphere for OHCHS girls soccer team by Jordan Schorr

  South Paris - On Friday, September 20th, the Oxford Hills Lady Vikings Varsity Soccer Team took to the field at the Gouin Complex with an enthusiasm equal to that of their family and friends who were on the sidelines. With both wins over the Mt. Blue Cougars 2-1 and the Lewiston Blue Devils 4-2, on the team’s shoulders, they were ready to defeat Hampden Academy.

The start of the game involved equal playing ability and aggression. Although Hampden Academy is ranked high in the state, they were no match for Lauren Emery, OHCHS junior center defender. Making many great plays with light touches, Emery booted the ball halfway across the field for an attempted shot on goal on opposing team member No. 8 Sami Bowler. As the game continued, Mikayla Morin dribbled circles around the Hampton players with great speed and determination, but there were no goals. At one point, Morin got so aggravated, she took her anger out on No. 15, Sarah Richards, causing Hampden Academy to get an free indirect kick.

Oxford Hills held Hampden Academy at the half field mark for a good part of the game.There was only one break away by Hampden’s Kerry Quigley, No. 25. Her shot on goal was saved by OHCHS sophomore goalkeeper Samantha Bickford.

Offensively, the Oxford Lady Vikings managed to cross the ball over the field twelve different times, and made many attempts on Hampden goalie Bowler. Morin also made a handful of great corner kicks, but they were just short of the desired destination in front of the goal.

At the end of both 40 minute halves, the score between Hampden Academy and Oxford Hills was still 0-0. They went into what both teams hoped would be a single five minutes of overtime. Both teams were amped up to be the first to score. OHCHS player Nicole Zufelt encouraged her fellow teammates to “keep going, ladies!”

At the end of this overtime, the score was still 0-0, with both teams going strong. Unfortunately after a second five minutes of play, the buzzer went off and the final score at was 0-0. Even so, Samantha Bickford jumped with a feeling of victory.

The tie against Hampden Academy pushed Oxford Hills up to 4th place in the Division I ranking of girls’ high school soccer. Coach Truman was very proud.

Truman said, “The team played with the heart and effort that I had hoped for, and we showed that we can compete with a top level team.” Truman is new to coaching the girls’ varsity team  this year, replacing three year coach Courtney Sirois

“It is a big change, especially for the seniors who have had [Sirois] all the way through. But I think change can be good sometimes,” explains Zufelt.“Our team has overcome a lot these past few weeks, and we feel like family.”

Photo by: Brewster Burns
 Mikayla Morin, OHCHS junior mid-fielder, goes head to head with number 23 from Hampden Academy, during a hotly contested game this past weekend