Portland teens rank in US scholarship programs

PORTLAND — Six students in Portland’s public high schools have been honored by the National Merit Scholarship Program.

Ellen Jewett, a senior at Portland High School, has been named a National Merit Scholarship finalist and selected as a candidate for the Presidential Scholars Program. She previously was chosen as a semi-finalist.

Two Deering High School students, Julia Kang and Madeleine Ostwald, have been named candidates for the Presidential Scholars Program. They were previously selected as National Merit Commended scholars. Mateusz Tasarz, another Deering student, is a National Merit semi-finalist.

Kathleen Donlan and Courtney McGorrill of Deering and Jesse Dritz of Portland High are National Merit Commended Scholars.

Portland High student wins CANE contest

PORTLAND — Lucy Bauer, an honors Latin poetry student, recently won first place in Maine in the Classics Association of New England, or CANE, Writing Contest. Her essay, “Gladiatrice,” juxtaposed a creative story of a female gladiator with supporting quotations from Juvenal’s “Satire VI.”

Entrants are judged on creativity, usage of the English language, use of authentic Latin or Greek sources and adherence to the topic. This year’s topic was “Gaming in the Ancient World.”

Lyseth goes green

PORTLAND — Lyseth Elementary School became a sea of green on March 16 as a fundraiser for the American Cancer Society, organized by fifth grade student Luke Hill.

Hill’s mother recently died of cancer, and with the fundraiser he promised to donate a nickel of his own money to the American Cancer Society for every Lyseth student who arrived at school wearing green. The principals offered to match his donation and put out a donation jar for families who wanted to make additional contributions.

Of the 511 students enrolled at Lyseth, 493 wore green and the fundraiser netted $372.72, including $24.65 donated by Hill.

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PORTLAND — The Cheverus High School a capella jazz vocal group , “Soulstice,” earned a second-place finish at the Berklee College of Music’s High School Jazz Festival.

The six-member Cheverus group has performed at a variety of local, state and regional events and on WCSH-TV’s program “207.” Members of the ensemble are: seniors Bobbiella Andoh, Jacob Boyce and Samantha SaVaun; juniors Nathan Caso and Erin Fitzpatrick; and sophomore Christian Cilley.

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