FA announces valedictorian, salutatorian

   DOVER-FOXCROFT — Foxcroft Academy Head of School Arnold Shorey has announced Fern Morrison as the Valedictorian and Julia Annis as the Salutatorian of the Class of 2015. Foxcroft Academy’s graduation ceremony will be held on Sunday, June 9, at 1:30 p.m.. Baccalaureate will be held prior to graduation at noon. Maine game warden, sheriff, artist, and author John Ford will deliver the Commencement Address.

Contributed Photos

    VALEDICTORIAN AND SALUTATORIAN — Valedictorian Fern Morrison, left, and Salutatorian Julia Annis with Head of School Arnold Shorey.

   Morrison is the daughter of Steve and Mia Morrison of Dover-Foxcroft. She has a GPA of 3.98, has accumulated more than 300 hours of community service, and is a member of the National Honor Society. She has been a standout for the field hockey team and both the indoor and outdoor track teams and has been heavily involved with Key Club, Student Council, and the Student Tech Team.
   Morrison was born on an organic dairy farm and schooled at home until third grade. The years spent outdoors on the farm cultivated her love and appreciation for the environment and science, and she has decided to pursue a chemical engineering degree at Bucknell University in hope of eventually launching a research-based career in the renewable energies sector.
   “I thoroughly enjoyed the science classes I took at FA,” she said. “My favorites include Mr. Rolleston’s chemistry courses, Mrs. Brennan’s AP physics, and Mr. Weber’s AP biology. More than just a great education, FA has provided me with a 21st century experience, punctuated with experiential opportunities beyond the walls of the Academy and boundaries of Dover-Foxcroft. I was able to attend seminars at Brown University and UCLA, participate in sports across New England, and conduct research at the University of Maine.”
   Annis is the daughter of Glenn and Jody Annis of Dover-Foxcroft. She has a GPA of 3.96, has amassed nearly 60 hours of community service, and is a member of the National Honor Society. She is a member of Latin Club and Student Council and starred for the varsity field hockey and swimming teams all four years at FA while also excelling for the basketball team her junior year.
   Annis will attend the University of Rhode Island and has enrolled in the six-year PharmD program, and she plans to work in a hospital after earning her Doctor of Pharmacy degree. She is also considering joining the varsity swimming team or club field hockey team at Rhode Island.
   Annis has lived in Dover-Foxcroft all her life. “I have experienced all that this small town has to offer,” she said. “Living here surrounded by not only my immediate family, but also many relatives, has given me a great sense of comfort. I have chosen to leave Maine so that I can leave the comfort zone that Dover-Foxcroft has provided and expand my opportunities and experiences to something new.”
   Morrison and Annis were two of 17 students from the Class of 2015 recognized as outstanding scholars at FA’s annual Rose Award ceremony on the afternoon of May 5. The Rose Awards were established in 1931 when Mr. Frank G. Stone was head of Foxcroft Academy. Rose Award recipients have accumulated a grade point average that places them in the top 15 percent of permanent students in their class. For the 30th consecutive year, a medallion with the Foxcroft Academy seal will be presented to the recipients in addition to the traditional rose. These medallions were presented May 9 in conjunction with the induction ceremony for the fourth class of the Foxcroft Academy Academic Hall of Fame. Mrs. Priscilla White, former FA English teacher and librarian who retired after 36 years of service, and Mr. Robert Beek, who taught mathematics at FA for 33 years, conceived the idea for this permanent award and contributed funds to have the die cast for the medallion, which has now become a permanent part of the annual ceremony.
   The other rose recipients from the Class of 2015 are Kehan Bao, Dexter Canning, Bo Chen, Sean Cody, Tzu-Tying Hung, Zachary Johnson, Sarah Phillips, Aaron Provost, Abigail Simmons, Jessica Simpson, Yiwen Tang, Hailey Wellington, Shuwen Wu, Mingyi Yan, and Bingxuan Ying.