Windham Chamber Singers prepare for 36th year of performances

By Jolene Bailey

Music is a form of expression which surrounds us all. Focusing on the arts, anyone of all ages can develop interests within. Windham High School’s Chamber Singers display a plethora of experiences inside music and personal skills.

Tickets will go on sale at 8 a.m. Monday, Oct. 2 for the
Windham Chamber Singers' holiday tradition 'An American
Family Holiday' concert which will be featured during two
performances on Saturday, Dec. 2 at the Windham
Performing Arts Center. SUBMITTED PHOTO 

The Windham Chamber Singers is a choir of high school students in grades 9 to 12 who perform classical music in concert settings under the direction of Conductor Dr. Richard Nickerson, who has not only helped impact students to grow as musicians, but also adapt senses of passions and navigate into lifelong habits.

“The chamber singers offer a sense of responsibility, accountability, purpose, and even a sense of being on time,” Nickerson said.

He had founded the current group of Windham Chamber Singers in the fall of 1988.

“The thing that has stayed the same is the people with the desire to achieve excellence,” Nickerson said. “Students come into the group with such high expectations and knowing the bar is high and tasked with upholding those standards.”

Activities for the Windham Chamber Singers change year to year. This year, they will be singing at the open ceremony at the Cumberland Fair. Based on activities like this can lead to forming new traditions according to the invitations.

“One of our old traditions was in the fall, we’d all go apple picking as a bonding activity. These activities can help us grow as a group and when traveling often, it’s good to know everyone’s personalities,” said Nickerson.

Here in Windham, the most popular event for the Windham Chamber Singers year after year is the presentation of a beloved holiday tradition, An American Family Holiday concert. Two concerts will take place on Saturday, Dec. 2, at the Windham Performing Arts Center with performances at 2 and 7:30 p.m. This heartwarming event is set to captivate audiences of all ages and promises to be a memorable experience for families, friends, and music enthusiasts alike. Tickets will go on sale at 8 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 2.

This year’s An American Family Holiday concert will welcome back Daniel Strange, a WCS alumnus who is on the faculty at the University of Miami. Also returning will be crowd favorite, Ashley Liberty. The concert headliner will be Broadway’s Clyde Alves, who has an impressive Broadway resume that includes his recent performance in the Tony-nominated production of New York, New York. In addition to his work on Broadway, Alves is a New York based singer- songwriter and lover of the acoustic guitar. His music bridges multiple genres including folk, rock, soul, reggae and pop infused with multilayered honest and transparent lyrics.

“We are excited to share the stage with Alves and continue our tradition of bringing the highest quality performers to Windham," said Nickerson.

The concerts will honor many local traditions and also introduce some new surprises and longtime host, Kim Block, will return as Master of Ceremonies.

Tickets are priced at $10 to $32 for reserved seating and can be purchased by calling 207-892-1810 ext. 2875 or online at www.windhamchambersingers.com

WHS students who join the Chamber Singers say that it is an exceptional activity to be involved in.

“Chamber Singers has been one of the most amazing things I’ve had the privilege of experiencing. I joined in late 2020, during the height of the global pandemic, I wasn’t given the normal start that most were,” said Abi Coleman, who serves as president of the group. “We rehearsed 16 feet apart on baseball fields, on Zoom calls, and in rooms that we had to leave and ventilate after 30 minutes of use. Now we’re on the other side of it, I am so endlessly grateful that I stuck through with singing.”

During this school year, the Windham Chamber Singers will also be touring exclusively in Maine the first week of April with tours lasting roughly four to five days.

“I’m most excited about the tour. There’s so much to look forward to: the bus rides, staying at hotels, bonding with everyone, and performing,” said Coleman. “We get to sing a repertoire consisting of songs we’ve practiced at different points in the year. It’s just so surreal that we are fortunate enough to be able to travel around and perform for so many different people.” <

WHS students undertake mock crime investigation with police

By Jolene Bailey

Windham High School offers a plethora of options for students to overcome struggles they might face outside of high school and into adulthood. For many, this includes attending college fairs and shadowing jobs; finding out their path that will unfold. One activity Windham High School does each year is a mock crime scene. Although the classes involved and scenario changes every year, the exercise focuses on English, math, and science.

Students at Windham High School work with investigators
from the Windham Police Department as part of an exercise
to solve a mock crime scene on schools grounds on May 3.
SUBMITTED PHOTO  

On Wednesday, May 3, students and members of the Windham law enforcement community interacted during a unique Crime Scene Investigation exercise on the school campus.

“The crime that was alleged was a motor-vehicle involved murder in which two neighbors had a problem with each other and shortly after a verbal dispute, one of the neighbors ran the other one off the road causing that driver to be ejected from the vehicle and subsequently pass away from injuries,” said Jason Burke, a Windham Police Department officer who was involved in the actual crime scene.

During the exercise, every WHS student has a role to play in solving the supposed crime. English students were the “detectives,” while math and science students were the “evidence techs” whose duty was to calculate details and handle the evidence.

“The key aspect of all this work is that both sides of the investigation must work together to solve the crime. Both roles needed each other to understand the complete experience,” said WHS teacher Adrianne Shetenhelm.

The exercise not only gave students insight into what it is like to solve a crime, but it also taught participants academic skills that they will need in and outside of a classroom environment.

“I was so proud to see my students, even often quiet ones who may not respond to a lesson within the classroom, engage with police officers, members of the community, and ask hard questions and work with peers to solve the crime. Many demonstrated clever problem-solving and leadership skills,” said Shetenhelm.

The planning process for the exercise started all the way back in September with the officers tasked with setting up the mock crime scene working collaboratively with the educators at Windham High. Each year there is a different mock crime at the school, with different lessons and story plots, and different actors participating, and this was the fourth year that the mock crime scene exercise was staged at the school. Expectations are that students will understand how the different pieces of evidence collected come together to show what happened, which tests are reliable, and which ones have a high possibility of error.

“We teachers work with the police to write this original scenario, and we work hard to manufacture the evidence students find on the scene, but we have to trust that our students will connect all the dots,” Shetenhelm said. “It's like designing a play but in addition to setting the stage, writing the script, and creating the props, you then just have to prepare and then trust that the students are not a passive audience but active participants.”

Teachers normally see students in a classroom setting five out of seven days a week and within this given time, teachers and students are able to create relationships and bonds. But outside of a teacher’s point of view, police officers aren’t as interactive with the students’ daily academic life.

"This event is a lot of fun to participate in. Not only do we get to help with the background preparation and planning, but we also are given the opportunity to teach in the classroom. On the day of the event the scenario brings all of the parts and pieces together to give the students an example of how academic knowledge is put to use in the real world,” said Burke.

All around us are skills for us to pick up upon, Burke said, and the mock crime scene investigation presents just such an opportunity. <

Buddy mentoring program promotes leadership, teamwork among students

By Jolene Bailey

People can thrive off companionship during their lifetime, especially for young minds creating their future. Often people will surround themselves with friends, or people they look up to. Those role models can have an impact on minds and in a social aspect, friends can help each other in creating intelligence. That’s one of the reasons classrooms can often contain activities such as group work and special guest speakers.

Windham Middle School eighth-grade students work with
Windham Primary School second graders during a Buddy
Mentoring session in the cafeteria at Windham Middle 
School earlier this month. The program pairs older students
with younger kids in an effort to develop leadership skills
while providing role models for elementary students.
SUBMITTED PHOTO

As an example of this, Windham Primary and Middle School’s Buddy Mentoring Program is a partnership between the eighth-grade students assisting second graders by teaching leadership and role modeling to younger children.

“The buddy program is important to me because I can make a difference in one more person's life,” said Eva Vancelette, an eighth grader.

These meetings between the WMS and WPS students are held once a month and feature science and math experiments, but the program emphasizes creating relationships between the older and younger students in the classrooms.

Demonstrating what this means from a student point of view, eighth-grade participant Parker Sperry said it’s great for some younger students to have someone to look up to.

“The buddy system is great because it gives the younger kids a chance to have an older sibling figure that maybe they don't have at home,” Sperry said.

For the eighth graders, taking on a leadership role teaches them how to be more respectful and responsible with their words and actions toward others. The WMS students learn about morals and values while creating new friendships at the same time. Research has shown that buddy programs are an effective way to help encourage a positive, sibling-like relationship between students. The program strives to instill social and emotional learning and is a way for teachers to accelerate crucial development of associated social and emotional skills while boosting self-esteem, self-determination and self-advocacy among students.

As of this year, four middle school teachers and three second grade teachers have come together to be involved and continue this program, which has been in existence for more than a decade.

“Middle school students have connected with many peers and established a working relationship with someone younger,” said Pam Mallard, eighth grade coordinator. “Community spirit is established in a positive manner. Students will often ask when the next meeting is out of excitement.”

The program’s monthly meeting involves about 160 students, tripling participation from about 50 students when the program started.

Bebe King, the program’s second-grade coordinator, said that the younger students benefit tremendously from this opportunity.

“We have seen learners who are normally reserved and quiet form an instant bond with their buddy,” King said. “We have seen students who are new be paired with an eighth grader who is also new to the district, which has helped them navigate the emotions of being the ‘new kid’ and become positive connections for each other.”

With these kids being a part of the community and the school district’s future, it’s important for them to be able gain a sense of themself and their skills.

“The fact I get to be a part of a younger generation's life makes my day,” eighth-grade participant Kaylee Napolitano said.

King said that the bonds formed between the students has worked wonders for some in positive and beneficial ways.

“We have seen students who struggle to make connections instantly gravitate towards their middle school buddy and make lasting connections,” King said. “Overall, we have seen success in the program’s ability to provide a sense of community within our schools and foster feelings of confidence in our students.” <

Windham Odyssey of the Mind team earns a spot in world finals

By Jolene Bailey

Coming in first place in their division, Windham Primary School and Manchester’s combined Odyssey of the Mind team participated in the Nor’easter Tournament at Sanford High School on March 25, landing them invitations to the World Finals.

Windham's combined Odyssey of the Mind team made up
of students from Windham Primary School and Manchester
School won their division in the state competition at
Sanford High School and qualified to compete in the 
World Finals in Michigan in May. From left are Colin
Miller, Ava Rhoads, Cora Miller, Omer the Odyssey Mascot,
Marin Miele, Bryn Johnson, Fynnleigh Mayo, and Celia
Johnson. SUBMITTED PHOTO    

Odyssey of the Mind’s purpose is to educate all students how to use and develop their pure creativity to solve problems of any kind without fear or high confusion. When competing, the team’s goal is to fit all the required pieces into an eight-minute performance skit. From making props, to coming up with lines, teams do it all by themselves.

During practice, students learn and work on their teamwork and being a quick thinker. The strategy of being fast helps them in the long run with verbal and hands-on spontaneous problem solving.

Windham Primary School’s third graders and Manchester School’s fourth and fifth grades had formed a team of seven members to compete in the Odyssey of the Mind competition. The seven student members range in age from 8 to 11.

During these competitions, students can gain a sense of self confidence while grasping an emphasis on public speaking, teamwork, and time management, all of which are important skills, despite their age.

“They performed in the gym in front of a table of judges and audience. Once they completed their performance, we watched some other teams compete that had the same problem as them as well as some other problems. These kids always like seeing what other teams come up with,” said Windham coach Rebecca Miller, who runs this Odyssey of the Mind engaged team and guided their success in their division at the state competition.

Miller said that coaching the team was an enjoyable experience.

“I personally am really connected to this team, other than the fact that two of my kids are on it, I've coached most of them since first grade. So, they've been together and grown quite a bit as a team,” said Miller.

This is Miller’s sixth year coaching in Odyssey of the Mind. Before her, three Windham teams in the past qualified for the world finals. This year’s team will be the fourth.

“The best part of coaching is supporting them through problem solving and watching the super creative solutions they come up with. I can't offer any outside assistance, so what they come up with is all on their own,” said Miller.

With an experienced coach to lead them, this team has shown progress from as early as last year.

“The kids had high hopes as they got third place last year. This year, they were really anxious,” Miller said. “When they called third place, then second place, our stomachs were definitely in knots. When they announced we got first place, I was definitely crying tears of pride - they earned it.”

We all face decision-making every day and sometimes without even realizing it. Solving problems is a skill that anyone at any age has to conquer. For this team to be fully able to attend and participate in the world finals, $14,000 has to be raised for travel expenses, transportation, and registration for the team itself and chaperones.

Windham Primary School has supplied members with registration, t-shirts, and family participation. To raise money, the team has hosted a movie night and a community raffle to help reach their goal. Moving forward, they’re planning to host another movie night and more raffles and a color dash.

“These are ultimately community events that we look forward to having regularly to engage families in school all while raising some money to continue to support Odyssey of the Mind,” said Miller.

Since meetings back in November, this team has formed many bonds and memories in hopes to make it where they are today. Located at Michigan State University, the 2023 World Championships for Odyssey of the Mind will be May 24 to May 27.

To help the team through a donation, checks can be sent to Windham Primary School, Educational Way, Windham, ME 04062, or by sending an email to rmiller@rsu14.org <

WHS’ Kindness Crew strives to break down stigma

By Jolene Bailey

Extracurricular and afterschool clubs hold numerous involvement opportunities for students to put their best foot forward and engage in subjects in which they take interest.

Members of Windham High School's Mental
Health Advocacy Club gather at the school.
Commonly known as the 'Kindness Crew,'
the club's mission is to spread kindness 
among students while creating a safe and
welcoming environment for everyone.
SUBMITTED PHOTO
 

Windham High School’s Mental Health Advocacy Club is commonly known as the Kindness Crew. Their mission is to spread kindness among peers while creating a safe, welcoming environment for anyone to attend. Students acquire strategies to support mental health while breaking down stigmas associated with it.

Meetings take place on Thursday mornings during a PRIDE block in school, from 7:35 to 8:05 a.m. It is an open space for anyone to interact and start conversations with people in the club that they may never have met. Peers spend this time being introduced to new plans or ideas that the club could address.

Kindness Crew advisor Melissa Dubois, who has been working at Windham High School for 24 years, regularly provides students with an agenda, with an activity or a surprise. The point behind this strategy is to keep students engaged and to spread kindness.

“We have had guest speakers and have attended summits with Be The Influence. Some seniors have taken on a leadership role, such as Delana Perkins and Gwen Kim, with organizing events and PRIDE activities,” said Dubois.

Dubois has been running the Kindness Crew for two years. This school year there are about 30 to 40 members who are all active participants while learning about stigma.

Stigma prevents people from speaking up and getting support for issues they are dealing with. Statistics show, just in the farming industry, men represent 95.9 percent of suicide deaths, with a mean age of 57 at the time of death.

“The club was the idea of a former graduate, Hannah McFarland, who wanted to draw attention to mental health issues. I feel it has been successful as the club has doubled in size, not to mention the strategies shared and the opportunities to grow,” said Dubois.

Along with discussing mental health topics openly, students also engage in community service. This school year, Kindness Crew students have planned activities, while taking leadership in others. Some activities they worked on earlier in the school year include the annual Trunk or Treat, youth summits, and participating in last month’s Sebago Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce Polar Dip.

Delana Perkins is a Windham High School senior who has been a member of the Kindness Crew since her junior year. She joined instead of spending time with her friends in the morning to help others in the community.

“My favorite part about this club is the bond we have, between fellow high schoolers and the community. The club brings awareness about mental health, where everyone finds many people have their own struggles, making people realize they are not alone,” said Perkins.

Spring is a busy season for the Kindness Crew members. Upcoming events for the students include the Smashing Stigma Campaign, the Yellow Tulip Project and a variety of Windham Parks and Recreation experiences.

The hope for students participating in these events is to help people of all kinds to feel more comfortable and willing to talk openly about mental health, while spreading awareness and being kind.

The Kindness Crew is all about promoting resilience and mental stamina to help enhance communication within, Dubois said.

Those are one of many ways shown they can interact with the community to spread positivity, she said.

Mental health can have a large impact on a person’s daily life. Whether it’s giving someone a thank you letter or listening to a person who wants to be heard, kindness can go a long way. <

WHS students attend youth summit to develop positive leadership skills

By Lorraine Glowczak

About 14 Windham High School students joined 60 other teens from Westbrook and South Portland High Schools in the Third Annual Collective Impact Youth Summit held on Friday, Nov. 18, at the Westbrook-Warren Congregational Church.

Be The Influence, the local drug-free coalition, co-hosted
the Third Annual Collective Impact Youth Summit that
provided teens the opportunity to network about substance
misuse and social/emotional well-being. Fourteen students
from Windham High School attended the event and some
are shown including top from left, Victoria Lin and
Francesca Lomonte. Second row, from left are Jolene Bailey,
Erica Lin, Gwen Kim and Bella Lorenzatti.
PHOTO BY LORRAINE GLOWCZAK 

The local drug-free coalition, Be The Influence, which partnered with the Westbrook Partners in Prevention and So Po Unite coalitions, was instrumental in creating this all-day regional high school event. The purpose is to allow teens to network and share ideas with other students about what is happening in their school districts regarding substance misuse with a focus on social/emotional well-being.

During the event, WHS students also had the opportunity to build leadership skills concentrated on helping peers make healthy choices.

All participants had a choice of multiple breakout sessions that included topics such as Yoga and Mindfulness, Using Arts to Build Resilience, Leadership and Advocacy, and Life After High School. They also experienced team-building games and small group discussions.

Freshman Jolene Bailey, a member of the WHS Mental Health Advocacy Club, said that she really enjoyed the Leadership and Advocacy session because she felt she was able to create a bond with students from other schools while learning ways to develop new skills.

“The group consisted of an open conversation and was guided in such a way that I felt comfortable connecting with others,” she said. “I came away from that experience learning the ways of being an effective leader, and I hope to apply what I learned in my life and at school.”

Sophomore Francesca Lomonte, a former BTI member involved in many WHS extra-curricular activities, said that she enjoyed the Yoga and Mindfulness breakout session.

“I really liked the yoga and mindfulness session because it allowed me to chill and reset,” she said. “And it was a lot more fun than sitting in math class.”

The WHS students agreed that the summit was a fun and educational experience that provided a few personal takeaways.

“What I learned the most from attending this summit was the realization that there is a community of students out there other than what I know and experience at WHS,” Lomonte said. “This community of young people is much larger than I realized.”

Freshman Erica Lin attended the event with her older sister, Victoria, who is a senior. Lin shared her own realization regarding a peer-focused community.

“Other schools have a lot in common with us here at WHS in terms of facing the many challenges students meet today, and that makes me feel less alone knowing that.”

As far as developing leadership skills that make a positive impact among friends, the youth summit participants walked away with tools for success.

“In BTI, we create a presentation and talk with middle school students on why vaping is not a healthy choice,” Lomonte said. “Additionally, we can provide positive leadership examples with our peers by being involved in various activities. There are many choices that help people focus on a healthier lifestyle, such as getting involved with theater, robotics club, quiz show group - or any other club that helps you meet people and do something enjoyable with your life.”

BTI Director Laura Morris said that the summit was a huge success.

She said that the event was successful, partly, due to the support of WHS’ Physical Education/Health teacher, Melissa Dubois, and a financial contribution by the Sebago Lake Rotary Club that provided a portion of the summit’s lunch menu.

Morris reiterated the students’ sentiments, stating that she was delighted with the outcome and that students came away with actionable skills.

“Youth are hungry for connection and making a difference,” she said. “It was wonderful to see them embrace the topics and foster strong conversations, taking those experiences and applying them at their schools.”

Morris and Dubois both thanked the Director of Raymond Parks and Recreation, Joe Crocker, for transporting the WHS students to the event.

The BTI vision is to provide support and resources to students as well as communicate a consistent drug-free message, assuring students that they live in a community that cares about them.

The coalition is comprised of various members of the community that include: RSU 14 staff and teachers, local law enforcement, town council members, the Sebago Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce, prevention and counseling organizations, libraries as well as community and business organizations.

For more information about Be The Influence, visit its website at www.betheinfluencewrw.org, or send an email to Laura Morris at btidirector@windhammaine.us. You can also follow them on Facebook. <