The Regional School Unit 73 board of directors has appointed Daniel Wilson, right, a senior at Spruce Mountain High School in Jay, as a student representative to the board, contingent on a student vote. Wilson is senior class president, a three-sport athlete and a member of the Envirothon and robotics teams. He is shown in July with other Envirothon members at an international competition in Ohio. Livermore Falls Advertiser file
JAY — The Regional School Unit 73 board of directors Thursday evening unanimously appointed a new student representative to the board and approved a humanities trip to New York City in May.
The appointment of Daniel Wilson as student representative is contingent on a student vote at Spruce Mountain High School in Jay.
Wilson is an honor student and a member of the Envirothon team that scored highest at the Maine competition last May, and represented the state in July at an international competition in Ohio.
He is also part of a robotics team that includes SMHS students and mentors collaborating with Blue Crew. The team in March won the Chairman’s Award at the New England Pine Tree District Event in Waterville.
Additionally, Wilson is the senior class president, and a member of the school’s soccer, Nordic skiing and track and field teams.
“I wanted to make a bigger difference in school, give students another vote,” Wilson said during a break in the meeting.
The humanities trip to New York City is for juniors and seniors, according to school officials.
“One of the things that happened pre-COVID was an annual trip to New York City that was offered to juniors and seniors,” Jessica Ellingwood Simpson, a math teacher at the high school, said. “We would like to get back to that, with your approval.”
The trip is planned for May 30-31, 2023, after Advanced Placement exams, but before seniors are in graduation mode.
“We would leave very early on a chartered bus, drive to New York City and then do different trips — Ellis Island, the Museum of Natural History, wherever a particular group was interested in — and then see a Broadway show,” Simpson said.
A bus company and theater have been approached and tentative plans have been made, she said. Students have been raising money for the trip by selling poinsettias from Longfellow’s Greenhouses of Manchester.
“The trip cost has gone up significantly as gas and inflation has,” Simpson said. “Some students sold enough poinsettias to cover their cost, so that is pretty exciting.”
After the Broadway show, the bus would drive the students back to the school, with an expected arrival between 6 and 7 a.m., Simpson said.
Board Chair Robert Staples asked Simpson the per-person cost of the trip.
“Around $150,” she said. “Students who were interested have already made a $20 deposit.”
One student is on a waitlist and six or seven staff members, who pay their way, are interested in going, she said.
“If a student wants to go but can’t afford it, is there some sort of scholarship available?” Staples asked.
Simpson said she did not know, but would check. She also said she would let Principal TJ Plourde know if there were students who want to go on the trip, but cannot afford the cost.
RSU 73 Director Andrew Sylvester asked if a particular Broadway show was being considered.
“We have contacted ‘Life of Pi,'” Simpson said. “We have not heard a definite definite yet. We need two wheelchair-accessible seats, and they have not accommodated that at this time.”
In other matters, the board voted to allow a student who was not named publicly to reenter RSU 73 on Monday. A closed-door session was held before the vote to discuss the expulsion of a student.
Directors expelled two students in August and three this fall for disobedient and disorderly conduct.
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