LIVERMORE — Directors of Regional School Unit 73 voted unanimously Thursday night to submit the names of Violet Bellerose, Skylar Condon and Avery Ryder to the Spruce Mountain High School student body for consideration as representatives to the board.
The two receiving the most votes will fill the seats formerly held by Ava Coates and Dan Wilson who graduated in June.
Chairman Robert Staples said he would talk with Principal TJ Plourde.
Spruce Mountain High School juniors, from left, Avery Ryder, Violet Bellerose and Skylar Condon, all of Jay, are candidates for two seats on the Regional School Unit 73 board of directors. The board voted Thursday to have the student body vote which two would serve as student representatives. Pam Harnden/Livermore Falls Advertiser
“All three of you did a great job,” he noted to a round of applause.
The three are juniors from Jay. During a break in the meeting at Spruce Mountain Primary School in Livermore, they were asked about their interest in serving on the board.
Bellerose said she wanted to learn more about how things work in the district and have more experience working with adults.
“It is important for younger voices to be heard because some day we are going to be the adults who make decisions,” she said. “I want to make sure school stays sustainable, that there is equality among students and different adults.”
Condon wanted to be part of making a positive change. She heard about the student representative position from a student who had held the position.
“I feel it is important to be a representative, be able to talk to everybody and figure out the best solution,” she said.
Ryder said she wants to be part of the community.
“I think everybody deserves to be able to say what they want to say,” she said. “Even if you are younger, you should have an opportunity. I also learned about the student rep by talking with one of the former ones. I had never heard of it before high school. A goal I have is to talk to younger kids, even primary school kids. I want them to hear about it.”
The three were honor roll students last year. They are part of the Blue Crew FIRST Robotics Competition 6153 team at Mt. Blue High School. Spruce Mountain students were invited to join that team in 2022 after their adviser retired in 2020.
Bellerose and Condon are part of the Envirothon team at Spruce Mountain High School and are enrolled in the Advanced Placement environmental science class.
Condon is a member of the cross country, Nordic skiing and track teams.
Ryder is on the cross country and track teams. She is part of the one-act play program.
Bellerose is an Olympia leader with the Olympia Snowe Institute. Her career goal is to become an environmental scientist or marine biologist.
Condon plans to attend college but hasn’t decided on a major yet.
Ryder envisions a future involving flipping houses or something in real estate.
In other business, Brittany Doucette of Livermore was hired as school nurse for Spruce Mountain Middle School. Previously she worked at Androscoggin Home Health, Farmington Family Practice and Franklin Memorial Hospital, Superintendent Scott Albert noted.
RSU 73 has elementary, middle and high schools in Jay, and the primary school is in Livermore. Jay, Livermore and Livermore Falls send students to the schools.
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