By Kenneth W. Atcheson, II
Caribou High School NHS Advisor
The Caribou Chapter of the National Honor Society was founded in 1927 under the sponsorship of Caribou High School Principal, Mr. Partridge with the awarding of the Charter on April 13, and today celebrates 82 years of service in Caribou High School.
Members of the 2009 Caribou High School National Honor Society are Katelyn Flick, Meagan Bossie, Emily Collins, Sarah-Jeanne McGlinn, Eric Brown, Jeoff Pucci, Christine Kashian, Kellene O’Hara, Emily Keaton, Victoria Dorman, Victoria Wong, Danielle Lane, Cameron Anderson, Brandon Caverhill, Patrick Thibodeau, Erin Buck, Travis Hallett, Abby Small, Kristin Espling, Katie Bell, Elizabeth Barbosa, Christine Savage, Kayla Schurman, Katherine Morneault, Alessandra Pizzuti, Kaysie Pelletier, Kelli Moody, Deric Flaherty, Shannon Butler, Chelsea LeBlanc, Nicholas Willey, Brittany Doak, Emily Anderson, Jared Sleeper; Thadeus Gorence, Kevin Turcotte, Ethan McDuffie, Taylor Jepson, Nicholas James, Nathan Swan, Joe Sturzl, Kyle Staples and Jesse Stephens.
Our NHS chapter is the oldest continually operating organization at Caribou High School. Miss Hazel Pratt served as our chapter’s first adviser from 1927 to 1933. The first class to be inducted consisted of Albert Todd, Philip Kierstead, Sterling Nelson, Gustave Johnson, Chester Ringdahl, Sheldon Boone and Vaughn Pearson.
Since its inception in 1927, the faculty of Caribou High School has bestowed their honor on 1.876 students as members of the National Honor Society. Seven members of the faculty of Caribou High School have shouldered the responsibility as chapter advisers during these past 20 years including: Miss Hazel Pratt, Miss Blanch Farrington, Miss Elizabeth Hitchings, Mr. Frank Angotti, Mrs. Iris Burliegh, Mrs. Carol McElwee and current adviser, Mr. Kenneth W. Atcheson II.
The members of this society have served our community as teachers, principals, ministers, priests, rabbis, farmers, plumbers, electricians, college professors, members of the armed forces, including a four star admiral of the navy, doctors, nurses, law enforcement officers, lawyers, business owners, city council members, a president of the University of Maine, Maine State Legislature Representative and Senators, School Superintendents including Mr. Frank McElwain, a past president of our chapter.
Maine State District, Superior and Supreme Court Justices, one of our past chapter presidents currently serves as the Junior United States Senator from Maine and most importantly hundreds, of hardworking citizens of Caribou, Woodland, New Sweden, Stockholm, Westmanland and Connor.
Let us pay tribute to our past by striving to improve the future for all who follow us through the doors of Caribou High School and by continuing to live up to the honor that the faculty have bestowed upon each member of the National Honor Society.
The NHS sponsors or participates in the following events: Student of the Month Program, Muscular Dystrophy Drive, Multiple Sclerosis Walk-a-Thon, Holiday Food Drive for the Bread of Life Soup Kitchen, Walk For Life, American Cancer Society, Academic Night for Caribou High School, Freshmen Orientation and Parent Teacher Conferences, Caribou Children’s Museum Fund-Raisers, Sesquicentennial Celebrations for Caribou’s 150th Birthday and Special Olympic Field Day.
