Four Morse High School students were among 150 young women who graduated from the Olympia Snowe Women’s Leadership Institute in May.

More than 750 students, mentors and school contacts participate in the institute’s program each year, which is a three-year program. Students engage in statewide events, experiential activities in small groups, individual development and reflections and connections with Maine’s business and community leaders.

Graduating Morse High School Olympia’s Leaders included:

• Meghan Harper—who will be taking a gap year to work and travel (Italy, Kenya, China) before attending Johnson and Wales University
• Mary LaRochelle—who will be matriculating to Thomas College to study Criminal Justice and Psychology. LaRochelle graduated with honors, was named Captain in two Varsity sports as a junior, and qualified for the KVAC All-Conference Second Team in a third sport
• Dylan Phenix—who will be matriculating to St. Lawrence University. Phenix graduated with honors.
• Nina Powers—who will be matriculating to Emerson College to study Writing, Literature, and Publishing. Powers graduated in the top 10% of her class, was inducted into the National Honor Society, was elected President of Creative Writing Club, was Editor-In-Chief of the school literary magazine, and participated in Debate and Teen Library Council.  Powers also published a novel, “Boy In Bloom,” through the Telling Room’s Young Emerging Author’s Fellowship.

“We are very proud of these young women,” Morse High School Principal Eric Varney said. “The Morse community has benefited from their work ethic, kindness, persistence, and passion, and those strengths will shine wherever they go.”

“Indeed, when we find ourselves outside of our comfort zone, that is where we discover the heights to which we can rise,” former Sen. Olympia Snowe told graduates. “And I certainly cannot think of a zone much less comforting for anyone than a global pandemic, so you should all be immensely proud of yourselves for rising above such unprecedented circumstances and making it to the end of this school year. It is always possible to distill triumph from adversity, but do not just take my word for it—all of you are the proof.”