Fri, 07/03/2020 - 5:00pm

PORTLAND — Ten members of the Class of 2020 from the Midcoast have been announced as Mitchell Scholars by the Mitchell Institute.

About the Institute

The Mitchell Institute’s guiding tenet — that no Maine student with the qualifications and ambition to pursue a college education should be denied that opportunity due to limited financial resources — is as important today as it was when Senator Mitchell established the Institute.

From its inception, the Mitchell Institute has made financial investments in deserving Maine students. Through both experience and evidence-based research, we learned that college student success depends on more than hard work and financial aid. Support, guidance, and mentoring — both during and after college — increases Scholars’ chances of attaining a degree and finding meaningful employment in Maine.

The Mitchell Institute offers Mitchell Scholars a suite of programs and resources that encourage a partnership with each Scholar, every step of the way, allowing us to meet and help Scholars where they are. Today, Scholars and Alumni alike say that the combination of financial and personal support makes a world of difference for them and their families.

The Mitchell Institute’s approach works: 85% of Mitchell Scholars complete college and achieve a degree, compared with 55% of students nationally. 89% of Mitchell Scholar Alumni are working in career-related jobs — nearly two-thirds of them in Maine — and 40% have completed or are pursuing graduate degrees.

“The Mitchell Institute unlocks the potential of Maine college students so they can contribute to the vitality of their communities,” the organization states on its website. “We award scholarships each year to graduating students from Maine’s public high schools as they pursue higher education.”

The 2020 recipients of the Mitchell Scholarship, representing more than 130 high schools from every community in Maine, each will receive a scholarship award for $10,000 to be paid in four equal installments of $2,500.

In an effort to help more Maine students attain higher education, the Mitchell Institute provides scholarships for Maine students planning to attend two- and four-year degree programs at colleges both in- and out-of-state.

Once Scholars are selected, the Mitchell Institute helps them navigate college and the world beyond through personal and professional supports, according to the organization.

In addition to offering the financial support of the scholarship, the Mitchell Institute offers a wide array of personal, academic and professional support programs, as well as a network of more than 3,000 Mitchell Scholars, Alumni, and partners — all of which amounts to much more than a check.

The local seniors receiving the recognition are:

Kaylee Ames of North Haven Community School

Anthony Benson of Camden Hills Regional High School

Olivia Bradstreet of Medomak Valley High School

Joshua Chun of Belfast Area High School

Hannah Dyer of Vinalhaven School

Keegan Fitzgerald of Oceanside High School

Shannen Fitzjurls of Searsport District High School

Amanda Frost of Oceanside High School

Kalina Keller of Mount View High School

Rylee Sienkiewicz of Islesboro Central School

To view the complete list of 2020 recipients, please click here.