Our alumni represent inspiration in action. Our graduates are off to successful careers, academic achievements, and adventures in fields that range from biology and theater to entrepreneurship and politics.
I joined Maine Coast Waldorf School (Merriconeag) when I was in kindergarten and continued through to graduate from the high school in 2013, with only a year break during my freshman year at Freeport High School. While I was a student at Maine Coast, I played the violin and was a member of the Nordic ski team. I am incredibly grateful for the many other experiences I gained through my time there.
For college I attended Middlebury in Vermont where I majored in Philosophy, minored in Computer Science and studied abroad at Oxford University. After graduating, I moved to New York City where I currently live. I work at a small executive search firm while still exploring the city
Ben was Maine Coast Waldorf School's 2018 Grandparents Day speaker. You can read a transcript of his address to the grandparents here.
Page Nichols
Page Nichols, 8th Grade Class of 2002
After working at The REAL School (a public school serving middle and high school students who have not been successful in traditional schools) for nine years, Page accepted a position at the Maine Department of Education where she serves as Chief of Innovation under the current Commissioner.
As a Restorative Learning Specialist at The REAL School, Page helped develop and implement restorative disciplinary practices and protocols using evidence-based, best practices and emerging adolescent brain development as a guide. In addition to her role as Restorative Learning Specialist, Page supports students in juvenile detention and collaborates with stakeholders and community partners to identify alternatives to detention for youth in Maine. She also serves on the Maine Juvenile Justice Advisory Board and chairs the Training and Education Committee for that organization.
In 2015, Page co-founded an educational consulting business that provides professional development to teachers and school leaders facing challenging classroom behavior and demanding federal and state mandates.
Page attended Maine Coast Waldorf School (then Merriconeag) from preschool through eighth grade. She admires the emphasis that Waldorf education places on supporting the natural process and rhythms of brain development through lessons and activities that cultivate each of the three major parts of the brain: sensing, feeling, and thinking. Page regularly includes aspects of this philosophy in her work with students.
In her spare time, Page enjoys surfing, skiing, and travelling.
Page was Maine Coast Waldorf School's 2019 Commencement speaker. You can read a transcript of here address here.
Jack Pierce
Jack Pierce, Class of 2013
Jack Pierce attended Maine Coast Waldorf school for Kindergarten through his high school graduation in 2013. At Maine Coast he was an avid cross country runner, and musician. He attended Hamilton College, where he continued to run cross country, explore different musical avenues, and where he discovered Computer Science. Today, Jack works as a Software Engineer in Boston for Wayfair Inc.
After graduating from Mount Holyoke College with a BA in Anthropology and Five-College Certificate in Cultural Health and Science, Emma taught forest kindergarten, volunteered with local organizations, and began training to become a birth doula. In the summer of 2019 she completed her training and started her own business, Emma Dolan Birth Doula, LLC.
“Starting a business right out of college is a great privilege. It requires passion, perseverance and a lot of support. I am very passionate about doula work. I believe it is a way for me to directly support people in my community.”
Emma credits her Waldorf education for cultivating strong emotional and critical thinking skills that not only prepared her for the academics of college, but also gave her the courage to trust and pursue her passions.
Emma was Maine Coast Waldorf School's Fall 2018 Grandparents Day speaker. You can read a transcript of her address to the grandparents here.
Our alumni represent inspiration in action.
In recent years, the Research Institute for Waldorf Education conducted an extensive survey of graduates from Waldorf high schools throughout North America and found the following.
94% attended college or university
47% chose humanities or arts as a major
42% chose sciences or math as a major
89% are highly satisfied in their choice of occupation
91% are active in lifelong education
92% placed a high value on critical thinking
90% highly value tolerance of other viewpoints
Three Key Findings about Waldorf Graduates
Waldorf graduates think for themselves and value the opportunity to translate their new ideas into practice. They both value and practice lifelong learning and have a highly developed sense for aesthetics.
Waldorf graduates value lasting human relationships – and they seek out opportunities to be of help to other people.
Waldorf graduates are guided by an inner moral compass that helps them navigate the trials and temptations of professional and private life. They carry high ethical principles into their chosen professions.
Maine Coast has had excellent success in college placement. The following is a partial list of the colleges and universities that have accepted our graduates over the past six years. Asterisks represent matriculating institutions.
American University in Paris Barnard College* Bard College* Bates College* Bennington College* Bowdoin College* Clark University* Colby College Colgate University College of the Atlantic* College of Wooster Connecticut College Dickinson College Earlham College Fordham University Fort Lewis College* Gettysburg College Green Mountain College*
Goucher College Guilford College* Hamilton College* Hampshire College* Hobart and William Smith College Ithaca College* Juniata College* Kalamazoo College* Lewis and Clark College Macalester College* Maine Maritime Academy* Middlebury College* Mount Holyoke* Northeastern University* Oberlin College Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Rochester Institute of Technology Roger Williams College*
Savannah College of Art & Design* Skidmore College* Smith College* St. John’s College* St. Lawrence University* St. Michael's College* St. Olaf College* University of New Hampshire University of Maine (Orono)* University of Maine (Farmington)* University of Massachusetts* University of Southern Maine University of Vermont Wellesley College* Wentworth Institute of Technology Wheaton College (Illinois)* Wheaton College (MA)* Worcester Polytechnic Institute
