Fryeburg Academy’s
Raider Report December 17th, 2025
“The Pen is Mightier Than the Sword.”— Edward Bulwer-Lytton
Issue #17
Campus in Winter (Photo- Mike Dana)
Traveling Through Traditions: Winter Around the World By Dasha Kolosovska ‘26 As the Thanksgiving holidays end and December arrives in Fryeburg, FA is filled with not only stress over finals and midterms, but also Winter holiday cheer. With students from over 25 countries, Fryeburg Academy is uniquely enriched by the intersection of holiday traditions from several different countries. For day students, December break means spending time with family for Christmas, traveling, and celebrating the New Year with friends. However, besides the shared feelings of celebration, community and family, for international students, Christmas means slightly different for everyone. As
ATHLETICS the Winter break gives students two or even three weeks time off of school, most international students leave FA to go home and see their families. December often begins with decorations. “In Italy, we always light the Christmas tree first, and then the whole family reunites at the same table for the whole day to share memories and presents,” says Viola Prusso ‘26. The family gathering is the most widespread holiday activity among students; however, there are some unique traditions. “For Christmas, we make the traditional dish - 'кутя' (kutia), which is a religious sweet dish with barley, poppy seeds, honey, dried Cont. School Life 2
Jess at the Turkey Bowl (Photo- Holym Han '26)
Jess Werner: The Steady Force of Fryeburg Sports By Elise Dunn '26
Throughout the Fall, Winter, and Spring sports seasons, circumstances are ever changing, but one thing remains constant: Jess! From the beginning of preseason to the very end of Spring sports, any student passing Jess’s office knows that she works around the clock tending to injuries, rehabilitating athletes, and cheering on players while ready to help on the sidelines during games.
Cont. Athletics 5
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SCHOOL LIFE
Fly Out of Fryeburg By Thomas Gilmore-Merritt '29
AV club broadcast (Photo- Subeen An '26)
Tune-in to FA's AV Club
In the past year, aviation opportunities at Fryeburg Academy have been taking off as students get practice through hands-on flight simulation. While the school’s aviation program continues to grow, the wider aviation community around Fryeburg has seen several major developments, giving students new paths into flight training and aircraft technology. On October 20, at Fryeburg Academy’s Annual Academic Expo, aviation was presented amongst programs that saw accelerated progress for the 2025-26 school year, further supporting students interested in learning how aircrafts work—from theory to cockpit. Aviation infrastructure in the local area is expanding as well. In September of 2025, Eastern Slope Regional Airport began a runway extension project. Increasing the length from around 4,200 to 5,000 feet, installing new lighting and taxiway upgrades, the change is expected to improve training access and aircraft operations for future student pilots. Together, these milestones paint a clear future for aviation in the Fryeburg community.
By Jeehoo Lee ‘26 Here, we introduce the new club that logs every footstep of Fryeburg Academy: the AV (Audio-Visual) club! The AV club hopes to focus on many elements of live event production, although its major focus is on video. Currently, it records home varsity athletic events, major award ceremonies, and aims to help with any other events. The last International Club Flag Ceremony was also livestreamed to both domestic and international families. The goal of the AV club is to provide audio/visual assistance for school-related events. For most livestreaming events, the AV club needs at least one camera operator, one person running the computer, and often another person to keep things organized. Ideally, a team consists of two camera operators, a computer operator, and a switchboard operator. Mr. Sartory, who is the advisor of the AV club, says the following: “We are excited for next season but are going to need a lot of volunteers by Spring,
when we’ll sometimes have three home games at once between lacrosse, baseball, and softball.” He also said that it’s really fun to see how many people watch the games: the fact that so many people—including international parents and visiting opponents from other schools—watch sports through the AV club’s livestreams makes recording them an especially fulfilling task. Besides the actual events, the AV club needs people to design graphics, create slides, and learn skills like OBS and Adobe After Effects. In the future, they also expect to add announcers for school events to their roster! The AV club gives people an opportunity to discover and act on their interest in recording precious memories happening in their community. Although it’s hard work, it's really fun, and you don’t need any previous knowledge to help out.
The Fryeburg Airport (Photo courtesy of WMTV)
Questions? Contact dsartory@fryeburgacademy.org.
Inside the broadcast room (Photo Subeen An '26)
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SCHOOL LIFE
Continued from front page: Traveling Through Traditions berries and fruits, nuts, and other ingredients based on family beliefs,” says Anhelina Kalishchuk ‘27 from Ukraine. Despite most students celebrating Christmas, there are kids who do not have such a holiday. “In Morocco, a Muslim country, no one celebrates Christmas. We only have a day off for New Year's, and that’s it,” says Ikram Abounouh ’26. Additionally, Chinese students celebrate the Lunar New Year in February at school, as the break ends in early January. Fryeburg Academy supports and introduces this holiday to all the kids in the Academy by recreating traditional decorations and preparing authentic Chinese dishes to provide a complete experience. Whether celebrating Christmas, Lunar or the usual New Year, or simply the end of the semester, students agree that December at Fryeburg Academy becomes a shared tradition in itself - one shaped by many cultures, but united by friendship.
A Riddle from Elise I arrive once a year, yet I’m never late. I’m wrapped without ribbon and opened by fate. I shorten the days but lengthen the cheer, Historians track me, though I’m not Santa’s career. I hinge on the sun, not bells or a sleigh Name me, for Christmas leans on my way
RAIDER REPORT STAFF President and Manager of Publication: Holym Han ‘26 Vice President and Manager of Writing: Lilia Vishnyakov ‘26 Layout Designer and Assistant Manager of Publication: Serena Di Nucci ‘27
Above and below- Fryeburg Candelight Concert (Photos- Mike Dana)
Senior Editors: Will McDonnell ‘26, Arthur Osborne ‘26 Web Management: Anton Liesnoi ‘26 Club Advisor and Publication Supervisor: Ms. Ayer
Answer: Winter solstice
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ARTS
Getting Into the Grove: FA Jazz Season Begins By Lilia Vishnyakov ‘26
After the exciting conclusion of the All-School Musical, instrumentalists and vocalists alike have sprung right into jazz season. Fryeburg Academy’s jazz program—consisting of two vocal and three to four instrumental ensembles—is the shining light of the music department, and more than thirty musicians look forward to a year of gratifying improvement, success at state-wide festivals, and even a trip abroad. On Friday, December 5th, the SATB (soprano-alto-tenor-bass) and SSA (soprano-soprano-alto) vocal jazz ensembles began rehearsals. Although a big change from past years, having two vocal ensembles instead of one allows for more vocalists to get involved in the jazz program, as well as for the opportunity to explore more diverse repertoires. Both ensembles have prepared a song for the Candlelight Concert, and beyond that they look forward to the district and state jazz festivals at which they hope to build upon their successes from last year, including silver for the group and a number of individual awards.
District 2 Jazz Festival (Photo- FA Music Facebook)
HISTORY HALL The Candlelight Concert
FA Jazz Combo "Who's to Say" (Photo- Mike Sakash )
On the instrumental side, the Big Band began rehearsals right before Thanksgiving break. Last year’s ensemble consisted largely of seniors, so returning members anxiously awaited the first rehearsal to get a scope of how the year would go. They were pleasantly surprised to see a large number of underclassmen step up, as well as a couple seniors who have begun learning entirely new instruments to fill the gaps left last year. While the group has less experience than last year, the joy and commitment among all members is undeniable, and by maintaining these qualities they are sure to accomplish great things. Looking forward, Big Band will perform at One Longfellow Square alongside the Portland Jazz Orchestra in January, the district and state jazz festivals in February and March, and a special national festival in Montreal during Spring Break. Once the smaller combo ensembles begin rehearsals, the jazz season will be in full swing. The year looks promising, and all musicians are excited for what is to come.
As the days grow shorter and the nights grow darker, communities turn to celebration and music for light. At Fryeburg Academy, we find our light in the Candlelight Concert. The tradition of the Candlelight Concert originated 103 years ago in 1922 under the leadership of Headmaster Elroy LaCasce, and the music program itself began in 1897 with the formation of a student orchestra. While the styles of music being performed at the Candlelight Concert have changed in the last 103 years, the enthusiasm and work dedicated to music-making at Fryeburg Academy in the Winter season has certainly not. The concert band and chorus spend all available instruction time, after the conclusion of football season and the Fryeburg Fair, respectively, learning the repertoire they will perform at the Candlelight Concert. In more recent years, the Valley Strings and FA Vocal Jazz have performed as well, adding stylistic variety to the concert’s set list. The continuation of the Candlelight Concert represents the extent to which the Fryeburg music department is committed to spreading holiday cheer and sharing the light of music with the broader community in dark times.
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ARTS
Fryeburg Academy Unveils Restored Masterpiece by Local Artist Benjamin Tupper Newman By Jeehoo Lee ’26
The Performing Arts Center at Fryeburg Academy serves as more than a venue for concerts and theatre. In the hallway by the campus side entrance, a wide range of artworks are posted, in which every individual’s creativity is expressed. Recently, Fryeburg Academy celebrated the achievement of a major artwork restoration project and gallery exhibition, focusing on a newly restored large-scale painting by Benjamin Tupper Newman (1858-1940) The artist Benjamin Tupper Newman was born in 1858 in Bath, Maine and passed away in 1940 in Portland, Maine. He studied at the Boston Museum School of Art and after years of travel and study in Europe, he settled in Fryeburg, Maine. He was the art teacher at FA in the 1930’s. The centerpiece of this exhibition cele-
brated Newman’s large oil painting titled Lunchtime in Brittany (1887), which is now hung in the PAC lobby [See Image 3]. The installation of this artwork was done with the huge support of Mr. Dana and Mr. Swayze. Mr. Dana mentioned that the restoration project took more than two years, including conservation of both ornate frame and canvas. The work approximately weighs 250 pounds (about 113 kg) and required anchor belts and professional installation, which was completed with the support of Three Waters Frames. Additionally, this successful project could be done by the fund provided by a generous gift from past teacher and gallery docent Bill Housum. In the image, you can see the live process of the restoration with various tools. The Performing Arts Center of FA recently closed a successful gallery show
AV club broadcast (Photo- Subeen An '26)
Paintings by Benjamin Tupper Newman
featuring the artist Benjamin Tupper Newman. When the restoration project was done, FA had the show to celebrate the unveiling of a large painting mentioned above [See Image 2]. People can visit the academy’s gallery on Tuesday and Thursday during a show; however, during the transition to the next exhibition, the gallery is open by appointment only. At the same time, don’t forget that the school’s Nadler Student Gallery remains open at all times for students and faculty including creative drawings and photography solely completed by students. Don’t forget to drop by the PAC and look up for beautiful artworks realized throughout the endless effort of Mr. Dana and Mr. Swayze.
ATHLETICS 5 Continued From Front Page
Jess Werner: The Steady Force of Fryeburg Sports It’s fair to say that much of Fryeburg’s athletic success can be attributed to the work Jess puts in to keep our athletes healthy, but this does not come without difficulty. When asked what her biggest challenge was this season, Jess answered, “my biggest challenge was timing… my ability to do one-on-one care—to do rehab—is limited because we don’t have time and space, unfortunately.” Despite this challenge, as the Winter sports season begins to kick in, Jess says she is optimistic about the fact that “every sports season is a fresh start.” She also tells us that “the different Winter practice times allow for a lot more one-on-one treatment.” For new-
er athletes nervous about coming in this season, Jess says, “there are a lot of people in here, but that doesn’t mean you need to be afraid of coming in. The best thing you can do is let me know ahead of time
“ Every sports season is a fresh start.” —Jess Werner
so I can pull you out of class and that can definitely make it less scary.” When asked about the most common injuries people have, Jess replied, “the most common injuries are overuse injuries because people don’t take care of themselves.” Jess tells us the best way to prevent these injuries is “strength and conditioning pre and post season shows dedication not only to your sport but also to your body—shout out to Brylie!” Jess has a busy season coming up, so let’s all help her out by returning her stuff and engaging in injury prevention. Thank you, Jess!
Football Season Wrap-Up By Benedikt Arnason '27
Football from the sidelines (Photo- Holym Han'26)
Quarterback Benedikt Arnason '27 (PhotoHolym Han '26)
Fall sports officially came to an end on November 13th when FA football lost to Cony in the Class B North Regional Championship. The Raiders finished with a 6-4 win-loss record. This was a special season for the Raiders with their line-up mostly consisting of first year varsity starters. FA started their season out strong with a 4-0 start versus Skowhegan, Mt. Blue, Laconia (N.H.), and Messalonskee. After a strong start to the season, FA hit a slump, losing three in a row, including their homecoming game versus Lawrence. FA had gone from undefeated to 4-3. In their senior game, FA completed a blowout victory against Brunswick (41:14), this win guaranteed the Burg 2nd place in Class B North and a bye-week going into the playoffs. For the second round of the playoffs, FA was going to have to play the winner of Mt. Blue-Lawrence. Lawrence beat Mt. Blue pretty confidently. This meant Fryeburg was going against the team they lost
against on homecoming. The boys were out for revenge; they were not going to let that previous game happen again… and they didn’t. FA beat Lawrence 34 : 13 to advance to the state semi-final versus Cony. The semi-final was a neutral site game played at Edward Little. Fryeburg lost 40 : 7, with FA’s only touchdown coming late in the 4th quarter when Wide Receiver, Robby Hazelwood, hauled in a pass from Quarterback, Benny Arnason. Hazlewood ran almost the entire length of the field to score the touchdown. This season was special for the Raiders, they faced adversity and huge expectations from both themselves and fans. Even though they didn’t win it all, they still competed at a high level and were one of the state's best teams. This year's senior class: Alim Altimov, Camden Blake, Ty Boone, Peter Bruno, Ted Carter, Nathan Chandler, Merrick Iacozili, Oliver Nagy, Zane Tully, and Truls Wenli. Thank you Seniors!
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ATHLETICS
Indoor Track
Ice Hockey
This year's track and field season has officially come to a start! The first day the track was packed with athletes, with a roster of around forty people. Track and field has been hard at work in these first two weeks, working on conditioning for the upcoming season. Team captains this year for the boys team are returning captain Jacob Eveleth, and Ty Boone. Team captains for the girls team are Lilia Vishnyakov, Lily Bryan, and Sally Baptista. The first meet for track and field will be December 19th.
The Ice Cats (Boys) and Gorham Rams (Girls) co-op ice hockey teams have begun their season. The Ice Cats are a Fryeburg, Lakes Region, and Oxford Hills co-op team. They started their season with a preseason tournament in Bangor. Their first two regular-season home games at Bridgton Academy are 12/9 vs Portland/SoPo at 5:10pm and 12/13 vs York/Biddeford at 5:00pm. Fryeburg players on the Ice Cats this year are Dilen Drew ‘26, Jakobus Mostavicious ‘26, Kiefer Gilligan ‘27, Abram Grace ‘27, Everett Helvie ‘28, Grady Pierce ‘28, Kaden Storm ‘28, and Ryder Irvin ‘29. The Rams are a Fryeburg, Gorham, Bonny Eagle, and Westbrook co-op team. They are four games into their season. Their next home game at USM is 12/10. Fryeburg players on the Rams this year are Captain Carlin Galligan ‘26 and Isabel Brito ‘26.
By Olivia Eveleth ’29
By William McDonnell ’26
Boys' Basketball By Peter Priestman ’29
The 2025-2026 Men’s Basketball Squad will face a nineteen-game season that starts on December 5th against Cape Elizabeth. The Capers, last year, despite their 8-13 record, got the better of the Raiders 65-57 at Cape Elizabeth. The rest of the season features typical local opponents, including three games against Greely. Last year, Greely beat the Raiders in the regular season. When Fryeburg met them in the Quarter-Finals of the Class A Championship, they defeated the Rangers by twenty points in an astounding victory. This year, the team hopes to once again make a run into the playoffs and play for a chance at being the best team in Maine.
Avery Bariteau '27 at the start line (Photo- Hoylm Han '26)
Girls' Basketball
Clinton Trussell '27, faces his opponent on the mat (Photo- Holym Han '26)
By Aspen Hazlewood ’26
At the time of writing, the Girls’ Basketball Team is looking forward to their first game. On Friday December 5th, the Raiders will face Cape Elizabeth with home-court advantage—fans should anticipate a win over the familiar opponent. In fact, with the amount of time and work these girls have dedicated to the program, fans can count on a competitive season. Under returning Head Coach Kristen Stacy ‘07 and Junior Varsity Coach Sarah Sartory, the team trained two times a week over this past Summer. Each practice was two hours and, in addition, the girls played four inter-scholastic scrimmages over the break. After a brief hiatus from the courts—during which, most of the players participated in Fall athletic programs—the girls resumed with Stacy and Sartory in early November. The two were accompanied by rookie Assistant Varsity Coach Kayrin Johnson ‘21, allowing for more individual player devel-
Ice Cats team huddle (Photo- Holym Han '26)
opment. With only nine players on the varsity roster, the team is ¾ underclassmen. Despite being such a young group, Coach Stacy’s girls bring a level of determination, speed, and love for the game that might just be enough to take them to the top.
Addison Valente '28 looks to pass (Photo- Holym Han '26)
Wrestling By Sy Stevens ’27
Fryeburg Wrestling has kicked off the season in a promising fashion. Although the first few practices have been challenging, as they usually are at the beginning of the season, there is already some clear talent that will develop further this season. The team will have a chance to prove themselves on Saturday, December 6th. This leaves a school week for the team to prepare for what is some athletes first meet. While anyone’s first competition can be rocky, there are high expectations for what the team can do at the meet, and in the season to come. Overall, the team holds great potential, and they will have a chance to prove themselves on Saturday.
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Contributors Subeen An Pavlo Tsybran Daria Kolosovska Sally Baptista Benedikt Arnason Sy Stevens Arthur Osborne Zonder McKenzie Holym Han Wasp Harlow Jeehoo Lee Andrew Meier Brady Chappell Bridget Wilson Olivia Eveleth
Peter Priestman Elise Dunn Lilia Vishnyakov Rylan McBride Serena Di Nucci Connor Spofford Aspen Hazlewood Anton Liesnoi Calden Mcnulty Thomas Gilmore-Merritt Anhelina Kalishchuk William McDonnell Rhett Harper Benny Harper Haley Spofford