On Dec. 7, the inaugural class of the Wavus Girls Lead program celebrated the end of their 5-month journey of discovery with a music, art and joy-filled graduation celebration. The twelve 7th and 8th grade girls of the Class of 2014 had come to Wavus from a number of communities in Lincoln, Knox and Kennebec counties. As family and friends came in from the cool and icy morning, they were greeted by vibrant artwork, cheerful conversation and images of the girls’ experiences which had begun in the warm sun of August.

After joyful dancing amidst colorful artwork — murals, pottery, journals and more that documented their learning and reflections — one by one, each girl stood to explain what the program had meant to her. They told stories of courage and comfort, self-awareness and confidence. And they shared of how the program helped them confront conflict, strive beyond perceived limitations, and make change in their world.

Amidst hugs and cheers, the girls graduated from Wavus Girls Lead — empowered by what they had learned, emboldened by one another’s support and committed to stepping into their communities with courage and leadership.

Wavus Girls Lead is a program of Kieve-Wavus Education. The program is inspired by a gift of the Thomas Haas Foundation of the New Hampshire Charitable Trust in honor of his grandmother Phoebe Waterman Haas, an astronomer who challenged the conventions of her time to make her own analysis and draw her own conclusions in her work and her life.

“Phoebe had the courage to listen to her calling and, more importantly, the will and strength to do something about it,” Wavus Girls Lead Director Nancy Kennedy said.

With Phoebe’s legacy as a guide, program participants and faculty set out to find their place in the universe through explorations of environment, mathematics, nutrition, poetry, art, dance and more. As the girls reflected on these experiences and celebrated their graduation, it was clear that they had embarked on a journey to last a lifetime.

If you know a seventh or eighth grade girl who would be interested in joining the Wavus Girls Lead Class of 2015, please contact Nancy Kennedy, njk@kieve.org. Applications will be reviewed in spring 2015 for the class beginning in August.