Dear HA Students, Staff, and Families,

I am proud to announce that Mr. Ben Johnson, Hampden Academy’s outstanding Latin teacher, has been named the 2025 Penobscot County Teacher of the Year! This prestigious honor recognizes Mr. Johnson’s exceptional commitment to students, excellence in teaching, and leadership in education.

With 22 years of teaching experience, Mr. Johnson brings deep knowledge and enthusiasm to his classroom every day. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Classics and Biology from Cornell University and a Master’s degree in Latin from the University of Florida. His passion for classical studies is both rigorous and accessible, inspiring students of all levels—from Latin I to AP Latin—to engage fully with the language, history, and culture of the ancient world.

Under his leadership, our Junior Classical League team has emerged as a powerhouse in competitions across Maine and New England. Mr. Johnson also serves as an AP Latin exam reader for the College Board, bringing national best practices directly to his students.

What truly sets Mr. Johnson apart is his ability to foster a sense of belonging, curiosity, and academic excellence in his classroom. His students don’t just study Latin—they experience it. Through competition, discussion, and exploration, he makes the ancient world come alive and connects it meaningfully to today’s students.

Please join us in congratulating Mr. Johnson on this well-deserved recognition of his incredible impact!

Have a great weekend, and GO BRONCOS!

Reg Ruhlin, Principal

High Honors-Grade 12

Maggie Allen, Kelsey Armstrong, Kristen Boehmer, Kallyn Brown, Aishwarya Casavant, Tessa Castrucci, Eva Cherry, Andrew Cote, Lexie Disy, Addison Fish, Blake Fitzgerald, Abigail Gallant, Drake Grove, Charles Haskell, Caminea Layman, Isaac Leamer, Joshua Lorenzo, Ella Manning, Addyson Mattson, Delaney Perkins, Aiden Russell, Annelise Small, Andy Turk, Nora Whitcomb, Kaysen Wildman, Addisan Worster

High Honors-Grade 11

Declan Arimond, Mariah Coon, Madelyn DiCentes, John French, Liam Henaghen, Jacqueline James, Hannah Littlefield, Ashton O'Roak, Gretchen Plant, Brooke Porter, Benjamin Robinson, Hannah Spahr, Trew Thomas, Lilly Tripp, Asher Valentine, Wyatt Waloewandja, Addison Whitcomb, Wyatt Wilson, Lucy Withee

High Honors-Grade 10

Madison Austin, Ava Black, Kaitlyn Crosby, Dallin Gamble, Shelby Gray, Leif Isenhour, Karlee Kroll, Annabelle Levesque, Wyatt Levesque, Charlie MacDonald, Ryan McAlpine, Esmae Melanson, Isabelle Moors, Beckett Mulford-Layne, Aliyah Norton, Evelyn Oyler, Zoelle Raymond, Owen Reynolds-Harvey, Ashton Russell, Addison Schall, Aubrey Shaw, Mason Thornwall, Frederic Walsh, Andrew Williams, Valerie Woods

High Honors-Grade 9

Lacey Beaulieu, Aiden Byrne, Chase Coffey, Olivia Dery, Caitlin Dionne, Jillian Druan, Landon Fish, Quinn Fleming, Stella Gregor, Gus Gustafson, Kaira Hauser, Mabel Hawkes, Khloe Hellum, Mikayla Hesseltine, Aiham Houni, Lliam Hulsey, Benjamin Johnston, Delaney King, Isabella Krummel, Mallory Lausier, Ellura Libby, Samantha Libby, Keegan Lunny, Ella MacArthur, Colby Pangburn, Payton Porter, Delia Rich, Lukas Robichaud, Peyton Stanevicz, Sophie Walsh, Chloe Watson, Madeline Wilkin

Honors-Grade 12

Elijah Anderson, Mylo Blake, Amelie Cannon, Gabriel Carter, Zoe Castrucci, Peyton Cates, Natalia Charles, Lily Chellis, Sophie Clough, Dylan Courtney, Sophie Crooker, Tyler Dunton, Maria Edwards, Gemmalisa Emerson, Liliana Faloon, Kennedy Fortin, Kiera Gabric, Cayden Genever, Andrew Henaghen, Seaira Hopkins, Aiden Hulsey, Joshua Jean-Jacques, Nicholas Johnston, Leah Jones, Lucy Kearns, Connor Kielbasa, Emily Kneser, Adriana LaChance, Brady Lane, Jackson Langille, Calvin LaRochelle, Maryssa LeBlanc, Isabelle Livingston, Devinn Lunny, Madison Lyons, Gabrielle MacKenzie, Rachelle Melanson, Benjamin Mlynski, Kaleb Moody, Anne Moran, Sean Morse, Caitlin Murphy, Chase Nash, Casey Nelson, Cheyenne Pinson, Matheu Pratt, Kaleb Prescott, Evander Preston, Sadie Rich, Eva Saucier, Ethan Scobie, Jordan Seavey, Olivia Sharpe, Allison Shaw, Gabriella Smith, Timothy St. Pierre, Anleigh Stevens, Grace Sutherland, Kathryn Walker-Chevalier, Genevieve Walther, William Whittaker, Audrey White, Kason White, Zachary Wilson, Ethan Young

Honors-Grade 11

Addison Andre, Breckon Bates, Ella Beaulieu, Addison Briggs, Sophia Bruce, Lexie Carlsen, Maya Carver, Coleman Chase, Kennedy Corsa, Mia Curtis, Madison Densmore, Nicholas deWildt, Meredith Doucette, Addison Dowling, Breann Downs, Katherine Dysart, Catarina Facchini, Ariana Fairbrother, Dakota Fenders, Cayleigh Fournier, Andrew Greene, Abigail Gregor, Sarah Haskell, Mitchell Hawkes, Madeline Hellum, Reilly Hildebrandt, Lionel Hills, Benjamin Hooper, Ava Kerswell, Alice Knapp, Grace LaBree, Grace LeVasseur, Alana Liberatore, Jacob McEwen, Ainsley Melia, Lilianne Montgomery-Rice, Nykson Moors, Anna Napolillo, Logan Powers, Lydia Powers, Paige Richard, Nicholas Ritchie, Ian Robichaud, Isaac Salyer, Alexis Sargent, Elijah Sayre, Henry Scott, Makayla Shaw, Kiersten Shayne, Joshua Sirois, Brady Smith, Alleigh Stansauk, Aiden Surran, Gabrial Thornwall, Braydon Tiensivu, Ava Underwood, Sawyer Worcester

Honors-Grade 10

Malak Abdelsalam, Katelyn Adams, Stella Ames, Carter Austin, Ashleigh Baker, Joel Brinz, Ryann Carlisle, Isabelle Clark, Lillian Connors, Lolah Cowing, Jacoby Cox, Hayden Crane, Jase Deans, Collin Duplissis, Marisa Durfee, Addison Elliott, Lucas Fachiol, Riley Fraser, Caroline Gerry, Lee Graham, Madden Harnum, Finnegan Hughes, Maia Johnson, Louie Knights, Caylynn Kroll, Edward LaRochelle, Kendra LeBlanc, Nicholas Llerena, Daniella Madore, Ezekiel Manning, Fallon March, Grace Marquis, Julian McEwen, Allison Megno, Mackenzie Merrill, Brody Miller, Aunika Mills, Maxwell Nason, Desirae Pacheco, Gabriel Pennell, Olivia Perry, Bodie Peterson, Addison Phelps, Mariah Robbins, Lexi Rolfe, Dillan Savage, Isaiah Shaw, Dresden Sherwood, Emma Small, Addison Stratton, Phoebe Strong, Blayne Tardif, Charlotte Tardif, Lillian Taylor, McKenna Veazie, Emma Ward, Gage Ward, Rowan Whitcomb, Liam White, Eve Wiles, Samantha Young

Honors-Grade 9

Wyatt Allen, Wyatt Bacon, Kamryn Bartlett, Sally Beaulieu, Kaylee Bickford, Rylynn Bowley, Braylin Brown, Khloe Burbelo, Amelia Carter, Collin Chen, Jacob Clotts, Alyssa Crossman, Paige Desjardins, Rylee DeTour, Megan DeWitt, Izaiah Eaton, Ellora Fairbrother, Aundreya Frost, Christine Gamble, Callan Hafford, Tristan Harvey, Gracyn Haskell, Ella Higgins, Liam Hogan, Chloe Huntley, Kyra Kristal, Leah LaPointe, Samuel Levesque, Tyler Lilly, Jadeyn Merrill, Joseph Newell, Grady O'Roak, Benjamin Oliver, Kennedy Palmer, Naomi Pratt, Henry Reinhart, Henry Samoluk, Lydiah Shaw, Steven Spiess, Rhiannon St. Thomas, Zacharia Stevens, Brady Stuart, Mykeisha Tripp, Abrey White, Jenna Whitmore, Hayden Wilbur, Mason Worden

Happy Spring!! It is garden season and things are blooming across campus. If you are interested in helping out with the RSU 22 garden program over the summer please reach out to Brittany Layman (blayman@rsu22.us). We need help with weeding and watering in many locations particularly during the month of July.

We are also excited to announce that the greenhouse at Reeds Brook Middle School will be undergoing renovations this summer! As a result, we will not be planting in the greenhouse this spring. We appreciate your understanding and look forward to unveiling the improved space in the fall!

The FY26 budget season is upon us. If you are interested in attending a budget meeting, viewing meeting notes, or watching one of our many budget meeting videos, please visit the page linked below. RSU 22 appreciates your support!

Email: rruhlin@rsu22.us
Website: ha.rsu22.us
Location: 89 Western Avenue, Hampden, ME, USA
Phone: (207)862-3791