Meet Madeline '20
Hello! Xin chào! I'm Anh Quynh “Madeline” Nguyen and I graduated from Thornton Academy in 2020. I was born and raised in Hanoi, Vietnam, but for four years of my life, I was able to call Thornton Academy my home away from home. Having learned, experienced, and laughed so much here, TA will always hold a special place in my heart. If you’re looking to learn, experience, and laugh as much as I did (or more), you should consider joining the Thornton Academy community.
My four years at TA have been full of learning, growth, connections, courage, and more. Thanks to the wide range of courses and levels of difficulty, I was able to explore my interests while challenging myself academically. My high school journey would not have been the same without the support of faculty and staff who truly want to see students grow and accomplish their goals. As a residential student, I am grateful for the care and love I received from the Residential Life staff; they helped to make TA a home for students from different continents.
One of the things I love about TA is its sense of community. TA is like a nest to different groups with various interests, whether it’s the arts, athletics, or others. As a result, there is always something happening—from volunteering opportunities to football games, TA allows students to grow beyond the classroom and to connect with one another. It also offers the best of both worlds: an American and a globally connected high school experience. TA students can attend annual events, like the Homecoming Dance, as well as create new traditions, like the International Fair. This event enables locals to have a taste of different cultures represented at TA and is my personal favorite annual event on campus.
I believe I made the most of my high school years at TA, and I will always be grateful for this journey. I hope you will, too.
Anh Quanh ‘Madeline’ Nguyen ’20
Vietnam
My favorite Thornton Academy Moments
I am forever grateful to have studied at Thornton Academy. The support from staff and faculty has helped me gain confidence and reach my goals. I am honored to be a National Merit Scholar and once again, I can’t thank all the staff, faculty, and friends enough who have supported me along the way.
Thornton Academy has summer programs too. The summer before my junior year, I volunteered as a counselor. During the summer, we created great memories together as we explored Maine, getting to see the nature and meet the people. In this photo, we were on a lobster boat cruising past a lighthouse – an icon of Maine, actually!
In this photo, I was representing the Environmental Club, which I have the pleasure to be a Co-President of, at the annual club fair. I was talking with our advisor about our wishes for the new school year. Fun fact: we have a garden on campus, and we grow sunflowers, too. (They are beautiful!)
I am an Alto in the mixed auditioned choir, Chamber Singers. I love singing with such talented singers. In addition, our choir director is so passionate about what she does and has helped me become a better singer. I hope you would consider being a part of TA’s Visual and/or Performing Arts program.
There is always something to do at Thornton Academy after school – so many clubs and sports to join! On the weekends, we take trips and do fun activities on campus as well. In this photo, we visited a goat farm that is owned by two TA teachers!
This is the Alumni House. It's home to the admissions office and the school/college counselors for many residential students. I have worked closely with my guidance counselor throughout my high school career. He has helped me navigate my schedules each year, suggesting a set of courses that challenge me just enough. My counselor has also given me great advice and emotional support through the years. I don't know what I would have done without him!
Most of all, my Thornton Academy experience has been filled with smiles, fun, and new friends! Here I am with a group of friends at our annual Homecoming Dance. Hope you'll join us for next year's dance!!!
I was so honored to be selected as Thornton Academy's Student of the Month! It was a surprise – the school even got my mom to FaceTime from Vietnam! The two teachers in the photo are two of my favorite dorm parents – I’m so thankful for all the love and support at TA!
I'm performing Vietnamese music in my traditional outfit called áo dài at our annual International Fair in this photo. Thornton Academy has students from over 20 countries every year. It's so fun to be a leader of the fair while learning about the cultures represented - and who doesn’t love trying delicious foods and drinks from all over the world?
Class sizes at Thornton Academy are small, allowing teachers to better help each student. I am amazed by what I learn in my classes. We have 8 blocks in our schedule, but the school offers over 200 courses – it’s so hard to choose which ones to take!
This photo was taken during the annual Homecoming Parade. Spirit weeks are some of the best weeks of the school year at Thornton Academy. I'm so glad to have had a real American high school experience!
One of my favorite classes is Honors Engineering. It's project based - so great to be able to be active in class. In this photo, I'm sketching out my boat. We did a whole unit on boat building and designed and built our own boats!
Here's another favorite from the summer program! Standing next to me was Mayu, my roommate during the program. We were enjoying the summer breeze and the beautiful scenery of Maine - come and experience for yourself!
Here I am in the audience at a TEDx talk held at Thornton Academy. The best part was that it was run and organized by our students. This year’s theme was 2020 Vision. I have learned a lot from the talks, and I am proud to be a part of a student body that makes things happen.
Many TA students also strives to give back to the community! This is a group of us who volunteered at Mary's Walk, an annual event that has raised millions of dollars to fund cancer research. For students, we are also excited to earn the coveted Mary’s Walk Volunteer shirts – we usually wear them the next day at school with pride! Can you see me in the photo?
Our school is only 5 minutes from the beach! The residential life community usually has a beach party at the end of the year, which is so much fun. Thornton Academy has the best location - close to everything, but such a beautiful and safe campus.
