Summer at Thornton Academy

frank brancely, indigenous fiction, american democracy

Frank Brancely graduated from Thornton Academy in 2006. Frank went on to study Human Rights at Bard College before receiving his M.A. in American Studies at New York University. In 2021, Frank graduated from the University of Maine School of Law with a J.D. and joined a leading Maine law firm in 2022. Frank is getting certified to teach English in a Foreign Language (TEFL) and volunteers at Volunteer Lawyers Project and at Portland Adult Education.

During his time at Thornton, Frank most enjoyed his extracurricular involvement in Amnesty International and Speech & Debate. He is delighted to be joining the summer program this year.

katie buttarazzi, creative writing & intro to acting

Katie Buttarazzi graduated from Thornton Academy in 2016. Aside from studying, she was involved with the TA Players, Chamber Singers, and Treble Choir. She recently graduated in May from The University of Maine. She received a B.S. in Secondary Education English and a minor in theatre. Over the past four years at UMaine, she has participated in nine theatrical productions. During the academic year, Katie teaches at Thornton Academy Middle School. 

bailey ferris, marine ecology & climate change

Bailey Farris joined Thornton Academy in 2022 as a Physical Science and Biology teacher. Her bachelor's degree is in Ocean Studies and Marine Affairs (UNE) and she has her MSEd in Teaching and Learning (USM). Last year Bailey completed her 7-12 State of Maine teacher's certification in Life Sciences! Before joining TA, Bailey worked with youth as the Assistant Director of Programs and Outreach for the Kennebunkport Conservation Trust running K-12 field trips and summer camps. She loves any time she can get out on the water, reading, or traveling.

rachel kathryn, visual arts exploration and painting sweets

Rachel Kathryn graduated from Thornton Academy in 2021. She received high achievements in varsity lacrosse, choir, and academics, but was most proud of her Senior Art Award. Rachel is currently studying Liberal Studies at Southern Maine Community College, with a focus in Fine Arts and English. She has worked closely with children and animals her entire life, and aims to bring her love and passion for the world into art and her classroom. 

Tori lands, english language learning

Tori Lands graduated from Thornton Academy in 2013. As a graduate from the University of Maine at Farmington and a current master’s student at University of Southern Maine, Tori holds a 5-12th grade certification in Social Studies and a K-12 certification in Teaching English to Speakers of other Languages. Tori has experience teaching and coaching students of all ages. Tori lived and taught in Daegu, South Korea for several years before returning to Maine where she is currently a multilingual educator in Western Maine. She loves traveling, reading, and being outside. 

Nikki ledoux, film as literature, photography 101

Nikki Ledoux graduated from ThorntonAcademy in 2017.Also a recent college graduate, she earned a B.A. in Visual and CommunicationArts with a minor in Environmental Science from Franklin University Switzerland. The TA aluma is currently teaching ESL and Technology at a bilingual high school in Madrid, Spain, while working on getting certified to teach English as a foreign language (TEFL). Her philosophy as an educator is to create an inclusive and interactive learning environment to make learning English as fun as possible!

An avid traveler, Nikki has been living in Europe for the past five years, and has visited 18 different countries. During her time at Thornton Academy as a student, she participated in dance company, volleyball, tennis, and even hosted international students with her family. 

daniel picard, Robotics

Daniel Picard graduated from Thornton Academy in 2015. He went on to study at the University of Maine at Farmington. In 2020 he graduated with a degree in secondary education with a concentration in mathematics. He also minored in computer science and earned a certificate in teaching English Language Learners. Daniel has worked at Thornton Academy summer camps for the past 7 years. During the academic year he works as a technology coordinator and technology teacher at a small elementary school in central Maine.

Tony sequiera, geography of the earth

Tony grew up in Maine, but left for the United States Marine Corps after high school. After spending several years stationed in Hawaii, and seeing a few other parts of the world, Tony returned home and attended the University of Southern Maine. He graduated with a Bachelor’s in History, and is pursuing a Master’s in Educational Psychology with a focus in behaviorism. Tony has been working with kids in several capacities since 2008. Initially Tony worked primarily serving families with children on the autism spectrum. He then worked as a one-to-one in Maine schools and ran a before and after school program in New York. In 2019 Tony joined the Thornton Academy faculty. 

katie spagnolo,  intro to musical theater

Katie Spagnolo graduated from Thornton Academy in 2017. During her time here, she was deeply involved in every corner of the performing arts program. She was involved in 15 theatrical productions, 2 dance show cases, and more band and choral concerts than she can count. She went onto the University of Maine, and in December 2021 obtained a Bachelor of Music Education degree. She taught the 2019 sessions of this camp program, and it made such a positive impact on her, she came back for more!