200th Anniversary of Foxcroft Academy

Floor Speech

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Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, Foxcroft Academy in Dover-Foxcroft, ME, was established on January 30, 1823, with a mission of bringing quality education to pioneer families in our new State. On this 200th anniversary, it is a pleasure to congratulate this outstanding school for its dedication to excellence and opportunity.

The history of Foxcroft Academy demonstrates that commitment. It was the first school chartered in Maine after we achieved statehood 3 years earlier. It is one of the oldest private day and boarding preparatory high schools in America.

That charter was the result of extraordinary vision. The school's namesake, Colonel John Foxcroft, born to a prominent Massachusetts family, was successful in business and amassed a considerable fortune. His wealth enabled him to acquire thousands of acres of prime timberland in the wilderness of Maine. With the growing cities of early America nearby, he could have exploited this natural resource and added greatly to his fortune.

Instead, he chose to offer opportunity. He opened his land up to those less fortunate; he encouraged settlers to come to clear farmland, construct mills, start businesses, and build their homes and their futures. The people of the fledgling settlement raised $100 to build a wood frame building to create a school and a true community.

Today, Foxcroft Academy sits upon a beautiful 125-acre campus with a full array of state-of-the-art academic, athletic, and residential facilities. More than 350 day students live in Dover-Foxcroft and neighboring towns, and an additional 100 international students come from 20 countries around the world.

Foxcroft Academy is renowned for high achievement in academics, athletics, and the arts. Its designation as an Apple Distinguished School recognizes its successful integration of technology into education, and its inclusion in the International Baccalaureate Program acknowledges its commitment to helping students become good global citizens.

The school's motto is ``Knowledge is Power.'' Whether graduates go on to college, the workforce, or the military, they leave Foxcroft Academy empowered to succeed.

Foxcroft Academy was founded with a pioneering, innovative spirit that is carried on today by students, faculty, administrators, and supporters. This bicentennial year is a time to celebrate a school that holds a special place in Maine's history and in its future.

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