Hampden Academy seniors put the ‘fun’ in fundraiser by painting parking spaces

HAMPDEN, Maine (WABI) - Before saying goodbye at graduation, Hampden Academy seniors are leaving their mark.

Every year, each grade on the student council is tasked with creating an impactful project to benefit the school.

“Our faculty council was super impressed, not just with our juniors, this year’s seniors, but just every grade level came with a lot of thought they had behind a certain project,” said Ryan Crane, Hampden Academy assistant principal and student council co-advisor. “This one certainly was met with a ton of support from our teachers and staff.”

The now-seniors decided to beautify the parking lot over the summer by painting their designated spots.

Senior and student council member Kenzie Merrill said they got the idea from looking online and at other schools: “We wanted a new idea and just something that was cool and hadn’t been done before [at Hampden Academy].”

About 15 gallons of paint were supplied at a discount by Erickson’s Hardware, and students brought their own supplies to share.

Most students spent a day in August painting their parking spots together, saying it truly put the “fun” in fundraiser.

“Every parking spot is just like a little picture of the person who painted them,” commented Zoelle Raymond, a senior and student council member. “Everyone has their own personality in their spot, and it’s just nice to see all of those.”

Serving as a fundraiser for parent-organized Project Graduation, the painted parking spaces raised $600 toward the $22,000 goal to put on the safe post-commencement celebration.

“The parents work really hard to make it a good experience for us,” senior and student council member Annabelle Levesque explained. “And so, if we could kind of take it into our own hands and give back a little bit of money too, that’s important, too.”

Not only do the painted spaces benefit seniors through fundraising, but students added that the artwork brightens the day for parents, visitors, and passersby.

For students, the greatest impact comes from spending time together as a class before graduation day.

“For Project Graduation, it’s just like one last night together. And so, all these efforts go toward that and it makes it really special for us,” Merrill said.

Project Graduation hosts students overnight at a venue with games, prizes, and activities to eliminate the risk of drinking and driving. Other year-round fundraising efforts include selling concessions at athletic games and school events.