Isaac Shean of Brunswick was named Maine Connections Academy’s November 2023 STAR Student of the Month. Courtesy of Maine Connections Academy
Maine Connections Academy, the state’s first online public charter school serving students in grades 7-12, has named Isaac Shean its student of the month award for November.
Shean, an eight-grader from Brunswick, was selected for his commitment to academics and dedication to the United States Naval Sea Cadet Corps, according to a news release from the school.
The United States Naval Sea Cadet Corps (Sea Cadets) is the Navy’s youth development program. The mission of the program is to give young Americans skills, knowledge and confidence through a variety of training.
After first being introduced to Sea Cadets at the age of 10, Isaac has steadily worked his way up the ranks and is currently the highest-ranked cadet and youth leader for his unit.
“I try to lead by example, so I like to show others what they need to do and then they work together to accomplish the task,” Shean said in the release. Shean also recruited his sister to join his unit.
Sea Cadets partake in a wide range of activities, ranging from scuba training, aviation, small boat operations and culinary arts to medical training and winter survival sessions. Shean is now CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) and AED (Automated External Defibrillator) certified through these trainings. In the future, he hopes to participate in high-rope rescue training.
When asked why he’s motivated to continue with Sea Cadets, Shean said, “the training opportunities because they’re year-round and fun experiences.”
He hopes to continue to rank up in Sea Cadets. He’s currently on track for Petty Officer 3rd Class and anticipates being promoted to Chief when he turns 16. Beyond that, he’s considering a career path in either the Coast Guard or pursuing a civilian route as a firefighter.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
