Thornton Academy Postscripts Alumni Magazine Spring 2016 | Page 18

“Building Community”:
9th Annual Thornton Fund Auction
This year’s Thornton Academy Annual Auction theme is “Building
Community.” One of our greatest strengths as an independent
school is the power of the Thornton Academy experience to
transform lives. Through shared belief in our mission, we come
together to support and uplift one another as we seek to educate
the next generation. Annual giving to the Thornton Fund provides
critical support to our programs and allows us to maintain our
buildings, grounds, and facilities, as well as expand academic

opportunities, enhance campus life, and encourage the
developing minds of our students. It is through the generosity of
alumni, parents, trustees, and friends that our students receive
the resources they need to succeed. When you participate in
the Annual Fund, you invest in the viability of our school and
help ensure our continued excellence. We hope to see you at
the Auction at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, April 29, 2016. For more
information, visit: www.thorntonacademy.org/auction.

Thornton Academy’s NTMA Pilot
Program Receives Generous Support

BY PATRICIA
ERIKSON

Thornton Academy is dedicated to
equipping all students with what they need
to achieve success.

Thornton Academy offers the opportunity
for students to explore a precision
manufacturing career path through a
program called the National Tooling and
Machining Association, also known as
NTMA-U. Now in its third year, the pilot
program has received a generous $5,000
donation from the Rotary Club of Biddeford
and Saco to help fund it. Over the past three
years this program, the first of its kind in
the country, has enrolled 29 students.
Currently, 12 sophomores are in their first
year of the program and nine juniors, along
with eight seniors (six of whom are shown
above), are completing their second year of
NTMA-U.
NTMA-U teacher Tom Narciso said,
“The program is actively seeking to
expand internship opportunities for our
students. For example, currently, eight
students are working in related jobs at
Pratt & Whitney, Yale Cordage, D& G
Machine, and Arundel Machine. Many
of these students will be hired full-time

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at the completion of the school year. We
are working with the community colleges
to expand course offerings and credit
for our students. Looking to the future,
NTMA-U will continue to grow with
the help and support of local companies,
colleges, and individuals committed to the
expansion of this worthwhile endeavor to
address our national crisis. The shortage
of highly skilled, technically competent
trade professionals is a major obstacle in
expanding our manufacturing base.”
Bill Kany ‘77, President of the Rotary Club
of Biddeford and Saco (and Thornton
Trustee) explained, “Our club has a
long history of supporting the trades
and vocational education while at the
same time funding over $18,000 in postsecondary four year scholarships. The
bottom line, however, is that our club works
to support all kids no matter what their
aspirations may be, and we are committed
to providing opportunities for all students.
Our club absolutely loves what Thornton

Academy is doing and specifically feels
that the NTMA-U program demonstrates
outstanding support for students who
may not want a four year post-secondary
education . Several members of our club are
manufacturers who repeatedly emphasize
the need for more skilled workers, a need
that is addressed by the NTMA-U program.
“Speaking personally, my father graduated
from the Saco Lowell Apprenticeship
program and worked in the machine tool
industry for decades. I grew up with a
strong appreciation of the importance of
manufacturing in Maine. That was one
of the primary reasons I was so excited
about Thornton starting the NTMA-U
curriculum. The Biddeford Saco Rotary
Club was happy to contribute $5,000 to TA’s
NTMA-U program.”
Seniors finishing the NTMA-U Program
include: Andrew Goulden, Tom Teague, Nick
Rizeakos, Colby Doran, Sarah Picard, Nick
Claesson.

PHILANTHROPY 19