Thornton Academy Postscripts Alumni Magazine Spring 2019 | Page 18

HEALTHY
Communities
Are HAPPY
Communities
A LU M N I S P O T L I G H T
Homestay Parent Spotlight – Jeff ’90 & Jen ’90 Fournier
Alex ’19, Jeff ’90, Jen ’90, Meghan ’17, Seth ’21 Fournier have hosted Felix Machacek ’19 at their home for the past three years.
A
s alumni and parents of Thornton Academy
The Fourniers have had a positive experience
students (Meaghan ’17, Alex ’19, and Seth ’21), welcoming Felix into their home and introducing
Jeff and Jen Fournier have remained active in the
their alma mater to him. They proudly share
school community, serving as Athletic Boosters and TA traditions with their children and Felix. One
supporting the annual auction since they graduated favorite is Homecoming weekend and the ever-
in 1990. Three years ago, the Fourniers welcomed a resonant “T-H-O-R-N-T-O-N!” chant shouted
new chapter to their lives and joined the Thornton
from the stands.
Academy Residential Life team to serve as homestay
“Welcoming Felix into our home has been such
parents.
“We had talked about it on and off,” Jen said. “One
day, our son Alex had his friend Felix Machacek ’19
over. After Felix left, Jeff and I said that if we could
get a homestay student like him, we would do it in
a heartbeat.”
In June of that year, Felix's mother Iva Machacek
travelled from Czech Republic to Maine to pick
up her son at the end of the academic year. While
she was there, Iva made sure to meet Felix's future
host family. The two families have remained close
ever since. Felix's father has made the international
trip to stay with the Fourniers the past two
Thanksgivings.
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Story by Brittany Brown · Photo Courtesy of the Fournier Family
an amazing and rewarding experience for our
family. We have loved learning about him and
some of the cultural differences. One thing for
sure is that he will always be a member of our
family long after he graduates. I’m so glad we
chose to give the homestay program a try!”
Jen said.
To learn more about Thornton Academy's
Residential Life program, visit
thorntonacademy.org/student-life
Kim Dao ’10 pushes
forward to give back
F
rom her days as a student at Thornton Academy where
she excelled in the sciences and participated in the
pre-nursing program at the Biddeford Regional Center of
Technology, to her placement today as a resident doctor in
the Swedish Family Medicine in Seattle, Washington, Kim
Dao ’10 has always understood the value of hard work and
giving back to the community.
Kim Dao ’10
is currently
completing
her residency
in Seattle,
Washington
after pursuing a
joint degree from
UMaine and
Tufts University.
“It's amazing how much productivity can be achieved when
individuals in a community are healthy. Not only that, but it
saves money. Quality health care is another avenue to help
people reach their full potential and empower them to take
what control they can over their lives. We know that with
good preventative health care, people have longer, higher-
quality lives,” Dao said.
The Early Assurance Track program that Dao completed
While a student at Thornton Academy, Dao focused on
academics and community service. As a member of Interact is similar to the partnership between Thornton Academy
and the University of Maine College of Engineering. This
Club and National Honor Society, she volunteered at a
local nursing home and helped out at the Special Olympics. agreement allows qualified students to be automatically
admitted to UMaine with sophomore status. Dao
During her junior year, counselor Mark DeFrancesco ’80
recommends that TA students consider programs like
introduced her to the Early Assurance Track, a partnership
these and pursue educational opportunities with vocational
between Tufts University and the University of Maine,
Bates, Bowdoin, and Colby colleges. This partnership allows programs and state universities.
selected students to apply for early admission to the Tufts
“These type of programs will not only save time,
University School of Medicine. Dao decided to attend the
University of Maine to save money and gain the opportunity but also money. As we approach an age where so
to participate in this program.
many college students come out with outrageous
Dao speaks highly of her alma mater and the advantages of
a Thornton Academy education.
“My experience at TA certainly helped prepare me
for UMaine and Tufts. The quality and number of
classes available helped set a strong foundation for
my future studies,” Dao said.
Dao's career goal is to establish a family medical practice
in a community in rural Maine. She believes that healthy
communities are happy communities.
loans, high school is the time when you need to
start thinking about how to be fiscally responsible,”
Dao said.
For more information on
University Partnerships visit:
thorntonacademy.org/
academics/college-partnerships
Story by Katy Nicketakis · Photo courtesy of Kim Dao
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