Boothbay Region High School (BRHS) recently announced its 2025 valedictorian is Madeline “Maddie” Orchard.  

“I felt good. I feel like most people would say that, but I ... put a lot of time into it, so it was rewarding,” she said.  

Some of Orchard’s most memorable moments at BRHS were in the classroom, particularly last year when all her peers passed the exams in her Advanced Placement (AP) Language and Calculus classes. The moment was extra special for the eight-person math period, which consisted of her, her sister Abigail, friends and longtime classmates. “The homework was really hard. We spent a lot of time doing it, doing it wrong and then redoing it.” 

However, academics aren't the only thing Orchard has dedicated her time to. At BRHS, she ran cross country and track, with her cross-country team finishing second at the regional competition and third at states this year. She also played basketball (earning the “Most Improved Player” award for the 2024-25 season), served as vice president of the Interact Club, and was a member of National Honor Society and the Olympia Snowe Women's Leadership Institute.  

Track is her preferred sport of the bunch. The coaching, her teammates, and her proficiency at the sport are all top reasons, but Orchard also enjoys helping her underclassmen. “When you start track, it's really nerve wracking, because there's a lot happening at once,” she explained.    

It’s not unusual for nerves to be up before the different throwing, jumping and running portions, so Orchard makes sure to check in, help her teammates warm up or even tape sprained fingers.  

Orchard is no stranger to injuries herself, dealing with knee joint issues during her middle school and early high school years, plus a recurring dislocated shoulder from playing basketball. So, it’s not surprising Orchard has an interest in the human body.  

Her favorite class this semester is anatomy, which she has wanted to take since her sophomore year. She’s made a 3D model of the digestive system, and done several dissections; the latter activity she described as “cool,” but not anything she sees herself doing in the future.   

Instead, Orchard will major in athletic training at Springfield College in Massachusetts. While different from her chosen profession, she did get a taste of the world of sports medicine this year while completing a mentorship at Midcoast Spine & Sport Chiropractic, shadowing the adjustment process and muscle-strengthening exercises.  

Orchard’s program will focus on personal training and athletics in schools or team settings. It’s almost bittersweet as her track team is what she’ll miss the most about leaving BRHS. “I would like to continue to do (track) in college, but I won't be running with the same teammates.”  

But this isn't a complete goodbye, as Orchard plans to continue spending her off-hours hanging out at the YMCA with her friends.