This article continues a series on the economic issues of Boothbay Harbor and the surrounding region. Part One

With the population declining and the median age projected to rise, another issue coming into play is the Boothbay-Boothbay Harbor Community School District enrollment.

Projections shared at the Boothbay-Boothbay Harbor CSD School Committee meeting Feb. 14 showed between Boothbay Region High School and Boothbay Region Elementary School, there was about a 35 percent decrease in enrollment from 2006 to 2017 (741 enrolled down to 480). On the same  sheet, the committee projects about another 27 percent decrease by year 2023.

That would be 352 students total – 210 at BRES and 142 at BRHS. Under that projected trend, by 2020, soccer, cheerleading, baseball and softball will all be Class D and by 2025, BRHS basketball will be Class D.

“Our goal needs to be really looking at being a high performing efficient school system,” said BRHS Principal Dan Welch. “So, I think it’s really about maintaining and always looking to improve programs. I think we have great schools here, but there’s always room for improvement and if we keep looking in that direction, people will want to come here.”

The talk of the town lately, with the Joint Economic Development Committee seeking a master economic plan for the entire peninsula, has been around a call for affordable housing and employment for a dwindling workforce.

“… If we’re going to tell young people ‘Come back here and work and live and raise a family,’ then there has to be viable employment options for them,” said Welch. “I think young families need to be able to move here and find quality housing that is within their means for what they are doing for a vocation.”

Veteran BRHS boys basketball coach I.J. Pinkham, a retired math teacher, said affordable housing is likely the crux of the issue.

“If you drive out at six or seven in the morning, you see cars lining up to come into Boothbay,” Pinkham said. “They’re coming here to work, but they don’t live here. I think the problem is not having or being able to afford a place to live.”

With the help of BRHS, the Boothbay Register surveyed students on their plans after high school.

Out of a pool of 24 seniors, 19 intend to enroll in a college or university. Fourteen said they might be willing to stay or move back to the region, while five said they would definitely stay. Five responded they would leave.

Altogether, 80 percent of BRHS students plan to attend college. Other interests include finding employment inside the region, outside the region, enlisting in the military, or going to a technical school. About 55 percent of students said they might stay or move back to the region while nearly 30 percent said they would leave. That leaves almost 16 percent of students set on staying in the region.

According to the survey,the reasons to stay are family, friends, and the region's character and beauty. Reasons to leave or consider leaving overwhelmingly involved economy, employment and a lack of entertainment and lifestyle geared toward younger generations.

“We need a place where high school students can go to hang out after school hours … not affiliated with the YMCA,” said one student.

Students’ suggestions for improvements include more locally friendly businesses and restaurants, a teen recreation center, club teams, more hands-on experiences in school like those of a trade or technical school, and classes in practical, post-education life like financial stability.

“I think the region needs ‘more’ of everything,” a student said. “For people to stay here, there needs to be more of a reason to stay, more things for young families to do and more opportunity for networking and growth.”

Asked if he ever finds himself wondering how many of his students will be residents or visitors of the region, said he wonders that for his own children.

Said Welch, “I often wonder to myself if they want to move back here, will they be able to? I hope so … I know that there are groups of people … looking at solutions and we are very fortunate in this region to have the resources that we do and to have the investment in the community. We have people here that – they don’t just live here, they truly care about the region. I do really believe that we will find solutions to these issues so that our young people can come back here and raise a family. This is a wonderful place to live and I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else. I think so many other people feel this way, so I do wonder that, but I am very optimistic at the same time.”