Each year, Maine high school principals nominate one senior from their schools to receive an MPA Principal’s Award. The award, sponsored by the Maine Principals' Association, is given in recognition of a high school senior's academic achievement and good citizenship.

The 2025 MPA Principal’s Award winners from the Portland Public Schools’ three high schools are: Khalid Mahamed, Deering High School, selected by Principal Jake Giessman and Assistant Principal Halima Noor, Kaia West, Portland High School, selected by Principal Sheila Jepson; and Andrew Box, Casco Bay High School, selected by Principal Priya Natarajan.

Award winners and their principals from around the state have been invited to attend an Honors Luncheon in Brewer on Saturday, April 5. At the event, these outstanding students will be recognized with the presentation of an individual plaque and the awarding of ten $1,000 scholarships in the names of former Maine principals and MPA Executive Directors: Horace O. McGowan, Richard W. Tyler, and Richard A. Durost.

The Principal’s Award is presented in more than 100 Maine public and private high schools by member principals of the MPA, the professional association that represents Maine’s school administrators.

Below is more information about the PPS winners this year:

Andrew Box, Casco Bay High School

Principal Priya Natarajan describes Andrew Box as “larger than life” at CBHS:

He leads the way–as the soccer team captain, as the award-winning writer and performer in the One-Act Festivals, as the founder and leader of the Improv Club, and as a beloved teaching assistant in both Statistics and Exceeds Math. He excels in every class he takes and he takes every class he can, including at the University of Southern Maine. He is a skilled writer, powerful mathematician, and observant scientist. His list of extracurricular activities and honors is long, but none is as potent or transformative as his ability to build community with people very different from himself. He is beloved by his crew, peers, and staff, not only because of his intelligence and work ethic and generosity towards others, but also because he enjoys making others laugh and smile. Since ninth grade, he has shown a talent for engineering design and has led his crew to victory in the cardboard boat races at Willard Beach for the last three years.  He is planning to pursue a career in engineering with further study in computer science.  We look forward to celebrating his accomplishments, whether in the lab, on the field, or on a stage!

Khalid Mahamed, Deering High School

Principal Jake Giessman and Assistant Principal Halima Noor shared the following praise of Khalid Mahamed:

Khalid's contributions to the school community are extensive and impactful. As student body president, and president of the Black Student Union, the largest affinity club in the state of Maine, he has demonstrated exceptional leadership, championing peace and unity throughout the student body. Demonstrating a forward-thinking approach to education, Khalid has taken the opportunity to fill his schedule with AP courses since the ninth grade and college classes during his senior year. He is a scholar-athlete, a vital force behind pep rallies and the yearbook, and a contributing visionary behind the highly successful Culture Day celebration.

Beyond his academic achievements, he serves as a positive role model, guiding his peers and consistently offering a helpful and enthusiastic demeanor to all.

Dr. Giessman said, “Khalid consistently offers a bright greeting to adults and approaches challenges with a troubleshooting attitude. He exemplifies the spirit of our school. He is a shining example of the positive impact that student leadership can have on our school community.”

Assistant Principal Noor described Khalid as “the official Mr. Deering,” saying that he is “an exceptional young person who embodies all of Deering’s values. Since his freshman year, Khalid has been at the forefront of every single Deering event!” 

For the past four years at Deering, Khalid has successfully managed, curated, and organized Culture Day, pep rallies, and the first ever annual Open Gym at Deering High School. In the classroom, on the court and field, Khalid is a student that teachers, coaches and classmates can depend on. He pushes his peers to excel academically; during his free period, they see Khalid sitting down with a group of ninth-graders and guiding them through their school work, or simply supporting them in making healthier, safer and kinder decisions. This is why, during his 11th-grade year, Khalid was chosen to lead the first ever “Boys Leadership Group” at Deering due to his extensive mentoring experience and was chosen again this year. Keep your eyes on him, because this young man will most definitely change the world for the better!

Kaia West, Portland High School

Principal Sheila Jepson says Kaia Wests is a standout in multiple ways:

Since meeting Kaia during her sophomore year, I have been impressed with her as a student and a leader. I remember watching her teach swim lessons to our students – a new program that we put together specifically for our population of students who wanted to learn to swim. Her enthusiasm for teaching swimming and her confidence working with teens was so strong. I marveled at how solid she was as an instructor. This year as the student body president, she has taken her role seriously and because of her leadership has established an “Admin Committee” that meets with me monthly. Kaia is a strong leader in facilitating the group and communicates well with her group and with me. She is a top-notch student, athlete and musician. She is a “superstar” in my book and I am so happy to honor her with this award.

Photo: (from left) Kaia West, Khalid Mahamed and Andrew Box

The Portland Public Schools is Maine’s largest school district, with nearly 6,500 students, and it’s also the most diverse. About one-third of the district’s students come from homes where languages other than English are spoken—a total of 59 languages. Approximately 47 percent of the district’s students are white and 53 percent are students of color. More than half of all PPS students are economically disadvantaged.