A public affirmation of the college aspirations of students at Casco Bay High School (CBHS)will take place on Friday, Dec. 15, when CBHS seniors hold the school’s annual “College March” down Congress Street to the downtown post office. The 2023 College March will mark the 11^th year that students have held a public parade to showcase students’ higher education goals. The entire senior class of nearly 100 students will participate in the event, mailing college applications or letters to a significant adult in their life who has supported their educational journey.

The seniors will arrive at the Portland Museum of Art at about 1:15 p.m. and proceed down Congress Street to the downtown post office to mail their applications or letters. They’ll then walk across the street to City Hall, arriving about 1:40 p.m., where they will be joined by the rest of the CBHS student body and recognized by school and city officials and where two senior speakers will give an address on behalf of the class.

In a new development this year, the CBHS students will be joined in the event by Presumpscot Elementary School third-graders, as a way to demonstrate to the younger students that it’s never too early to start thinking about college.

The CBHS annual "March to the Post Office" celebrates every senior completing at least one college application – and promotes the Portland Public Schools’ goal of graduating every student college-ready. Principal Derek Pierce says that the idea behind the march is “to demonstrate to the school community and the world that every kid is ‘college material’ – that every kid can get there with hard work and adequate support if they decide that is the right path. We want our students to graduate with as many options as possible – and we want college to be one of them.”

Last year, over 36 percent of CBHS seniors were the first in their families to attend college; many are from immigrant families. The College March is a powerful symbol of the idea that every student, regardless of background or circumstance, has the potential to thrive at a high-quality institution of higher learning.

Throughout CBHS’ 19-year history, about 98 percent of its students have been accepted to college. Last year, 100 percent of graduating seniors earned a college acceptance.

Other high schools throughout the country also hold a College March each year. Its roots date back to 2012 when more than 600 seniors from New York City’s Outward Bound Schools’ network of public schools marched from their respective campuses to their local post office or mail truck to submit their college applications. Students hoped to inspire others to persevere through challenges to succeed in college and beyond.

The march also has become an EL Education tradition. CBHS is a lead school within the EL Education network of more than 150 schools around the United States. Presumpscot Elementary School also is an EL Education school. EL Education is a leading K-12 nonprofit focused on raising student achievement across diverse schools and communities. 

CBHS is grateful to the University of Southern Maine, which is sponsoring the event again this year, and also to the United States Postal Service, for its continued support of this inspirational annual tradition.

WHAT: Casco Bay High School’s 11th Annual March to the Post Office for seniors

WHEN/WHERE:  Friday, Dec. 15. The senior class will arrive at the Portland Museum of Art at about 1:15 p.m. and proceed down Congress Street to the downtown post office and then arrive at City Hall about 1:40 p.m., where they will be recognized by school and city officials and where two senior speakers will give an address on behalf of the class.
 

For more information, contact Stephanie Doyle, College & Career Transition Coordinator, Casco Bay High School, at doyles@portlandschools.org or 207-874-8160

The Portland Public Schools is Maine’s largest school district, with approximately 6,500 students, and is 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 more than 50 languages. 49.8 percent of the district’s students are white and 50.2 percent are students of color. Approximately half of PPS students qualify for free or reduced-price school meals.