MCCS Honors 2025 Students of the Year

April 24, 2025

(l to r) Zoe LaFleur-Kief (YCCC), Jordyn Balicki (EMCC), Kolaiah Spooner (WCCC), Victoria Wile (CMCC), Karen Winfree (KVCC), Islakeno Mahabir (NMCC), and Katelyn McKay (SMCC)

AUGUSTA , ME — Seven Maine community college students were honored Wednesday for their academic success and campus and community involvement at a luncheon ceremony at Maple Hill Farm in Hallowell. The event was hosted by the Maine Community College System (MCCS) Board of Trustees.

The 2025 MCCS Student of the Year are:

• Victoria Wile, Gray, Central Maine Community College
• Jordyn Balicki, Jonesport, Eastern Maine Community College
• Karen Winfree, Fairfield, Kennebec Valley Community College
• Islakeno Mahabir, Trinidad and Tobago, Northern Maine Community College
• Katelyn McKay, Gorham, Southern Maine Community College
• Kolaiah Spooner, Andersonville, New Brunswick, Canada, Washington County Community College
• Zoe LaFleur-Kief, York, York County Community College

The seven students being honored were selected by faculty and staff at the colleges.

In addition to being recognized as Students of the Year, they each received a John and Jana Lapoint Leadership Award in the amount of $1,000.

Mr. Lapoint was president of UF Strainrite in Lewiston and a trustee of the Maine Community College System. After his death in 1995, his widow, Jana Lapoint, served on the Board from 1995 to 2006 and helped establish the fund for the annual awards.