John Bapst

Congratulations to the Class of 2026!

From the halls of John Bapst to wherever life takes you next, this group of graduates has left a mark that won't soon be forgotten.

You came to us with curiosity, creativity, and a drive that pushed you to grow every single day. You brought your whole selves, your passions, your humor, your talents, and your big ideas, and in doing so, you made this community richer for every student, teacher, and staff member who had the privilege of knowing you.

Your Crusader community is proud of you. Go make the world better.

Can't make it to graduation in person? We've got you covered.

Join us virtually today at 1 PM as we celebrate the John Bapst Class of 2026. Watch the livestream at the link below.

🔗 johnbapst.org/graduation26

Last night, we had the honor of celebrating the Class of 2026 at Senior Night.

Over 100 seniors filled the room with so much joy, gratitude, and well-earned pride as we recognized their achievements through department awards, scholarships, and a look back at the remarkable individuals they've become.

These young men and women have grown into something truly special, and tomorrow, they take the next big step.

Congratulations, Class of 2026. John Bapst is so proud of each and every one of you. 💜

A group of John Bapst students recently participated in a Civil Tea event through the Can We? Project, joining students from Foxcroft Academy and Maine Academy of Natural Sciences at Colby College in Waterville for a day of meaningful dialogue.

The Can We? Project equips Maine high school students with communication skills to actively participate as engaged citizens in a democracy, training students in the art and science of productive conversation across differences.

Our students came home energized and inspired, with big plans to host their own Civil Tea at John Bapst next year. A huge thank you to Mr. Lichtenstein for leading this experience and to our Can We? partners for making it possible!

Today we are proud to spotlight Social Studies teacher Ms. Nora Duffy for her extraordinary work in creating and teaching John Bapst's new Wabanaki Studies elective.

Ms. Duffy didn't just develop a course for her students. Working alongside Wabanaki advisors and other dedicated educators, they built a complete, rigorous high school curriculum for Wabanaki Studies. That curriculum will be available for FREE to all high school educators in Maine through the Maine Department of Education. Her commitment to authenticity runs deep: she learns directly from Wabanaki knowledge keepers to ensure her teaching reflects genuine voices and living culture.

Her students have experienced that commitment firsthand this year. A guided canoe trip down the Penobscot River, led by Penobscot guide Damon Galipeau, brought them face to face with the deep connection between the river and the Penobscot Nation. The class also recently welcomed guest speaker Maulian Bryant, Executive Director of Wabanaki Alliance and former tribal ambassador for the Penobscot Nation. Maulian is also a distinguished John Bapst alum and current Bapst parent.

John Bapst is a better school because of Ms. Duffy's work, and Maine's students are better served because she chose to share it. We are deeply thankful.

Thank you, Ms. Duffy. We are honored to have you in our community.

Last night, we hosted our Distinguished Graduates Showcase in Sekera Auditorium. Seniors in the Distinguished Graduates Program had the opportunity to present their independent study projects to faculty, friends, families, and the public, sharing their research, ideas, and hard work with our community. We are incredibly proud of our students and the dedication they bring to everything they do. Congratulations, John Bapst Class of 2026 Distinguished Graduates!

Tonight is our Spring Art Show and it's open to the public from 5:30–7pm. Come view the incredible work of our talented art students and enjoy a sweet treat while you're at it. We'd love to see you there!

This Memorial Day, we're honoring one Crusader by name.

John Bapst has a deep and proud legacy of military service. More than 700 alumni are listed on our Military Wall of Honor, displayed in Sekera Auditorium, and among them are many who made the ultimate sacrifice. Every one of those names deserves to be remembered.

Today, we choose to focus on one: not because his story is greater than any other, but because telling one story fully is how we begin to truly honor all of them.

James A. Snodgrass, Class of 1940, grew up in Bangor, attended St. Mary's School and East Hampden School before becoming a student at John Bapst. He was, by all accounts, an athlete and a familiar face in this community.

On December 8, 1941, the morning after Pearl Harbor, James walked into a recruitment office and enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. He didn't wait. He didn't hesitate. Like so many young Americans in those first raw hours after the attack, he felt the call and he answered it.

He was 18 years old. Still a teenager. Just a year removed from the halls of John Bapst.

James was assigned as a Private First Class to the 2nd Marine Radar Company, 1st Marine Division, a unit responsible for operating the ground-based early warning radar systems that were critical to detecting air raids and protecting Henderson Field on Guadalcanal. By late October 1942, U.S. Marines were hanging on to the island by their fingernails, defending the airfield that both sides knew could determine the outcome of the entire Pacific campaign. When enemy forces launched their all-out assault on October 23, tenacious fighting by U.S. Marines and soldiers threw back the attacks over four brutal days.

James was killed in action on October 26, 1942, during those pivotal days of battle.

He was 19 years old. He was awarded the Purple Heart.

His mother, Mrs. Helen Snodgrass, received the news at home on RFD 2 in Bangor.

His name is one of many on our Wall of Honor.

If you have a family member listed on the John Bapst Military Wall of Honor, we'd love to hear from you. Their stories matter.

View the full Wall of Honor here: https://www.johnbapst.org/alumni/military-wall-of-honor

Historical image courtesy of Bangor Public Library Digital Commons.