HEBRON — The eighth-grade class of the Hebron Academy Middle School was invited to “Step Up Day,” when they had the opportunity to spend a day in the academy’s upper school on April 21. They attended a freshman humanities class and Hebron’s all-school meeting, where they were recognized and welcomed by Head of School Dan Marchetti.

This fall, the students, who hail from Turner, Auburn, Minot, Andover, Hebron and Otisfield, will become part of a larger freshman class that includes boarding students from across the country and around the globe.

“The enrichment that Hebron students, from both the local area and from abroad, gain through this global community is hugely impactful to their understanding of the greater world,” says Marchetti.

Step Up Day is a long-standing tradition for the middle school students and builds excitement for the graduating class as they prepare for becoming high school students. Cora Younk of Auburn, and a member of the Class of 2021, said, “I love the middle school, but I have been waiting for this day to come all year.”

Eighth-graders who visited the Hebron Academy Upper School recently are, from left, Kai Proctor, Turner; Alaina Bonis, Hebron; Cora Younk, Auburn; Savanah Boucher, Lewiston; Morgan Busiere, Minot; Olivia Newell, Minot; Boden Dock, Auburn; Conor Costa, Andover; and Shawn Allen, Minot. They are pictured with Paul Brouwer, back, center, director of the Middle School, and Chris Hemmings, far right, academic dean for grades six to 10.