FARMINGTON — More than 30% of Mt. Blue Middle School students are participating in spring sports this year, a sharp increase that administrators attribute partly to the addition of lacrosse programs and expanded student opportunities.

Principal James Black highlighted the rising participation during a recent Regional School Unit 9 board of directors meeting where he also outlined new wrestling events, academic initiatives and student engagement efforts at the school at 269 Middle St.

Black said 164 of the 510 students are participating in spring sports, compared to 132 students last year and 103 students during the 2023-24 school year.

The increase follows the addition of boys and girls lacrosse. Black said the school sponsors seven spring sports teams.

The school also hosted its first girls-only wrestling meet March 19, bringing together 80 athletes from across Maine, according to the report. Two days later, Mt. Blue hosted a regional wrestling tournament at Mt. Blue High School involving 186 wrestlers and their families.

Black also highlighted several academic and extracurricular programs aimed at increasing student engagement.

An eighth grade Artemis II project combined science and English language arts classes around engineering, physics and space exploration themes connected to NASA’s moon flyby mission.

The school recently hosted Dwight Littlefield, the Maine Department of Education’s director of career and technical education programming, for discussions about middle school technical education opportunities and funding challenges.

“The biggest takeaway was the success of the program and how vested students are in the learning,” Black said. “The lack of funding from the state level for middle school programs was also a big discussion topic.”

Mt. Blue Middle School also held a STEAM Night that drew 34 families and 114 participants for hands-on science, technology, engineering, arts and math activities supported by organizations including the Maine Math & Science Alliance and Maine Learning Technology Initiative.

Black said the school plans to continue STEAM Night next year and hopes to expand similar community activities showcasing student work.