Meet Avi Wells Gorton!

Introducing Passages Teacher, Avi Wells Gorton! Avi is an educator and multi disciplinary artist, originally from the California Central coast. She joined the team in February 2025, and we asked her a few get to know you questions.

WS: What do you like best about your job?

AWG: What I like best about my job as a teacher is being able to guide young people in cultivating their interests and discovering their talents. Offering my support and a shoulder to lean on while navigating that journey is something I did not experience in my youth, so being able to extend that opportunity is an honor.

WS: When you were a kid, what did you want to be?

AWG: When I was a kid I wanted to be an artist. I am fortunate to say that I was able to pursue an MFA in Art and still create and exhibit my artwork alongside teaching.

WS: What was your first job?

AWG: My first job was at Ricky’s House of Pizza slingin ‘za!

WS: Where did you grow up? What did you like about high school? What would you tell yourself now?

AWG: I grew up on the California Central Coast and consider Ventura to Big Sur to be my childhood playground. I attended an alternative high school which allowed me to graduate and pursue a college education early which I appreciated very much.

WS: Who was one of your favorite teachers and why?

AWG: One of my favorite teachers was Mr. Greenup who devoted my entire fourth grade educational year on how to cook escargot using garden snails, perfecting skills in Dance Dance Revolution, and Hayao Miyazaki films. God bless him.

WS: What do you wish everyone knew about Wayfinder?

AWG: I wish everyone knew how empowering it can be to pursue your education through Wayfinder. Our curriculum is highly student-centered, allowing our students to really hone in on their individual interests, needs, and goals versus what meets the “average” student in a conventional classroom setting. Our approach offers space for students to be and to develop into autonomous thinkers, creators, and contributors, and to be given so much power is an extremely unique position to be in as a young person.

WS: What is your favorite thing to do in your spare time?

AWG: Reading in the sunshine, playing in my home art studio, swimming, roadtrips and exploring the landscape as much as I can!

WS: What is your favorite Maine spot?

AWG: I’ve only lived in Maine for one year, so I am still discovering new favorite spots. So far I am quite fond of Boothbay Botanical Gardens and Reid State Park.

WS: What is your favorite Maine food?

AWG: I love Maine seafood, especially crab claws and the array of oysters.

WS: Favorite sound? Favorite smell?

AWG: I love the sound of rolling ocean waves, the gurgle of an incoming or receding tide. I love the smell of fresh baked bread, coupled with a salty sea breeze.

WS: What are you watching right now?

AWG: My favorite movie of all time is Highlander (1986).

WS: What are you reading right now?

AWG: "A Woman in the Polar Night", a memoir by Christiane Ritter.

WS: What is something most people don't know about you?

AWG: I make really delicious brioche bread.

WS: What are your hopes for the coming year?

AWG: My hopes for the coming year are to continue to settle in and find my rhythm as a new resident of Maine and as a Wayfinder Passages Teacher. Maybe finally hit the slopes next winter!

WS: Anything else you'd like to add?

AWG: Honored and excited to be here!