Love/not Love Project comes to students on Deer Isle
Originally published by Penobscot Bay Press
March 19, 2026
DEER ISLE—“A hard subject but a good discussion,” is how one student at Deer Isle-Stonington High School summed up the Finding Our Voices visit on March 9 aimed at preventing domestic abuse among teens.
Aubree Hardy, Emma Weed, and Grace Pierce discussed and documented abusive dating behaviors between the characters Sarah and Topper in the TV drama Outer Banks for a Finding Our Voices poster during the nonprofit’s March 9 visit to their high school. PHOTOS BY PATRISHA MCLEAN
The Love/not Love classroom tour started with two survivors sharing their stories at an all-school assembly, according to a press release.
Lilly DesRoberts, 21, talked about escalating abuse by her high school boyfriend that included stalking on the Life360 app and suicide threats.
Courtney Davis, who was a student at Deer Isle-Stonington High School, shared how the man who swept her off her feet when she was 20 ended up preventing her from visiting her family and dictating how she could wear her hair.
A 20-year-old student at College of the Atlantic on MDI joined the classroom visits that followed. She shared her own story of same-sex dating abuse.
Bowzer and Peach from the Super Mario Brothers cartoon were examined through the lens of domestic abuse for the Finding Our Voices Pop Culture Wheel poster project by, left to right, Maralei Eaton, Ember Daniels, and Zeke Erno.
(By Patrisha McLean)
Finding Our Voices Founder Patrisha McLean reported, in the release, that feedback from the students about their visit included: “I liked how the people spoke about real-life scenarios, not things that were made up;” “I learned that abuse isn’t just hitting;” and “It made me realize even popular shows have domestic abuse in them.” Also: “It touched on everything, including abuse to males and as a guy I appreciated that.”
Rebecca Gratz, the school principal, told Finding Our Voices, “This was a very powerful program and I look forward to working with you again in the fall.”
Finding Our Voices is the statewide grassroots and survivor-led nonprofit breaking the silence of domestic abuse and providing critical resources to Maine women.
