Student Opportunity: Register Now for Climate&Me Youth Leadership Summit

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) is excited to be partnering with the Governor’s Office of Policy Innovation and the Future, the Maine Environmental Education Association, Maine Youth for Climate Justice, the Maine Mathematics and Science Alliance, and JustME for JustUS to host the Climate&Me Youth Leadership Summit in April.

This all-day event is designed to empower high school students in climate action. It will include student-led workshop sessions, time to meet and connect with other students, opportunities to build skills, and a library of climate action resources. Students will have the chance to hear from other young climate leaders and experts about how to drive action and change in their own schools and communities. Featured speakers and agenda updates will be announced soon!

Summit details:

Where: Wells Conference Center on the University of Maine Orono campus (131 Munson Road, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04473)

When: Friday, April 4, 2025. Check-in and breakfast begin at 8 a.m. The Summit starts at 9 a.m. and ends at 5 p.m.

What to expect: The full-day Summit will offer Maine high school students and adult leaders the opportunity to connect with fellow emerging climate leaders, attend student-run breakout sessions, and build a toolkit of climate action project planning skills and resources. Educators and administrators who accompany students to the Summit will join a separate “adult track” to exchange knowledge and build connections.

How to register: First, form a cohort with one to two adult leaders (for example, a teacher, administrator, or school staff member) and two to ten students from your high school. Cohorts may be based on classes, pre-existing eco-clubs, or newly-formed groups. No prior experience running a climate project at your school is necessary!

Then, register here by March 3, 2025. Space is limited, so please consider applying early.

Download the flyer here (PDF).

For any questions, please contact Teddy Lyman, Maine DOE Climate Education Specialist, at theodore.lyman@maine.gov.

Registration Now Open for the MLTI Student Conference in May

Registration is now open for the 2025 Maine Learning Technology Initiative (MLTI) Student Conference in May! The deadline to register is March 28, 2025.

This event will be held on May 22, 2025, at the University of Maine campus in Orono. The conference is open to all MLTI school administrative units (SAUs) and is expected to welcome more than 1,000 students in grades 5 through 10.

Steps to register:

Start by filling out this brief form to receive your comprehensive registration packet, which will be sent electronically via email.
Submit the registration packet:
- Complete the registration packet and use the link in your packet to upload the required documents.
- The deadline to complete your registration is March 28, 2025 (to ensure the correct T-shirt sizes for your group).
Sign up for sessions.
- After your registration information is reviewed, you will receive a link to sign up for sessions.
- Sessions are first-come, first-served, so sign up early!

This year’s conference will celebrate travel with the theme #LetsDiriGo. Students will receive a T-shirt designed by a fellow student. The MLTI Student Conference T-shirt design contest is accepting submissions until March 16.

At the conference, students will explore cutting-edge technology topics in hands-on sessions. Past sessions have focused on multimedia creation, AR/VR, 3D design, robotics, machine learning, and game design. Both students and educators can apply to present. The call for session proposals is open until March 21.

The day will conclude with an exciting “Uber session,” where hundreds of students will participate in a large-scale interactive activity.

For questions about the MLTI Student Conference, MLTI Maine Winter Classic, or other MLTI events, please contact Maine DOE MLTI Project Manager Bethany Billinger at bethany.billinger@maine.gov.

The Maine Learning Through Technology Initiative (MLTI) is part of the Maine DOE’s Office of Teaching and Learning.

Applications Open for Student Position on Maine State Board of Education

The Maine State Board of Education is currently seeking applications for its newest student member to join the Board. This is an extraordinary opportunity for Maine students to practice civic engagement and serve as both a representative of Maine students and an active education leader in the state.

Applications will be accepted through Friday, February 28, 2025, for students from Maine’s First Congressional District, which includes Cumberland, Knox, Lincoln, Sagadahoc, York, and part of Kennebec Counties. All applicants must currently be a high school sophomore.

The Maine State Board of Education has two non-voting student members who serve two-year terms on the Board. Students join the Board as a high school junior and end their two-year term after their senior year. One student is enrolled in a public school in Maine’s First Congressional District, and the other is enrolled in a public school in Maine’s Second Congressional District. At all times, the Board has one high school junior and one high school senior as members, with staggered appointments.

Application materials for students are available on the State Board of Education webpage. The Board has also mailed application materials to all First Congressional District high school principals, school counselors, and Career and Technical Education directors.

Completed applications may be sent either in hard-copy form via U.S. mail or electronically via email.

Please send applications via U.S. mail to:

Emily Cummins
State Board of Education
23 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333-0023

Please send electronic application materials to:

Emily.C.Cummins@maine.gov

After applications close on February 28, a screening committee of the State Board of Education will be inviting semi-finalists to participate in a Zoom interview, after which three finalists will be chosen. The names and application materials of those finalists will be sent to the Governor’s Office for final selection.

Then, the Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs of the Maine State Legislature will interview the nominee in a public hearing and make a recommendation about the nominee to the Maine Senate. The Maine Senate is charged with confirming the appointment.

For further information about this opportunity or the application process, please email Emily Cummins at Emily.C.Cummins@maine.gov or call 207-624-6616.

Submit a T-Shirt Design to Represent the 2025 MLTI Student Conference (#LetsDiriGo!)

The Maine Department of Education’s (DOE) Maine Learning Technology Initiative (MLTI) is excited to announce a T-shirt design competition for the 22nd annual MLTI Student Conference on May 22, 2025. All students in MLTI schools are invited to unleash their creativity and design the official T-shirt for this in-person event, which will be held at the University of Maine. The theme for this conference is #LetsDiriGo!

Every year, this competition gives student designers a unique opportunity to see their work come to life beyond a computer screen. Last year’s winning designs came from Maranacook Community Middle School in Readfield (for the MLTI Student Conference) and the Samuel L. Wagner Middle School in Winterport (for the MLTI Maine Winter Classic). Other recent winners have included students from Gray-New Gloucester High School, Waterville Junior High School, and Southern Aroostook Community School.

The Maine DOE is, once again, looking forward to selecting a student design for these T-shirts, which will also be available in youth sizes this year. Please review eligibility and submission guidelines for the 2025 MLTI Student Conference T-shirt design competition here. You may submit your entry using this submission form.

Upcoming Competition Dates:

March 16, 2025: T-shirt designs due (no late entries accepted)
April 4, 2025: finalists selected/winner notified

If you have questions about this contest or need assistance, please contact MLTI Project Manager Bethany Billinger at bethany.billinger@maine.gov.

The Maine Learning Through Technology Initiative (MLTI) is part of the Maine DOE Office of Teaching and Learning. For more information about the MLTI Student Conference, please email doe-ltt@maine.gov.

Register Now for the 2025 Maine Winter Classic Student Event in March

Registration is now open for the Maine Department of Education’s (DOE) 2025 Maine Winter Classic student event, put on by the department’s Maine Learning Technology Initiative (MLTI). This event will be held the week of March 3, 2025. It is open to all MLTI school administrative units (SAUs), and thousands of students of all ages from across the state are expected to participate.

This is the second year that MLTI has hosted this event, which effectively replaced the MLTI Virtual Student Conference. The Maine Winter Classic provides an interactive game-based learning experience for students, as they “travel” around Maine on a virtual gameboard, completing a variety of tasks, earning tokens, and learning about topics like computer science, digital citizenship, digital design, and gamification.

Those interested in learning more can access the overview materials from the 2024 Maine Winter Classic, as well as a variety of support resources. MLTI also asks that all participating staff please watch this recorded session before the 2025 event.

Registration is free, and all materials will be provided. MLTI strongly recommends that teams register prior to January 3 to ensure they receive their materials (including MLTI t-shirts) before the big week! MLTI will accept registrations after this date but cannot guarantee t-shirts and materials for late registrations.

The Maine Learning Technology Initiative (MLTI) is part of the Maine DOE Office of Teaching and Learning. For questions about the Maine Winter Classic or other MLTI student conferences, please contact MLTI Project Manager Bethany Billinger at bethany.billinger@maine.gov.

Applications Open for Asian & Pacific Islander American Scholarship

Applications for the 2025-2026 Asian & Pacific Islander American (APIA) Scholarship are now open. This opportunity is available to Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander American students who will be enrolling in, or who are currently enrolled in, a U.S.-accredited college or university as a degree-seeking undergraduate student. The deadline to complete this application is January 15, 2025.

This scholarship happens through the Asian & Pacific Islander American (APIA) Scholars program, which seeks to provide a range of scholarship opportunities to underserved Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander students, with a special focus on individuals who:

Are living at or below the poverty level or who are otherwise of low socioeconomic status.
Are a first-generation college student.
Represent the diversity, both geographically and ethnically, of the APIA community, especially those who have historically been, and who currently are, underrepresented on college campuses.
Have demonstrated commitment to their community through leadership and service.

As of this year, APIA Scholars has streamlined this application to include only one essay question. The application also no longer requires additional documents such as recommendation letters.

You can find more information and a link to the application here.

Scholarship amounts range from $2,500 in one-year awards to $20,000 in multi-year awards. APIA Scholars has a wide range of scholarship opportunities, including those for students currently attending or planning to attend Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions.

C-SPAN Student Documentary Competition Open for Middle and High Schoolers in Maine

For the 21st year, C-SPAN is hosting its annual StudentCam national video documentary competition. This opportunity engages middle and high school students nationwide to explore and think critically about topics that are important to them and that will affect their futures by creating short documentaries.

As part of this year’s theme, C-SPAN is looking for students to delve into the heart of the issues they want to see the new presidential administration address using the prompt: “Your Message to the President: What issue is most important to you or your community?”

The deadline for video submissions is Inauguration Day on Monday, January 20, 2025. Competition Guidelines:

This competition is open to all students in grades 6-12. Studnets in grades 6-8 compete in the middle school category, and students in grades 9-12 compete in the high school category.
Students may compete individually or in teams of two or three members.
Documentaries must include clips of supporting or opposing C-SPAN videothat relates to the chosen topic.
Winning StudentCam documentaries will thoroughly explore a variety of viewpoints related to the chosen topic, including those that may oppose the filmmaker’s points of view. It is recommended that students interview experts on the chosen subject, including elected officials.
Documentaries must be between 5-6 minutes in length. (End credits, if applicable, must begin after the 5-minute mark but are permitted to run longer than the allotted 6-minute timeframe.)
Entries must include either end credits or a works cited list. Students can use whichever format they currently use to cite their sources.
Videos are due on January 20.

Next spring, the C-SPAN Education Foundation will award 150 student and 53 teacher prizes, totaling $100,000—including a top prize of $5,000.

@For more information about the competition, including the entry form and video upload, please visit www.studentcam.org.

Applications Open for 2025 Maine DOE Student Cabinet

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) has opened applications for its 2025 Student Cabinet, a group of students that meets with the Maine DOE to discuss educational initiatives, opportunities, improvements, and policy. Applications are due on Friday, December 20, 2024.

This is the fifth year that the Maine DOE has appointed students to a Student Cabinet, which serves as a forum to integrate student voices into decision-making that impacts their journey through Maine’s education system. In past years, students have helped to identify mental health needs at school, raised issues of racial equity and school safety, and brainstormed ways to individualize learning.

Students in grades 4-12 and those in their first year of college may apply to be on the Student Cabinet. The newly appointed members will serve from January through April 2025. Student Cabinet members will be expected to attend scheduled during their appointment, prepare for each meeting as needed, work collaboratively with one another and with Maine DOE staff, and express views and opinions openly, constructively, and respectfully.

2025 Meeting Schedule:

Thursday, January 16, 2025, 3:30-5:00 p.m. via Zoom
Thursday, February 13, 2025, 3:30-5:00 p.m. via Zoom
Thursday, March 6, 2025, 3:30-5:00 p.m. via Zoom
Thursday, April 17, 2025, 3:30-5:00 p.m. via Zoom

Instructions for applying:
Students interested in serving on the Maine DOE Student Cabinet must submit their electronic application by December 20. Applications can be submitted electronically here.

For more information, please contact Rachel Paling, Communications & Outreach Manager for the Maine Department of Education, at rachel.paling@maine.gov.

Empowering Students with Diverse Abilities: Nominations Open for Executive Student Transition Committee

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) Transition Maine program invites educators to nominate Maine students with individualized education programs (IEPs) to apply for a leadership role on the Executive Student Transition (EST) Committee.

Established by the Maine DOE in early 2022, Transition Maine was created to provide equitable and inclusive post-secondary transition services for students with IEPs to help them ease into adulthood. Since then, the Maine DOE Transition team has been on a mission to amplify youth voices in Maine and beyond. The Executive Student Transition Committee is a big part of that mission.

The Committee is comprised of students with diverse abilities who work to champion their rights and actively shape inclusive transition experiences. As an Executive Student Transition Committee member, a student will engage in initiatives that forge pathways to promoting equitable access to education, employment, and independent living while building leadership and self-advocacy skills.

Committee members independently attend virtual weekly meetings and develop content related to transition topics, like self-advocacy and determination. They also engage in leadership opportunities in community-wide programming, such as taking part in the planning of the Maine DOE’s Annual Transition Maine Youth Summit and representing Transition Maine at local, statewide, or national events.

Along with the nomination form, student nominees will need to prepare a written, audio, or video response to a topical prompt around advocacy and transitions. This can be done independently or with the assistance of an educator.

Executive Student Transition Committee nominees should be students who are passionate about leadership and advocacy. Members

New committee members will help plan and run the 2025 Transition Maine youth Summit in Presque Isle.

of the Committee are compensated for up to 20 hours per month. By joining the Committee, students will be part of a team dedicated to driving positive change and creating opportunities for all Maine students with diverse needs.

Please submit your nomination using this link. If you are a student or want to provide a potential nominee with more information, you can download the file linked here.

For more information, please reach out to the Maine DOE Transition Specialist Titus O’Rourke at titus.orourke@maine.gov.

Maine FFA Association Members Engage at 97th National Convention in Indianapolis

This October, Indianapolis, Ind. played host to a sea of blue corduroy jackets when more than 70,000 FFA Organization (formerly “Future Farmers of America”) members came together for the 97th National FFA Convention. Maine students from several FFA chapters said they had the experience of a lifetime joining their peers for this event.

The Maine FFA is a student-led organization, focused on premier leadership, personal growth, and career success. Schools across Maine offer FFA chapters for middle and high school students who are interested in agriculture and natural resources. During their time in Indianapolis, Maine FFA students heard from keynote speakers Dr. Temple Grandin and Kevin Wanzer, met with business and industry professionals, explored a career and college exposition, watched a rodeo, and more.

Maine FFA State Officers Hannah Shaw and Lane Carmichael served as delegates at the 2024 National FFA Convention, and they had a voice in shaping policy recommendations for the organization.

“The National FFA Delegate Experience is one I will never forget!” Shaw said. “Knowing that you are making decisions to help the future of the organization is truly an honor. Working with members from across the country helped me gain a new perspective. The lessons and skills you learn through FFA push you to grow as a person and will stay with you throughout your entire life.”

Other Maine FFA State Officers Mia Arcott, Haley Mayne, and Julia Pierce engaged in workshops, connected with stakeholders, served as flag bearers, cheered on their peers in competitions, and brought back ideas from the convention to strengthen Maine FFA. Arcott had an important takeaway from her workshop, which was focused on finding common ground with others.

“An important thing we learned was that you may not understand everything about someone, but you should always be willing to learn more,” Arcott said. “Engaging in conversation, even with those who are different from you, is so important.”

Students from Mars Hill FFA, Ashland FFA, Caribou FFA, Easton FFA, and Presque Isle FFA also attended the convention. They represented Maine in Career and Leadership Development Events, which provided them an opportunity to demonstrate their skills and abilities. As a result of their hard work and dedication, teams received the following awards:

Caribou FFA: Agriculture Technology and Mechanical Systems – Bronze-placing team, plus two Silver and two Bronze individual placings
Ashland FFA: Farm and Agribusiness Management – Silver-placing team, plus one Gold, one Silver, and two Bronze individual placings
Presque Isle FFA: Employment Skills – one Bronze individual placing
Easton FFA: Environmental and Natural Resources – Bronze-placing team, plus four Bronze individual placings

These young leaders returned to Maine with new ideas about how to best serve Maine FFA members and their communities. The officer team has even set a goal of expanding FFA programming across Maine and welcomes discussions about starting new chapters.

“The National FFA Convention was absolutely amazing!” Mayne said. “I had the opportunity to attend leadership workshops and experience so many great things. It was truly an inspiring event that helped me become a better leader. The energy and passion from everyone there were contagious, and I left feeling more motivated and equipped to make a positive impact in my community.”

This experience would not have been possible without the support of Maine Agriculture in the Classroom grants and generous sponsors who supported the officer team and local chapters.

For more information about the Maine FFA Association, please visit the Maine Department of Education’s website or contact Emily Doughty, Maine FFA State Liaison, at emily.doughty@maine.gov.