South Portland Students’ Poetry Featured in Community Celebration of ‘Hope and Light’

The South Portland community celebrated the season of light and hope at the Millcreek Tree Lighting Celebration last month, featuring students from South Portland School Department reading poetry.

Hosted annually by South Portland Parks and Recreation, South Portland/Cape Elizabeth Chamber of Commerce, and South Portland Human Rights Commission, the event showcases over 5 miles of lights that are strung around the various trees that grace Millcreek Park in the City of South Portland.

Families and community members enjoyed an outdoor evening wandering around Millcreek Park, listening to high school musicians sing festive tunes, warming themselves by fire pits, taking selfies with Santa, and greeting neighbors as they sipped hot cocoa and ate popcorn.

This year, the theme of light and hope was beautifully represented in the poem and essay selected to be shared that evening. Be The Light, by Mahoney Middle School student Sarah Beth Lupien and Hope and Light, by South Portland High School student Landinha Josefina were read to the crowd. Other poems which earned honorable mention were Imagine… by Victoria Mambu (written in Portuguese and English), Light and Hope by Eme Brown, and Little Firefly by Gretchen Hanley.

This year’s new element was a visual art piece introduced by the South Portland Human Rights Commission. Sputnik Animation, in collaboration with local artists Pedro Vazquez, James LaPlante, Cindy Thompson and Joe Goodwin, introduced a 20 ft. tall fabric structure which could be seen from every corner of Millcreek Park. Authentic images of light and hope from cultures around the world were aslo projected onto a screen throughout the evening. The event also collaborated with South Portland Bus Service to provide free city bus rides, to help families attend the event.

“How amazing for these students to get the chance to express themselves and their cultures through art, leadership, and performance,” said Deqa Dhalac, Maine Department of Education Family Engagement/Cultural Responsiveness Specialist. “At a time when the pandemic has separated us in so many ways, it is so wonderful to see schools and community groups look for ways to stay connected through it all.”

The evening culminated with presentations at the gazebo by outgoing mayor Misha Pride, president of the South Portland/Cape Elizabeth Chamber of Commerce Alice Goodwin, as well as poems on the theme of light and hope shared by South Portland students. DJ Genius Black helped the crowd share in some collective positive energy to turn on the decorated trees around Millcreek Park.

BE THE LIGHT

Sarah Beth Lupien
Student at Mahoney Middle School

Hope is a smile
Hope is a conversation between strangers
Hope is a laugh
Hope is a positive message: Be kind, love always
Hope is a light in the dark

Light is “I’m here for you”
Light is “It will be okay”
Light is “I’ll help you”
Light is “We’ll get through this together”
Light is saying “I love you” and meaning it

So be the sun
Rise every day
And when darkness surrounds you
Find a way to shine again

So be the moon
Light up the sky
And when you can’t find your light
May other help you shine again

When you find yourself in a sea of storms
Find your power, find your hope
Find the courage to find your light
Because the light will not come
Because the light does not come
The light is already there
You are the light
So be the light
Find the hope
Be the light

Hope and Light

Landinha Josefina
Student at South Portland High School

What is hope? It is said that hope gives us the strength that we all need to overcome our sadnesses and troubles. Hope is a belief that we all must have, believing that something good will happen, something that will brighten our present and future, something that will make us happy and something that will lighten up our day. Hope comes anytime and any day to lighten up our life. Throughout the pandemics last year we didn’t get the chance to gather here like we are today and that is what I call hope.

Imagine…

Victoria Mambu
Student at Memorial Middle School

The destruction
the extinction
What it means to us
the hunger
the thirst
Imagine being in your home
and suddenly not returning
To leave the place
where you could recreate
and be reborn
only because of a being
who does not know how to live
nor understands what survives.
Knowing that the same air
the animal emanates
You also breathe

Imagine…

A destruição
a extinção
o que isso significa para nós
fome
sede
imagina você estar no seu lar
e de repente não voltar
deixar o lugar
de onde podia procriar
e renascer
só por causa de um ser
que não sabe e compreender
o que sobreviver
saber que o mesmo ar
que você respira
o animal também transpira

Light and Hope

Eme Brown
Student at Mahoney Middle School

I am walking through the Park
I see lights everywhere
Those lights give me a spark in my eye
A spark that tells me to find faith and hope
It took me a while to find it,
But eventually I did.

I have faith we will get through the pandemic together
I have hope we will have the best holiday season ever
Although we have to battle the pandemic
We will defeat it together.

Bright holidays to all
And to all of us
A hopeful night.

Little Firefly

Gretchen Hanley
Student at South Portland High School

We’ve traveled long and far
Worked tirelessly and hard
But even the strongest seemed weak at times
After all, we were blindly climbing, searching for a sign
So many fell, begging to stay
To hold on, at least until day
All that we’ve done, those who were lost
Some gave up, some couldn’t go on
We were swallowed by the dark
But through the eclipse we saw a spark
One brave soul lit the night
It wasn’t much, just a small simple light
A single firefly lead the way
A single firefly kept us awake
But that single firefly turned into more
What started with one, soon became four
Suddenly a million lights danced through the sky
So shine your light little firefly
It started so small
But it kept us alive

MEDIA RELEASE: Maine Honors 11 Inspirational School Employees Through RISE Award

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) today announced the state finalists for the Recognizing Inspiring School Employees (RISE) Award.

In two special outdoor gatherings held today at East End Community School (Portland Public Schools) and Marcia Buker Elementary School (RSU 2), Maine Education Commissioner Pender Makin presented Maine’s two State-level Honorees each with certificates and flowers and thanked them for their service. Award nominators and members of their school community were also present to show their gratitude and share inspirational messages about how these individuals have impacted their community.

Created by Congress in 2019 and overseen by the U.S. Department of Education, the RISE Award honors classified employees in the education workforce who provide exemplary service. The Maine DOE in coordination with the Office of Governor Janet T. Mills has selected 11 finalists from a pool of over eighty exceptional nominees submitted from across Maine by local educational agencies, school administrators, professional associations, nonprofits, parents/caregivers, students, and community members.

“As the daughter of a longtime public school teacher, I know how hard our teachers work every day to provide a quality education. These last few years have brought even greater challenges, and I am grateful to teachers across Maine who have risen to the occasion to educate our children and keep them safe,” said Governor Mills. “On behalf of all Maine people, I sincerely congratulate our RISE award winners on this well-deserved honor, and I thank them for all they do for our state.”

“Today I have been privileged to honor and recognize two of the thousands of heroes who are ensuring that Maine children have access to safe and successful schools,” said Commissioner of Education Pender Makin. “These dedicated staff members support teachers and families, and ensure that the health, safety, nutritional and academic needs of students are met day after day. Without their dedication and hard work, our schools, our communities, would falter. I urge all Maine people to join me in recognizing these two individuals, and in thanking our entire education workforce, who continues to rise above and deliver on behalf of their students.”

RISE nominees demonstrate excellence in the following areas: (A) Work performance; (B) School and community involvement; (C) Leadership and commitment; (D) Local support (from co-workers, school administrators, community members, etc., who speak to the nominee’s exemplary work); (E) Enhancement of classified school employees’ image in the community and schools.

Of the 11 finalists, two state-level honorees have been selected and submitted to the U.S. Department of Education to represent Maine for consideration in the national RISE Award. The U.S. Department of Education will announce one national honoree and present the individual with an award in the spring. Each of Maine’s finalists will be honored with a letter from the Commissioner of Education and receive spotlights on the Maine Department of Education website.

Maine’s RISE State-Level Honorees:

Deb Bodge
Administrative Assistant/Secretary
Marcia Buker Elementary School, RSU 2

“Mrs. Bodge has been a foundation for Marcia Buker School for many years. Not only has she been resilient during the COVID crisis, but she continues, each day to know about each child and how their worlds work. She also does it all with a smile. She is a rock for our little school and is completely deserving of such an honor,” said one of her nominators, Julie York.

Betsy Paz-Gyimesi
Spanish Family and Community Engagement Specialist
Multilingual and Multicultural Center, Portland Public Schools (PPS)

“Betsy bridges the home/school divide for our families, is a fierce advocate in ensuring that students access programs and services that would nurture and advance their academic performance and social/emotional well-being,” said nominator Maureen Clancy, PPS Language Access Coordinator.

Maine’s RISE Finalists:

Kelly Brown
School Nurse
Kennebunk Elementary School, RSU 21

Vicki Dill
Head Cook, Food Services
Whitefield Elementary School, RSU 12

Jessie Eastman
School Nurse
Lincoln Elementary School, Augusta School District

Leland Gamache
Bus Driver/Custodial Staff
Libson Community School, Lisbon School Department

Ellen Kimball
Food Service Staff
T.W. Kelly Dirigo Middle School, RSU 56

Brittany Layman
Health and Wellness Coordinator/School Nurse
Earl C. McGraw Elementary School, RSU 22

Martha Thompson
Education Technician- Carpentry
Portland Arts and Technology High School
.
Melinda Williams
Special Education-Education Technician
Sanford School Department

Paula Quirk
Main Office Clerk
Waldo T. Skillin Elementary School, South Portland Public Schools

For a full description and picture of each of the nominees and finalists, visit the Maine Department of Education’s RISE webpages.

For more information about the RISE award including a description of a classified employee, visit the U.S. Department of Education Website. To learn more about Maine’s process including criteria and frequently asked questions, visit the Maine Department of Education Website.

Bath Middle School Takes Hands-on Approach to Learning About Ocean Sustainability

Inspired by the Expeditionary Learning model, Bath Middle School has taken a hands-on approach to examining the issue of ocean sustainability. As part of this project, as citizen scientists, the 7th-grade students took to the local waterfront to collect data on the invasive green crab species and graphed their results.

Students also visited the Maine Maritime Museum in downtown Bath to learn about the history of Maine’s fishing and shipping industry. Working with Museum educators, they generated timelines through the examination of the museum’s artifacts.

The culminating activity was for students to design and build a product that would address an issue that threatens the sustainability of our oceans such as pollution, climate change, or invasive species. On Thursday, December 16th, parents, and the community were invited to attend an event that displayed the students’ work.

In a “Shark Tank” format, the top five projects were pitched to a panel of judges to determine a winning product. Students created videos, websites, and prototypes to convince the judges of their product’s ability to impact and help solve an issue that puts the sustainability of our oceans at risk.

After much deliberation, the judges determined that the winning product was Compostable Condiments designed by Sadie C. and Laura K. This product proposed using an invasive seaweed to make a biodegradable substitute for the plastic used in takeout packets like ketchup.

Bath middle ocean sustainability project

Congratulations to all the 7th graders for their innovative ideas that could help to preserve one of Maine’s most essential natural resources.

This story was written and coordinated by MLTI Ambassador Holly Graffam as part of the Maine Schools Sharing the Success Campaign. To learn more, or to submit a story or an idea for a story, email rachel.paling@maine.gov.

Riverside Adult Education Recognized for its Innovative Day Reporting Program

Riverside Adult Education serves the communities of Regional School Units (RSUs) 26, 22, and 34 in Penobscot County. Like all of Maine’s high-quality adult education programs, Riverside works with adults in their region looking for personal, professional, and academic growth.

Riverside was recognized recently by the Maine Sheriff’s Association and the Penobscot County Jail for their unique PACE Day Reporting Program. PACE stands for Purpose, Awareness, Connection, and Education, and invites a niche audience of participants to go at their own pace, or to simply enjoy a change of pace when it comes to personal and professional betterment.

Intended for individuals in Penobscot County who have been sentenced to two days in jail for a minor offense, the PACE Day Reporting program gives folks the opportunity to spend that time doing something a bit different.

PACE program coordinator Rebecca Cross, who helped get the program up and running, recalls her initial conversations about the creation of PACE with Penobscot County Sheriff Troy Morton: “He wanted me to create something where the people would leave enriched in some way, instead of sitting in the cellblock for two days.” Their shared vision helped create PACE – a program that provides the opportunity for participants to get involved in educational programs they never knew how to access.

“The Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office is blessed to have a tremendous partnership with Rebecca Cross and Riverside Adult Education,” said Sheriff Morton. “This community-based correctional program focuses on a therapeutic approach to incarceration through an educational experience.”

People who opt to participate in PACE spend each day of their jail sentence embarking on a tailored educational experience. While some may choose to practice for the High School Equivalency Test (HiSET) or take the Comprehensive Adult Student Assessment System (CASAS) math and reading assessment for adults, others choose to get help in filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) form and learning about possible higher education options available to them.

Another option of PACE presents a whole other set of professional learning opportunities. These learning options are one of the things about PACE that really sets it apart – by the way it draws participants, who may be feeling turned out by their own community, back into society through investing in them valuable time, knowledge, and training. The program offers classes like, “How to Stretch Your Food Dollar,” and “Trauma Informed Yoga,” as well as, “How to Breathe Your Way Through Mental Health Struggles,” among other topics.

“It’s a balance between profoundly sobering conversations around addiction and light hearted remembering of the joys of life,” said Cross.

In addition, a new option in the PACE program called, “Life Ready” includes reflective workshops using podcasts. These workshops are linked to mic-credentialing, a system developed by Eastern Maine Community College. The micro-credentialing curriculum through Life Ready encourages students to consider their own story and how it affects their life choices. The podcasts include useful topics like, business startup, home buying, credit scores, budgeting with very little income, and financial literacy, which according to Cross, is a very popular one.

“People who do not have very much, or no money at all, often think that financial literacy doesn’t apply to them,” she explained. By making budgeting and financial literacy accessible and easy to use for anyone, it has become one of the most well utilized options in the program.

PACE classes and workshops are offered on a Friday and a Saturday to make them more convenient and accessible for people who are working or already taking classes during the week. This means that the community organizations who partner with PACE are willing to send instructors to volunteer on a Saturday, which sends a very positive message to participants, says Cross.

“They [PACE program participants] are astounded at the fact that people from the community want to come in and spend time with them, even on the weekend,” said Cross. “The fact that people are willing to do that means a lot.”

Cross also explains that their community partnerships are one of the most impactful aspects of the program. These partnering organizations, such as Health Equity Alliance and the BARN (Bangor Area Recovery Network), send people to conduct the classes or workshops. One recent workshop was hosted by Eastern Maine Development Corporation (EMDC) on “How to Develop an Elevator Speech,” and “How to Interview for a Job.” They have also hosted faculty from University of Maine at Orono who have provided reflective writing workshops. In addition, they have hosted local artists who offer their time teaching classes on how to paint.

“It’s so profound for people,” said Cross. “It can be healing, to just sit down and tap into your creativity and just laugh with people, and at themselves.”

So far, PACE has served 139 people in Penobscot County since its creation in January of 2020. Cross says that although it does cost participants money to enter into PACE, they have worked hard to keep that cost as low as possible, which ends up being a small fraction of what other, similar programs charge in other states.

Encouraged at the fact that all 139 of the people who have participated in PACE have not been charged with another sentence, they are eager to keep working on making the program accessible to even more people and bring in more community partnerships to match the need.

“Rebecca’s passion for education and wonderful ability to bring in supporting resources makes this program a success” said Sheriff Morton. “This educational approach allows individuals the opportunity to connect with resources available throughout our state.”

“It’s a great community effort and I just get to put the pieces together,” said Cross, adding that they are always so happy to see people who have participated in the program go on to continue their education, opening up a world of possibilities for what their next step might be.

For more information about PACE, contact Rebecca Cross at rcross@rsu26.org.

School Civil Rights Teams Across Maine Celebrate Inclusion and Belonging on Annual ‘Day of Welcome’

Civil rights teams across Maine were invited to participate in the Civil Rights Team Project’s annual “Day of Welcome” held on November 5, 2021. The event was a chance for students to celebrate and promote the idea that their school community is for everyone.

The Day of Welcome is coordinated by the Civil Rights Team Project in the Maine Office of the Attorney General. The Project, now in its 26th year, is a school-based preventative program that aims to increase the safety of students by reducing bias-motivated behaviors and harassment in schools. There are currently 207 participating schools with student-led civil rights teams.

The Day of Welcome has been celebrated for the past three years and invites civil rights teams to create an inclusively welcoming sign, banner, or display stating: We welcome everyone. All races and skin colors, all national origins and ancestries, all religions, all disabilities, all genders (identity and expression), and all sexual orientations. Students were challenged to create the display using imagination, innovation, creativity, and teamwork.

“For 25 years, the Civil Rights Team Project has been working with school communities to foster an environment of inclusion and respect based on their or their loved ones’ identities,” said Attorney General Aaron M. Frey. “I celebrate their work and congratulate them and every Civil Rights Team in the state for making their school communities a better place, and I applaud their work on this year’s Day of Welcome.”

Participating teams also organized welcoming activities for the event, displaying and promoting their signs and inviting others to connect, participate, and celebrate their school community’s commitment to inclusivity and belonging.

Here are a few things students from the MSAD 60 Civil Rights Team had to say about the Day of Welcome and the work of school Civil Rights Teams:

“For some people, small gestures can make them feel more comfortable.” — Ella

“It’s important to show that we care, so that those who don’t usually feel welcome feel welcome.” — Griffin

“A Civil Rights Team is important to shed light on what is happening in school.” — Caelum

“People know that other people support them. We’re bringing together people who have gone through the same things.” — Ariana

Check out the creativity and passion in these Day of Welcome signs created by Maine students:

Wells High

Yarmouth High

Reeds Brook Middle

Wiscasset Middle/High

Richmond High

Mountain Valley Middle

Windham Middle

Falmouth High

Sumner Memorial High

Deer Isle Stonington Elementary

St. George

Skowhegan Area High

Sherwood Heights Elementary

Sanford High

Robert V. Connors Elementary

Presumpscot Elementary

Portland High

Philip W. Sugg Middle

Noble Middle

Mt. Blue High

Mast Landing

Madison Junior High

Madison Area Memorial High

Leroy H. Smith

Leonard Middle

Lee Academy

Kingfield Elementary

Kennebunkport Consolidated

Houlton Middle High

Hall-Dale High

Freeport High

Frank H. Harrison Middle

Eastport Elementary

Connors Emerson

Brunswick High

Ames Elementary

“All of us, working together, can make a powerful statement and enlist school and statewide support for our work,” said Brandon Baldwin, Director of the Civil Rights Team Project in a message to civil rights teams about the Day of Welcome.

Thank you to Maine News Media Outlets who reported on the Day of Welcome activities:

Maine Civil Rights Team Project celebrates 25th anniversary (Portland Press Herald)
200 Maine schools celebrate ‘day of welcome’ (News Center Maine)

A HUGE thank you to all the Maine schools who are currently participating in the Civil Rights Team Project:

Alton Elementary School	Madison Elementary School
Amanda C. Rowe Elementary School	Madison Junior High School
Ames Elementary School	Manchester School
Auburn Middle School	Maranacook Community High School
Bangor High School	Maranacook Middle School
Bath Middle School	Margaret Chase Smith School
Belfast Area High School	Marshwood Great Works School
Biddeford High School	Marshwood High School
Biddeford Intermediate School	Marshwood Middle School
Biddeford Middle School	Mast Landing School
Bloomfield Elementary School	Mattanawcook Academy
Bonny Eagle High School	Memorial Middle School
Bonny Eagle Middle School	Messalonskee Middle School
Bowdoinham Community School	Middle School of the Kennebunks
Brewer High School	Minot Consolidated School
Bristol Consolidated School	Molly Ockett Middle School
Brooklin School	Morse High School
Brooksville Elementary School	Mount Desert Island High School
Brownville Elementary School	Mount View Elementary School
Bruce M. Whittier Middle School	Mount View High School
Brunswick High School	Mountain Valley High School
Brunswick Jr. High School	Mountain Valley Middle School
Buckfield Jr.-Sr. High School	Mt. Ararat High School
Bucksport Middle School	Mt. Ararat Middle School
Buxton Center Elementary School	Mt. Blue High School
Camden Hills Regional High School	Mt. Blue Middle School
Cape Elizabeth Middle School	Narragansett Elementary School
Captain Albert W. Stevens School	Narraguagus Jr/Sr High School
Caravel Middle School	Noble High School
Central High School	Noble Middle School
Central School	Nokomis Regional High School
Cheverus High School	Oak Hill High School
China Middle School	Oak Hill Middle School
Coastal Ridge Elementary School	Oceanside High School
Congin Elementary School	Old Orchard Beach High School
Conners Emerson School	Old Town Elementary School
Cony Middle/High School	Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School
Deer Isle-Stonington Elementary School	Palermo Consolidated School
Deer Isle-Stonington High School	Park Avenue School
Deering High School	Penquis Valley Middle School
Dirigo High School	Philip W. Sugg Middle School
Dora L. Small Elementary School	Piscataquis Community Secondary School
Durham Community School	Poland Regional High School
East Auburn Community School	Pond Cove Elementary
East End Community School	Portland High School
Eastport Elementary School	Pownal Elementary School
Eliot Elementary School	Presque Isle High School
Elm Street Elementary School	Presumpscot Elementary School
Etna Dixmont School (ES)	Raymond A. Geiger Elementary School
Falmouth Elementary School	Reeds Brook Middle School
Falmouth High School	Richmond High School
Falmouth Middle School	Richmond Middle School
Farwell Elementary School	Robert V. Connors Elementary School
Foxcroft Academy	Robert W. Traip Academy
Frank H. Harrison Middle School	Sacopee Valley High School
Frank I. Brown Elementary School	Sacopee Valley Middle School
Freeport High School	Samuel L. Wagner Middle School
Freeport Middle School	Sanford High School
Gardiner Area High School	Sanford Middle School
Gardiner Regional Middle School	Scarborough Middle School
George B. Weatherbee School	Searsport District High School
Gerald E. Talbot School	Searsport District Middle School
Glenburn School	Searsport Elementary School
Gorham High School	Sedgwick Elementary School
Gorham Middle School	SeDoMoCha Middle School
Gray-New Gloucester High School	Shapleigh School
Gray-New Gloucester Middle School	Shead High School
Great Falls Elementary School	Sherwood Heights Elementary School
Greely High School	Skowhegan Area High School
Greely Middle School (4-5)	Skowhegan Area Middle School
Greely Middle School (6-8)	South Bristol Elementary School
Hall-Dale High School	Spruce Mountain High School
Hall-Dale Middle School	St. George School
Hampden Academy	Stevens Brook Elementary School
Harpswell Coastal Academy, Division 1	Sumner Memorial High School
Harrison Lyseth Elementary School	T.W. Kelly Dirigo Middle School
Helena Dyer Elementary School	Telstar High School
Hermon High School	Thomas J. McMahon Elementary School
Hodgdon Middle/High School	Thornton Academy
Holbrook Middle School	Thornton Academy Middle School
Holden Elementary School	Troy Howard Middle School
Hope Elementary School	Valley Rivers Middle School/FKCHS
Horace Mitchell Primary School	Veazie Community School
Houlton Middle/High School	Village Elementary School
Howard C. Reiche Community School	Walton School
James F. Doughty School	Warsaw Middle School
John Bapst Memorial High School	Washburn District High School
Jordan-Small Middle School	Washburn Elementary School
Kennebunk High School	Washington Academy
Kennebunkport Consolidated School	Wells High School
Kermit S. Nickerson School	Westbrook High School
Kingfield Elementary School	Westbrook Middle School
Lake Region High School	William S. Cohen School
Lake Region Middle School	Windham High School
Lawrence High School	Windham Middle School
Lebanon Elementary School	Winslow High School
Lee Academy	Winslow Junior High School
Leonard Middle School	Winthrop High School
Leroy H. Smith School	Winthrop Middle School
Lewiston Middle School	Wiscasset Middle School
Lisbon Community School	Woodland Jr.-Sr. High School
Loranger Memorial School	Yarmouth High School
Madawaska Elementary School	York High School
Madison Area Memorial High School

Any school in Maine with students in grades 3-12 can start a civil rights team with free resources, structure, and support through the Maine Office of the Attorney General. For more information visit their website or contact Brandon Baldwin, Director of the
Civil Rights Team Project at Brandon.Baldwin@maine.gov.

Maine FIRST Lego League Championship Event Highlights Maine Students’ STEM Skills

The 22nd annual Maine FIRST Lego League Championship on December 18th was a hybrid event that offered teams from across the state an opportunity to compete in-person or remotely. Messalonskee High School in Oakland hosted the in-person part of the event with a half dozen teams in attendance. The virtual part of the event included another seven teams that connected over Zoom. This also allowed judges to connect from as far away as California and Israel. The streamlined day ended with a fifteen minute Awards Ceremony over Zoom.

The Champion’s Award went to the “Smart Fun Engineers” for the fourth consecutive year with a high score of 335 points, of the possible 670, for their robot’s performance. The team from Farmington was certainly ecstatic to learn about their win this year.

The Champion’s Finalist Award went to the Lego Legends from the Brewer Community School. This diverse team with members ranging from eight to thirteen even includes a member from nearby Orrington (who does not have a Lego Robotics team) who showed up with personalized team t-shirts and matching hats. Their coach, Joarly Arnold, received the Mentor Award. Joarly, who works for General Electric and is part of their corporate team of GE Girls, said she is passionate about getting children engaged with STEM, including robotics. She has been working with the team for four years, and due to her background in information engineering, she believes kids “should have an early introduction to STEM, as it teaches them not only science and mathematics, but increases their critical thinking, problem solving, and decision making skills; skills that they will use regardless of their future career path.”

FIRST LEGO League Team 32423 from Brewer Community School.

The Robot Design Award went to the Fort Fairfield RoboTigers, which had to overcome many challenges around team members quarantining throughout the season. They were among the teams connecting virtually, and found the experience of interacting with the judges to be highly beneficial.

The Innovation Project Award went to the Veazie Viking Robotics team who proposed carbon fiber shipping containers. The team researched the material and its potential for making shipping of goods more fuel efficient due to the lighter weight, and more cost effective due to improving manufacturing processes. Other teams designed ways of transporting goods and medication to rural parts of the state. The team from Fort Fairfield focused on a way to prevent the region’s favorite product, the potato, from bouncing out of trucks as they travel down the road.

The Core Values Award went to the Lego Coop Kids from the Berwick area. This group of seven included five sixth graders and two fourth graders who were competing in the FIRST Lego League for the first time, after recently forming. The judges were highly impressed by their ability to work together and have fun, which are key aspects of the Core Values.

RSU #52 teacher Geoff Cyr, who has been involved in the FIRST Lego League for eight years in numerous capacities, received an Outstanding Volunteer Award. Geoff, who serves as the Volunteer Coordinator, is always looking for individuals to get involved in the FIRST Lego League in Maine. While experienced referees and judges are always needed, there is always a need for more.

Members of the Leeds Central School team present their projects to judges Jon Graham (Maine Department of Education) and Dr. Laura Gurney (Husson University).

The Maine FIRST Lego League did have a different look and feel than previous events held at the Augusta Civic Center, but dedicated volunteers, judges, coaches and teams have been able to keep the spirit alive through a difficult and unpredictable period. The opportunities for students to come together as a team, work through multiple challenges and present their projects is vitally important to their success in school and beyond. Hopefully the success of this season will encourage others to form or revive robotics teams at their school.

Madison Memorial High School STEM Geometry, STEM Lab & Sustainable Agriculture Project Recognized by Samsung

Madison Memorial High School (MSAD/RSU 59) STEM Geometry, STEM Lab & Sustainable Agriculture project has been named Samsung’s Solve For Tomorrow 2021-22 Maine State Winner.

As part of Maine’s state-wide career exploration program, Madison High School’s project helped kick off the Franklin and Somerset Counties’ STEM Pilot Project which aims to fund vocational and innovative programs in science, technology, engineering, and math. The project also helps connect students in Franklin and Somerset Counties with career exploration programming, paid internships and scholarships for Maine Community Colleges serving students from these counties.

The Madison Memorial High School STEM Geometry, STEM Lab & Sustainable Agriculture Project was highlighted by Samsung for their hard work to develop a STEM solution to an issue that impacts their local community.

“The innovative practices of fostering the Engineering Design mindset, using 3D technology as well as sustaining and regenerating natural systems will help address local food insecurity and contribute to the overall reduction of Madison’s global footprint,” said Kathy Bertini, MASD/RSU 59 Curriculum Coordinator, STEAM Person, and 2019 Somerset County Teacher of the Year.

“In order to give MSAD 59 students the best opportunities moving forward, it is critical that we connect innovation with technology,” said Madison High School Principal Chris LeBlanc. “Our students will have a skillset that allows them to use the area’s natural resources in a way that ensures sustainability while enhancing the local community.”

Yarmouth High School Black Student Union Club Takes Experiential Learning Trip to Boston

The Black Student Union (BSU) is a club at Yarmouth High School composed of Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) students and their allies. The mission of BSU is to bring awareness to topics that African Americans and Black People face by having safe discussions on ways to eliminate racism, prejudice, inequality, discrimination and more.

One of BSU’s goals is to help students and staff reexamine our community’s history to better understand racism and its origins. As a first step, the BSU applied for a grant from the Yarmouth Educational Foundation to take a trip to Boston and spend the day specifically dedicated to exploring African American and Black history and culture. The day was an opportunity to celebrate the many contributions of the Black community as well as look back at history in New England from the perspective of a person of color. The students participated in a walking tour of the Black Heritage Trail (Beacon Hill), attended a guided visit to the Museum of African American History and enjoyed Ethiopian food at a local restaurant.

“I learned so many things that I didn’t know before. I learned about important African-American people who helped others and shaped this country. This field trip made me realize how much this information and knowledge needs to be taught in school. This benefited me a lot and helped me better understand our history. I think that this information is too valuable to be just shared with BSU. It should be shared with everyone,” said sophomore Neena Panozzo.

After the field trip, the BSU created a short video presentation for faculty about their experience. The students are currently working to help provide recommendations to faculty and administration about how our curricula, particularly those focused on history and culture, can be more inclusive. This field trip helped students in their objective to better educate others in the community about possible discrepancies and gaps in our retelling of history.

“Field trips and experiences like this make such a positive impact on learning for students and you are able to learn so much in only a day,” said ninth grader Madison Beaudoin.

For more information about this initiative, contact Justine Carlisle, BSU Club Advisor at justine_carlisle@yarmouthschools.org.

Greater Sebago Education Alliance Features New Video to Promote Jobs in School Nutrition

To showcase the benefits and joys of working on their school nutrition team, the Greater Sebago Education Alliance has created a video that features staff on the job, talking about why they enjoy working in school nutrition and why it’s a job that works for them.

Check out the video below, and if you or someone you know is looking for a change of pace in employment, try contacting your local school nutrition program to find out more information!

Jobs in the School Nutrition Program from Gorham Community Access Media on Vimeo.

Lewiston Culinary Class Set to Sharpen Workforce Skills

Photo caption: Pastry Instructor Rebecca Levesque shows off dinner rolls before getting them ready for a meal at Lewiston Regional Technical Center’s Restaurant, The Green Ladle.

A hands-on culinary training program can provide the recipe for adults looking for a successful transition to restaurant careers.

The Culinary Training with Kitchen Manager ServSafe Training is scheduled to begin on Jan. 17 at the Green Ladle in Lewiston. Chef Dan Caron of the Green Ladle said it is the second one offered to help restaurants and food service establishments in need of skilled workers. It will be free for eligible participants.

The program is being funded through federal job training funds as well as the Green Ladle’s “Community Serving Community” food truck. The Green Ladle is the culinary arts program for Lewiston Regional Technical Center.

During the previous training that ended on Nov. 17, representatives of seven local restaurants met with students to recruit them.

“It was really quite amazing,” Caron said.

He said of the 11 students in that session, seven had already been hired for jobs before the end of the training.

Students in the new session will learn about basic kitchen safety, knife skills and baking in the five-week class. The class will run Monday and Wednesday afternoons.

“It’s a win-win situation for the student,” Caron said. “This is a good way to get into the culinary field and to support our local restaurants and other food service establishments.”

In order to enroll, interested students must sign up to attend an informational session that is scheduled for December 16th. CASAS testing is also required. At the end of the training, students will receive a certificate of completion, will take the ServSafe manager exam, and will have the opportunity to meet with local employers.

The class is a partnership between the Green Ladle, Lewiston Adult Education, Eastern Maine Development Corporation/Community Concepts, Inc. with the support of the Lewiston-Auburn culinary community, including Bates College, DaVinci’s Italian Eatery, Fish Bones Grill, Gippers Sports Grill, and Campus Cuisine. Additional partners may join the program before the January start, Caron said.

To register for the informational session and to schedule testing, contact Lewiston Adult Education at 207-795-4141.