MEDIA RELEASE: Two Maine High School Students Named “National Cyber Scholars” After Winning Nationwide Competition to Identify Rising Stars in Critical Industry

30,000 Students Across the Country Sought to Qualify for this Cybersecurity Competition hosted by National Cyber Scholarship Foundation

The National Cyber Scholarship Foundation has named two Maine students, “National Cyber Scholars” after winning a rigorous 48-hour competition designed to evaluate aptitude in combating cyber threats, showcasing the advanced programming available in Maine schools.

Maine National Cyber Scholars:

Dena Arrison, Freeport High School
Vealy Lai, Maine School of Science and Mathematics

Over 30,000 high school students across the country sought to qualify for this year’s competition, and only 5,000 advanced to the first round. Of those students, only 600 nationwide performed well enough to earn the title “National Cyber Scholars.” These students each won a $2,500 scholarship and an invitation to participate in the Cyber Foundations Academy, a multi-week training and certification course.

Cybersecurity is a critical issue facing this country with the potential to impact our nation’s government, defense, communications and financial systems. According to recent studies, in order to properly defend our infrastructure from attack, we need to train more than 3 million cybersecurity professionals. This scholarship and competition are designed to attract and incentivize more students to enter the field.

“Congratulations to Dena and Vealy for this incredible honor! We are so proud of all the students that participated in this competition, and grateful for the schools who prepare, encourage, and support students in pursuing opportunities like this,” said Maine Education Commissioner Pender Makin. “Our state education system continues to make strides that allow us to adapt and prioritize the ever-changing advances in technology, including laying the foundational groundwork for a robust cyber security workforce here in Maine.”

“This scholarship recognizes high school students who have demonstrated exceptional cybersecurity talent,” noted David Brown, executive director, National Cyber Scholarship Foundation. “The NCSF mission is to help close the critical cybersecurity skills gap by identifying and developing the next generation of cyber professionals. Each and every student who participated in this competition has the potential to develop their skills and build a successful career in cybersecurity.”

There are several qualification pathways for the National Cyber Scholarship Competition including CyberStart America, a free online program that helps students discover their interest in cybersecurity and develop their talent and skills. The NCSC offers 600 college scholarships to top-ranking competitors. Additionally, National Cyber Scholars, along with the competition’s 1,000 finalists, are invited to participate in the Cyber Foundations Academy.

To learn more visit: National Cyber Scholarship Foundation.

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Presque Isle Tech Center Names Brandon Dubie CTE Student of the Year

The Presque Isle Tech Center is pleased to announce Brandon Dubie as their CTE Student of the Year for 2021. Brandon is the son of Malissa and Edward Dubie and a senior at Presque Isle high school.

Brandon has been an Agriscience student for the past three years and has taken every course offered in the program. His instructors say it has been an absolute pleasure to witness him maturing from a quiet sophomore into a well-spoken, responsible adult. During his high school career, Brandon has participated in cross country running, track and FFA. This year he is the State FFA Treasurer. He has been part of an officer team that has worked hard to bring FFA presentations to classrooms remotely during the pandemic. This process has honed his computer, speaking and organizational skills.

Brandon has sought out many of his own learning experiences relating to his Supervised Agricultural Experience. He began at a very young age to show an interest in trees and silviculture. He has been extremely proactive in arranging his sessions with all of the mentors who have enhanced this experience. He willingly took on an internship with a retired potato farmer and small woodlot owner and took advantage of each opportunity provided by that association. He subsequently arranged to participate in ride-alongs with two other forestry professionals and is not afraid to follow up on those experiences and to reach out for answers to his questions.

After graduation Brandon plans to serve his country by joining the military and later to become a forester.

Learn more about Presque Isle Tech Center by visiting their website, learn more about the Career and Technical Education Sites in Maine by visiting the MACTE website to see a listing by location. To learn more about Career and Technical Education, watch this short video:

Portland Arts & Technology High School Names Christiana Rae Gannon as CTE Student of the Year

Portland Arts & Technology High School (PATHS) announces Christiana Rae Gannon (Anna) as the 2020/2021 CTE Student of the Year.

Anna has been in the Carpentry program for two years. During that time, she has demonstrated what a fantastic person she is. She is the whole package; dedicated and determined, kind and caring, with individual goals, but always a team player, creative, thoughtful, interested, and focused. Anna always cheers on and encourages her classmates. She is a mentor and a supporter of everyone on her team.

Last year Anna qualified to compete at the Skills USA competition. During the abrupt switch to remote learning the previous year, Anna hit the books hard and completed her first year certification work, and got a head start on the second year. When we returned to school this year, Anna said she had ample time to work in the trade if we could help her get a job. This time was in between her work at PATHS, taking AP classes at her sending school, and participating in school sports. She has been working at a local millwork shop two days a week.

Learn more about Portland Arts & Technology High School (PATHS) by visiting their website, learn more about the Career and Technical Education Sites in Maine by visiting the MACTE website to see a listing by location. To learn more about Career and Technical Education, watch this short video:

Maine’s New Comprehensive School Counseling Program Model

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) is excited to share an updated and Maine specific Comprehensive School Counseling Program (CSCP) which has been the culmination of an extensive review, feedback and editing process.

We wish to extend a large thank you to school counselors Erin Flynn and Anastasia Alexis for their coordinated efforts in making this project a success, as well as to all others who engaged in this important process.

The model and resources can be found on the Maine DOE School Counselor webpage: https://www.maine.gov/doe/schools/safeschools/counseling/schoolcounseling

For further information or questions, please contact Bear Shea at W.Bear.Shea@maine.gov.

New UMaine Special Education Leadership Certificate Available this Fall

The University of Maine College of Education and Human Development and UMaineOnline will begin offering a new graduate certificate in Special Education Leadership this fall.

The Maine Department of Education lists Teacher of Students with Disabilities among the state’s teacher shortage areas. The new graduate certificate is designed to address an accompanying shortage of special education administrators. There are currently 242 special education directors in the state of Maine — one for every 127 students with a disability. The 12-credit graduate certificate in special education leadership can lead to Maine DOE certification as an assistant administrator of special education.

“This certificate is a response to feedback from PreK–12 professionals in Maine and beyond about the immediate need to support the growing number of students with disabilities and who are at risk,” says Sarah Howorth, assistant professor and coordinator of the graduate program in special education in the UMaine College of Education and Human Development. “Assistant administrators serve an important function in local districts, helping directors provide legally mandated access to a free and appropriate education for all students.”

Assistant administrators contribute to overseeing all facets of a school district’s special education department, including programs, services, personnel and budget.

The four courses in the graduate certificate are Law and Policy Affecting Individuals with Disabilities, School Law for Administrators, Organizational Behavior in Education, and an Internship in Special Education Administration. The program objectives are based on guidelines from the Council for Special Education Administrators (CASE). Students can pursue the certificate as a stand-alone program, or as part of coursework toward an Education Specialist (Ed.S.) degree.

Applications for the Special Education Leadership: Assistant Special Education Director graduate certificate are being accepted through Aug. 15 for students interested in starting the program in the fall 2021 semester. For students interested in starting in summer 2022, the application deadline is April 15, 2022. More information is available on the UMaineOnline website.

For more information, contact Howorth at sarah.howorth@maine.edu.

Student Summer Opportunity: O’Connor CIVICS Challenge!

Sandra Day O’Connor Institute For American Democracy presents the summer O’Connor Civics Challenge!, a civics video competition which is open now through Thursday, July 15, 2021 and open to all students entering 6th through 9th grade in Fall 2021.

The Challenge is to create the most amazing, exciting, and informative 3 minute video on CIVICS!

Choose a topic and watch a brief tutorial video:
- Justice Sandra Day O’Connor
- Checks & Balances
- Legislative Branch
- Executive Branch
- Judicial Branch
- Citizenship: Rights & Responsibilities
Create a video up to 3 minutes long
Winners in each grade will be awarded Apple products
Four Winners in the Justice Sandra Day O’Connor category will also be awarded Apple prizes.

WHY TAKE THE CHALLENGE? For so many reasons! You can show off your video skills to the world, learn more about how government works and impacts our lives, and have an opportunity to win fantastic Apple products!

Here is a PDF flyer!

The 2nd Annual O’Connor Civics Challenge is now open! Video submissions will be accepted now through July 15!

Learn More Here

Questions? Contact: Heather Schader Vice President, Programs & Administration hschader@OConnorInstitute.org | (602) 730-3300 x8

STEM and Social Studies Virtual Study Tours to Germany this Summer

The Transatlantic Outreach Program (TOP) is hosting STEM and Social Studies virtual study tours to Germany this summer:

STEM Virtual Study Tour: June 8 – July 1, 2021
Social Studies Virtual Study Tour: July 6 – July 29, 2021

On each 4-week virtual tour, participants can immerse themselves in current topics relevant for both Germany and the U.S./Canada, meet experts and educators from across the Atlantic, and connect with other North American educators, including TOP Alumni.

Learn about a variety of topics relevant to both contemporary Germany and the U.S./Canada.
Engage in exchange and dialogue with German educators and experts.
Discover and be trained on digital teaching tools to use in the classroom.
Create a lesson plan or project on contemporary Germany to use during the upcoming school year.
Build connections with other educators across the U.S., Canada, and Germany.

All meetings will be held in English and can be attended live on Zoom or viewed as a recording at a later time.

Participants can join the tours casually, as time permits, or register to take the virtual study tour as a professional development course for graduate credits.

Learn More & Register.

Go straight to Registration.

York Middle School French Teacher a Regional Finalist for National NECTFL Teacher of the Year Award

Northeast Conference on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (NECTFL) recently announced the finalists for its 2021 Teacher of the Year competition. Among the 8 finalists is Stephanie Carbonneau, York Middle School French teacher and the Foreign Language Association of Maine (FLAME) 2020 World Language Teacher of the Year.

Stephanie Carbonneau has been teaching at York Middle School since 2004. She started teaching in 1997 and taught for 7 years in Massachusetts before returning home to Maine to continue her teaching career closer to where she grew up. She is known for her “Glow and Grow” approach to language learning in a mostly deskless environment that focuses on interactive communicative lessons, using authentic resources. Stephanie is co-creator of a Manie Musicale, now serving 2,000 schools both in the states and internationally. She has also been a regular guest on the podcast “Inspired Proficiency” and believes collegiality makes teachers strong and students stronger. The highlight of her year is the annual student trip to Québec City and witnessing her students take language risks. Carbonneau’s students regularly medal at the state and national level on the Grand Concours, the National French Exam administered by the American Association of French Teachers.

Her passion for becoming a French teacher came from her Québecois family roots. Her mother spoke French through her childhood and when her grandmother passed away, so did the family’s desire to continue speaking French at home. Yet looking back, the aspiring ballerina knew that French was a part of her and her family’s identity that she didn’t want to let die.

My freshman year of college I had a French professor who was really hard and he told me during office hours that I would never get above a C in his class because my French was weak and I should probably not sign up for any more courses. That made me mad! I set out to prove him wrong. Because I struggled as a language learner, I knew I could be a sympathetic teacher. I never ever wanted any student to feel badly about learning a language. I also fell in love with the language, the culture, the people as well as the identity I have as a French speaker. I believe those qualities surpass being an expert at the language itself.

In my class students begin to realize that language learning helps individuals recognize the value of each person in such a diverse world and asks them to contribute to a better one. Speaking another language makes us better humans. It provides an opportunity to “glow” and “grow.” Much like the feedback I provide my students, language learning provides us a purpose beyond ourselves and highlights the similarities, differences and injustices that exist in the world. It truly is important to me that these young Mainers can speak French better and can use it for a good purpose such as welcoming new French speaking Mainers and the thousands of French Canadian tourists that visit our state. THIS is the true value of learning a language to me: Finding our voice for social justice, through language and creating a welcoming community. There is a whole world that exists outside our small Maine town and the country we live in. I want my students to be able to say “I am a Mainer, an American, but I am also part of the world-wide Francophone community. I am a French speaker.”

The NECTFL regional finalists were recognized on April 26, 2021 at the annual awards ceremony. The event highlighted the exemplary practice of all regional winners as innovative practitioners whose work has inspired students and communities.

The NECTFL region encompasses 13 states from Maine to Virginia and Washington, D.C.. Each state language organization goes through a rigorous selection process to choose its best representative of excellence in world language teaching. Dr. Ashley Warren was selected as the NECTFL 2021 Teacher of the Year and will go on to represent the organization at the national language teacher of the year competition at the ACTFL Convention in November.

I am proud to have represented my state language association that far! The whole process was very introspective, reflective, and humbling. I grew so much as an educator and met a wonderful cohort of other language colleagues from the region I can now call friends. Most importantly, my students will reap the benefits of my reflections.

For more information about NECTFL, please visit their website: www.nectfl.org.

Maine DOE Hosts COVID-19 Vaccine Information Sessions with Maine Physicians, Infectious Disease Experts

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) has been hosting information sessions with Maine physicians who are experts on COVID-19 vaccines and infectious diseases to help educate school populations about the COVID-19 vaccines available to school aged youth.

The most recent session was held Tuesday, May 18th with Jennifer Jubulis, MD, a Pediatric Infectious Disease Physician at Maine Medical Center and Kyle Massey, PharmD, BCIDP, an Infectious Disease Pharmacist at Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center.

The previous two COVID-19 Vaccine Information sessions are available at:

With school districts across Maine now in the midst of scheduling and hosting COVID-19 clinics for students that are eligible for the vaccine, the above information sessions can be helpful in answering questions that school staff and communities may have about the health and safety of students taking the vaccine.

The Department extends a enormous thank you to school districts that have been able to arrange clinics so far. For school and district staff seeking further information about COVID-19 vaccines or hosting a clinic please contact Maine DOE School Nurse Consultant Emily Poland at emily.poland@maine.gov.

Oxford Hills Technology School Honors Culiandra Nero as CTE Student of the Year

Oxford Hills Technology School is pleased to announce that Culiandra Nero has been named the 2020/2021 CTE Student of the Year.

Culiandra is a third year Graphic Design student whose artistic curiosity leads her to explore a wide range of mediums. Culiandra has won numerous awards at the state and national level for design and was named a Candidate for Presidential Scholar in Career & Technical Education. Academically, Culiandra has maintained high honors throughout high school and is her class Salutatorian.

Culiandra is very involved in her school and community as an active member of Key Club, Math Team, and Tennis. She has also been engaged in SkillsUSA, National Honor Society, and National Technical Honor Society. Culiandra has volunteered for the children’s program at the local public library, at a local elementary school, for the Pink Feather Foundation, and for such events as May Day Play Day and a Haunted Walk.

Culiandra is already designing her personal branding and creating a digital storefront for her design work. We are excited to see what she achieves in the future as she plans to attend a four year college for studio and visual art.

After graduation she plans to attend a 4 year college for Studio Art/Visual Art with a future focus on animation.

Learn more about Oxford Hills Technology School by visiting their website, learn more about the Career and Technical Education Sites in Maine by visiting the MACTE website to see a listing by location. To learn more about Career and Technical Education, watch this short video: