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Americanism Essay Contest

Winners of the Americanism Essay Contest, sponsored by Bangor Emblem Club 223, are:

Grade six: first place, $50, Katie Crosby; 2nd place, $25, Colton Gross. Both are pupils at Hermon Middle School.

Grades seven and eight: first place, $50, Allison Whitaker, Bangor Christian; tied for second place, $25, David Hart, Bangor Christian, and $25, Aaron Somers, Holbrook School.

The topic this year was “Why I am Proud to be an American Citizen.”

Youth exchange scholarship

BANGOR – Francesca Anderson, 16, a Bangor High School student, has been awarded the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange Scholarship, which covers a year of study in Germany, equivalent to approximately $8,000. She was chosen to receive the prestigious award by AFS, a worldwide nonprofit high school student exchange organization.

While in Germany, Anderson will experience German life and culture by living with a host family, attending high school and participating in the community. The purpose of the scholarship program, jointly sponsored by the Congress and the German Bundestag, is to strengthen U.S.-German ties of friendship and understanding.

In that spirit, Anderson will serve as a youth ambassador from the United States and share her perspectives with her German hosts and schoolmates.

To learn about studying abroad, applying for scholarships, serving as a host to an exchange student, or becoming an AFS volunteer, call (800) AFS-INFO or visit www.afs.org/usa.

Writing competition

Maine students who are juniors in high school next fall may have the chance to show off their writing talents to three of Maine’s most celebrated writers – Stephen and Tabitha King and Richard Russo – in a new writing competition. A Journey Into Writing was unveiled recently at a State House press conference by Gov. John Baldacci, who was joined by the three authors, his partners in the project.

More than 16,000 Maine high school juniors will be eligible to submit an original poem, short story or essay up to 1,500 words in length. Entries will be accepted between Oct. 1 and Dec. 1 by the Maine Community College System, which will conduct the first round of reviews. Up to 25 semifinalists will be selected for final review by the three authors, who will each select a winner.

The three winners, who will be announced next May, will be honored as the governor’s Young Writers of the Year, and each will receive a check for $2,500. Each of the semifinalists will receive $100.

Contest rules and entry forms for A Journey Into Writing are available at www.mccs.me.edu.

Mock Trial Team

HAMPDEN – Hampden Academy’s Maine State Champion Mock Trial Team returned on Monday, May 10, from its trip to the National High School Mock Trial Championship held in Orlando, Fla.

The team placed 37th out of 44 teams, with a 1-3 record. In 2002, the Hampden Academy team placed 25th overall with a 2-2 record. In the recent competition, Hampden lost to teams from California, Rhode Island and Delaware, but prevailed against Pennsylvania.

This year’s competition centered on the hypothetical murder of a corporate officer on the grounds of a fictional paper company in Florida. Although based on an actual case, the identities of the parties and some of the details of the crime itself were altered to suit the format of the competition.

Team members filled roles as prosecution attorneys, defense attorneys and lay and expert witnesses. The expert witnesses included a fingerprint, shoe print and tire print analyst, as well as an expert in the identification of objects from vehicles in motion. Evaluators and judges from all parts of the country presided at the event. The matches were held in courtrooms in the 23-story Orange County Courthouse in Orlando.

The national championship dates to 1984 and includes participation by 42 state championship teams, plus teams from Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands. The 2004 tournament was hosted by the Florida State Bar Association. The 2005 competition will take place in Charlotte, N.C.

The Hampden Academy Mock Trial Team consists of seniors Christopher Woodcock, Eric Kelmenson and Grace Cushing; juniors Katelyn Lawler, Amy Dumont, Scott Simpson, John White, Becca Workman, Jennifer Swalec, Lauren Hartz, Caroline Samp, Courtney Parsons and Morgan Silva; sophomores Lauren Sturdivant, Paige Clifton and Melissa Cox; and freshmen Lauren Swalec and Stefanie Veneziano. The teacher coach is Kathryn King. The volunteer attorney coaches are William Devoe and James McCarthy.

Journalism conference

ORONO – More than 150 student journalists and teachers from 27 schools as well as newspaper reporters and editors from throughout the state converged on the University of Maine May 12 for the 11th annual Student Journalism Conference.

The event was an opportunity for aspiring young journalists to meet with and learn from each other and professionals working in the field, said Shannon Martin, assistant professor of communication and journalism at the University of Maine and director of the Maine Center for Student Journalism.

Inside, from Orono High School, earned honorable mention in general excellence layout and first place in editorials, writing for the arts and editoral cartoons. John Bapst’s the Median earned third place in sports writing and honorable mention in news writing.

The theme for the conference was “Covering Civil Rights for High School Students.” State Attorney General Steven Rowe was the keynote speaker.

The Maine Center for Student Journalism is funded by the Maine Daily Newspaper Publishers Association with support from the University of Maine Department of Communication and Journalism.

For information, call Martin at 581-1281, or e-mail her at shannon.martin@umit.maine.edu.

Academic talent search

ORONO – A ceremony was held May 15 at the University of Maine to honor academically talented Maine pupils. The pupils participated in a national academic talent search organized by Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth.

Area pupils who took part in the talent search were fifth-grader Thomas Guthrie of Fairmount School in Bangor, who placed first in the fifth- and sixth-grade math and verbal categories; and seventh-grader Tao Mason of Reeds Brook Middle School in Hampden, who placed first in the seventh- and eighth-grade verbal and the math and verbal combined catergories.

Teacher tours

Teachers throughout Maine are invited to participate in the Forests of Maine Teachers’ Tours program, now in its seventh year. The tours are the Moosehead and Beyond Tour, July 13-16; the Grand Lake Region Tour, Aug. 3-6; and the Golden Road Tour, Aug. 10-13.

Each tour features a Project Learning Tree workshop, exposure to different types of forest management practices, tours of wood products facilities and hands-on experience with outdoor classrooms. Participating teachers will receive continuing education credits. Two graduate credits are available from the University of Southern Maine for Grand Lake.

The cost for participants is $50. To learn about the tours or to acquire registration materials, call Martha Fenno at 621-9872, or e-mail mtf@gwi.net.

Brewer High School

BREWER – Brewer High School teacher Peter Jenkins received a 2003-2004 Technology Education Outstanding Teacher Award from the U.S. Air Force on May 20. Jenkins’ students nominated him for the award, which was presented by Staff Sgt. Sherry Thomas, Air Force recruiter.

Jenkins was one of 250 teachers out of 30,000 nominated nationwide to receive the award.

Colleges

New home for Beal College

BANGOR – Beal College completed its long-awaited move and opened its doors on Monday, May 17, at the newly renovated facility at 99 Farm Road. The new site is close by, just up the street from the former campus.

After spending more than 30 years at the corner of Main Street and Farm Road, Beal College completed major renovations to the former Saucony Shoe plant and moved into the facility over the weekend. The new site offers classrooms, computer labs, medical labs, administrative offices, lounge, bookstore and library.

The school has scheduled a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 2:30 p.m. Thursday, June 10. A grand opening and open house will be held in late summer.

Gordon College

WENHAM, Mass. – Laura Johnson, daughter of Ken and Marie Johnson of Bangor, received a bachelor’s degree in political studies during commencement exercises held at the college May 15. She is a 2000 graduate of Bangor Christian School.

At Gordon, she served as editor in chief of the college newspaper, interned at the Institute of Political Journalism at Georgetown University and spent a semester of study in Seville, Spain. Currently, she is an intern at the Massachusetts Municipal Association.

Lawrence University

APPLETON, Wis. – Kelsey Lutz, a 2003 graduate of John Bapst Memorial High School in Bangor, has been elected to the university’s chapter of Lambda Sigma, a national honor society that fosters leadership, scholarship, fellowship and the spirit of service. She is the daughter of Gordon and Marilyn Lutz of Holden.

University College of Bangor

BANGOR – The University College of Bangor, a campus of the University of Maine at Augusta, graduated its largest-ever class in shared exercises at the Augusta Civic Center on May 8.

One hundred and seventy-two UCB students were honored with diplomas in 18 distinct majors, with 46 students awarded baccalaureate degrees, 118 associate degrees and eight certificate degrees. Nearly half of the class earned “distinction” honors, and 12 percent of the class had a cumulative grade-point-average of 3.75 or above. Two students earned a perfect 4.0 average.

Dr. Charles Lyons, president of the University of Maine at Augusta, presided over the ceremonies. Commencement speaker was Chellie Pingree, president and chief executive officer of Common Cause. Dr. Leo Marcus was the recipient of the Distinguished Service Award. Professor Richard Randall was awarded an honorary doctor of humane letters degree and he was named professor emeritus of sociology and human services. Mary Elizabeth Randall was named vice president emerita of enrollment management and student services.

UMaine System trustee Margaret Weston and Chancellor Joseph Westphal also addressed the graduates.

In ceremonies before the graduation exercises, Tracy R. Gran, dean of the UCB campus, announced Casey Harris, human service major, as the UCB associate degree Student of the Year; and Jennifer H. Robicheau, dental hygiene major, as the campus baccalaureate Student of the Year.

This year’s UCB graduating class represented 51 cities, towns and villages in Maine, with 89 percent residing in the Bangor area.

University of Maine

ORONO – Thirteen area residents recently were inducted into the University of Maine chapter of Beta Gamma Sigma honor society, a prestigious national organization that accepts only the top business students.

Graduate students included Daniel Crocker of Glenburn, Rebecca Haberberger of Hampden, Matthew James of Bucksport and Vrishali Javeri and Damian Labree of Old Town.

Senior students included Ivelin Dimitrov and Jesse Levesque of Orono, Jared Strout of Herman and Kimberly Rambo of Hampden.

Junior students were Kara Holland of Bangor, Eric Smith of Old Town, Rania Nazmy of Orono and Jared Whinery of Hampden.

Twenty-nine students in all were honored in ceremonies April 23. Keynote speaker was Robert Bennett, general manager of T&D Asset Management at Bangor Hydro-Electric Co.

NESCom

BANGOR – Clem Labree, an announcer and reporter for WZON radio in Bangor and a 1992 graduate of the New England School of Communications, received the school’s Alumni Award for professional achievement at NESCom’s 22nd graduation exercises at Husson College on May 15.

A 10-year veteran at WZON, Labree does play-by-play reports for high school sports and various local events. In 1997 he began producing University of Maine football broadcasts while serving as host for the halftime show. He has twice been a finalist for Maine Sportscaster of the Year. He was honored by the Maine Association of Broadcasters and the Maine Associated Press with awards in the reporting, feature and play-by-play categories.

Guest speaker at the commencement was Mary Anne Alhadeff, president and chief executive officer of Maine Public Broadcasting.

Chad Leighton of Winthrop received plaques for outstanding performance in advertising and as WHSN Broadcaster of the Year.

Students recognized at the commencement ceremony were:

Jared Wilbur, Berwick, outstanding performance in audio engineering; Kenneth Lucas of Sidney, outstanding performance in TV production; Nycole Spencer, Lincoln, outstanding performance in radio announcing; Emily Farkas, Woodland and Bangor, outstanding performance in writing; and Dwight Collings, Lincolnville, outstanding performance in sports broadcasting.

Named Students of the Year were Liana Nichols, Kingfield; and Emily Farkas.

Leighton, Nichols, Farkas and Clif Bemis of Bangor, an instructor at NESCom, were inducted into the Alpha Beta Kappa honor society.

Jeremy Lavway of Presque Isle and Bangor received the Student Ambassador Award for his service to the school during special events and as a tour guide during the open house.

Dean’s list

ORRINGTON – Amy Hutchins of Orrington was named to the Roger Williams University’s dean’s list for fall 2003.