School news

loading...

Schools

SAD 22 staff

HAMPDEN – SAD 22 has welcomed the following new staff members to the district:

. Hampden Academy: Lisette Brooks, language arts; Qinton Donahue, math; Beth Kilgore, social studies; Linda MacDonald, special education; Marisue Schuiling, foreign language; David Shapiro, athletic director; Nicholas Umphrey, guidance; Sharon Zopler, language arts.

. Earl McGraw School: Heather Fraser, grade one.

. Newburgh Elementary School: Nancy Price, literacy specialist; Lynne Wells, principal.

. Reeds Brook Middle School: Sandi Bellerose, special education; Reed Farrar, language arts.

. Leroy H. Smith School: Jill Harnish, library educational technician.

. Samuel Wagner Middle School: Tamara Cardello, grade seven.

Newburgh School

NEWBURGH – Thanks to the efforts of staff at the Newburgh School, in conjunction with the town of Newburgh and the recreation department, the new after-school program will begin the second week of school.

This is not only an opportunity for kindergarten through fifth-graders to come for child care needs, but also for pupils who are looking for recreational activities on an occasional basis.

Registrations are available at the Newburgh Town Office and at the Superintendent’s Office in Hampden. Many activities are planned for the 2:30-5:30 p.m. time slot. For information, call 234-2200 or 234-2781 and leave a message for Vicki Leavitt.

Head Start

BANGOR – Penquis CAP Head Start, a preschool program for children ages 3 to 5, is registering children for the new school year in centers throughout Penobscot and Piscataquis counties.

The free program is based on income-eligible criteria. Head Start operates four hours a day, four days a week, September through May.

The program provides children with a variety of activities to help them develop mentally, socially, emotionally and physically. It also offers medical exams and necessary follow-up visits, immunizations, dental exams and follow-up visits, developmental screenings and nutritional services.

Space is limited. To apply for or learn about the services, call 973-3537.

Mitchell Scholars

ORONO – On Sunday, Aug. 22, former Sen. George Mitchell hosted a brunch for the 2004 class of Mitchell Scholars at the Wells Catering and Conference Center at the University of Maine. Mitchell was the keynote speaker for the event. Members of the Mitchell Institute board of directors, university and college leaders, and other supporters were also in attendance.

In the 10 years since its inception, the Mitchell Scholarship Program has awarded over $3.8 million in scholarships to more than 1,000 Maine high school graduates.

“The annual brunch with the Mitchell Scholars is one of the highlights of my summer,” said the former senator. “I always look forward to the opportunity to meet these commendable young men and women, and to congratulate them and express my pride in their achievements.”

Each spring, the Mitchell Institute awards one Mitchell Scholarship to a member of the graduating class of each public high school in Maine. A total of 130 scholarships are awarded annually. Students are selected on the basis of academic promise, community service and financial need. They must be residents of Maine who will be entering their first year of a two- or four-year accredited college.

Nearly 40 percent of the Mitchell Scholars selected in 2004 are first-generation college students and nearly two-thirds are from families in which college is not a tradition.

In addition to scholarships, the institute has developed a variety of support programs that create opportunities for summer employment in professional settings, encourage community service, and offer leadership training and professional development. The Mitchell Institute continues these programs to maintain the exceptionally high 94 percent college retention rate among Mitchell Scholars.

While Maine ranks very high nationally in high school graduation rates, it does not fare as well as most of the nation in college enrollment and completion rates.

The work of the Mitchell Institute also includes an ongoing research component. A long-term study of the Mitchell Scholars began in 2000 to gauge the effectiveness of the scholarship and support programs, and to learn more about the scholars’ college and career experiences.

Exchange students

Foreign high school students are scheduled to arrive soon for academic semester and year program home stays, and the sponsoring organization needs a few more local host families.

According to John Doty, executive director of Pacific Intercultural Exchange, the students are between 15 and 18 years old, speak English, have their own spending money, carry accident and health insurance, and are eager to share their cultural experiences with their new American families. PIE has programs to match almost every family’s needs, ranging in length from a semester to a full academic year, where the students attend local high schools.

PIE area representatives match students with host families by finding common interests and lifestyles through an informal in-home meeting. Prospective host families are able to review student applications and select the best match.

For the upcoming programs, PIE has students from Germany, Russia, Venezuela, Argentina, Brazil, Macedonia, Hungary, Korea, Ghana, Mexico, Italy, Paraguay, Australia, Yugoslavia, China, Belgium, Vietnam and other countries.

Families interested in learning more about student exchange or meeting with a community representative may call PIE toll-free at (800) 631-1818.

The agency also has travel opportunities available for American high school students.

Colleges

University of Maine

ORONO – Tau Beta Pi, the engineering honor society, has named Matthew Rodrigue of Orono a laureate in the association’s annual program to recognize gifted engineers who have excelled in areas beyond their technical majors.

Rodrigue will be honored with other 2004 Tau Beta Pi award winners on Oct. 9 at the honor society’s 99th annual convention in Orlando, Fla. He will receive $2,500 and a commemorative plaque.

Rodrigue graduated from the University of Maine in June with double degrees in electrical and computer engineering.

A native of Farmington, Rodrigue entered the University of Maine on a full scholarship. He was the valedictorian of Mount Blue High School, an outstanding scholar, athlete and leader.

At UMaine, Rodrigue became a student senator in his freshman year and was elected president pro tempore. He was nominated to the University of Maine System’s board of trustees, where he was the sole representative of 34,000 students on seven campuses.

As a junior, Rodgrigue was elected to the presidency of the UMaine student government with 79 percent of the vote. During his tenure, he advanced and received approval for a $25 million campus recreation center, organized a voting program and re-established the yearbook and the senior council.

In 2000, Rodrigue helped restart Sigma Phi Epsilon, a fraternity inactive since 1994. As chartering president in 2002, he sought to invalidate the pervasive fraternity stereotype. Sigma Phi Epsilon was named Fraternity of the Year in 2003, the same year Rodrigue was elected to its national board of directors.

He was a Rhodes Scholar finalist in 2003 and is part of the Senior Skulls, UMaine’s honor society for the top 1 percent of the senior class. He completed three internships in industrial settings and had a 3.98 grade point average in electrical engineering and 4.0 in computer engineering. He was named the Alton T. Zerby and Carl T. Koerner outstanding electrical engineering student by Eta Kappa Nu. He served as chapter treasurer of IEEE, treasurer of his Tau Beta Pi chapter, and is a member of Eta Kappa Nu, Pi Mu Epsilon and Phi Kappa Phi.

Rodrigue acts as a mentor to young members of student government, engineering peers and student athletes. He was varsity letterman in cross country and overall champion in intramural track, cross country and triathlon events. He has been honored as UMaine’s student leader of the year and fraternity man of the year. He has accepted a job as controls engineer with the consulting firm, Woodard and Curran, which has offices in Bangor and Portland.

University of Toronto

TORONTO – Louie J. Hebert Jr., son of Louie and Rae Hebert of Glenburn, received a doctor of philosophy degree from the University of Toronto on March 12.

Hebert is a graduate of John Bapst Memorial High School and the University of Maine. He resides in Providence, R.I., with his wife, Elena, and is currently teaching at Brown University.

Maine Maritime Academy

CASTINE – Enrollment at Maine Maritime Academy is expected to top 800 students when classes start this fall.

Based on current enrollment figures of new, returning and transfer students, academy officials anticipate there will be 827 enrolled at the academy this year. The enrollment figure meets the administration’s goal of 800 students, but also raised challenges in the face of declining demographics in Maine, officials said.

Part of the increase in enrollment is a result of higher interest from out-of-state students.

The academy also will concentrate on attracting more students from Puerto Rico as a way to boost diversity at the school.