Schools

Symphony outreach

BANGOR – Bangor Symphony Orchestra Music Director and Conductor Xiao-Lu Li visited pupils at the Conners-Emerson School in Bar Harbor on Nov. 2. Li worked personally with music pupils from the Emerson and Conners orchestras and pupils in second grade.

Li donates his time to help bring music education to schools as part of the Bangor Symphony Orchestra’s “Know Your Orchestra!” education program, supported by Bangor Hydro Electric Company and Union Trust.

Bangor Symphony Orchestra musician ensembles visit schools around central Maine to perform live music for students. The musicians in the “Know Your Orchestra!” program provide demonstrations, an instrument petting zoo and master classes during their visits. Teachers are supplied with materials and a list of suggested recordings that may be used to enhance students’ understanding of and appreciation for symphonic music. The program helps teachers reach their goals for the Visual and Performing Arts standards of the Maine Learning Results.

Planetarium shows

ORONO – Take a space trip to explore the beautiful planet known as Ring World at 7 p.m. Fridays during November at the University of Maine’s Jordan Planetarium.

The show is a one-hour journey of close-up views of the most elegant of the sun’s planets, Saturn. Visitors will travel with the NASA Cassini-Huygens probe and follow its adventure to the Saturnian system of graceful rings, bright storms and exotic moons.

The forces at work there are just beginning to reveal themselves to scientists on Earth, and new data arrives daily from the remote science instruments in orbit around Saturn. A tour of the current night sky, a recreation of Cassini’s journey, and its most recent returns make Ring World a true space exploration mission.

Worlds In Motion at 2 p.m. Sundays during November shows that everything is moving, from the atoms inside us to the most distant galaxies. Somehow, the stars moving overhead keep their arrangement so reliably that sky watchers for thousands of years have enjoyed imagining beasts and heroes among the many patterns. A live tour of the season’s constellations will be a beautiful and familiar part of Worlds In Motion.

Both shows are about one hour long and suitable for the whole family. Information on the Jordan Planetarium’s schedule is available at www.umainesky.com. Call 581-1341 for information or reservations.

John Bapst Memorial High School

BANGOR – Maine Sen. Joe Perry of Bangor wrapped up a recent two-day visit as a guest speaker at his former school, John Bapst Memorial High School. Perry discussed the referendum election with the senior class members in Mark Trasker’s advance placement political science class.

“This is what I love best about my role as a state senator,” said Perry. “I enjoy more than anything talking to school groups about politics, and introducing them to Maine’s political process. They are the next generation of voters, and I only hope that they make informed, well-thought out decisions when casting a vote.”

Perry spoke to two classes about the seven ballot questions, including the civil rights initiative that is question one, the constitutional amendment involving the taxation of waterfront property, and the five bond questions. He provided the students with sample ballots, voter registration cards and referendum summaries.

Colleges

Culturefest 2005

ORONO – The 2005 edition of Culturefest, the University of Maine’s annual celebration of international and cultural diversity, is set for 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 5, at the UMaine field house.

Culturefest activities are designed to provide opportunities to learn about and enjoy cultures from many of the 76 different countries represented by UMaine’s student body.

The day includes cultural exhibits with posters, maps, videos, music, art, clothing, games and an international food court where students sell homemade ethnic food and answer questions about their cultures and traditions.

There will be a style show featuring students modeling traditional clothing; a talent show with song, dance and demonstrations; and a children’s exhibit with activities. Cultures from Europe, Asia, Latin America, Africa, the Middle East and the Americas will be represented.

“This is the biggest international event on campus,” said organizer Sarah Joughin of the UMaine Office of International Programs and National Student Exchange. “So often we only hear about countries because of disaster. Culturefest is a great way to learn about the rich cultural traditions behind the faces we see on the news.”

Joughin expects more than 1,000 visitors will come from as far away as central and eastern Maine and beyond.

The event is free and open to the public. For more information about the 17th annual Culturefest, call the UMaine Office of International Programs at 581-2905 or visit www.umaine.edu/international

Husson College

BANGOR – Husson College will hold an open house on Saturday, Nov. 12, offering an opportunity for students and parents to tour the campus and meet students, faculty and administrators. Visitors will learn about Husson’s academic and athletic programs, extracurricular activities and financial aid. Faculty will be on hand to talk about their programs and to answer questions.

Registration begins at 9 a.m. and activities at 9:30 a.m. Lunch is served noon-1 p.m. at no cost to those attending.

To obtain more information, call (800) 4HUSSON or e-mail admit@husson.edu.

Maine Maritime Academy

CASTINE – Midshipman John Higgins of Hampden was named to the Maine Maritime Academy’s master’s list for the 2005 training cruise.

Higgins was nominated for the award by ship and staff officers based on leadership, professionalism, conduct and academic excellence both at sea and in the classroom. Final selection was made by Capt. Laurence Wade, master of the state of Maine.

The training cruise itinerary included Oranjestad, Aruba; Nassau, Bahamas; Quebec, Canada; Boston; and an equatorial crossing – more than 11,000 nautical miles.

A graduate of Hampden Academy, Higgins majors in marine engineering technology.

Area students recently sworn in as members of the Maine Maritime Academy Regiment of Midshipmen are Lewis Marston, Orland; Robert Butters, Levant; Cody Andrews, Holden; Thomas Carey, Holden; Paul Russell; Bangor; Kirk Nichols, Brewer; and Shawn Evans, Holden.

Capt. Jeff Loustanau, commandant of midshipmen and port captain, administered the oath to 140 candidates, marking the conclusion of six weeks of regimental preparatory training for the Class of 2009.

New England School of Communications

BANGOR – The first scholarship offered by the Maine Public Relations Council to a college student went to New England School of Communications senior Chad Leighton.

Leighton, who will receive a bachelor’s degree in communications from NESCom in the spring, was presented a $1,000 scholarship.

Creation of the scholarship program by the council came about because of the strong financial position of the organization and the board’s commitment to assisting individuals studying to enter the field.

Leighton has an accumulative grade point average of 3.57 on a 4.0 scale and has worked at a Portland radio station. He has done an internship with Clear Channel Communications in Augusta.

Leighton was selected for the scholarship after submitting a written application. He is a graduate of Winthrop High School. Next year the council plans to offer two scholarships.

BANGOR – Bret Johnson of Bangor, a senior at the New England School of Communications, is one of only five students worldwide to win a citation from the International Audio Engineering Society at its convention held Oct. 7-10 in New York City.

Johnson, who will graduate from NESCom with a bachelor’s degree in communications in December, won honorable mention in the society’s student recording competition against 100 other students. Top audio engineers handed out first, second, third and two honorable mention awards.

Johnson recorded and mixed a song titled “Simply You,” performed by local artist Nigel Hall, a solo artist who performs in the Bangor and Portland areas.

Johnson previously studied electrical engineering and music performance for several years at Oregon State and later operated his own recording studio in Portland, Ore. He works for Sephone Internet Solutions of Bangor, where he is responsible for graphic design, Flash animation, site preparation and building. He carries a 3.94 accumulative grade point average at the school.

Johnson is proficient on guitar, bass and saxophone. He was one of 12 NESCom juniors and seniors to attend the New York conference, accompanied by faculty members Dave MacLaughlin and Doug Hoyt.

University of Maine

ORONO – Ten animal science students from the University of Maine competed in the Northeast Regional Intercollegiate Dairy Challenge recently in Norwich, N.Y. SUNY Morrisville hosted the contest, with 110 students from 13 agricultural universities throughout the Northeast competing.

The 10 students from the Department of Animal and Veterinary Sciences were: Mike Brown of China, Josh Bergstrom of Orono, Emily Hastings of Bangor, Matt Rolleston of Sebec, Kara Pietroski of Thomaston, Ken Hoyt of Eliot, Tom Lund of New Gloucester, Stephanie Beamish of Berwick, Jennianne O’Connor of Middleboro, Mass., and Katelyn Romano of Rowley, Mass. Dr. David Marcinkowski, associate professor and Cooperative Extension dairy specialist, coached the team.

Mike Brown received the highest award, the Platinum Award. Emily Hastings and Josh Bergstrom both received Gold Awards, the second-highest honor. Team members are looking forward to the national competition to be held in Twin Falls, Idaho, April 2006.

Four Bangor residents have been named board officers of the University of Maine Foundation: John I. Simpson, treasurer; Anne E. Pooler, secretary; Amos E. Orcutt, assistant treasurer-president; and Brent R. Slater, clerk.

Donald F. Collins of Caribou was elected board chairman. Collins is a 1949 graduate of the University of Maine and retired president of S.W. Collins Co. Ellen K. Stinson of Westbrook was elected vice chairman.

In 1934 the University of Maine Foundation was started with $1,000 from the Class of 1909. The foundation now has total assets of nearly $139 million. In the fiscal year ending June 30, the foundation received $10.75 million in gifts and distributed approximately $5 million in support of the University of Maine.

The annual luncheon was attended by nearly 200 people at the University of Maine. The first annual President Abram W. Harris Award was presented to the “Faculty Five” – George Jacobson, Stephen Norton, George Markowsky, Malcolm Hunter and David Smith – for their efforts to persuade the Legislature to invest in research and development at the University of Maine.

The $5,000 prize will be awarded annually and was established with an endowed gift to the University of Maine Foundation from A.W. “Pete” Harris, III, Class of 1950, and family friends in memory of Dr. Abram Winegardner Harris, who served the University of Maine 1893-1901.

The University of Maine Foundation is an independent 501(c)(3) organization, encouraging gifts and bequests that nurture academic achievement, foster research and elevate intellectual pursuit at the University of Maine.

Women’s Studies Conference

BANGOR – University College of Bangor’s Women in Curriculum committee will hold the Maine Women’s Studies Consortium Fall Conference 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 5. Registration is 8:30-9 a.m. in Eastport Hall, Texas Avenue. The cost is $35, students $15.

The conference theme is Women’s Works, featuring more than two dozen presentations and discussions. Topics include: Women writers of the nineteenth century, women in politics, women and self-employment, the lives of immigrant women in Maine and performance of flute music by women composers.

For information visit: www.student140.ucb.sephone.us/index.html.

Judith Sloan will give the keynote presentation on her work, “Crossing the BLVD.” Her multimedia presentation includes first-person narratives, music and art, which focuses on Queen’s Boulevard in New York City. For a sampling of the exhibit, visit www.crossingtheboulevard.org.