Schools

‘Bye, Bye Birdie’

BUCKSPORT – The Bucksport High School drama club will present the musical comedy “Bye Bye, Birdie” at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 9; and Fridays and Saturdays, Nov. 10-11 and Nov. 17-18, at the Bucksport Middle School theater. Tickets are $6, $5 students and senior citizens, available at Bookstacks.

“Bye Bye, Birdie” is a musical spoof set in 1960, about the time that Elvis Presley went into the Army. The title character of the show, Conrad Birdie, had been drafted into the Army and will symbolically kiss goodbye one girl from a small Midwestern town. This young woman represents all teenage girls who will miss Birdie when he goes into the service. Unfortunately, the girl has a steady boyfriend who objects to Birdie giving her a kiss, and she has a father who “gets no respect” when it comes to teen idols, especially when Birdie stays at his house before bestowing the final kiss.

Birdie travels from New York City to Sweet Apple, Ohio, where he gets an entire town excited and dismayed by his behavior. The play has another plot line about the manager and the secretary who are in love but never seem to be able to get together, primarily because of the manager’s overbearing mother and his fear of commitment.

The musical is full of fun double entendres and toe-tapping music, such as “Put on a Happy Face, Kids,” “A Lot of Livin’ to Do” and “One Last Kiss.” The cast numbers nearly 30 talented young people who frolic and bounce throughout the play.

Choreographer Denise Perkins-Field, musical director Mark Nelusan and director Peter Clain are working with the drama club to present “Bye Bye, Birdie.” They have presented musical plays with the Bucksport High School drama club for more than 15 years.

Orono High School

ORONO – A blood drive will be held 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Friday, Nov. 3, in the Orono High School gym. The student council is sponsoring the drive. It is open to the public.

Girl Scouting fun

HERMON – Girls in first through 12th grades, whether or not they are Girl Scouts, and Daisy Girl Scout troops are invited to join in a variety of creative and fun activities geared to each age group on Wednesday, Nov. 15, at Hermon High School, Route 2.

Daisy Girl Scouts are invited to participate in “Zink the Zebra,” 4-5:30 p.m. The mission of “Zink the Zebra” is to foster understanding, respect, compassion and acceptance of human differences through a specially created character education program. The program is based on a children’s story of a zebra that has spots instead of stripes and was written by an 11-year-old during her terminal illness with cancer as a way of helping others accept differences.

Girls of any age are invited to express their own creativity at a “Make Your Own Stuffed Animal” workshop 6:30-8:30 p.m. Girls will create and name a cuddly stuffed bear, cat or dog to take home.

Teen Girl Scouts in grades six and up are invited to work on the Studio 2B program, “Don’t Sweat It.” Girls will set their own goals for the session and work on activities to accomplish them along with other teens. The program will run 4:30-7:30 p.m. Girls will receive the program book, program activities and a charm.

Preregistration and a participation fee are required for each program, and girls registering for the stuffed animal workshop need to specify which animal they’d like to make.

For fee information and registration, call Dina Eccleston at (800) 464-3858 or e-mail webmaster@abnakigsc.org. For information about Girl Scouting in central and southern Penobscot County, call Kate McCarthy, membership-program manager, (800) 675-8511 or 989-7474, or e-mail kmccarthy@abnakigsc.org.

Transition Planning for Youth with Disabilities

BANGOR – Do you have concerns about what comes after high school for your special needs youth? Do you feel overwhelmed with the number of agencies out there, and the paperwork involved?

Do you have questions like these: “What is case management?” “How do I know if I’m eligible?” “What’s the difference between children’s and adult case management?” “Does someone with mental retardation qualify?” “What is wraparound?”

The Maine Transition Network, Region 3-Penquis, will address those questions and more at the second in a series of forums on Transition Planning for Youth with Disabilities, to be held 3-5 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 8, at Alpha One, 1048 Union St.

Call Cindy Tuck, coordinator of the series, to register at 992-2270, or e-mail schooltolife@midmaine.com.

Colleges

Bates College

LEWISTON – David Kelly of Bangor received a Hoffman Support Grant this past summer. Kelly, a junior philosophy and history double major and dean’s list student at Bates College, used the grant to research the relationships among Nietzsche, Sartre and Kant, emphasizing their divergent notions of free will.

Hoffman Research Support Grants are given to students engaged in summer research. The grant, up to $1,000, can be used to support a short- or long-term research project in any discipline.

Dartmouth College

HANOVER, N.H. – Amelia Potvin is studying in Pretoria, South Africa, during the fall term as part of Dartmouth College’s foreign study program. She is the daughter of Paul and Connie Potvin of Hampden.

Eastern Maine Community College

BANGOR – W. Tom Sawyer Jr., honorary campaign chairman of “Summer in the City: The Campaign for Dakin Pool,” has announced major support from Eastern Maine Community College for the campaign.

Students in the department of Building Construction Technology at EMCC, under the supervision of director Lester Stackpole, will construct the new pool house and equipment building at Dakin Pool. The in-kind contribution is valued at $10,000.

In making the announcement, Sawyer said, “The support from Eastern Maine Community College is incredibly generous and has already helped us to leverage additional in-kind support from area tradespeople and suppliers. We’re grateful to EMCC President Joyce Hedlund, her staff and students for including the Dakin Pool project in their 40th anniversary celebration.”

EMCC officials said they were pleased their students could be involved with the Dakin Pool project.

“The Friends of Dakin Pool have done much to strengthen our community. It seems appropriate in our 40th anniversary year of community to help this group to provide Bangor with a safe and valuable resource,” Hedlund said.

EMCC students will begin constructing the buildings in module sections on campus under faculty supervision sometime in November, according to Stackpole.

“Each time our students become involved in a project that gives back to the community, they gain personally and professionally,” he added.

The $100,000 capital campaign for Bangor’s first public swimming pool was launched on the opening day of summer by the Friends of Dakin Pool. To date, $88,798 in gifts and pledges has been received. Funds raised will be used to enhance and improve the area around the pool on Bangor’s east side – at the end of Pine Street just past Stillwater Avenue, across from Broadway Park.

The Friends of Dakin Pool is a nonprofit organization run by community volunteers set up to raise funds to preserve and improve the Dakin Pool complex. For information, visit www.dakinpool.com or phone 947-4051. Tax-deductible contributions may be mailed to Friends of Dakin Pool, P.O. Box 2657, Bangor 04402-2657.

Husson College

BANGOR – The Husson College board of trustees has approved a school of pharmacy at its Bangor campus.

Dr. Julian Haynes, former provost at Massachusetts General Hospital and former executive director of the American Dietetic Association, will lead the initiative.

The board also gave initial approval for construction of expanded academic facilities on campus, with a focus on increasing health-science related education activities. At present, there are no schools of pharmacy in northern New England. Husson will award a doctoral degree in pharmacy.

“Pharmacy is the third-largest and one of the most distributive health professions in the United States. It fits perfectly with Husson’s doctor in physical therapy and other graduate-level health offerings,” said Husson President William Beardsley.

“The demand for pharmacists is expanding nationally and in northern New England,” he said. “We have strong support from the Eastern Maine Medical Center and St. Joseph Hospital, and our cost structure is such that our program will offer a high-quality, very competitive degree.

“Eastern Maine Medical Center and our affiliates have an ongoing demand for pharmacists,” said EMMC President Deborah Carey Johnson. “We have met with Husson’s consultants and we are very excited about working with Husson in developing this” degree in pharmacy, she said.

“We have a serious shortage, especially for hospital pharmacists, and the Husson program will address our challenge of recruiting pharmacists from away to serve central, eastern and northern Maine,” said St. Joseph Hospital president, Sister Mary Norberta.

Husson College enrolls 2,500 students and has experienced an increase of more than 50 percent in undergraduate enrollment since 2002. Husson also offers a doctor of physical therapy and master’s degrees in nursing and occupational therapy through its school of health, plus master’s degrees through its schools of business, education and science and humanities.

“We will file for approval from the state Board of Education in November and with the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education in early 2007,” said Husson chief academic officer Dr. Richard Stephens. “We have already taken steps to commence a pre-pharmacy curriculum for undergraduates as early as 2007.”

Husson College open house

BANGOR – Husson College will hold its fall open house on Saturday, Nov. 11.

Open house at Husson is an opportunity for students and parents to tour the campus and meet current students, faculty and administrators. It is an opportunity to learn firsthand about Husson’s academic and athletic programs, extracurricular activities and financial aid.

Faculty from each program will be on hand to talk about their programs and answer questions. Registration is at 9 a.m. in the Dickerman Dining Commons, and activities begin at 9:30 a.m. Lunch is free at the Dining Commons from noon to 1 p.m.

Questions about the open house should be directed by e-mail to admit@husson.edu or by calling (800) 4HUSSON.

U. S. Military Academy

WEST POINT, N.Y. – Cadet Robert Pushard III, son of Joyce Mooney of Bucksport and Robert Pushard of Dedham, has earned the Superintendent’s Award for Achievement at the U.S. Military Academy. The award is present to the top 15 percent of cadets who excel in the academic, military and physical programs. The insignia is a gold wreath.

Pushard graduated from Busksport High School in 2005. He plans to graduate from West Point in 2009 and be commissioned a second lieutenant in the U.S Army.

Maine Maritime Academy

CASTINE – Maine Maritime Academy will honor its best and brightest at a ceremony to be held on the college campus on Thursday, Nov. 9. The college will recognize alumni success and achievement, student academic success and faculty achievement at its annual Celebration of Achievement.

According to MMA President Leonard Tyler, the ceremonies were joined in recent years to foster mutual respect, admiration and inspiration among honorees, while highlighting the interrelationship of inspired teaching and academic commitment, student curiosity and scholarship, and alumni professional and civic success.

Initiated in 1997, the college’s Wall of Honor was created to recognize alumni, who, through achievements in professional and civic life, have brought honor to themselves and to Maine Maritime Academy. The wall also serves to inspire current students and alumni to strive for personal excellence.

The 2006 inductees will join 48 distinguished alumni honorees. Their framed photograph and biographical sketch will be on permanent display at the Wall of Honor in the Kresge Room of the Harold Alfond Student Center.

Inductees are selected from nominations made at large by alumni and the public. Those honored must be a graduate of Maine Maritime Academy and either own a company or be the president, chief executive officer or chairman of the board of a company; have been elected as mayor, governor, congressman or senator; have achieved the rank of flag officer in the military; or have achieved significant prominence or lifetime achievement in a chosen field.

Advanced education, professional awards and honors, community service and voluntary service to Maine Maritime Academy are considered. Selection is carried out by a committee comprising members of the Wall of Honor.

This year’s Wall of Honor induction will recognize the career accomplishments of:

. Samuel Collins, Class of 1971, regional administrator of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission Northeast Region, King of Prussia, Pa.

. Capt. Deborah Doane Dempsey, Class of 1976, pilot, Columbia River Bar Pilots, Astoria, Ore.

. Capt. Stephen W. Dick, Class of 1971, executive vice president, Tidewater Inc., New Orleans, La.

Dempsey was the college’s first woman graduate. A highly accomplished mariner and pioneer in the maritime industry, Dempsey will be the first woman inducted into the MMA Wall of Honor.

Maine Maritime Academy also will honor students selected as Henry A. Scheel Scholars, the college’s highest undergraduate academic honor.

This year’s recipients were selected by the chairmen of the academic departments at the college. They represent the highest standard of achievement within each of the 11 undergraduate majors offered at the college. They are:

. Peter Albee, Wonalancet, N.H.

. Heath Crockett, Castine.

. Kristin Gabor, Woolwich.

. Daniel Gardner, Orrington.

. Colette Lebeau, Massachusetts.

. Christopher Moore, Castine.

. Chance Phelps, Wyoming.

. Kevin Quirion, Winslow.

. Brendyn Sarnacki, Searsport.

. Richard Schrempf, New Hampshire.

. Matthew Stephens, Orrs Island.

Maine Maritime Academy also will present the first annual Excellence in Teaching Award, the college’s highest faculty achievement award, to David G. Skaves, professor of engineering.

Skaves has taught at MMA for more than 20 years, sailing extensively aboard the college’s training ship on annual cruises. He has served as chairman of the engineering department.

The college also will honor Dr. Joceline Boucher, professor of marine chemistry at MMA, for her contributions to the coordination of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges 2006 self-study process for the college.