Schools

BSO Concerto Competition

ORONO – The Bangor Symphony Orchestra has chosen eight finalists to compete in the 26th BSO Maine High School Concerto Competition at 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 24 (snowdate Feb. 25), in Minsky Recital Hall, University of Maine.

The finalists were chosen from 17 applicants by the BSO’s panel of professional judges:

. Anna Linehan, cello, Bangor High School.

. Nathan Lesser, violin, John Bapst Memorial High School.

. Kelsey Blumenthal, violin, Cape Elizabeth High School.

. Casey Jones, violin, Yarmouth High School.

. Marlene McCarthy, piano, Hall-Dale High School, Farmingdale.

. Emily Steingart, bassoon, Yarmouth High School.

. Heather Thomas, violin, home school, Belgrade.

. Rachael Townsend, piano, Coastal Christian High School, Waldoboro.

These exceptional high school musicians will compete for the Annas-Cupp Award, the opportunity to perform solo with the BSO in 2008 and cash prizes.

For many past winners, the BSO Maine HS Concerto Competition was the first step in an exciting musical career. Winners of the Concerto Competition have gone on to receive Grammy Awards; compose for popular Hollywood movies; study at notable conservatories and schools, including Juilliard; perform on NPR’s “From the Top” series; teach in Paris, France; and perform and tour around the world.

The competition is free and open to the public. For more information, log on www.bangorsymphony.com or call 942-5555 or (800) 639-3221.

Americanism Essay Contest

The winners of the Americanism Essay Contest sponsored by the Bangor Elks Lodge 244 are:

. First place, $75, Molly Billings, grade six, All Saints Catholic School, Bangor.

. Second place, $50, Matt Klemperer, grade five, Mary Snow School, Bangor.

. Third place, $25, Madeleine M. Coffey, grade five, Mary Snow School, Bangor.

. First place, $75, Jessica Moore, grade seven, All Saints Catholic School, Bangor.

. Second place, $50, Lauren Williamson, grade seven, Holbrook School, Holden.

. Third place, $25, Bryan Johnson, grade seven, Holbrook School, Holden.

The winners were selected from 86 entries.

Boys Mentoring Program

BANGOR – The Bangor Y announced the kickoff of its Boys Mentoring Program under the direction of its Y-Works Before and After School assistant director, Shane Yardley.

The Boys Mentoring Program is sponsored in part by a $4,500 grant from the Maine Mentoring Partnership.

The seven-week program will start with a focus on middle school-age boys in the Bangor area, but is intended to expand into other communities and age groups.

Through the Boys Mentoring Program, both Shane Yardley and Tracy Souza, the Bangor Y youth and family director, will work with boys to build self-confidence, learn life skills, aid in decision making and gain confidence in problem-solving abilities. School nurses, guidance counselors, teachers and parents will refer participants to the group.

Through the mentoring program, Yardley hopes to “build more confident, well-rounded male youth.”

He is a graduate of the University of Maine with a degree in secondary education. Yardley has been a mentor since the age of 15 and hopes to “help kids at a pivotal time in their lives to understand there are positive adult males they can look up to and who are genuinely concerned with their well-being.”

Souza said that she believes the program will “broaden the boys’ views of society that often gets narrowed with limited resources.”

The Bangor Y is seeking men interested in being mentors.

Financial gifts to the program also are needed to make positive changes in the lives of area young men.

For more information about the Bangor Y mentoring program, call Shane Yardley at 941-2815. The Bangor Y offers similar programs for girls in grades six through 12. For more information on these programs, call Tracy Souza at 941-2808.

Bangor High School

BANGOR – The Bangor All Sports Boosters will hold its monthly meeting at 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 12, in the ROTC room, Bangor High School. All are welcome. For more information, call Darlene Kenny at 947-6523.

Brewer High School

BREWER – Brewer High School will host eighth-grade pupils from area middle schools 11 a.m.-2:10 p.m. Monday, Feb. 12, for a Step-Up Day for the Class of 2011. On that day, Brewer High students will be dismissed at 11:15 a.m.

Eighth-graders will start with a welcome presentation in the gymnasium. A complimentary lunch in the cafeteria with faculty and current students will follow. Pupils with dietary restrictions or strong menu preferences are encouraged to bring a bag lunch.

After lunch, the eighth-graders will attend three interactive presentations of their choice hosted by academic departments. The day will end with an ice cream social. The eighth-graders will board their buses at 2:10 p.m. and return to their middle schools.

A parent information night will be held 6:30-8 p.m. the same day. Parents will meet faculty and staff, tour the school, learn about academic programs and co-curricular activities, and have an opportunity to ask questions.

Home-schooled pupils or those who do not register at their middle schools may call 989-4140 to register for the day.

Hermon High School

HERMON – Students of the Month for December at Hermon High School are:

. Senior Tiffany Knox, daughter of Shawn and Karen Knox of Levant.

. Junior Jennifer Chaloult, daughter of Thomas and Page Chaloult of Hermon.

. Sophomore Sarah Yoder, daughter of Lisa Yoder of Herman.

. Freshman Jacob Worcester, son of Mark and Lisa Buzzell of Carmel.

Leroy H. Smith School

WINTERPORT – The Leroy H. Smith School will hold kindergarten registration 8 a.m.-7 p.m. Thursday, March 1, in the school library. Pupils must be 5 years old on or before Oct. 15, and be legal residents of Winterport. Bring the pupil’s legal certificate of birth, immunization record and a recent photograph. A hospital birth certificate is not acceptable. For more information, call the school at 223-4282.

Colleges

New England School of Communications

BANGOR – Approximately one-half of the students enrolled in the associate and bachelor degree programs at the New England School of Communications were listed on the school’s academic honor roll for the fall semester. Of the 150 students making the list, 66 achieved high honors and 84 achieved honors status. Two students had perfect 4.0 grade point averages.

Area students named to the honor roll were:

Hancock County: Aaron Blackmer, Dedham; Derek Cole, Ellsworth; Theresa Dziezyk, Swans Island; Elizabeth Faulkingham, Deer Isle; Wade Grindle, Blue Hill; Emily Pappas, Bucksport.

Penobscot County: Kyla Boobar, Maxfield; Corey Deshane, Brewer; Daniel Dill, Lincoln; Gordon Fellis, Veazie; Jonathan Fisk, Bangor; Shawn Garland, Bangor; Brendan Gilbert, Alton; Meagan Hachey, Orono; Chad Hartley, Stetson; Aaron Jackson, Old Town; Eric Klausmeyer, Old Town; Melany Markie, Mattawamkeag; John McKim, Old Town; Jonathan Meaker, Orono; Sean Mulligan, Bangor; Michael Nelson, Bangor; Daniel Peterson, Brewer; Justin Prymowicz, Hermon; Ryan Therrien, Milford; Jacob Umel, Bangor; Brent Wilbur, Milford; Katarzyna Bielinski, Millinocket; Sarah Denbow, Newport.

Waldo County: Shane Hebert, Troy; Brian Lovely, Belfast; Kasey Mehuren, Searsmont; Robert Poindexter, Troy; Mark Ray, Freedom; Sarah Theriault-Cotton, Winterport.