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ArtWorks program for youth

ORONO – The University of Maine department of art is accepting applications for the fall after-school ArtWorks program for children in kindergarten through grade six to explore the world of art through experiences in a variety of art media.

ArtWorks classes will be held from 3:30 to 5 p.m. Fridays, Oct. 17 through Nov. 14, at UMaine’s Lord Hall.

ArtWorks is a long-standing program that gives UM art education students classroom experience with children while providing art lessons for community youngsters. Constant Albertson, associate professor of art, supervises the classes.

Spaces will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis until the class is filled. A waiting list will be kept in case of cancellations. Students are grouped by age and will have an opportunity to work with a variety of art materials.

A $25 course fee covers materials. A limited number of scholarships is available.

To obtain information or registration forms, e-mail Albertson at constant.albertson@umit.maine.

edu or call the art department at 581-3245.

FIRST LEGO League

CASTINE – As concern for the global environment increases, FIRST – For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology – and Maine Robotics, nonprofit organizations, encourage children ages 9 to 14 to explore robotics solutions through hands-on, minds-on teamwork revolving around the 10th anniversary FIRST LEGO League Challenge, “Climate Connections.”

This is Maine’s ninth year participating. Teams will work independently on a robot challenge and a research project. Teams will bring their work to championship tournaments.

Northern and eastern Maine teams will gather on Saturday, Dec. 6, at Maine Maritime Academy for a chance to show their stuff. Southern Maine teams meet on Dec. 13 at Bonny Eagle High School in Standish.

Awards include the best robot design, robot performance, research, presentation, teamwork and team spirit. Full details are available at www.mainerobotics.org/climateconnections.html.

Teams use the LEGO MindStorms robotics kit to build, test and program working robots to solve missions on a 4-foot-by-8-foot playing field at their schools and the tournaments. In competition, teams have 21/2 minutes to complete as many of the 14 challenges as possible.

Will any of the 7,800 North American teams make it? History says “yes.” Maine expects 60 teams to register. Registration will remain open for several weeks until all 7,800 slots are full. To learn more, visit www.firstlegoleague.org or the www.mainerobotics.org/climateconnections.org.

This season, Maine registration costs are covered by grants from the Fisher Charitable Foundation and the Libra Foundation – a savings of $150 per team. Teams still need to register at the national level.

“For 10 years, our annual challenges have put kids in the driver’s seat to explore and test solutions in a fun and engaging way. We have been fascinated by the enthusiasm, passion and creativity our kids have demonstrated in rising to the challenges,” said Dean Kamen, founder of FIRST. “Our world faces many issues for the future, so why not give kids real-world problems to solve now?”

“Climate Connections” challenges teams of children to use robotics to unite communities in the research and study of a global atmospheric phenomenon, the climate.

The challenge goal is for teams to program their robots to learn about past climates, delve into questions about current climate and explore conditions for the future through missions including connecting research resources, minimizing climatic influences, polar experiments, sequestering greenhouse gases, studying wildlife, preparing for climatic conditions and gathering communities of people.

In conjunction with the 2008 season kickoff, FIRST LEGO League will launch its redesigned Web site at www.FIRSTLEGOLeague.org.

The site establishes a fun and inviting global online community where users can learn about the FLL program, see season schedules, register teams, create a team site or join a forum. Teams may upload avatars, files and photos while communicating with others on their own team, in their country or other nations in several languages.

Colleges

Bangor Theological Seminary

BANGOR – Explore the possibilities at Bangor Theological Seminary at an information session from 9 to 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 24, on the BTS campus at Husson University.

Hosted by the BTS director of admissions, the session will feature informal discussion of opportunities at BTS, including degree programs, the admissions process and financial aid information. Light refreshments will be provided.

To obtain information or to reserve a space at the session, call Fae Gilbride, assistant director of admissions and financial aid, at 800-287-6781, ext. 126, or e-mail fgilbride@bts.edu.

To register online or to learn more about BTS, visit www.bts.edu/prospective/visit.htm. A complete schedule of visitation opportunities also is available.

Studying social problems

ORONO – Steven Barkan, University of Maine professor of sociology, recently became president of the national Society for the Study of Social Problems. He will serve a one-year term through August 2009.

As president, Barkan will work with the organization’s executive office on organizational matters, deliver an address and preside over the society’s annual meeting next August in San Francisco.

The meeting theme chosen by Barkan is “Race, Ethnicity and the Continuing Problem of the Color Line.” A copy of the theme statement is available at www.sssp1.org/index.cfm/pageId/1229.

The Society for the Study of Social Problems is a nonprofit organization, an interdisciplinary community of up to 2,000 scholars, practitioners, advocates and students of sociology and other social sciences who are interested in the application of scientific and humanistic perspectives to the study of critical social problems.

Creighton University

ORONO – Chrysalis Wild of Orono was named to the dean’s honor roll for the spring semester at Creighton College in Omaha, Neb.

Gustavus Adolphus College

BANGOR – Erik Alquist of Bangor graduated with a bachelor’s degree in physics from Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minn., on June 1.