Schools

Maine Recycles Week

An elementary school in Bangor and a high school student from Hermon have earned honors for their participation in Maine Recycles Week.

Fruit Street School in Bangor and Hermon High School senior Duncan Hutchinson received special recognition.

Maine Recycles Week was celebrated Nov. 8-15, with 2008 the 10th anniversary. With the help of this year’s sponsors, more than $3,000 in awards will go to selected schools to recognize efforts in promoting recycling within their communities.

The traditional poster contest invites students in all grades to compete for placement in the annual recycling calendar. One poster entered for the contest is selected to serve as the centerpiece of next year’s MRW poster.

The Maine Recycles Week is a public-private partnership overseen by a steering committee and judged by Janet Pelletier, Androscoggin Valley Council of Governments; John Albertini, Maine Resource Recovery Association; Dianne Doe, Auburn’s SHARECenter; Beth Young, Casella Waste Systems Inc.; Tom Kane, CPRC Group; and Sam Morris, Maine State Planning Office.

Bruce White of the State Planning Office serves as coordinator of MRW and played the part of referee for the event.

The poster competition especially has grown each year, with nearly 1,900 posters submitted for consideration this year. Fewer schools were registered this year for more prizes – the committee voted to award $500 to three outstanding school efforts and then randomly draw seven additional to receive $250 each. Each school is asked to spend the money on science, environmental or recycling projects involving students. More than 19,000 are enrolled in these schools.

The three outstanding schools selected were:

. Fruit Street School, Bangor.

. Bowdoinham Elementary School, Bowdoinham.

. Lincoln Middle School, Portland.

Each will receive $500 for their programs.

Schools randomly selected to receive $250 for creative, effective and tremendous reported efforts, were Trinity Catholic School, Lewiston; Belgrade Community School, Belgrade; Saccarappa School, Westbrook; Livermore Falls High School, Livermore Falls; South Bristol Elementary School, South Bristol; St. George School, St. George; and Easton Elementary School, Easton.

The artworks of 13 students were selected for inclusion in the 2009 Maine Recycles calendar distributed to schools and municipal offices across the state. The young artists are Hunter, grade three, Readfield Elementary School; Teryn, grade 12, and Hannah, grade 10, Rangeley Lakes Regional School; Dominic and Natalie, grade six, Lincoln Middle School, Portland; Mike, grade 10, Livermore Falls High School; Arielle, grade four, Fisher-Mitchell School, Bath; Spenser, grade six, Friendship Village School; Duncan Hutchinson, grade 12, Hermon High School; Tessa, grade five, Stepping Stones Montessori School, Chelsea; Chloe, grade 10, Cheverus High School, Portland; Alex, grade 11, The Hyde School, Bath. Maine Recycles Week identifies youngsters only by their first names.

The selected posters will be used in the 2009 Maine Recycles calendar that will be available at the end of this month.

Central High School

CORINTH – Garry Spencer, principal of Central High School, has nominated Kelsi McHugh for the Herff Jones-NASSP Principal’s Leadership Award.

McHugh is a two-year member of the National Honor Society; a four-year member of the student council, serving as president during her senior year; a member of the math team, Project Adventure and action team. She plays varsity soccer and varsity basketball. She has worked as a hospital Candy Striper and counselor at basketball camp and has helped on community projects. McHugh has not selected which college she will attend, but plans to study medicine or psychology.

Nominations for the award are based on leadership skills, participation in service organizations and clubs, achievement in the arts and sciences, employment experience and academic record. Nominees are required to write an essay. In the spring, 100 award winners will be chosen to receive a college scholarship ranging from $1,000 to $12,000.

Hermon High School

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

. Freshman Braddock Deabay, son of Scott and Margie Deabay of Carmel.

. Sophomore Julie McDonald, daughter of Timothy and Darlene McDonald of Hermon.

. Junior Kevin Holland, son of Larry and Karla Holland of Hermon.

. Senior Melissa Lawler, daughter of Mike and Wendy Lawler of Carmel.

The students were selected because of their eager participation in class, and their excellent attitudes and effort in other school activities, school officials said.

Orono High School

ORONO – One Night Only will feature Orono High School student bands and performers 7-10 p.m. Friday, Dec. 12, at Keith Anderson Community House. Admission is $5 and benefits the high school’s Project Graduation.

Teens To Trails Outing Club

LIMESTONE – The Maine School of Science and Mathematics was one of eight schools awarded support from Teens To Trails or “T3” for its Outing Club. With the support of the Horizon Foundation and L.L. Bean, T3 is ensuring that Maine teens have access to outdoor experiences and opportunities to connect with nature. Half the outdoor adventure programs are brand new this school year and several were established by student initiative.

Members of the MSSM Outing Club include Shay Adams of Otis, Sarah Benjamin of Searsmont, Suzi Burke of Holden, Richard Curtis of Sabattus, Erin Dolan of Brunswick, Markayla Golden of Skowhegan, Emily Miliano of Cornish, Billy Pease of Rockport, CJ Pye of Dresden and Peter Taddeo of Waterville.

Through the Grants-to-Clubs program, outing clubs will receive needed gear including backpacks, snowshoes and canoe paddles, as well as money to help with transportation costs and outdoor program fees.

For information on the Teens To Trails and Outing Clubs, visit www.TeensToTrails.org.

Colleges

Grant to forestry professor

ORONO – A University of Maine professor is leading an effort to use Maine’s forests to help teach science and math to high school students.

William Livingston, UM professor of forest resources, received a $77,352 one-year grant from the Maine Department of Education as part of the federal No Child Left Behind program. The money will be used to provide professional development and new opportunities for teachers to use Maine’s forests as a teaching tool.

Livingston is the head of a partnership involving Edward Little High School in Auburn, Lewiston High School, Lewiston Regional Technical Center, Maine Tree Foundation and Acadia Partners for Science and Learning.

During the coming academic year, partnership teachers will be involved in Web-based discussions and attend conferences and workshops. The process is designed for teachers to set the priorities for their professional development activities.

Professional development and learning activities also will take advantage of the community groups and professionals who deal with the area’s forest resources.

The proposal for the grant was written by Livingston with assistance from Shelly Mogel and Nancy Trembley of the Auburn School Department.

Other schools in the region interested in joining the partnership may contact Livingston at 581-2990 or williaml@maine.edu.

Maine Maritime Academy

CASTINE – The Maine Maritime Academy chapter of Alpha Phi Omega, a national community service organization, has joined with the Castine-based business, The Reef, to offer pizza discount cards in an effort to raise money for upcoming service projects.

According to APO student organizer Michelle Rounds, pizza discount cards are on sale for $10 each and entitle card holders to a free appetizer and a free game of pool at The Reef with the purchase of any large pizza. Proceeds of the cards directly benefit upcoming APO service projects. Cards are valid for the discount through November 2009.

“We appreciate the support of local businesses in sponsoring our efforts to help or better our community,” Rounds said. “This is just an example of the many ways the greater Castine business community has always contributed to community service through APO. We hope that the public will take advantage of this generous offer and join them in encouraging our programming.”

Cards may be purchased from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday at the bookstore, excluding holidays and academy vacation periods. Cards also may be purchased at The Reef, 8 Sea St., Castine Town Dock area; by calling 326-4040, or by contacting APO via e-mail at APO@mma.edu.

Advanced training

State police graduates

Five members of the 59th Recruit Training Troop have been recognized as Maine’s new state troopers.

Gov. John Baldacci spoke at a recent graduation ceremony for the five, who were sworn in by Maine State Police Col. Patrick J. Fleming and received their badges.

“Maine troopers have an increasingly complicated job,” Baldacci said. “We appreciate and value all the hard work that you have already done to get to this point, and the work you will perform on behalf of the people of Maine once you leave here. Our law enforcement community is second to none.”

The five new troopers are:

. Bethany Couturier, Montville, who will patrol in Waldo County.

. Christopher Foxworthy, Orono, who will patrol in the Lincoln-Millinocket region.

. Jedediah Malcore, East Wilton, who will patrol in southern Aroostook County.

. Elgin Physic, Lewiston, who will patrol in Androscoggin County.

. Shane Ross, Pittsfield, who will patrol in York County.

In a separate ceremony, the governor presented the Department of Public Safety Unsung Hero Award to Examiner Dawn Ego from the State Police Computer Crime Unit. Ego led an investigation by the unit that resulted in the rescue of a girl in Georgia earlier this year.