Belle Pelotte, a junior from Erskine Academy, recently accomplished quite an achievement. She made her 100th goal in lacrosse! Pelotte is the daughter of Jerad and Shasta Pelotte, of China. She has made many assists as well to this date. (photo courtesy of Mark Huard)
Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU), in Manchester, New Hampshire, congratulates the following students on being named to the Spring 2025 president’s list. The spring terms run from January to May.
Ascher Ter Kuile, of Vassalboro, Ryan Cunningham, of Skowhegan, Blake Laweryson, of North Anson, Alex Akers, Tamara Butler, and River Garling, all of Madison; Zachary Eggen, of Liberty; Stormy Wentworth, Grace Marshall, and Allison Nickerson, all of Fairfield; Jasmine Cayford, of Canaan; Jacob Colson, of Albion; Sierra Winson, Joseph Slater, and Trevor Lovely, all of Winslow; Duncan Sawyer, and Oase Erkamp, both of Waterville; Murphy Duffy, of Washington; Andrew Cronk, of China; Jennifer Anastasio, of Jefferson; Jaimie Thomas, of Sidney; Krista Neal, Renee Kimball, Krista Knight, Kristopher Mank and Jamison Bragdon, all of Augusta.
Five area Maine community college students have been named to the All-Maine Academic Team in recognition of their outstanding academic achievement, leadership, and service.
Area students receiving the award and a $500 scholarship from the MCCS Board of Trustees are:
Stephanie Wright, Oakland, Eastern Maine Community College.
Skye Havey, Somerville, Kennebec Valley Community College, in Fairfield/Hinckley.
Andrea King, Unity, Kennebec Valley Community College.
Jaikari Rada-Gonzalez, Palermo, Kennebec Valley Community College.
Jasmine Sanders, Augusta, Kennebec Valley Community College.
Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU), in Manchester, New Hampshire, congratulates the following students on being named to the Spring 2025 dean’s list. The spring terms run from January to May.
Rebecca Cherish, of Vassalboro, Misty Ray, of Montville, and Ivette Hernandez Cortez, of Augusta.
Bianca Wright, of Benton, speaking before the Maine Judiciary Committee, in Augusta. (contributed photo)
Female student athletes from across the state came to Augusta to testify in favor of bills to protect women’s sports and spaces. Most Mainers recognize these bills are commonsense policy that needs to be passed.
Zoe Hutchins, of Fairfield, speaking before the Maine Judiciary Committee, in Augusta. (contributed photo)
VCS counselors Jamie Routhier and Gina Davis. (The Town Line file photo)
(Click here to read part 1 of this story!)
Vassalboro Community School (VCS) counselors Jamie Routhier and Gina Davis share responsibility for assisting any among the school’s approximately 420 students who need support with social or academic (or both) problems, and teachers and administrators who need advice in challenging situations.
In addition, the two counselors oversee a variety of programs run wholly or partly by outside groups, programs they imported – or created – to meet a perceived need.
One program Routhier and Davis mention with pride is called Colby Cares About Kids (CCAK): a collaboration with Colby College, in Waterville, to match Colby students as mentors to VCS students in grades two through eight.
In the spring of 2025, the two reported, there are 22 Colby mentors, seven young men and 15 young women, working with an equal number of students, half of them boys and half girls.
Mentors are trained in the fall and spring. They visit weekly and engage in varied activities with the students – reading together, walking on the trails around VCS, just talking.
Each mentor stays with his or her student until the mentor graduates or leaves the CCAK program. Each year’s program ends with a celebration at Colby, in May.
Another program is titled Hardy Girls/Healthy Women, created in Maine in 2000. Its website lists four characteristics it promotes for girls and nonbinary young people: curiosity, critical thinking, coalition-building and challenging the status quo.
A newly introduced program for students in grades five through eight is titled Sources of Strength and comes through the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Routhier says it is aimed at showing student leaders personal (physical and mental health) and social (family support, positive friendships) resources to get through hard times.
Body safety lessons, involving experts from the state department of education and the Maine Network of Children’s Advocacy Centers, teach students how to cope with sexual abuse. Routhier cited a state law requiring all Maine K-5 schools to have “a written policy for child sexual abuse prevention, education and response.”
Another safety program is the Maine State Police’s Online Safety Presentation, designed to help students better understand the risks associated with online sharing.
The two programs that take the most time for the counselors are the FoodBag program and the Cares Closet, which distribute food and clothing/household supplies, respectively. Both are in constant use, therefore in need of constant restocking.
Anyone considering a donation to the FoodBag or the Cares Closet, or seeking more information about any of these VCS programs, is invited to email Jamie Routhier, jrouthier@vcsvikings.org or Gina Davis, gdavis@vcsvikings.org.
The number of Vassalboro families using one or both programs varies; Routhier said it is typically 20-plus. Routhier and Davis created a needs assessment form and invite families to sign up at the beginning of each academic year, but new enrollments during the year – and withdrawals if a situation improves – are welcome.
The FoodBag operates with assistance from Good Shepherd Food Bank, the Vassalboro Parent-Teacher Organization and the school’s JMG (Jobs for Maine Graduates) program. Food is organized and distributed to meet each family’s needs.
Distributions are monthly, usually before a long weekend or vacation week, including a bag at the end of the school year. In the 2024-25 school year there were two November distributions, as the PTO helped send complete Thanksgiving meals to 24 families.
The Cares Closet provides needy students with “hygiene products, clothing, winter items, shoes and boots.” Its mission includes the program formerly called Christmas magic, giving families what Routhier calls “winter survival supplies” like warm clothes, books, games and craft supplies.
Routhier expressed gratitude to Vassalboro resident Amy Davidoff for her organizing help. Keeping clothing donations sorted by type, size, sex and season is time-consuming.
Routhier and Davis encourage teachers to refer any student they think could use anything in the closet. “We would rather be searching to replenish our supply than have it sit there when a family is in need,” Routhier said.
One more program, called the Civil Rights Team, was suspended for the 2024-25 academic year. Routhier said there is “a lot of student excitement” in favor of restarting it in the fall of 2025. As the title suggests, its goal is to empower students to understand civil rights and share their knowledge.
Sofia DeRosby
New Dimensions Federal Credit Union (NDFCU) is proud to announce the recipients of its 2025 Scholarship Program: Sofia Derosby and Alan Crawford III. Each student has been awarded $2,500 for their college tuition this fall, recognizing their outstanding academic achievements, community involvement, and exemplary essays.
Sofia Derosby, a graduate of Messalonskee High School, will attend the University of Maine to pursue a degree in music education. Alan Crawford III, a Forest Hills Consolidated School graduate, will study computer technology, at Central Maine Community College. Both students impressed the scholarship committee with their academic excellence and strong recommendations.
Alan Crawford
Ryan Poulin, CEO of New Dimensions, expressed his pride in this year’s winners, stating, “We are excited to support these talented students as they take the next step in their educational journeys. Both Sofia and Alan demonstrate the qualities we admire: dedication, hard work, and a passion for learning. We look forward to seeing their continued success.”
For more information on New Dimensions FCU’s scholarship program, please visit https://www.newdimensionsfcu.com/resources/youth-scholarships/ or contact the Marketing Department at marketing@newdimensionsfcu.com.
Karen Winfree
Seven Maine community college students were honored Wednesday for their academic success and campus and community involvement at a luncheon ceremony, at Maple Hill Farm, in Hallowell. The event was hosted by the Maine Community College System (MCCS) Board of Trustees.
They included Karen Winfree, of Fairfield, Kennebec Valley Community College.
In addition to being recognized as Students of the Year, they each received a John and Jana Lapoint Leadership Award in the amount of $1,000.
Mr. Lapoint was president of UF Strainrite in Lewiston and a trustee of the Maine Community College System. After his death in 1995, his widow, Jana Lapoint, served on the Board from 1995 to 2006 and helped establish the fund for the annual awards.
Carrabec High School
High honors: Cortney Cote, Oakley Friend, Haley McFadyen, Seth Price, Desmond Robinson, Ian Smith, and Ciarrah Whittemore. Honors: Damien Bornstein, Mason Courtney, Tayah Edmunds, Brady Goguen, Paige Reichert, Gerald Rollins, Levi Small, Brooks Sousa, and Morgan Steuber.
High honors: Emma Campbell, and William Rogers. Honors: Kaileigh Burnham, Colburn-James Dube, Ember Fernandez, and Thomas Roderick, Jr.
High honors: Chandler Atwood, Kaitlin Dellarma, David Dixon, Leeyah Nelson, Jillian Robinson, and Reed Smith. Honors: Ashlyn Courtney, Katelyn DeLeonardis, Henry Lindeman, Austin Sales, Katie Scalese, Brooklyn Siconio, and Ava Welch.
High honors: Bradley Allen. Honors: Isabella Atwood, Ivan Chapman, Alexander Davis, Rylie Deuble, and Lane Frost.