Empty Bowls Fundraiser at Messalonskee High School

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Empty Bowls has been a fundraiser at Messalonskee High School for the past several years. The purpose of this project is to raise money for local food pantries. It’s also about raising awareness about some of our community members who are struggling to provide food for their families.

Students and faculty members of Messalonskee High School, under the direction of ceramics teacher Sherrie Damon, have been crafting ceramic bowls to be sold as part of the dinner. The menu for the evening consists of homemade soups, salads, breads and desserts. The pottery bowls will be on display for diners to choose and take home with them as a reminder of the event and what it represents.

This year’s Empty Bowls Dinner will be on Friday, March 6, from 5 to 7 p.m., in the high school cafeteria.

Cost is $10 for adults and $8 for seniors and students. This year we will have a silent auction for people to bid on.

Diners can complete the evening by attending The Tempest, performed by the Messalonskee High School Players. Tickets for the play may be purchased at the door.

For more information contact Susan Perrino at 465-9135 or email Sherrie Damon at sdamon@rsu18.org.

China Middle Schoolers tour Kennebec Technologies

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Submitted by Ryan Sweeney

On January 14, China Middle School JMG had the opportunity to tour Kennebec Technologies, in Augusta. Eighth graders walked the shop floor with Shawn Arbour, director, sales and marketing, and Harvey Smith, director of quality, learning about the variety of machinery and jobs. Students then had an in-depth question/answer session with Shawn and Virginia Fletcher, human resources manager. Shawn and Virginia emphasized the importance of soft skills like work ethic, teamwork and cooperation. Student Sydney Laird commented that hearing Shawn and Virginia emphasize that you don’t need to be the smartest person to be successful. Instead, working hard and being committed are most important in terms of success. I feel like I always try to work hard, which gives me confidence that my effort it will pay off.”

Kennebec Technologies prides itself on a safe and professional workplace. Shawn Arbour added, “I think it’s a valuable experience for both the students and Kennebec Technologies. Kennebec gets to explain and show off to the next generation what we do every day and how it applies to the world we live in. The students get to see what’s out there in the real world and get exposure to a manufacturing environment first hand. It also gives them the opportunity to ask us questions about the work place that we don’t always see from our perspective.” It was a valuable opportunity for all involved.

Ryan Sweeney is JMG Specialist at China Middle School.

Addition, renovations completed at China Middle School

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The new expansion of the gymnasium accommodates a new stage, instrumental music practice room, new gym floor, and movable bleachers to accommodate more seating for concert, basketball games and other events. Also included in the renovations were two music offices, storage area for lunch tables, new locker rooms, two new bathrooms, new shower area, a new sound system and a newly-shingled gymnasium roof.

The new floor in the gymnasium. (photo by Sandra Isaac)

The new stage with movable bleachers. (photo by Sandra Isaac)

The new instrumental music practice room. (photo by Sandra Isaac)

Meaghan Murphy, dean of students for China Middle School, Lois Bowden, China Middle School principal, and Carl Gartley, Superintendent of RSU #18, stand against the wall in the new gym. (photo by Sandra Isaac.)

Williams Elementary School honors first responders

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Williams Elementary School students displaying their support for first responders during the school’s Hearts for Heroes program. (contributed photo)

Hearts for Heroes program presented by students

by Mandi Favreau

On January 24, Williams Elementary School, in Oakland, celebrated local first responders with a special Hearts for Heroes event.

The entire school came together in a community assembly to show their gratitude and appreciation for local responders and all they do to keep us safe. Members of the Oakland Police Department, Oakland Fire Department, Belgrade Fire Department, Rome Fire Department, Kennebec County Sheriff’s Department, and Delta Ambulance were welcomed into WES through an elaborate balloon archway.

Some of the students with first responders who attended the event. (contributed photo)

“This event was wonderful,” said school board member Laura Tracy. “From the moment we walked in the door, we could feel the excitement and enthusiasm from the kids as well as the adults. I was also pleased to see that our schools are teaching students to be appreciative, respectful and most of all, to honor others for acts of service.”

Each grade had a special role in the ceremony. The fourth-grade students sang songs, specially chosen by music teacher Amy Peterson, to honor these men and women for their service. The three songs were T-H-A-N-K Y-O-U, Gratitude Attitude and We Appreciate you, all by Teresa Jennings.

“Throughout the preparation, the students kept up an energy level that clearly demonstrated their excitement for being able to thank our first responders through music,” said Mrs. Peter­son. “We are so fortunate to have these incredible men and women keeping our community safe, Thank you again to all of our area first responders. We definitely have a “Gratitude Attitude” for you!”

The fifth-grade students read beautiful, heartfelt poems they had written about “What Makes a Hero,” in order to show their appreciation, and the third-grade students gifted each guest with a heart they had made under the guidance of art teacher Ellen Gronlie. The hearts illustrated why first responders hold such a special place in the students’ hearts. All of the presentations were a hit with their special guests.

“I thought it was great,” said Dave Coughlin, a member of the Oakland Fire Department, “The enthusiasm of the kids and the work they put into the event, the poems and songs – it was all very well received by the first responders.”

WES will also mail out scrapbooks they created with copies of the student artwork and poetry for each department to keep and share with colleagues who were not able to attend the event. After the presentations, guests mingled and enjoyed snacks, and students were able to have their pictures taken with their favorite heroes in front of a special photo booth.

Police Chief Mike Tracy was in attendance both as a board member and as the head of the Oakland Police Department. He thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to interact with the students and staff. “The Hearts for Heroes event at the Williams School was simply incredible! It was very obvious that everyone put a lot of time and effort into the day’s activities,” said Chief Tracy. “All of the first responders that I spoke with, while at the school and after the event, were touched by the Hearts for Heroes experience! Thank you all so much for everything!”

The Hearts for Heroes event was funded by the RSU #18 Lifestyles Team Gratitude Grant, which is designed to encourage teaching the values of being gracious, thankful, and giving.

Carrabec High School announces second quarter honors

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Carrabec High School

Carrabec High School, in North Anson, announces the 2019-2020 second quarter honor roll

Grade 12

High honors: Isaac Boucher, Annika Carey, Caitlin Crawford, Shay Cyrway, Caroline Decker, Olivia Fortier, Ricky Gordon III, Scott Mason, Cheyenne Sirois and Dalton Way. Honors:  Emily Avery, Cassidy Ayotte, Ashley Cates, Olivia Hassell, Madison Jaros, Lemuel Kimball, Mary-Jenna Oliver, Abby Richardson and Skye Welch.

Grade 11

High honors:  Sarah Olson. Honors: Aidan Caplin, Sierra Corson, Ethan Johnson, Chantelle LaCroix, Adam Lawrence and Ryan Vigneault.

Grade 10

High honors:  Cheyenne Cahill, Tyler Edwards, Shyanne Holmes and Trinity Slate. Honors: Lilly Augustine, Emma Baker, Abigayle Ballard, Aliyah Grunder, Abigail Luce, Sean Olson, Courtney Rollins, Seth Sayles and Garrett Wilson.

Grade 9

High honors:  Jessica Benedict, Luke Carey and Laci Dickey. Honors: Zebadiah Burnham, Twyla Carpenter, Robert Lindblom, Jr., Caitlyn Oliver, William Price II, Isabelle Slate and Hunter Sousa.

Erskine Academy girls basketball team holds fundraiser for Multiple Sclerosis

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Participants in the Erskine Academy girls basketball team fundraiser for Multiple Sclerosis, held at the school on January 26. Over $500 was raised for those stricken with MS, who need help with medical bills. (photo courtesy of Jane Golden)

Cassidy Roderick, left, with Erskine girls basketball coach Bob Witts. (photo courtesy of Jane Golden)

The Erskine Academy girls’ basketball team hosted a charity basketball clinic on January 26 with proceeds going to the Maine chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Thirty-five athletes between the ages of 8 and 12 came to the two-hour clinic to not only learn skills, but to also help raise funds for this worthy cause. Coach Bob Witts and several members of the girls’ basketball team worked with the clinic participants to run them through fun drills, teach them skills, and to play a few games.

Over $550 was raised at this event, which will go towards getting wheelchairs and walkers for people as well as helping pay medical bills for those that cannot afford it in Maine with multiple sclerosis (MS).

One of the Erskine basketball players, Mackenzie Roderick, has been personally affected by MS, as her sister, Cassidy, was diagnosed with the disease a year and a half ago, making this cause very special to her and her teammates. Cassidy joined the participants at the clinic, speaking to the kids and parents about how her wheelchair helps her, especially when she needs to walk a great distance or for a long amount of time.

This was a great way to inform the community about MS and its effects on the lives of those who have it. Congratulations to the Erskine Academy girls’ basketball team for holding such an important fundraiser, and thank you to the community for supporting this cause!

Submitted by Jane Golden, VP of HR, JMG Central Office, 65 Stone Street, Augusta, ME 04330.

Erskine Academy to host eighth grade open house

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(photo credit: Erskine Academy)

All eighth grade students and their parents from the surrounding communities are invited to attend the Erskine Academy 8th Grade Open House on Wednesday, February 26, at 6:30 p.m., in the gym. The administration strongly encourages all incoming freshmen and their parents to attend this event as registration materials will be available and information about the course selection process will be provided. In the case of inclement weather, a snow date of Thursday, February 27th has been set.

Parents who are unable to attend this event are asked to contact the Guidance Office at 445-2964 to request registration materials.

Two area students named to dean’s list at University of New England

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Photo credit: University of New England Facebook page

The University of New England, in Biddeford, and Tangier, Morocco, have announced that Kayla Goggin and Emma McCormac, both of South China, have been named to the dean’s list for the 2019 fall semester at the University of New England. Dean’s list students have attained a grade point average of 3.3 or better out of a possible 4.0 at the end of the semester.

Erskine Academy first trimester honor roll 2019

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(photo credit: Erskine Academy)

Grade 12

High Honors: Lucy Allen, Jay Austin, Julia Basham, Derek Beaulieu, Haley Breton, Bridget Connolly, Summer Curran, Colby Cyr, Lily DeRaps, Vincent Emery, Nathan Evans, Alyssha Gil, Annika Gil, Boe Glidden, Bryce Goff, Joshua Gower, Tori Grasse, Alyssa Hale, Summer Hotham, Nicholas Howard, Julianna Hubbard, Sarah Jarosz, Cameron Johnson, Benjamin Lagasse, Benjamin Lavoie, Eleena Lee, Madison Leonard, Gabriel Lewis, Stephanie Libby, Jordan Linscott, Jakob Mills, Krysta Morris, Nathaniel Mosher, Lyndsie Pelotte, Matthew Picher, Hunter Praul, Miina Raag-Schmidt, Benjamin Reed, Mitchel Reynolds, Andrew Robinson, Alyssa Savage, Santasia Sevigny, Taylor Shute, Brandon Tibbs, Katelyn Tibbs, Hailee Turner, Cameron Tyler and Richard Winn.

Honors: Pedro Albarracin, Lucas Anderson, Alec Baker, Adam Bonenfant, Ashlee Bossie, Alexander Buzzell, Kole-Tai Carlezon, David Chubbuck Jr, Dominic Denico, Michael Dusoe Jr, Dominick Dyer, Cheyann Field, Jada Fredette, Mitchell Gamage, Lydia Gilman, Ella Giroux, Emma Harvey, Gage Henderson, Ashley Huntley, Emily Jacques, Ricker Jean, Colby Johnson, Kyle Jones, Luke Jordan, Tristan Klemanski, Brandon LaChance, Cole Leclerc, William Leeman, Desiree Leighton, Sydney Lord, Brandon Loveland, Shawn Manning, Reece McGlew, Lexigrace Melanson, Kaytie Millay, Jamara Moore, Adalaide Morris, Isaak Peavey, Chandler Peele, Jasmine Plugge, Hailei-Ann Reny, Dominic Rodrigue, Katelyn Rollins, Shawn Seigars, Serena Sepulvado, Nicholas Shelton, Danielle Shorey, Ryan Sidelinger, Kayla Sleeper, Dominic Smith, Lily Solorzano, Makenzi Strout, Matthew Stultz, Jacob Sutter, Nicole Taylor, Courtney Tibbetts, Kaitlyn Tims, Ashleigh Treannie and Andrew Weymouth.

Grade 11

High Honors: Philip Allen, Nicholas Barber, Abbygail Blair, Jane Blanchard, Samantha Box, Trevor Brockway, Hailey Brooks, Zoe Butler, Cody Devaney, Jacob Devaney, Brandon Devine, Amelia Evans, Addison Gamage, Margaret Gamage, Hailey Haskell, Avery Henningsen, Braydon Hinds, Paeshance-Rae Horan, Emma Hutchinson, Delaney Ireland, Bryan Joslyn Jr, Madyx Kennedy, Sierra LaCroix, Isabela Libby, Emily Lowther, Chiara Mahoney, Michael Nicholas III, Ian Oliphant, Olive Padgett, Courtney Paine, Isabella Parlin, Annaliese Patterson, Elek Pelletier, Aiden Pettengill, Sydni Plummer, Harry Rabideau, Kristin Ray, Allison Roddy, Acadia Senkbeil, Hanna Spitzer and Kelby Young.

Honors: Mara Adams, Brooke Allen, Paris Bedsaul, Rylee Bellemare, Isabella Bishop, Everett Blair, Christopher Bourdon, Eleanor Brown, Ethan Cates, Anthony Chessa, Ashley Clavette, Adrianna Cook, Saydi Cote, Joshua Cowing, Nolan Cowing, McKayla Doyon, Katelynn Dubriel, Cameron Gifford, Avril Goodman, Patrick Hanley, Nathan Howell, Haley Laird, Logan Lee, Graydon Leeman, Joanna Linscott, Colby Lloyd, Eva Malcolm, Xavian Marable, Jonathan Martinez, Hailey Mayo, Riley Mayo, Mikala McIntyre, Isaiah Michaud, Nathan Million, Alicia Nelson, Tyler Ormonde, Brian Ouellette, Daniel Page, Anna Pfleging, Colby Rumpf, Hailey Sanborn, Alessandro Smith, Carly Spencer, Jarre St., Aarick Staples, Ariel Stillman, Riley Sullivan, Chloe Taylor, Joshua Tobey, Mollie Wilson, Dylan Wing and Samuel York.

Grade 10

High Honors: Griffin Anderson, Isaac Baker, Julia Barber, Autumn Boody, Lilian Bray, Emily Clark, Tabitha Craig, Isabella DeRose, Emma Fortin, Wyatt French, Samantha Golden, Hayden Hoague, Grace Hodgkin, Rachel Huntoon, Emma Jefferson, Grace Kelso, Taidhgin Kimball, Aidan Larrabee, Robert McCafferty, Adam Ochs, Devon Polley, Sarah Praul, Riley Reitchel, Mackenzie Roderick, Abbey Searles, Shawn Searles, Andrew Shaw, Hannah Soule, Hannah Strout-Gordon, Lily Thompson and Lily Vinci.

Honors: Elliott Atwood, Alana Beggs, Jacob Bentley, Gabriella Berto-Blagdon, Jack Blais, Evan Butler, Abrial Chamberlain, Nathaniel Collins, Hunter Colson, Jesse Cowing, Liberty Crockett, Colby Cunningham, Luke Desmond, Madison Devine, Kaden Doughty, Alexander Drolet, Abigail Dutton, Kelsie Fielder, Jacob Fisher, Chase Folsom, Jenna Gallant, Josette Gilman, Ciera Hamar, Thomas Hanley, Trace Harris, Skye Havey, Isaac Hayden, Hannah Huff, Tanner Klasson, Madelyne Koehling, Mallory Landry, Garrison Leeman, Lili Lefebvre, Shawn Libby, Madison Lully, Isavel Lux Soc, David Martinez-Gosselin, Calvin Mason, Wes McGlew, Kaden McIntyre, Christian Moon, Rebecca Morton, Brady O’Connor, Connor Owens, Abigail Peaslee, Kaden Plourde, Lilly Potter, Paige Reed, Parker Reynolds, Kadince Rideout, Annalee Rogers, Natalie Spearin, Brennen Wade, Samuel Worthley, Emily York, Hannah York and Hayden Young.

Grade 9

High Honors: Carson Appel, Andrew Bentley, McKenzie Berry, Abigail Beyor, Eve Boatright, Alexis Buotte, Nicholas Choate, Nickolas Christiansen, Breckon Davidson, Nicole DeMerchant, Lillian Dorval, Grace Ellis, Lilly Fredette, Alyssa Gagne, Loralei Gilley, Reiana Gonzalez, Cooper Grondin, Mallary Hanke, Elizabeth Hardy, Alexzander Hoffman, Kassidy Hopper, Grady Hotham, Grace Hutchins, Olivia Hutchinson, Hallie Jackson, Hannah Jackson, Beck Jorgensen, Kaiden Kelley, Meadow Laflamme, Zephyr Lani-Caputo, Dale Lapointe, Dinah Lemelin, Gwen Lockhart, Malachi Lowery, Emily Majewski, Lily Matthews, Brooklyn McCue, River Meader, Nabila Meity, Galen Neal III, Maddison Paquet, Timber Parlin, Kayla Peaslee, Gabriel Pelletier, Sophia Pilotte, Alexis Rancourt, Cadence Rau, Samantha Reynolds, Sarah Robinson, Ally Rodrigue, Noah Rushing, Emmalee Sanborn, Jacob Seigars, Sophie Steeves, Jacob Sullivan, Paige Sutter, Aidan Tirrell, Mackenzie Toner, Emma Tyler, Julia Wade, Damon Wilson and Aidan Witham.

Honors: Molly Anderson, Kassidy Barrett, Katherine Bourdon, Emma Charest, Courtney Cowing, Kayleen Crandall, Myra Evans, Isaac Farrar, Alivia Gower, Carson Grass, Ronald Haskell Jr, Tyreke Hitchener, Acadia Kelley, Brady Kirkpatrick, Casey Kirkpatrick, Matthew Knowles, Emmet Lani-Caputo, Emily Laweryson, Joseph Lemelin, Brenden Levesque, Bryce Lincoln, Aimee Lizotte, Cooper Loiko, Gage Moody, Ethan Ouellette, Hannah Patterson, Jenna Perkins, Casey Petty, Kathleen Pfleging, Kaden Porter, Karen Potter, Parker Potter, Conner Rowe, Jarell Sandoval, Isabella Smith, Kiley Stevens, Emma Stred, Camyrin Thompson, Hannah Toner, Lauren Tyler and Joseph Wing.

Erskine holds fundraiser for koalas

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Contributed photo

Students and staff at Erskine Academy recently held a dress down day to raise funds for the Koala Hospital, in Port Macquarie, NSW, Australia.

The Koala Hospital’s efforts include the rescue and treatment of sick and injured koalas, conservation and expansion of koala habitats, research relating to habitat, disease, nutrition and habits of wild koalas, and provides educational materials to increase public awareness of all aspects of the koala. Pictured are members of the student council who helped organize the dress down day effort.